Author Topic: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread  (Read 380017 times)

Terry Harper

  • Baggageman
  • **
  • Posts: 117
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #165 on: March 12, 2012, 07:11:55 PM »
Quote
Insert Quote

I have a thought Bernie: Would it be possible on one of the larger events that the museum holds to have a small "casting pour" demo? I think it could tie in what is being done to make the parts for #11 on a smaller scale and educate people on how the process is done. For myself I would love to learn how to draw, engineer and make patterns and molds.

There is a gentleman currently pouring some bronze pieces for me who might be willing to do just such a demonstration - I know he has held a few seminars and can pour cast Iron. He is also developing a product line for the Live Steam folks. If your interested PM me and I will send you his contact info.

Mike Fox

  • Museum Member
  • Empire Builder
  • ********
  • Posts: 5,634
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #166 on: March 12, 2012, 07:28:57 PM »
Can't wait to see those in person Bernie. Your work still amazes me. The pattern work you are doing now will save us a lot of time when we finally get going on this. This project, as well as many others, are the reason the museum is so sucessfull. There are some that may doubt that this locomotive will ever be built, but I have no doubt. And I don't care when it gets going if it takes 2 years or 10 to build, the work being done now is essential to the completion of the project.

No idea what is next for me. Probably an upgrade to Big Joe if I can get some shop space next winter.
Mike
Doing way too much to list...

Alan Downey

  • Museum Member
  • Baggageman
  • **
  • Posts: 140
    • View Profile
    • Preservation Pattern
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #167 on: March 12, 2012, 09:15:35 PM »
I'm one of two other people who have started to help out with the pattern making for #11, whom Bernie mentioned. I concur with the general sentiment that work and efforts on #11 should not detract from the ongoing work on #9, and the site improvements. It is impossible for me to help out with the projects on site, but I can make patterns and send them to up to Maine. I must say that it definitely keeps things low-stress without a full-tilt build going on yet. And as its been said, three years isn't too terribly long. But three years is definitely a significant chunk of time for a head start to be built up while other important work is going on. And any time saved by doing preliminary work now, will reduce the amount of work left to do once things kick off.

The work that Bernie has done so far is absolutely incredible. I have even more respect and appreciation for the skill which his work shows. I too will be very excited to see the metallic results of his work, I very much look forward to seeing the wheel centers turn a dull grey.

I have not been working for very long on this project, but to add to the status update; To get my feet wet, I have completed the assembly of the cross head guide yoke bracket patterns, and will now start on the smoothing and finishing. Next I'll be working on the two types of brackets which hold the pilot to the beam, as well as a pillow block. Hopefully, with everybody's efforts, we'll have a nice dent in the pattern making once attention is turned fully towards #11.

I wish I could say so in person, but thank you to everybody working from near or afar, for your time and energy spent on the museum. The work being done leaves me humbled, and very grateful that this project can be taken on.
Head of Jason Bothering Department
Shop Foreman

Pete "Cosmo" Barrington

  • Museum Member
  • Engineer
  • ****
  • Posts: 633
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #168 on: March 19, 2012, 07:05:23 PM »
There are so many important items that can, should or must be cast in order to complete such a project.
These items (that I can think of off the top of my head) would be:
1) Firebox door
2) cylinders
3) smokestack and petticoat pipes,
4) the exhaust pipes that connect the cylinders to the smokebox,
5) driver boxes (if included in the design)
6) brake shoes, hangers etc.

Can anyone else think of any others I may have forgotten?

At the current pace, with 3 pattern makers working, I'd expect there'll be quite the pile of parts waiting in 3 years.

Mike Fox

  • Museum Member
  • Empire Builder
  • ********
  • Posts: 5,634
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #169 on: March 19, 2012, 07:55:05 PM »
Steam and sand domes. I believe the outer shell of both are cast.
Mike
Doing way too much to list...

Pete "Cosmo" Barrington

  • Museum Member
  • Engineer
  • ****
  • Posts: 633
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #170 on: March 19, 2012, 08:30:38 PM »
Steam and sand domes. I believe the outer shell of both are cast.
YES! Ty Joe.

Stephen Hussar

  • Museum Member
  • Conductor
  • *****
  • Posts: 913
  • Life Member
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #171 on: March 20, 2012, 06:45:17 AM »
A complete list of parts (including castings) can be seen at build11.org on the "Parts List" page.

Stephen

Richard "Steam" Symmes

  • Museum Member
  • Fireman
  • ****
  • Posts: 445
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #172 on: March 29, 2012, 08:55:50 PM »
As I had promised in an earlier posting, I have today made out a check in the amount of 11% of my 2011 income tax refund, as a donation to the Locomotive #11 Building Fund.  It goes in the mail tomorrow.  If anyone else would like to do the same, I would urge them to do so, without using it as a substitution for your Annual Appeal contribution.

I also will be donating to the Annual Appeal next fall so that ongoing projects will continue to receive support.  This #11 donation is a one-time idea, and I have fulfilled my part of the bargain. 

Richard

Mike Fox

  • Museum Member
  • Empire Builder
  • ********
  • Posts: 5,634
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #173 on: March 30, 2012, 07:06:51 PM »
I do like the percentage idea. I think it's time to build a car 100 so we can get 100% of your refund next year. ;)

Seriously though, working on #9, from forming the back head to the rivets to puting the frame and boiler together has really got me thinking of #11. Can't wait to be at the same stage as we are now with #9. Just takes time and money.
Mike
Doing way too much to list...

Richard "Steam" Symmes

  • Museum Member
  • Fireman
  • ****
  • Posts: 445
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #174 on: April 12, 2012, 11:41:51 AM »
All very true, and that's why it's good that we are assembling parts and putting aside monies for the project so that when the time comes to shift attention from #9, we'll have a nice beginning to draw on.

At the same time, no one should expect this to take away from ongoing projects.  This is like putting aside something for a "rainy day", only this is for something special which has nothing to do with "rain".

Hopefully others will jump on board and add their little bit to the "kitty".


Stephen Hussar

  • Museum Member
  • Conductor
  • *****
  • Posts: 913
  • Life Member
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #175 on: April 30, 2012, 01:51:10 PM »
Folks, here are a couple of pics of new patterns for No 11, created by Alan Downey...VERY nice, Alan!!
 



Mike Fox

  • Museum Member
  • Empire Builder
  • ********
  • Posts: 5,634
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #176 on: April 30, 2012, 06:28:58 PM »
What are the patterns supposed to be? Looks like the larger one may be the bracket that goes from the frame to the tank. They do look nice.
Mike
Doing way too much to list...

Stephen Hussar

  • Museum Member
  • Conductor
  • *****
  • Posts: 913
  • Life Member
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #177 on: April 30, 2012, 07:56:03 PM »
Pilot brackets, I believe.

Stephen

Bernie Perch

  • Museum Member
  • Hostler
  • ***
  • Posts: 247
    • View Profile
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #178 on: April 30, 2012, 09:34:36 PM »
Stephen,

Thank you for posting photos of Alan's patterns.  Alan and I have been corresponding during his initial pattern making efforts and I find him to be an extremely competent, intelligent and hard working young man.  His emails are impeccable in their clarity and grammar. It is good to get young people involved in this project.  The more who become involved, the more it can move forward even though we can't really attack until number 9 is up, running, and bug-free.

One thing which the photos don't show is the extremely glassy smooth surface of the patterns.  In this regard, he has taught me some new methods I can use on my patterns and I will use them in my next efforts.  One is never too olde to learn.

It was a super weekend with many important projects being worked on.  I look forward to seeing the Turner Centre car at its display site and the resultant response by the tourists and hopefully, more of the locals.

Sunday morning during the weekend, I spent many hours with Rick Sission discussing pattern making.  He is going to make working CAD drawings to the exact specifications of the patterns which will make our work easier.  I look forward to making my next pattern from his drawings.

I am already thinking about October.


Bernie

Alan Downey

  • Museum Member
  • Baggageman
  • **
  • Posts: 140
    • View Profile
    • Preservation Pattern
Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread
« Reply #179 on: May 01, 2012, 12:19:42 AM »
Stephen, Mike, and Bernie, thank you so much for the really flattering compliments. The closer these patterns came to being done, the more worried I was about making sure I got everything right, so it was a huge relief to get the thumbs up from Bernie on Thursday, and from you today!

I have to admit, I thought that patterns wouldn't be "that" difficult to make, but they really were a bit of a mind-bender at times! I would not have been successful had it not been for Bernie's truly excellent tutelage. My respect for the work that Bernie has done on #11 (and 113!) has grown exponentially after just barely getting my feet wet. I also have to tip my hat to Jason, and Vincent LeRow for providing some really excellent drawings that were a pleasure to work from, and to Rick Sission for his current work on the electronic versions of the drawings.

Stephen, your pictures made my patterns look a heck of a lot better than I thought they did. Thank you so much for posting the pictures, it was really great to see them in Maine. And yes, the larger of the two patterns is a bracket to hold the pilot to the beam. You can see it's silhouette in the builder's photo on the other page of this thread. The smaller pattern is the "cross head guide yoke bracket", and is a bit more hidden away on the engine. I am still working on a second smaller pilot bracket that can be called a pole pocket, as well as a pillow block for the tumbling link.

I have to fit my pattern making in between my studies and work, so my time spent making sawdust is never as much as I would like. But, I very much look forward to getting the other two patterns I have going wrapped up after my increasingly hectic semester ends, and starting the next set. I'll see if I can get a picture of the other bracket and pillow block posted here in soon. Again, thank you for the kind words, and stunning photographs. It's truly a pleasure to be a part of the project, and I hope to get a chance to meet some of you one day.

-Alan
« Last Edit: May 01, 2012, 04:41:45 PM by Alan Downey »
Head of Jason Bothering Department
Shop Foreman