Build 11 - March 2024 UpdateThe Build 11 team was back for our March 5-7 work session.
We had a number of team members working on projects during the March 5-7 work session: Harold Downey and Rick Sisson used our flanger to complete all the bending operations described in the captions. Harold also machined the 180 degree bends to finished dimensions. Rick, Bob Longo, Jason Lamontagne and Joe Monty fabricated the tooling required to bend the spring staples and spring hangers. Quentin Bethune and Gordon Cook kept our lathes busy.
Meanwhile, between the February and March work sessions, Harold Downey machined the lead truck pedestal surfaces to fit the lead truck radius bars and journal boxes.
One goal of the March work session was to compete the 180 degree bends on the ends of the lead truck lower radius bar and the rear truck arch bars. This mutli-step process entailed 1) heating and bending each bar 90 degrees in our flanger, 2) reheating the bar, clamping it in the flanger and striking the end with a sledge hammer to increase the bend to roughly 135 degrees and 3) reheating the bar and “squishing” it in the flanger until the full 180 degree bend is achieved.
Heat # 2After hot flanging the bar to 90 degrees Harold is reheating the bend so that it can be extended.
Harold is "fine tuning" the lower radius bar.Actually, Harold is extending the 90 degree bend closer to 135 degrees so that it can be flattened in the flanger, here being used as a giant vise.
Heat # 3The 180 degree bend is complete. We performed a total of six 180 degree bends this session.
Harold machined the 180 degree bends in the lower radius bar to the finished dimension on our vertical mill. He also machined the arch bar bends to the finished dimensions.
Another goal of this work session was to form the lead truck spring staples and spring hangers, indicated by blue text, below:
We fabricated separate bending forms (anvils) for each and realized the process we had envisioned wasn’t going to work. We then fabricated a keeper that our flanger could press down on the material (secured to the anvil) to bend our material to conform to the anvil while keeping the two legs parallel.
The spring staple bending form on the left; the keeper on the right. 
(photo taken during spring hanger tool fabrication)
Joe Monty fabricating our tooling. 
Bob heating the spring staple bar stock; Rick is ready to move the material with tongs. 
Harold and Rick are clamping the spring hanger material to the anvil.
Forming a spring staple.
Finally - 2 spring staples and 4 spring hangers after hot forming. One of the spring hangers is shown sitting on its anvil. These components will be cold formed in our flanger to ensure precise 90 degree bends.
Although we spent 2 days fabricating the tooling to produce just 6 components, we are extremely pleased with the resulting parts. This investment in time and talent paid off handsomely for us.
Meanwhile, Quentin Bethune was able to bore the wheel centers for the rear truck axles using a clamping fixture fabricated by Jason Lamontagne. This was painstaking work that will ensure a precise fit. Quentin was able to complete 4 wheels in just two days work.
Boring the rear truck wheel center.Gordon Cook started to use our Victor lathe, was setting up some work and the lathe refused to resume operation. Gordon studied a schematic diagram stored in the machine and while tracing the wiring with Brandan Barry’s help found 3 loose wires, which he suspects were not properly connected at the factory.
Our 2024 fundraising is continuing! To date, we have received $ 11,486 (23% of the $50,000 goal for 2024). Remember, you can still donate directly by check to the museum, use a credit card to donate through the gift shop, PayPal, or you can go to: build11.org
Thank you from all of us for your continued interest and support!
