1:20 Class A Climax engine from mixed media

[Mik]

Since someone asked about this project, I thought I'd share a build log.

A gentleman from the Southwest US asked me if I would build him a static (marine type) engine for his Class A Climax project, since I had already built one for my own. -- Having lots of time and very little sense, I agreed. :Looser:

When I made mine, I built it mostly from basswood - as it was easy to cut and carve.

The gentleman in question asked if I could do it in plastic, instead....

The base was fabricated from styrene I stock, and 3 Aristo trestle feet.

The frame and cylinders were pretty simple with a mix of styrene and acrylic.

The cylinder flanges and heads are simply pennies and washers with Ozark Miniatures 3/4" nwb castings for the studs. I wasn't ambitious enough to drill these so they were just cut off flush and glued. The reverser is a modified Ozark backhead throttle

The steamchests got dressed up with Ozark nwb castings as well. This time 1/2" size - I really hate drilling little holes with a pin vice!

The crankshaft was built up from brass tube and rod, two wooden toy wheels, some R/C helo gears, and 4 washers. More Ozak 1/2" nwb castings dressed up the bearing caps

First coat of color going on. Since he didn't specify one, it's standard marine green.

I'll post more when I have more to show.

 

[trammayo]

Thanks for posting Mik. Looks good in the green (suits it). I presume, being a high speed engine, it was well geared down through the locos transmission?

 

[Mik]

Climax locomotives weren't as deep geared as Shays. They could maintain about 20-25mph without trying to shake themselves apart

http://www.climaxlocomotives.com/catalog/ [url]http://www.climaxlocomotives.com/catalog/?pg=5

 

[trammayo]

That's a brilliant link Mik - very interesting indeed - I've bookmarked it for future reference. I can see the prototype that you modelled I might go down that road too! Its interesting what a 2% grade can do to hauling capabilities! Also liked the details on the last pages of the catalogue too

 

[Dtsteam]

Nice one Mik - you've definitely upped your game with this one.
I hope you get enough out of it to pay for the nice castings for your own stuff.

Excellent link to the catalogue - if I have to send SWMBO out chopping wood to buy me a Triplex, then at least she'll know how much wood to chop !

 

[beavercreek]

Excellent resource Mik.
I love Climaxes (sic) and Shays and have found various books on them and your goodly link adds to the arsenal of information.
As an addition this site is good for Shay information http://www.shaylocomotives.com

 

[Mik]

...
I hope you get enough out of it to pay for the nice castings for your own stuff.
...

Do you ever? :brokeheart:
We'll all be making Chinaman's wages soon enough! :impatient:

Actually, I'm getting some LGB Mogul parts I need for another build in trade.... 8|
The whitemetal castings for this cost about $9 - all the rest is leftovers from other projects.

I learned (the hard way!) quite a while ago that you can easily kill your budget with all the jewelry, and, for me, it too often just falls off and gets lost in the ballast anyway.... So I usually try to use a bare minimum of bought details on my own projects. - If you can't really see it, or it will be exposed where it can easily be knocked loose, I think twice before using whitemetal details. It doesn't hurt that I'm usually bro... err, chea... err, frugal. That's it! frugal!

With a little idiotgenuity, a lot of the fiddly bits that folks usually buy can be fabricated. Maybe I'll have to show youse guys how?

 

[trammayo]

Frugal is a good word but I don't think, as a Yorkshireman, that I've been called frugal.
Now, tight yes