What happened at your workbench today?

[Northsider]

...and whilst we are on the subject of railcars, a package turned up today with drill bits and a 6BA tap which should be enough to produce a rolling chassis.
Firstly, the wheel centres were opened out to ⅛", and the crankpin bosses were drilled and tapped with a 6BA thread. Unfortunately one hole drifted southwest despite having been centre-punched accurately-see bottom right.
I always said that I'd take the machining of the wheels as far as I could before I ran out of equipment, or skill. This might be that point!
Anyhow, that means I have nothing to lose on the properly technical bit, creating square holes in the centre of the wheels. They need to be accurate, identical, and worked to a close tolerance.
All I have is a square needle file...
I'm quite pleased with the results, but will they be accurate enough?

There's only one way to find out: assemble the power bogie.

Which  looks the part, but I can't find the tiny allen key that fits the retaining screws in the centre of the wheels. In all honesty I think they'll bind, as they do with the wheels slightly loose, but that's a problem for another day. But it's always good to leave the workshop on a high, so a quick trial fit is in order...

 

[Paul M]

Looks great!

 

[Fezwig]

80 holes later, drilled to locate the seats, which have also been undercoated, we have a more accommodating interior.

This improving the original or putting off starting the other.......

 

[Northsider]

I had a two steps forward, one step back day in the workshop, looking to sort out the motion on the railcar build. In brief, it was binding badly, and no wonder the chassis has a twist on it, which means the axles are skew and the wheelbase is noticeably (1+mm) longer on one side than t'other. It was made using some rather thin brass that I had kicking about, so this time I will buy the right material (probably ⅛" steel) and start again. But no experience is ever wasted, and I've learned a lot along the way.

 

[Fezwig]

Sunday and yesterday saw the completion of the seats in railcar 20 and internal painting, it was quite ironic that most people I know suffer from the windows coming unstuck in their railcars, mine where stuck and took some removing without breaking!!

And a couple of night photos

Now I need to replace the glazing!

 

[a98087]

Parts arrived for a future project

I obtained a mallet body of eBay and managed to source a chassis today,

My plan is a mini mallet, using stainz motor blocks, are these are considerably easier and cheaper to obtain

The body can’t sit flush as the pivots are in the wrong place.

Dan

 

[Zerogee]

Loving the "Mr Gasser" HotRod pose in that first pic....

That will be an interesting build!

Jon.

 

[dunnyrail]

Parts arrived for a future project

I obtained a mallet body of eBay and managed to source a chassis today,

My plan is a mini mallet, using stainz motor blocks, are these are considerably easier and cheaper to obtain

The body can’t sit flush as the pivots are in the wrong place.

Dan

View attachment 361613View attachment 361614

Oh one pic mallett the other meyer. Sure there will be a way to adapt, perhaps with a new ally flat to mount the bogies on?