Iconic Aircraft Aviation Forum

Many thanks VB. A very detailed, informative and interesting Update.

PW

Bit slack on getting this update done but here it is.

First thing to show is the Boiler Support Stretcher I left with Ed, which has now had the middles removed.



I'm very happy with this, I need to do a little bit more work on these, which I will get to soon all being well.

Ive Kept myself occupied with the Rear Intermediate rubbing blocks, these have spent a huge amount of time on the machine with little to actually see. They have also Been set up more than a few times because of the machine being needed for works work, hence you'll see the fixture clamped to the table and then sat in the vice, then sat in the vice on different parallels. First thing i wanted to do was machine the sides with there angle. this was done by stepping up with the Z and Y axis of the machine and using its repeat function, so I wrote 2 lines of program and using the repeats offset function it wrote the other few hundred lines for me.





Next I formed the radius that is the working face, I have slightly simplified this, when there finished I will put a picture up of the real thing so you can see the difference. The biggest ball nose cutter I can use is 2.5mm or 0.100" in old money so that's what i am using. the radius is forms on the Y and Z axis, The X was stepping over 0.05mm for each pass, so these took 6 1/2 hrs to do a pair of blocks.



And finally, while we had a fitter in at work this evening removing a Ball Screw from one of the Lathes I jumped at the chance to start the next bit..... Which is produce the ribs. if you look closely you will notice in the left had pocket there's a sort of lump, this was addressed after the pictures taken, just a case of tweaking the cutter length.





Again, i've written 7 lines of program to remove all that material, the machines repeat copy function doing the rest.

I now need to do the same on the other side, again 7 lines of program because the pockets will be approached slightly differently so we are always Climb Milling... I will then be able to copy the whole program with 1 line of program to machine the 2nd Rubbing Block on the fixture. Again, this will probably take most of the day to run quietly in the background.

More soon for you hopefully.

Thank you VB for your detailed Update.

I find the 'repeat function' on these machines quite amazing. Things have certainly 'moved on' since my 'Workshop Practice' days as an Apprentice in the '60's!

PW

I want one

How much are these amazing miller things??

The one im usong could be bought these days for about 4 or 5k. The Very clever, expensive ones we have at work were about 60k. Sounds expensive, but where i use to work, the Vertical Borer was 950k when it was brand new, 30 years ago... Does weigh 26 tons so a lot of metal for your money.

Bit more to see on the 9F, the Rubbing blocks have been finished now, I'm very happy with how these have turned out. The last update showed the start of the ribs that are on either side, I finished this, then made some clamps up to hold the Blocks down while I machined out the center slot.



And the last think I did was give them a good mopping on our mop wheel at work, to remove the worst of the Ball noses machine marks and the burrs on the ribs. Leaving the final product like this.



And on the Rear Buffer Beam.



This has reminded me that the Rear Beams slot needs adjusting which I forgot to do when I drilled it... Which I will do in the next week or 2.

I also collected a small bit of Exciting laser cutting from Doncaster.





Yep, I have the frame plates at last. Hopefully the 2nd picture shows the slight variations between the 2 sides.

More again soon hopefully.

Thank you VB. Great stuff.

I am pleased to see that the Frames have arrived. These "identify" the Locomotive. In the Locomotive Restoration work that I am involved with (on the 12" to the Foot scale Locomotives) as long as you keep the original Frames, you are allowed to (if necessary) replace everything else and still keep the original Locomotive's name and/or number.

Keep up the good work.

PW

Hello again readers, I've been a bit slack on this update, but it does show something else finished.

The item in question is the Boiler Support Stretcher, last time I showed this it had just returned from Ed who had chomped the middle out.

The first think I had to do was drill and ream some holes that hold the Support Shoe, something that wont be made for a long time yet, I also milled the slot that a packing piece fits into.



Followed by milling the bottom away to produce the overhang from the 2 side plates (remember at 12 inches to the foot, this was fabricated).



And finally the side plates had to be shaped, I left this until the end because it made holding them on all the other ops a doddle.
To hold the Stretcher I made up a small packing piece with a slot in. This allowed this op to be done in the vice.







And after milling the shape, turning the Stretcher over and repeating we had this.








And with that, that Stretcher is now finished and ready to go between the frame plate.....

Now, its been pointed out to me, by someone that doesn't use the forum that the frames i've had cut are incorrect. I've had them cut to the original drawing which in its notes covers 9F 92979. However, it seems there is a much later drawing which covers 92079 as well, it seems the original drawing was used up to locomotive 92049, then the later drawing used. So I am about to order the later drawing to see if these plates that are cut can be changed or are about to become a source of 3mm plate.

Also, if anyone wants a boiler support stretcher, I actually have a spare... and it will fit between the Les Warnett frames with just alterations to the holes. PM me if your interested.

Thanks for looking in.

Thanks for the Update VB. That's a bit of an unfortunate set back for you, regarding the frames. These things 'are sent to try us' - as they say.

VB

Yes, very much so. The most satisfying part of my job is getting out of holes like this, and with the baby 9f it's no different.

After more discussion with another chap who has been building his 9f for 30 years we think these plates can be saved which is a sigh of relief.

Evening readers, not a lot to report at the minute, machine time has been spent making some repairs to a Modelworks King Arthur model, not what i want to be doing but its becomes funds for the 9F so its not all bad.

On the 9F front, because the weather has been so perfect for it, I had my first ever go at Silver Soldering.

The bits in question are the Vertical Stretchers that I made all the parts for some time back, they were done in 2 heatings, which looking back was probably a mistake, they bent somewhat. first heating put the sides onto the center upright. 2nd heating put the base and gussets on.... that was after much fitting, hammering, cursing and swearing.. Still after first heat we had this.



we than acid bathed, attached the base, and then acid bathed again and look like the photo below.



These will hopefully get my attention soon at work, the 2 sides need machining to size, the rivet holes adding and also the "pad" in the center upright needs machining and drilling.

Thanks for looking.

Thank you VB.

PW

Another update in less than a week, wonder how long this pace will last...?

I cant take any credit for this, its Ed thats finished this, Its the Vertical Stretcher he has had for finishing.





And the next 2 pictures show it sat on top of the Horizontal Stretcher it lives with.






There will probably be a bit of a gap now until the next update, i've got some bits to do for Ed's build and a couple of bits to machine up for my Land Rover.

Thanks for looking.

Thanks for that VB. Can now start to visualise how it will be all coming together.

PW

34053 wrote:Thanks for that VB. Can now start to visualise how it will be all coming together.

PW

Yes, it's nice to see holes starting to line up and such like, still got a mountain of work to do before the bits can all be assembled but that day is edging ever closer.

Well, this gap in proceedings has become somewhat larger than I wanted, the last few months have been trying to say the least having found out my dad (who has contributed far more to this build than I have give him credit for and probably doesnt actually realise how much he has done) has Bowel and Liver Cancer. Anyway he seems to be responding well to chemo so that has allowed me to get my head stuck back into the 9F for a bit.

I decided I'd make a start producing the Horn Blocks, so the Drivers Horn Blocks are now machined on the inside.









While the tooling is in the machine I will do the Leading, Intermediate and Trailing Horns like this although they are smaller, i'll again need a fixture to do the 2nd side but they will all, fit into 1 fixture.

Thanks for looking in.

Thanks for the Update VB.

So sorry to hear about your Dad. It's good news though that he is responding well to treatment.
My Very Best Wishes to you both.

PW

Well done VB and sorry to hear about your dad, my son had liver cancer and had a transplant in feb he is better than ever now. stay positive, I wish him all the best.

Well, another huge gap in updates, but this one is full of excitement... first things first though.

Since my last update ive been making the rest of the horn blocks, the driving horn blocks on the 9F are slightly larger than the rest so thats why i did the drivers first... other than the 4 bolt holes on the top, the Leading, Intermediate and Trailing horns are the same on the 9F.

In the first picture, the closest horn is a driver, see if you can spot the mistake....



2nd pic again shows a driver and a driven horn



and the 3rd shows all 10 (sorry for the quality, taking pictures with your phone in the attic is not ideal.)




And now to the excitement....

Over that few months with dad being ill he's talked with me a lot about what to do with his retirement pot because basically we dont know how long he has got so as far as he is concerned, he doesn't need it. What he has concluded is to help me start up a small Machining business of my own.

We have bought a CNC Lathe, a manual lathe and a Pair of Prototrak equipped milling machines.

So, if anyone wants any help machining parts for there builds Vulcan's they look after at weekends, or Spam Can look alike steam locomotives they Volunteer with, please do get in contact with me, because i would be more than happy to help out.

Many Thanks for the Update VB. What an amazing gesture by your dad and a fantastic 'legacy'.

I wish you every success with this new venture.

PW

PS: Yes, I did 'spot the mistake'.

Vulcan Bomber wrote:What he has concluded is to help me start up a small Machining business of my own.

You both have vision ...seems like a brilliant idea and good luck to you - there is obvious talent

Evening readers, as i'm sure you can appreciate progress has been very much stationary the last few months but i have managed to make a fixture to machine the 2nd side of the Horn Blocks and also the clamps i'll need.





The idea is the jobs will sit clamped with the clamp you can see and a couple will come in from the sides, where i'll use the T slots in the machine table. I'll then remove the middle of the Horn, then using a clamp shown in the below picture, and machine round the outside.



I've got one of my milling machines working now so I'd like to give it a work out on these.

And the last bit of news for today is unfortunately my dad passed away on the 28th of April.

Thanks for looking in.

Sorry to hear your sad news, VB.

Thank you for the Update VB.

My sincere condolences to you, regarding your Dad.

VB

So sorry to hear of your news about your dad.
Thoughts with you all.