Frame Building
When the timbers arrived at Bitton the first thing I did was to check the dimensions.
We've begun drilling the frames for the axle- horn- guides ('W' irons), why do I know three names for these pieces and is one of them the correct name?
I marked the lengthways centre-line half-way between the central cross-members. It turned out that this was a wise move because when I then measured the distance from the centre-line to the headstocks I found that one end is slightly longer than the other, and there is a difference of an eighth-of-an inch between one side and the other. If I had measured the centre-line from the ends I'd have ended up with the cross-members forming a trapezoid with angles out of square. As it is the central section is square and the disparity of length is at one end rather than distributed throughout the frame and so making it all out of square.
Having got the centre-lines in place I then measured four-and-a-half feet towards each end from the centre-line to get the centre-lines for the wheel-centres. It's a nine foot wheel-base wagon. To locate the axle-guides correctly I decided that the top central bolt-hole should first be drilled, then the axle-guide located on it and squared up with the sole-bar before marking the positions of the other six bolt holes. So that's what we did, measuring from the centre of the horn-guide strap to lines marked equidistantly from the centre-line of the axle-guide on the top edge of the sole-bar. Once the diagonals were equal I marked the positions for the bolt holes using the drill-bit that we would use to drill the holes - so the centres were placed dead right.
Drilling the holes was a slow process and I think we may destroy the drill, which is only an ordinary domestic quality machine. The photograph shows how we set up the drill using an old drill press to get it vertical to the timber surface.
It was a productive day, though at this time of year it was a short day, and it was shortened too by the previous night's New Year celebrations.
Roger wire-brushes a brake lever while Ollie stands round like a spare part.
When the timbers arrived at Bitton the first thing I did was to check the dimensions.
We've begun drilling the frames for the axle- horn- guides ('W' irons), why do I know three names for these pieces and is one of them the correct name?
I marked the lengthways centre-line half-way between the central cross-members. It turned out that this was a wise move because when I then measured the distance from the centre-line to the headstocks I found that one end is slightly longer than the other, and there is a difference of an eighth-of-an inch between one side and the other. If I had measured the centre-line from the ends I'd have ended up with the cross-members forming a trapezoid with angles out of square. As it is the central section is square and the disparity of length is at one end rather than distributed throughout the frame and so making it all out of square.
Having got the centre-lines in place I then measured four-and-a-half feet towards each end from the centre-line to get the centre-lines for the wheel-centres. It's a nine foot wheel-base wagon. To locate the axle-guides correctly I decided that the top central bolt-hole should first be drilled, then the axle-guide located on it and squared up with the sole-bar before marking the positions of the other six bolt holes. So that's what we did, measuring from the centre of the horn-guide strap to lines marked equidistantly from the centre-line of the axle-guide on the top edge of the sole-bar. Once the diagonals were equal I marked the positions for the bolt holes using the drill-bit that we would use to drill the holes - so the centres were placed dead right.
Drilling the holes was a slow process and I think we may destroy the drill, which is only an ordinary domestic quality machine. The photograph shows how we set up the drill using an old drill press to get it vertical to the timber surface.
It was a productive day, though at this time of year it was a short day, and it was shortened too by the previous night's New Year celebrations.
Roger wire-brushes a brake lever while Ollie stands round like a spare part.
posted by frogspawn at
4:55 pm
2 Comments:
Have you seen the Chris Crofts set of articles on wagon building in the very early Model Railway Journals?
I thought about them when we visited over Christmas, but was distracted by something (probably food!) and forgot to mention it...
I haven't read those, Flymo. Have you copies I could read or are they available on line.
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