V2 4 wheel parcel van1/32 and G3

[michael mott]

Evolution of the hager bolts

I set up a single multi use form tool, using some hard 1/8th rod a single first cut to rescue the diameter to .047inch then thread the bottom end 00x90

Next to reduce main rod to .103inch then using the same tool to both radius the piece and part it off at the same time.

Then the ball end was annealed by holding it in a small brass clamp with the ball and .062inch of the shaft protruding.

Next a simple v groove wooden support made to hold the flattened part horizontal for drilling the .047inch hole.




Seven more to drill.
Michael

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Michael
Ever thought of taking up watch making? Excellent!

Jon

 

[michael mott]

Michael
Ever thought of taking up watch making? Excellent!

Jon

Funny you should mention that when I was about 14 years old I had 24 old clocks in my bedroom. I was thinking about watch and clockmaking as a career.
Michael

 

[chigley]

it would probably been easier

 

[michael mott]

After making a new pair of pins for the adjustable spring jig the top leaves were looped at the ends, first bent to length on the jig excess cut off then the loops closed with the parallel jaw pliers.


Then the keeper cut from some .219 thin wall square tube along with some extra short lengths of the same material as the springs to build up the thickness of the top and bottom of the keeper.

Next the pins to connect the springs to the spring hangers and dry assembly.

After a cup of tea I can drill the hole for the center pin.
Michael

 

[michael mott]

After discovering that the overall length of the top leaf was 2.5mm too long it half the day to cut off a part of the loops roll them inwards to reduce the length. That done they assembled quite nicely. There is a decent amount of springiness. So I am satisfied that they work well.

Michael

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Michael
How did you form the curve of the leaves, gently by hand?

Jon

 

[michael mott]

Jon I did form one set between my fingers, then decided that a couple of discs would be much better. The largest disc was a 2 1/2 inch diameter wheel blank, I simply clamped one end with my thumb and pushed my other thumb along the length pressing it to the curve. I used the same disc for the top five leafs then a 1 inch disc to put a bit of a curve int the bottom leaf using the same technique. My thumbs were sore from from the squeezing but it worked well and was fast. I flattened the original one that I had eyeballed and curved it on the discs as well. Once all the leafs were assembled and equalized I put in all the small filler pieces to fill up the gaps in the keeper and added a bit of AC thin glue so that it would not move the did the drilling a . 050” hole the pin was snipped and also glued with thin AC glue.
Michael

 

[michael mott]

Proof of concept I was able to assemble twelve leafs 6 x .008” phosphor bronze and 6x .014” evergreen styrene strips it is quite springy. Incredibly fiddly but definitely doable.


Michael

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Michael
Did you use styrene in the wheel springs?

Jon

 

[michael mott]

Jon no I didn’t. They are leafs of .020” hard brass strips cut from sheet. My experiment with the buffer spring is functional but a little more more flexible than I would like so will see about more options. One thought I had late last night is to use mostly the correct thickness of styrene and use only one layer of bronze for wear and devise a hidden coil spring in the buffers. Will see how the tests go.
Michael

 

[michael mott]

After Jon’s question I thought about the material for the spring again and decided to make them the same way as the wheel springs. Turned out to be easier than the first buffer spring. But to get the best knowledge of the material I need to get the coupling hook fitted with the wood buffer beams in place. So the hook has been roughly shaped to get the connection made.
Again the leafs were threaded in one at a time.
Michael

 

[michael mott]

Finished turning the buffer housings after making the wooden beams from some extremely fine grain old growth fir that was salvaged from some old bits of fir that I have been saving for ever.

Then set to work on the steel buffers these would of course been forged on the full size, but I had to make them from some mild steel (I had a few off cuts of .625 cold rolled) not the most pleasant material to machine, but was the right price.


Next to do the other three. Then sort out the shoes to engage with the spring.
Michael