1/20th Scale Burrell

[glue-itcom]

I'm designing, drawing and building a 1/20th scale Burrell traction engine and thought I would share some details here as well as on my pages

These are the rear wheels, rims machined from mild steel, spokes from 0.9mm thick brass. the wheels are 97mm in diameter (machined from 4 inch round bar)

 

[dnalot]

I will be following your build. Looks like your off to a good start.

Mark T

 

[glue-itcom]

To put it into perspective, here is the image that I'm using as the fundamental starting point

 

[glue-itcom]

I finished the front wheels a couple of weeks ago (quite a few more hours available during lockdown)

Sat on the jig with an axle through the centre, it was all heated and soft soldered. The brass hubs took a few goes before I got them right, however, just makes it even better to get them right in the end.

 

[NickP]

Look forward to following along Nigel. HGood work

 

[glue-itcom]

The four wheels together having machined the hub faces in the lathe and hand-cranking it - was just too nervous to machine these once all constructed under power. Details of the build of the four wheels and the mistakes I made along the way are all on my gallery page.

I worked out there was a total of 64 parts and 60 rivets in the four wheels. The rear wheels are 97mm in diameter and the front wheels 70mm.

 

[Peter Twissell]

Nice work Nigel. Did you pick the scale so you could machine the largest parts (rear wheels) on a small lathe?
What is your plan for firing / heat source? I am guessing solid fuel will be a little fiddly at this scale.

 

[glue-itcom]

Nice work Nigel. Did you pick the scale so you could machine the largest parts (rear wheels) on a small lathe?
What is your plan for firing / heat source? I am guessing solid fuel will be a little fiddly at this scale.

Hi Pete, I got to 1/20th scale by accident, the size of the engine was determined by me wanting to be able to print the elevation of the engine on a sheet of A4 paper. I wanted an engine that would on the mantlepiece. Heat source is going to be methylated spirits, I've been making some simple calculations around this: steam and methylated spirit consumption. The boiler has 7 flue pipes, but will be a simple cylinder and so some heating underneath of the main boiler barrel. I have the basic design for the firebox, this is next on my list to do.

 

[glue-itcom]

This is the drawing I'm using, my red lines over the top from my estimation of boiler angle

 

[Peter Twissell]

So are you "freelancing" the design from that one drawing?
Reminds me of designing and building model aircraft based on simple 3 views from library books in my distant youth.

 

[glue-itcom]

Hi Pete, yes, this drawing, a lot of images of the real thing and some other views that people have sent me.

From all of this I'm making good old fashioned plans, eg rear wheels:

OK, very simple plans that I can print, scribble on and use in the workshop.

The boiler is coming along, but will be a simplified boiler at this scale.