"Nina", a Gauge 1, 0-4-0 live steamer. Progress and updates

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xo18thfa

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This little steam loco project is a single cylinder oscillator, gear and chain driven, 0-4-0 in 7/8” = 1 foot scale. The engine is single acting with a 1/2" bore and 11/16” stroke. The transmission is by gear to an intermediate shaft and then ladder chain to the lead axle. Total gear reduction is 4.8 to 1. That should provide some power as well as speed. The boiler is a single flue, gas fired “T” boiler. The vertical leg of the boiler should provide a lot of water and steam space while the horizontal leg provides room for a larger than normal flue.

This one is called “Nina”.

The primary inspiration for the Nina project is Mr Earnest Glaser’s “Cracker”. This is Mr Glaser’s original Cracker.

Cracker%2001.jpg


Here is a link to Mr Glaser’s plan set for Cracker.

http://home.iae.nl/users/summer/16mmngm/Articles_htms/Cracker.htm

Cracker is a Gauge 0 engine in metric dimension. For this project I plan to use the motor unit with a scale of 1mm = 1/16” to make it larger.

The chassis comes from “Idris”, designed and built by Mr Dave Watkins.

Idris1.jpg


Mr Watkin’s original Idris is in 16mm = 1 foot scale. I scaled up the chassis by a factor of 1.4 to get it to 7/8” scale. The Idris chassis will give Nina a longer wheel-base then Cracker and more room for the boiler. Dave has a plan set for Idris and his other engine at his website

http://www.davewatkins.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/steam.htm

The rest of it will get “made-up” as we go along.

First parts to make are the main frames. They are from 16 gauge (.0598”) cold roll, bright finished, steel plate. Here is the frame drawing:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/xo18thfa/Nina%2001/frame%20drawing.jpg

To start, saw out two rectangles, slightly over sized. 16-gauge plate is easy to cut. Clamp the sheet over the edge of the workbench with a piece of wood strip on top to keep it from chattering. Use a new blade in the hacksaw with a good shot of oil. Don’t push down too hard, let the blade do the cutting.

Finish the frame blanks so the edges are flat, sharp and square all around. First, paint a line of blue Dykem layout fluid on one long edge. With a straight edge, scribe a line close to the rough-cut edge:

Frame%201.JPG


Use a bench grinder to off-hand grind the sawed edge, close to the line.

Frame%202.JPG


Your eye is very precise for this kind of work. You will get within .002” to .003” of the line with the grinder. If the grinder starts to chatter, it’s because the wheel is getting clogged with steel bits. Use a dresser to clean the edge of the wheel. Don’t let the steel get hot. If the Dykem blue gets hot, the line goes away.

After grinding, polish the frame edge with a technique called “draw filing”. Clamp the frame between slabs of wood in the vise. Squirt oil on a clean sharp file and hold it by both ends. Gently rub the file forward and back. Here’s my son Andy doing the draw filing. He’s standing to the left, just out of the picture.

Frame%203.JPG


Work the entire length of the edge to remove the grinder marks. Draw filing removes metal fast, so don’t push too hard. Little curly hairs of metal come off the edge like butter. The file teeth will clog up, so clean the file frequently.

Check your progress with a straight edge, holding it to the light. When you see a thin even line of light, the frame edge is flat.

Frame%204.JPG


After draw filing, the frame edge is polished bright and razor sharp. Use a fine file to take the sharp edges off.

Use a square mark off one end. Just as before, grind and draw file the end. Use the square to check progress.

Frame%205.JPG


Grind and draw file the remaining edges. This takes a little more time because you have cut the frames to final length and width as you make sure the edges are flat and square.

Clean up the frame blanks. Paint one side of one frame blank with Dykem blue. Measure and layout all hole centers and the curved out areas on the bottom edge.

From this point one we will work on both frames simultaneously. In the area the eventually gets wasted out on the bottom edge, drill holes for some #4 x 40 machine screws. Bolt the two frame blanks together.

Frame%206.JPG


The photo above does not show all the scribed lines in the Dykem blue showing all the hole centers. They are all in there, however. Lightly center pop all the hole centers.

Admittedly, four-squaring stock is not much fun, but it’s essential. Next time we will drill and shape the frames in prep for assembly.
 
Bob,
I'm looking forward to following along as you build this. Thanks for posting. Keep the photos coming, please.
Dennis
 
Nice step-by-step thread. :bow: My Crackers are using a few Idris components, as well.
 
As Vernon said, nice write up. Will be following this one too.

Ron
 
Bob,
You say here: "Cracker is a Gauge 0 engine in metric dimension. For this project I plan to use the motor unit with a scale of 1mm = 1/16” to make it larger."

How big a track will you need?

Will it be a stock scale? or guage?

Will you just keep the width for the track you use?

Any source of common track widths against guage size?

I am really new at this and I have 2 crackers in the works for my 2 children. I am interested in building a third scaled up but I would like to run all of them on a track at some time.

Thanks,
Sean
 
Thanks for all the kind words. This engine is about 1/3 of the way along. Got the transmission parts in yesterday and she's rolling smooth.

Sean: Gauge 0 track is 32mm or 1.25" between the rails inside measure. It is a standard track, and very popular. In The U.S. we call it "O" gauge, 1;48 scale, 1/4" = 1 foot. If you Cracker is to Mr Glaser's plan, it will run on "O" gauge track just fine.

Gauge 1 track is 45mm or 1.75" between the rails and is track used in the outdoor, garden railroad hobby. Nina is for Gauge 1 track.

In the garden railroad hobby, model railroaders use the same standard Gauge 1 track and vary the scale of the engines and cars. Some models may represent standard mainline equipment, some narrow gauge and some even industrial gauge.

Since Cracker is Gauge 0 and I run on Gauge 1, it needs to be bigger. Setting a scale of 1mm = 1/16" increases the size of the motor so it is almost proportional to Gauge 1. Plus, it becomes inch measurement rather then metric.

Thanks again. Bob
 
Bob,
Thanks for that.

I just started scaling up the Cracker using this method. Much easier than trying to make mm into in!

Do you know of any garden railways or groups in town?

Thanks,
Sean
 
About all you have to do to get a Cracker that is scaled a 1/16 inch = 1mm to run on Gauge 1 track is to move the scaled wheels in about 3/32 inch on each side to get 40mm true distance for the back to back distance between the wheels. If you do everything else at your proposed scale, a short spacer between the frame and the wheel set will do the trick. You might have to move the gears in a little bit, but probably there is enough clearance.

I have seen several Crackers and its derivatives done in similar manner.

There used to be (5 years ago) quite an active group of live steamers in the LV area, but I have not keep up with who is where these days.

Gail in NM

 
Yes, we have a Gauge 1 live steam group in Vegas. Meet 1st Saturday of every month. I sent you a PM Sean with the point of contact.

Also have a Garden Railroad club, good sized club. They are all "sparkies" (electric), but they let us oil up the club track with live steam mess once in a while.
 
Gail,
Thanks for the info. I am going to try to scale the entire loco up to see what happens. I will be building 2 more to the original scale for the kids as well.

Bob,
Replied to your PM and I look forward to meeting you one of these days, hopefully at an event near by!

Thanks for your help,

Sean
 
GailInNM said:
About all you have to do to get a Cracker that is scaled a 1/16 inch = 1mm to run on Gauge 1 track is to move the scaled wheels in about 3/32 inch on each side to get 40mm true distance for the back to back distance between the wheels. If you do everything else at your proposed scale, a short spacer between the frame and the wheel set will do the trick. You might have to move the gears in a little bit, but probably there is enough clearance.

I have seen several Crackers and its derivatives done in similar manner.

There used to be (5 years ago) quite an active group of live steamers in the LV area, but I have not keep up with who is where these days.

Gail in NM

That's exactly what I was going to do. In fact, that's how it started. Change of plan to use an Idris chassis for a longer wheelbase.
 
Gail and Bob,

Just so I know (and can stop hijacking the thread ::) ) 40 mm from back to back of wheels would be 1.5748 in. Right?

I had the spacing at 1.625 with 1/16th space on the outside of the wheels to the frame. This is placing the wheels inside the frame. I guess I thought that 1.75 in was inside distance between tracks.

I also have a reference showing 1 17/32 or 1.53125 in.

How close does it have to be?

Thanks,
Sean

 
In theory, Crackers built to plan can be re-gauged by merely moving the wheels from inside the frames to outside the frames. You have to use 1/16" or so material for the frames however. The relative scale will of course be different. It's sort of a 16mm narrow-gauge as-built.

Anyway, looking forward to progress on Nina.

 
Seanol said:
Gail and Bob,

Just so I know (and can stop hijacking the thread ::) ) 40 mm from back to back of wheels would be 1.5748 in. Right?

I had the spacing at 1.625 with 1/16th space on the outside of the wheels to the frame. This is placing the wheels inside the frame. I guess I thought that 1.75 in was inside distance between tracks.

I also have a reference showing 1 17/32 or 1.53125 in.

How close does it have to be?

Thanks,
Sean

That's right, 40mm or 1.575" back-to-back on the wheels for Gauge 1. If you get too wide the wheels could climb out of a switch as you go thru. Too narrow and you could drop between the rails on a bad section of track.

Another thing is that Mr Glasers' dimensions for the wheel flange thickness and height are correct as they are. Don't scale them. Covert metric to inch and use what he specifies.

He shows a flange thickness on the wheel of 1.5mm or .059". That is right on for Gauge 1 too. The flange depth he shows is 2mm or.079 which is also right on.

There is a garden railroad club in the U.K. called "Gauge 1 Model Railway Association" (G1MRA) They established a club standard for wheels and gauge about 40 years ago. It has since become a very widely accepted standard.
 
Sean,
There is a lot of latitude in the wheel placement. The back-to-back distance is important if you ever run on any track that has switches or crossovers so the back side of the wheel does not catch the guard rail and cause problems. The taper on the wheel tread fairly well takes care of the rest as the wheel set will self align on the rail. I just mentioned the back-to-back because that is the way it is shown on the Cracker plans. Lots has been written on it, but most any thing close will work OK.

Here is a drawing that shows the "standard" dimensions.
http://www.nmia.com/~vrbass/steam/castwheel.htm

Ignore the "IF" dimensions. It is for fine scale models and is not the best for running.

Just noticed posts by Shred and xo18thfa while I was writing: There posts are probably more helpful than mine. All are correct.

Gail in NM
 
Gail,
Thanks for the link. Exactly what I was looking for!

I guess there are 2 things to look at:

Resetting the wheels on the as drawn cracker to the outside for Gauge 1 or scaling up 1/16 for every mm.

I am going to try scaling up first and make the as drawn loco's second.

Thanks,

Sean
 
Hi Guys,

Back in the days of steam and still today at a State level Oz is plagued by 3 gauges of railways.

Queensland 3' 6"
New South Wales 4' 8 1/2"
Victoria 5' 3"
South Australia - All of the Above
Western Australia - 3' 6" and another for Hammersley Iron.

OK what am I getting at - This; in SA there was a bogey exchange system in operation before a national standard gauge line was built so in full size practice the rolling stock was fitted with a new set of wheels to travel over the next leg of its' journey. It seems to me that, within reason, where there are only minor differences between sizes such as mentioned in this thread, the engines could all be of one size per class with the wheels adjusted to suit the final track size.

If I have aptly demonstrated my complete ignorance of model railways, I'm sorry.

Best Regards
Bob
 
I’ve been thinking about this build for a long time. Cracker and Idris are both great little machines. Dave Watkins also has a nice looking Bagnall named “Frog” on his website. I would like to do that too someday.

For more on the “Cracker” check out the fan club at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Steammodelloco16mm/

I really like this shot. It just looks like “King of the Road”.

mom0810-10.jpg


It is time to drill all the frame holes. Since the frames are clamped together, the drilled holes will end up identical in both frames.

I drilled all the holes on the milling machine table, but a regular drill press will work too. Clamp the frames to the machine table with a piece of MDF board or clean plywood underneath. The MDF board provides good backing under the frames. Use a steel bar to distribute clamping pressure. A center point in the drill chuck helps locate the hole directly in line with the spindle.

Frame%207.JPG


Use a magnifying glass to ensure the center point and hole center is lined up. Your eye is very precise for this work too. Use a center drill first to start the hole. Don’t rely on the drill bit alone, is may wander off center.

The larger holes for the bearing are a bit scary to drill. Set the drill to the lowest speed. Use clamps on both sides of the hole.

Frame%208.JPG


Use plenty of oil on the bigger bit. Feed the drill at a steady slow pace. You will feel the cut and get a nice curly chip.

With all the holes drilled, insert #4 x 40 machine screws in each hole and remove the screws in the wasted area.

Frame%209.JPG


Now it is time to cut out the curved areas on the bottom edge of the frame. Do this with a technique called “chain drilling”. Chain drilling basically creates a perforation to remove the bulk of the material.

Frame%2010.JPG


Evenly space a series of center punches. Drill them thru with a small bit. Drill each hole again with a slightly larger bit. Repeat until the holes are just touching each other. Saw thru the holes with a fine coping saw and remove the waste material.

Using the bench grinder and files, clean up the cut out area. As a final step, wrap a piece of 220 or 320 grit wet/dry sand paper on a rod and put it in the drill chuck. Oil up the paper and use it to clean up the scratch marks on the cut out areas.

Frame%2011.JPG


Disassemble the frames. Clean off sharp edges with a fine file and deburr the holes. Rub the frames down with lacquer thinner or some other solvent to remove the Dykem blue. If the “Frame Gods” smile upon you, they will be identical and look great.

Frame%2012.JPG


That’s it for now. Next time we will do the spreaders and get the frame assembled.
 
Nice looking frames Bob. Nicely detailed post too.

I always struggle with scale...a coin or something (quiet you guys) would be helpful.
 

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