Large Scale Central

UP 844 Build

Modeling
#1

I got the wheel castings today from Bob Thon(Roberts Lines). He has these Boxpox castings, about 2 3/4" . Have a good stub on the back to grab ahold of it in the lathe. Will take off as little as I can, just enough to make a flange. 844 has 80" drivers, that works out to about 2.7586 in 1/29 scale, the wheels average out to 2.78 on the face and 2.857 on the flange. Two flanges equal .160(G1MRA Standards), so that gets me to 2.69 diameter on the tread, right? Off just .06, so that is darned close! Plus, no one else has these, that I know of. Only $10 each! He has axles also and I got a nice size motor for $20.

#2

Neat deal. This should be a great project.

#3

Cool. Please take pictures of the turning process.

#4

Neat!

#5

Working right now on a rotary snow plow, based on a Aristo B unit. Waiting for the 844 plans also and a book from Tim Mulina. So, will be awhile before I really get started, but I was excited about the wheels.

#6

Jerry
Are you going to use the stub or drill the center for the axle???

Rodney

#7

Know nothing about this stuff but I will watch and learn!

#8

Rodney, I’ll see if the stub will work okay for me or not. Bob said that is what he uses, so they may
be pretty close. I’ve gotten some advice from Brian, over on MLS about the stub could be off center. Bob did
send one extra wheel! :slight_smile:

Thinking about blind drivers for the center two axles, I assume they are straight across and the same diameter as the tapered/flanged drivers are right by the flange? Wheel seems to wear the most right there.

#9

I got my plans today for UP #844. Roger was kind enough to have them reduced to 1/29, they are listed on the web site: http://www.livesteamlocomotives.com/ as being for 1 1/2" scale, plans are like 12’ long! Also, you can buy just one sheet, you do not have to buy the whole set, like I originally thought last year when looking for Challenger plans. He has quite a few plans, so might check it out and I guess he’ll do them in whatever scale you request. Nice guy!

#10

OK Sir, The Barn is likely painted, and the weather to the point that it is indoor project time. Any updates on the wheels? Overall?

#11

Don,
I’m still working on the rotary snow plow. Tried it yesterday, but the new snow was too wet/deep. Should be done with it in a week or so, then on to the wheels. I think I will probably turn them the way I did the ones for my rocket car. Grip them by the flange, turn the face and tread. Then turn them around, gripping them by the tread, drill out the hole-after cutting the stub off. Then mount it on a mandrel and finish up the flange/back. Barn is done, except for the lower part of the west wall, I hurt my shoulder and was not able to get it scraped/wire brushed before cold weather/snow hit. At least no one can see the west wall from the road, but I can!

#12

I had hopes of seeing pictures of your plow blowing snow 15 feet or so. Wonder of the surface/texture of the vanes is an issue, but honestly know nothing about it. They way you have it built is could double as a branch grinder in the spring, It look just this side of bulletproof. Nice work in the cab too.
Back to the wheels. Are you an owner of a machine shop as well? Lots of machine work going into those wheels. The precision of that alone is way out of my eyesight range.

#13

Don,
I have an Atlas 6" lathe, belonged to my old college roomate’s dad, he heard I wanted one and gave it to me, just had to drive to Chicago to get it-but have grandkids there! I did turn two wheel castings last year for the Rocket car, using the above technique that a guy in the UK told me he used. I am NOT an machinist, just do the best I can and despite my lack of knowledge it usually turns out. I just use my digital multi-meter and go slow at it. I do have one extra wheel, so that show my confidence! Back to the snow blower.

#14

You’re a determined constructor Jerry.

Don’t worry about the snow. Form what I have read about NE you will get plenty of it to help you do your tests over the next few months. lol

#15

Alan - I like your signature line: it’s a bit like ours - if you find yourself somewhere that you don’t know where you are, you are not lost. You are only lost if you think that you are somewhere else.

Besp

tac
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