Garden Railway Forum

-steves- wrote: ↑Wed Jul 17, 2019 6:00 pm I will be honest and confess I have no idea what a spindle stop is or how it works?

As Ian said, a spindle stop for a lathe is just a gizmo that acts as a position stop for parts held in the lathe chuck (which is why it's also called a chuck depth stop), so parts can be turned without resetting for each one.

Mine isn't as flash as Harold Hall's, but does the job. It was based on a design in David Fenners Mini Lathe book, using whatever off-cuts were around the workshop at the time. I mostly use it for turning axles to length and also turning the axle journals and wheel seats. It also gets used when making frame spacers.


Starting from the right, the cylindrical pad is the actual stop and sits in the lathe spindle behind the chuck. It is screwed onto a length of allthread and fixed with a locknut. The next cylindrical part to the left is a spacer that is a sliding fit in the spindle bore, so the pad can't flop around. It also has a locknut. The stop pad is usually up in the morse taper seat, so has to be sized to fit through the small end of the taper.

The three parts on the end at the left make up an expanding arbor that locks the whole device in the spindle bore. The arbor locking bolt is drilled and threaded for the allthread so it can be screwed in and out to position the stop. There's a locknut on the all thread out of sight behind the locking bolt to keep it in position once set.

The only critical dimensions are the o.d. of the spacer and the o.d. of the mandrel as they have to be a sliding fit in the spindle bore.

Since I work on the KISS principle when it comes to jigs and fixtures, it isn't particularly pretty, but you can't see it when fitted in place and it works.

Regards,
Graeme

They seem to be multiplying, time to get out and sell some, lol, roll on the next 16mm meting

Nice work on those chassis. Were you ever tempted to connect the motor to the jackshaft and drive from there? I looked back to see more and found your little tool to hold the axles for millinfg the end flats. So obvious once you see it like most great ideas.
Don

DonW wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2019 1:42 pm Nice work on those chassis. Were you ever tempted to connect the motor to the jackshaft and drive from there? I looked back to see more and found your little tool to hold the axles for millinfg the end flats. So obvious once you see it like most great ideas.
Don

Thanks Don

My initial thought was to connect the motor to the jack shaft, however the motor would end up coming through the bottom of the cab so the only place to put the motor is at the other end. Potentially to make the chassis shorter I could up the angle of the motor so that it went into the engine area and drive it off any of the other axles, but not the jack shaft unless the cab is sealed off to hide the motor.

As you say, most ideas are the simplest ones

The 0-6-0 chassis are an awful lot of work due to the amount of cranks, con rods and hand made bolts / spacers it uses. The 0-4-0 chassis are a bit easier and are shown above with the little diesel bodies, the green one and the weathered one. I tried different shaped cranks on each one, just to see what they would look like and I am happy with the end result of both of them I should point out that the green one wasn't quite finished in that picture, lol

Hi Steve
there would of course be no advantage in driving from the jack shaft it was just a thought. On one of the threads someone is asking for recommendations on a battery loco to use to rescue stranded steamers (pprobably with train). Would your locos be up to that sort of job, obviously with suitable batteries and weighting? I like the look of the 0-4-0.
Don

DonW wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2019 5:14 pm Hi Steve
there would of course be no advantage in driving from the jack shaft it was just a thought. On one of the threads someone is asking for recommendations on a battery loco to use to rescue stranded steamers (pprobably with train). Would your locos be up to that sort of job, obviously with suitable batteries and weighting? I like the look of the 0-4-0.
Don

Indeed, I agree, there is no advantage from driving from the jack shaft, but it would have still been nice to if it were easily done

The chassis I make use exactly the same motors and gearboxes as Essel and GRS chassis. They are heavier than the GRS ones as I, like Essel, use brass for the ends of the chassis instead of just sheet steel. They are pretty heavy as the entire chassis is made from sheet steel and brass, with steel turned wheels, steel turned cranks, steel con rods, stainless steel axles, phosphor bronze bearings and plastic gears which ere easy and cheap to replace but last a very long time. I have not tried to use one as a recovery loco, but if a standard Essel based chassis loco or GRS based chassis loco works, then these should work just as well.

I must admit my recovery loco I built used 2 GRS based chassis (before I started making my own) and I added a heap of steel underneath it. From memory I think it came out over 12lbs! (5.6KG)

I'am first in line for one of them......

-steves- wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2019 5:42 pm I must admit my recovery loco I built used 2 GRS based chassis (before I started making my own) and I added a heap of steel underneath it. From memory I think it came out over 12lbs! (5.6KG)

12lbs, I'd have to strenghten my track beds, the Comfrey and Geranium only has a Light Railway licence!

More seriously, if your looking to shift some units, PM me a price and lead time. Having followed your build thread they will be more than capable for my needs.

Have to start charging you commission soon Steve!

FWLR wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:12 am I'am first in line for one of them......

That can happen if you like and quite soon. Would you prefer an 0-4-0 or an 0-6-0 with Jack shaft to start with?

Steve

BorisSpencer wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:17 am

-steves- wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2019 5:42 pm I must admit my recovery loco I built used 2 GRS based chassis (before I started making my own) and I added a heap of steel underneath it. From memory I think it came out over 12lbs! (5.6KG)

12lbs, I'd have to strenghten my track beds, the Comfrey and Geranium only has a Light Railway licence!

More seriously, if your looking to shift some units, PM me a price and lead time. Having followed your build thread they will be more than capable for my needs.

I don't hide my prices as I know what GRS and Essel charge, 6 wheels take me an entire day in the shed, lol.

On a good week I can do an entire 0-4-0 chassis, assuming the wife isn't having a particularly bad day, if she is then shed time goes out the window obviously. 2 weeks for an 0-6-0.

The 0-4-0 comes in at £60 and the 0-6-0 with Jack shaft comes in at £90. Postage would be extra if needed but I have no idea what that would be, probably £10 to £15 due to weight, size and needing it signed for. Would be done at cost anyway.

That's great Steve, if you could put me on your waiting list for an 0-6-0.
I've sent you a PM with my personal details.

BorisSpencer wrote: ↑Thu Sep 05, 2019 9:44 am That's great Steve, if you could put me on your waiting list for an 0-6-0.
I've sent you a PM with my personal details.

Sorry, I read my PM before this, lol. Is that an 0-6-0 with Jack shaft? They come in a fixed length if it's an 0-6-0 with the jack shaft, otherwise without I have some scope to change the length.

Cheers
Steve

Well yet some more time in the shed, these things are definitely breeding. A couple more people from our club are after a fully built loco and I thought it's about time that I built myself one. I will post some more pictures as time goes on

Is that how you are sending the chassis out Steve, or have I been .....

FWLR wrote: ↑Mon Oct 14, 2019 7:33 am Is that how you are sending the chassis out Steve, or have I been .....

The chassis will go out without buffer beams or foot plates, those ones will go out as full locos with radio gear and everything. There is a good picture of an 0-6-0 earlier in this thread that shows as they will go out, painted but no buffer beams or foot plates.

Hope that helps?

Well after being quiet for a while there was a good reason. I had an order for a couple of loco's and I decided to build myself one as well. Note that all parts other than the motors, gears and numbers are made by me, including the buffers, wheels, well, everything else really

I should also mention that I am no longer taking any orders for loco's or chassis other than those that have already been discussed with individuals. This is simply because I do not have the required time in the shed that would be required as I spend most of my day caring for my wife, I will continue to make loco and chassis, but I will only advertise what I have already made rather than to order. I am sure everyone understands

These are not quite finished in these photos, the blue one (mine) was finished in a matt lacquer and had Accucraft couplings added to it, as well as all 3 getting a bit of cab detailing, I will try and get some pictures down at out club of them, possibly along with all the others

They all look very good Steve, I'm sure their new owners will be very pleased. I like the matt green one, all ready to be weathered.
Grant.

Nice Steve.

How will mine turn out I wonder when I get my chassis next year.....