Build Diary entries for July 2024
Here are the diary entries for this month. You can use the forward and backward links to see the next or previous months. Most photos taken before 2018 are small size. From 2018 onwards, most photos you see below will have a link to a full size image by clicking on the photo.
| Coupled Wheels Pattern |
| 04/07/2024 |
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William Cook Cast Products have reported that the first of the 2 coupled wheel patterns is almost complete. They expect to cast the first 2 wheels in mid July, Note the ribs at the bottom of some of the spokes. These support the plates which will contain the lead balance weights. For casting, additional material is added to the pattern so the ribs look more prominent. After casting, the ribs will be machined to the correct profile. |
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| Hoist Gantry |
| 08/07/2024 |
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Over the years, the project acquired this hoist gantry. Keith and Alan have modified it by welding in new triangular brace struts; this should make it stronger. We've also added 2 pairs of really solid castor wheels to help move it around. |
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| Driving Wheel Pattern (2) |
| 08/07/2024 |
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The size of the pattern is more obvious when stood upright. Gary, on the left, from William Cook's has been working on the pattern. The wheel is 6ft 2in in diameter or 1.88m in modern speak! The pattern will be lightly larger due to a shrinkage allowance when the hot metal cools. |
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| Drilling/Reaming Hind Beam Gussets |
| 29/07/2024 |
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While the fit of the dragbox in the frames is being finalised, its time to start drilling/reaming the hind beam gussets. Fited bolts pass through the gusset, frame extension and dragbox. Because of the shape of the gussets, its not possible to drill the bolt holes in one pass. Therefore, we've had a drilling jig manufactured by Tybro in Mansfield. The drill jig is a finely machined piece of tooling aluminium - its marked by the words "fore" in the photo. One of CTL Seal's machining brackets is bolted and cramped to the table. The gusset, with the side face upwards is bolted to the machining bracket. Finally, the drilling jig is bolted to the gusset which datums set on the bottom (left in photo) and back of the gusset.. The drill is passing through a 26.5mm Boneham and Turner Drill Bush which is a close fit in the jig. This will then be replaced by a 27mm reaming bush. This week was all about setting up. Next week we will start drilling the holes. |
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