(7) Tram - Getting the wheels turning, Hook fitting, 3D Printing & UniPart Rail

A few things have happened over the last couple of weeks.

I have started to get the wheels turned from the blanks, 3D printed a case for the control unit, and also went on a great tour of the facilities of UniPart Rail!

Wheel clamped in the center lathe with the profile started.

Showing the wheel out of the lathe and how it is still over sized.

Filling the hole that was drilled to take the front hook

A 3d printed case which has been designed to house all the speed control electronics

The first poster in UniPart Rail describing all that they construct and repair

Inside a points control unit

A finished crossing warning light ready to ship

  

Overhead power unit that is used on the EuroTunnel crossing

(6) Tram - Holiday snaps, Grateful Gifts & Some Axle Boxes

We recently went on a holiday down in Devon and stumbled across a brochure for a round Robin tour including Boat, Bus, Steam Train. If you are in the area well worth a visit! http://www.dartmouthrailriver.co.uk/tours/round-robin

Totnes puzzle postcard.

The Dartmouth Steam Train (Lydham Manor).

A piece of display 5" Track which has been kindly loaned from the previous Technician for when the frame / chassis is complete to run along.

The beginning's of the axle boxes. They are machined from a square piece of aluminum, and then using the milling machine the slots were cut.

Another view of the milling machine with the cutter in the foreground.

Once the slots are in place, it was over to the center lathe for parting, facing off and drilling. Pictured is the center drill being used. Once the hole was drilled a reamer was used to get the hole perfectly round and to the correct size.

The Axle box covers are cut by hand and then filed to the profile of the axle boxes. They are then drilled for a M2 bolt using a mini pillar drill for complete control.

Axle boxes being tapped for the M2 bolt

The last step is to push fit the Oilite bushings in ready for the axles.

(5) Tram - Lets get welding

I have been neglecting this blog a little bit, with the amount that has been going on in regards to GCSE and A-Level student work, plus the house I am currently doing up and also getting married - there is no spare time left!

This will be rather a long list of pictures with just a little snippet of each one, enjoy :)

The angle bar being cut to profile ready for welding

The frame has been welded together ready for riveting

Marking out the side frames with scribe, odd legs etc

Drilling parameter holes ready for hacksaw and then filing down

The side frames complete and ready for riveting

A few extra bits ready for future stages - Wheels and drive!

(4) Tram - The Chassis continued

As mentioned in the previous post, I have now cut the axles, driveshaft and buffer beams. I also faced the axles of on the centre lathe ready to be turned down to meet the wheel bore and bearing.

To cut the buffer beams I used a metal bandsaw, and used a file to remove any burs.

The other thing that was made is the angle brackets for each corner of the angle bar.

(3) Tram - The Chassis

The next stage is to begin to build the chassis. A handy hint I learnt from Dave was to spray the metal sheet with white primer, so it is much easier to see you markings!

Now it is on to cutting the axles, driveshaft and buffer beams.

(2) Tram - The control panel

I have spent some of the summer buying, designing and building the components to create the control panel, which has now been finished.

It powers a 300w motor, with a detachable controller, dead switch, power monitors for each of the 12v batteries, lights and reverse switch. See the video for it in action!

(1) The tram locomotive build begins

After getting some advice and guidance from the previous DT Technician at Bootham (who still pops in every week!), I have decided to start the tram project. Hopefully I will keep this blog up to date, as I have not really done any metal work before.

I have attached a few pictures of the upcoming project, and of the 5" locomotive he built. It will look very similar as we have managed to find the plans that he used.

Checkout my latest pieces....

I have been rather busy for the last few months, but I have finished a couple of new pieces of work, which you can checkout on my website www.Furniture-Making.co.uk...

LIME Award Commission

This is a rather belated post due to other uni commitments, but at the beginning of the year I entered a competition to design Leeds Institute for Medical Education (LIME), which was presented to five members of staff for outstanding commitment to teaching.

My main focus for the piece is two hands 'passing' knowledge from a old hand to a young one, with the knowledge being symbolised by a glass heart with the medical symbol (Asclepius).

The hands are made from cold cast bronze, and supported by acrylic rods mounted in a spalted beech stand.

Pictures follow:

Christening Gift - Stool

Here are the Pictures of the completed Stool: