Stirling Single Wheeler in G3

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Does anyone know how or can point me in the direction of any written instructions on how the joggle in the mainframes of a G3 Stirling Single Wheeler are formed. The thickness of the steel is 0.062" but, I can't think of a way of forming the bends cleanly.

Jon
 

AndyB

Western Thunderer
What angle and offset is the joggle, Jon?
That will make quite a difference to possible methods.
Are the frames already cut out?

Andy
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Andy
I've just noted that the spelling of this thread is wrong, hey ho.

There are no angles shown on the drawing but just 'lines' where the bends should be. I would say that they are not too drastic, if that is any help.

Jon
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
Jon,
Herewith a sketch of the way I joggled some frames a few years ago. The packing pieces were held in the vice, frame inserted and the vice tightened up.
I used doublesided tape to hold the packing pieces in place.
It was necessary to trial and error the relative positioning of these pieces to get an acceptably tight joggle but without too much stress , and a great deal of practice with marked up scrap frames to get the positioning right. (Not really scrap frames, just strips of similar material.)

The frames were 1/16 and the pair came out well enough, so it does work. (Don't forget to invert one!)
Yours
Jamie
IMG_0008.JPG
 

Mike W

Western Thunderer
I do much the same as Jamie but with the aid of an old and large door hinge - the type you can lift off. Inside one flap is welded (could be screwed) a flat plate extending part way across the hinge. Welded to the other flap is a similar plate across the other half of the hinge, with a gap between. I also have a peg on one flap over which is located a hole in the item being bent (for me its brake levers) so that they are always in the same place. Squeeze in the vice and every one is the same.

Must admit that this is for repetitive joggles, so more than you need, but it works well. Frames will also require much more force than a brake ever, so I hope you have a big vice! I will try to take a photo today.

Mike
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
IMG_1428.JPG

Here is the drawing showing the bends. There is one in line with the front edge of the hatched spacer which then straightens out. Another I front of the 1 7/8" and another still where the width drops to 1 3/4". I make that four bends in all. Jamie's idea looks the easiest for me to adopt so, I'll try that way. Thanks for your description, Mike, it all helps to keep those little grey cells working.

Jon
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
Jon, With such gentle joggles I would be inclined to simply put the workpiece vertically in the vice and push over.
Mark each fold line in pencil/ marker on your frame , then clasp with each line in turn (right to left on your drawing) against the jaw top edge and use a steel block resting on top of the vice jaws to push the frame over a bit by eye. Offer each fold in turn to the drawing (Or a full sized sketch if required).
You won't need much displacement and once you've done one bend it becomes surprisingly easy to estimate how much or little you need.
Use the first frame as reference for the second; they may not end up exactly to drawing but better that they end up symmetrical.
Try on a length of scrap and see how it goes.
Yours
Jamie
 

Mike W

Western Thunderer
For what its worth, here's the jig I made for bending brake levers. The actual hinge is out of shot on the left but assures that it always closes at the same place every time - seemples eeek! But, having seen how slight the set is, like Jamie, I'd do your frames by eye in the vice - sticking out of the top with aluminium jaws and just mean on it.

Mike
 

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  • brake lever bending jig small.jpg
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Mike W

Western Thunderer
Sorry Jon!

By the way, I know there is a very large range of wheel castings available n Gauge 3, but can you get castings for that engine? I assume it is the 8ft version you are making?

Mike
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
Mike
Yes, they are available from the 2 1/2 society and I have them already. I've been talking to Ian T on how to machine the cylinders as they do look difficult to me.

Jon
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Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
I may be opening a can of worms here but, can anyone tell me, please, what is the lighter green colour on the Sterling 8' Single and where can I buy some? I like to paint the wheels before I machine them and I would, at least, to do this.

Jon
 

Stevesopwith

Western Thunderer
GNR is outside my usual territory, but a google search came up with 'Grass Green', which was a semi official nickname, and Phoenix Precision paints list P750 : GNR Early Loco Green. ( Stirling ).
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
IMG_1453.JPG
Here are the wheels, axles and frames for the tender. I sent off for some materials to make up the stretchers et al today but don't expect those until next week. I was going to machine up the Driving axle for the loco but it is shown on the drawing as being 3/8" diameter with 5/16" journals which all sounds rather big to me and I'm thinking that it could be reduced in size. The slot in the loco frame is only 1/2" so, not much wall thickness for the bearing if I stay with that size.. Any ideas, chaps? The drawings are for a steamer and mine is going to electric.

Jon
 

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer
I forgot to mention that I'm thinking of putting the motor in the tender, that way the batteries and all the other bits can be hidden away. When I built my Manning Wardle, I had to put everything in a 'sand wagon' that connects behind and the wiring can be seen between the two. I didn't want this to happen on this project hence using the tender. Would driving the centre axle be sufficient, does anyone think?

Jon
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
I'm slowly building a 2-2-2 well tank, with a powered driver, The first two axles are compensated with the pivot 2/3rds towards the driver. The motor hangs under the frames behind the driving axle concealed by the firebox and rear well tank. Strikalite now produce a 12 cell battery packet that fits within a small diameter boiler.
If you put the motor in the tender, you'll need it to drive both the first and third axles.
I suggest you try powering the driving axle first with the tender as a fall back option if that doesn't work.
 
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