Just a quickie.
One of our GSMEE members, Stuart Tankard, solved the base issue on his most recent engine build like this….
Those bricks are CNC’d out of aluminium bar.
Reader Huib suggested that if I follow suit, I should program in some imperfections!
Maybe I will ask Stuart to make my base. (relax Stuart. I wouldn’t do it to you.)
It is odd how the most trivial part of the model dredger engine, the base, seems to have occupied more consideration than any other parts of the entire boiler and engine.
Thankyou to those readers who have offered opinions about the base options. The most common design preferred, including SWMBO, was the brick base. I am still thinking about that one. Meanwhile, here is a photo of the engine sitting on the blocks of wood which I had cut yesterday. Not joined yet.
SWMBO opined that it looks a bit “bitsy” and clunky – (I always get an honest opinion from that one). To me it looks sturdy and believable and functional. And it would be darker when finished.
Another really hot day here, so just an hour or so was enough in the workshop. And this is what I made. Can you guess what it is for? It is made of redgum, a very hard dense Australian eucalypt.
Held as firmly as possible in the 4 jaw, Center drilled, then 16 mm through drilled. The check does not matter.
Then 30mm
Then 49mm
Then bored to 60mm and split. 135mm long.
It will be used in the next workshop session.
johnsmachines 