Armstrong RML. A Little More Progress!

by John

Only a half day in the workshop today.  Wednesday is my Model Engineering Society weekly “Zoom” meeting, and I would not miss that for quids.

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But, I did get into my workshop after that.  And this is what I made….

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I am trying to make a bracket to join the side girders of the Armstrong RML cannon to what I will name the “transom”.  The transom is the lump of steel joining the side girders at the back of the chassis.

“No big deal” you say?  Well, that bracket has angles of 90º, 4º, 6º,  and some indeterminate ones.   And must sit flat with 2 pieces.  And is a single piece of steel.

First I tried to bend a piece of 2mm steel.

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Even though the bender is rated only for 1mm, it managed 2mm thick plate.

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Plus some hammering in the vice…

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…but machining all of those angles and distances was just too difficult….   This steel effort was just not up to scratch.   Look at the gap under the bracket.  Yuck!

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I cut out some brass pieces, and used a vertical belt sander (the Radius Master), to get them to fit snugly…..

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then cut some separate pieces to complete the brackets and secure the transom…..

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checking the fit of the right angle piece…

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then silver soldered the pieces together.  The bits of steel are to keep the brass pieces in position during the soldering.

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That is the angle bracket being held to the transom by my rather dirty fingers.  But, it is all nice and tight, and will do the job. Rivet holes yet to be drilled.   Soldered joint? I hear you ask?  “As strong as the parent metal” I answer.   One made.   A bit of filing required.  And 3 more to go.  They will be painted the same colour as the girders eventually, so who will know that they are not steel.  Just you.  don’t tell, or else….