SP&S E7 #750 Completed Kitbash

[mmagliaro]

Rodney,
I don't know if you saw this, but I cut the traction tire grooves using the same technique I show here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LUdOg9TzxA

In the video, I'm cutting a whole steam driver tire, but the tool and the approach I used are exactly the same.
Instead of having a piece of brass tubing chucked in that mill, I had the axle of the E8 wheel.
Then I just ran that steel tool into the tread and gradually let it cut a recess.

The wheel has to spin INTO the sharp, hard edge of the tool, of course.  The only trick was positioning
that tool edge so it was in a good spot as the wheel rotated against it, so it cuts smoothly with no chattering.
That always seems to be at just a hair behind the halfway point across the wheel.

[rodsup9000]

Great video Max.
 I figured that was how you did it. Now I'll need to grind a tool and give it a try on some scrap wheels.
Rodney

[mmagliaro]

Great video Max.
 I figured that was how you did it. Now I'll need to grind a tool and give it a try on some scrap wheels.
Rodney

YES.  I strongly recommend that.  The cutter tip tends to have to be narrower than you think it should be,
because there always seems to be a little extra width taken out as it goes in.  And there is VERY little
room to spare.  On an N Scale wheel, there is really just barely enough width to cut a groove for a tire
while still leaving a "lip" to hold the tire on.
So if you have some junk wheels to try out first, that would be good.

Remember, I was cutting these steam tires from a brass tube.  So I tried my tool out a dozen times before I got
a really good cut.  And on this E8 wheel, I had the luxury of using a tool I had already made and tested.

The stuff we are dealing with, even though we think of nickel plated wheels as "hard", is really pretty soft stuff
in terms of machining.  And the accuracy we require, while it does need to stay concentric within a few thousandths
of an inch, doesn't need to be nearly in the ten-thousandths league of professional machinsts.

[rodsup9000]

YES.  I strongly recommend that.  The cutter tip tends to have to be narrower than you think it should be,
because there always seems to be a little extra width taken out as it goes in. 

And the accuracy we require, while it does need to stay concentric within a few thousandths
of an inch, doesn't need to be nearly in the ten-thousandths league of professional machinsts.

That is why I wanted to know how wide yours was so I didn't have to go through the trial and error.
Oh and I do have a 1mm collect that the axle fits tight in and most generally the 5C collect chuck stays in concentric within a half a thousand. 

 And I tend to be one of those machinist.   
 Again Thanks.
 
 Rodney

[mmagliaro]

Here is the continuation and completion of the project.
















And here is some video demonstrating the MARS and the nice low-speed running it has.  Couldn't be happier with it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgAaDa6PAoU

[tehachapifan]

Wow, Looks great! Fantastic job!

That Ngineering module has a great looking MARS pattern effect, unlike anything else I've seen so far (2:1 flash brightness vs. 1:1).

[skytop35]

Bravo Max!  Well done.

[mmagliaro]

Thanks, guys!

I did make a minor adjustment after shooting those photos.
For one, the fuel tank was getting a little fussy about coming loose under
the frame, so I drilled a couple of 00-90 holes into it underneath, and put in counter-sunk 00-90 screws.

I also replaced most of the grabs I added on the left side up and over the nose. 
They looked nice, but they are "ladder" grabs with the fancy bar shape to hold a ladder in place.
I knew they weren't quite right, but the BLMA detail fret didn't have any plain ones that were quite
the right length.  I have since replaced them with some from a GMM sheet, except for
the one up on the corner, which is supposed to be a ladder grab.   

Finally, I added the ladded grab on the opposite nose corner, and put some MU hoses onto the left side
of the pilot.

 I had fun with this.   I really like the way it runs with the slower motor
and the traction tire on there.  That MARS module is fabulous. 

[peteski]

Looks good Max!

[Lemosteam]

Wait, that's not steam!   

Beautiful Max!

[Santa Fe Guy]

Well done indeed Max. It looks fabulous and looks like it runs as well as it looks.
Rod.