Gerd is building a Shay

[Waldbahner]

Hello followers,

last evening, I started my new project for 2009. A live steam Shay.
During the last 2 weeks, I ordered a lot of steel, 4 wheel sets and 4 pairs of bevel gears. Now, the first 1.5 hours have been spend on the lathe to form the first Shay wheel set.

The gears are shortend on the rear and bored to match with wheel. The ring (made from a washer) will represent the foot mounting plate of the crown gear and will be mounted to the spokes with 8 screws.

I hope to make more progress after X-mas (this year).




Bye, Gerd

[Chuck Doan]

That is amazing! What a change from N scale. Full scale is next!

[marc_reusser]

WOW!.....I think this thread should be called "Gerd Is Crazy"! 

Marc

[Waldbahner]

WOW!.....I think this thread should be called "Gerd Is Crazy"! 

Marc

Hi Marc,

I thought this is a well known fact 

@Chuck : I model in both scales since several years. The smaller N scale for rainy days and winter and the large 2"-scale trains for summer. I've also some stuff in Fn3, but this scale is frozen at the moment.

Bye, Gerd

[Belg]

Gerd, this is a skill I'll never master but the quality of the work speaks for itself. Can't wait to see more, Pat

PS Don't listen to that Marc guy, talk about the pot calling the kettle black, LOL

[Waldbahner]

Hi,

since I'm back at home, I spend some more time on the lathe and workbench. The result is the finished chapter I of my Shay. The wheelsets are finished 
The first pictures shows one of the gears, mounted to the wheelset. You can also see the dummy mounting ring on top of the spokes. This detail will be hidden by the archbar and pedestals later :-( the other view shows all wheelsets lined up. I placed an excenter on the last axle for the water pump.



Actual data of chapter I :
9 hours, 162 parts (including screws and nuts), 5.94 kg

Well, next chapter will be the pedestals and journal boxes.

Bye, Gerd

[danpickard]

This is going to be a long and incredibly detailed project Gerd, but one that should be extremely rewarding when it all comes together in the end.  Have you got an estimated time frame for the build?  The whole live steam thing has always fascinated me, especially the builders who go to the effort like yourself to build such a piece properly (as opposed to a diesel loco build which usually ends up being a lawnmower engine under a tin box!).  Will watch this one develop with a slight hint of envy...

Cheers,
Dan

[Waldbahner]

Hi Dan,

the time frame is, to get the engine running in summer 2010. This loco will be my birthday gift, when I'll get 30 years of age.
The biggest problem in holding the time frame will be the money. At the moment, I've all material here to finish the trucks (excluding some laser parts for the brake rigging). So for the next 2 month, I'll have enough work to do.

I started in this large scale with a diesel too, build from plywood and reworked into a US switcher by adding a wooden cab. This was in late 2003. In January 2006, I got the chance to buy a simple 0-4-0 German steamer second hand. This was my entrence to live steam in this large scale. Meanwhile the engine was reworked 6 times (!) and is now a 0-4-4 US Forney. During the last 3 years of working with and on this steamer, I learned a lot about live steam locomotives.



Oh, by the way : I decided to build a free lance model of the Molino Lumber Shay. This was a tiny little 30" gauge prototype and will match very good with my Forney. Here's a link to a picture -> http://web.telia.com/~u85436044/30inch/pix/molino1.jpg

Bye, Gerd

[scrappy1]

wow that sick really can't wait to see more

[Waldbahner]

Happy new year !!!

Well, here's a small update. During the last days, I made the journal boxes from 25x25mm steel bar. Each box is 28mm long and was reshaped to 25x20mm. I use needle bearings (roll bearings) for the drive shaft and wheelsets for a smooth running engine.


Check this clip to see what happens, when roll bearings and gravity come together => http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCYewdqB2yc

On Thursday, I'll get my new milling machine so I'll be able to make further progress next week, building the pedestal stands from flatbar.

Cheers, Gerd

[finescalerr]

You actually machined those parts? Amazing. -- Russ

[Waldbahner]

Hi Russ,

only the wheelsets and gears are bought from shop, as the bearings too. Most other stuff will be made from steel bars. The journal boxes have been machined on the lathe, while the drive shaft bore was made on a press drill.

Maybe I'll add a page about my workshop with the next webpage update.

Building a large scale live steamer is a great experience in what the old loco builders have done many years ago. I hope you enjoy my work and reports.

Cheers, Gerd

[Waldbahner]

Hello,

today, I've a sneak preview of chapter II for you. the first pedestal is neraly completed and major progress was done for the other ones.



I hope to get all pedestals done during the next week and will show the finished chapter with some more details.

Cheers, Gerd

[Waldbahner]

Hello finescalers,

a long time has passed since the last post so I should bring you a small update.

Meanwhile I finished all pedestals, build a axle driven water pump, the bolsters and bend the archbar.



At least, The first truck is assembled and rolling. At the moment, the whole break rigging and the journal- and gear covers are still missing.



Some more photos of several steps can be seen on my website www.shay.de.ki

Cheers, Gerd

[michael mott]

Hello Gerd, Thanks for shareing the progress on this Live steam Loco, I am enjoying the progress shots, Where did you purchase the wheels?

Regards Michael