Kit 4 - The First Rear WheelModelWorks 4 inch Scale Burrell
Agricultural Traction Engine |
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Friday 6th Feb: My first impression of kit 4 is that it is very heavy, it came in at 75lbs on the bathroom scales. Apart from the parts for the wheel ModelWorks included Araldite, Loctite Hysol metal filler, a 1/4" reamer and a filleting tool.
The first job I tackled was cleaning up the hub castings. I was impressed with the quality and did not want to spoil them by over doing the cleanup. Most areas only needed a firm going over with a wire brush. I removed the flashing with a file and sparingly used the flap wheel to blend the cap plates to the hub. They were nearly perfect as supplied. The next task was to start cleaning up the rims. Alas my electric drill's bearings were showing signs of distress. All the side loads from using the flap wheel did in the bearings. I spent the rest on the evening renewing the bearing in the drill. (What can you expect from a £9-99 drill) Saturday Went to B&Q to buy some large wire brush attachments as I was having trouble cleaning up between the wheel rims. Having cleaned up the wheel rims the next job was to apply the metal filler to build up the Tee rings so that they appear as one piece. This is a very messy job and should not be rushed, disposable gloves essential! I mixed up a small quantity of filler so that I could get the hang of it. As it turned out this was enough to do 1/3 of a rim. The filleting tool ModelWorks supply is a 1/2 inch bar with an 1/4 inch spherical radius on the end. After roughly (and messily) applying the filler this tool is run over the fillet with a firm pressure which leaves a 1/4 inch radius at the top of the Tee. Some of the filler is squashed out of the way and this can be scraped up and used for the next section. So far I have done the fillet to the front side of the outer rim.
Whilst I was about it I though I would do all four rims including those hidden from view. I weighed my pots of filler to see how much was left, and at 200gms each I should have enough for the other wheel. I feel a lot happier now that the Tee rings are filleted. When I first saw the wheels I was struck by the ugliness of the welds. Before cleaning up the spokes I decided to stamp each with the last digit of the part number. This will enable me to set up a spoke cleaning production line and be sure that I have the right spoke when it comes to assembly. Whilst I was at it I decided to postcode stamp my wheel rims.
Sunday: Only able to spend part of the day in the workshop. After a trip to B&Q to buy a new drill, I made a start cleaning up the spokes. It has been slow going, the scale on their faces is hard to shift. The flap wheel will not bite into the scale, it is as if the spokes are Teflon coated. Nine done seven to go, and sixteen more to look forward to next month! Tuesday: Today I made a determined effort to finish cleaning up the spokes. I started with a new flap wheel which is now ready for the bin. After my problems with getting paint to stick to the corners of the pivot I put a generous chamfer on each spoke.
Now the the filler has gone off it is time to rub down the rims. So far this kit has been a very dirt job! Wednesday: I fitted the dummy Aluminum rivets in the rim as instructed securing with Loctite 638. Not being totality convinced that they will stay put I decided also to "rivet" them in place.
This picture shows how this was easily accomplished using the snap supplied by ModelWorks held in the vice with the wheel supported by the rivet head resting in the snap. After the rivet was expanded into the hole I cleaned off the excess with a few strokes of a file. Now that the leg work was complete it was time to build a wheel. The procedure is slightly different to the front so I was relieved when it all went smoothly. What will I do with those BSF bolts I have been saving?
I have not yet attempted step 4 (Aralditing the spokes) and I will leave this until the weekend when I will have plenty of time. I don't want to be up half the night waiting for the Araldite to go off. Friday: Today I finally got round to aralditing the spokes to the hub. |
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| I have heard from various sources that over enthusiastic use of the rivet snap and hammer can cause the filler to fall out. Talking it over with Ian at ModelWorks it would appear that is one of the reasons the 1/4" reamer is included. My plan is to ream & use the centre pair of holes to relocate the spoke to its original position after it is removed for Aralditing. I reamed these out so that the locating rivets bolts were a snug fit. I still wanted the hole to grip the rivet so I only used the taper portion of the reamer. Once I found the correct depth I marked this with some tape. |
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| Each spoke is removed in turn and the centre section coated with Araldite. The holes aren't quite as accurate as the front wheels and there is a lot of spring that has to be accommodated. I found the following sequence worked for me, I am sure there are other, perhaps better, ways. I loosely inserted the centre counter sunk screw. I then inserted the two centre rivet bolts that I had previously reamed to a snug fit followed by the outside M6 bolts. I then fully tightened the CSK screw followed by the M6 bolts. |
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Once one side is complete the cover plate is fitted
and tightened. This causes the excess Araldite to oozes out.
Once the Araldite had started to go off I decided try Allan's tip and so I used acetone to remove the excess. I found this a lot easier than waiting a little longer and cutting the Araldite off with a knife. |
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The final step is to permanently fit the rivet bolts
to the rim. So far I have only done one set to test the method as
I want the Araldite to go off.
Saturday: I have amended my technique following trouble with spinners. I had no trouble until I came to fit and Loctite the rivet nuts. I believe the Loctite was giving extra grip to the nut resulting in the bolt turning. I found it very difficult to grip the rivet head to stop this (not enough hands). I overcame this problem by putting a small drop of Loctite at the head end of the bolt. Using standard M6 nuts I pulled the centre pair of rivets fully home after fist applying a small drop of Loctite near the head end of the bolt. I did not need to use the hammer or snap. I am concerned that even if the filler does not drop out immediately it could weaken things such that it falls out after the wheel is painted. I then removed the two M6 bolts and reamed the holes. As before I only used the taper section of the reamer. |
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Using a standard M6 nut the rivet is pulled in after
first apply a small quantity of Loctite to the shaft near the head end
of the bolt. Once
all four rivet were in I went round each M6 nut ensuring they were fully
tight.
I allowed some time to allow the Loctite to go off before removing the M6 nuts, one at a time, to fit the rivet nuts. |
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| In the last step I removed each M6 nut in turn, applied some Loctite, and fitted the rivet nut. I tighten these using a socket modified to remove its bottom lip. This enables it to grip the extremely small hex portion at the bottom of the rivet nuts. Luckily there is just enough room to use a 1/4" drive ratchet between the wheel rims. |
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Saturday: I have now completed all the spokes
and have not lost any filler. After talking the precaution Loctiting the
bolts in place I only had two spinners. I did have trouble with
three rivets bolts stripping their threads. My ratchet only has a 4
inch handle! This occurred and the
M6 nut stage and set me wondering whether the rivet bolts are truly
M6. Luckily ModelWorks included a few extra so I was able to
complete the job.
Even though this kit used Loctite 638 none was included. Fortunately with my POP, |
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ModelWorks were over generous
and I built up a buffer stock. I wonder whether there would
have been sufficient left over from kit 1?
To complete the wheel I used my mini drill to grind the threads off the ends of the rivet bolts so that they resemble proper rivets. Now that I am used to the rivet bolts I would use them in preference to normal rivets should I ever scratch build a wheel. The finished wheel. When I saw the delivery schedule it struck me that a kit containing only a single wheel was a bit mean. Now that I have built the wheel I am glad there was only one, I need a rest! Next month the "Other" wheel but will it be the same as this one or different? I will just have to wait and see.
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