Gear Drive Trolley on a Frick?

[beenthere]

Not boring. Enjoying the story, pics, and the build.  8)

[JoeBrittany21]

This is the jig I made to hold the bearing block still and the axle centered while pouring the babbitt material.
I also put wheels on the husk so I could move it around in the garage to rebuild it. That sucker weighs a ton.
I also had to make a ladle to pour the babbitt material.

  

  

 

[bandmiller2]

Joe when I used to pour bearings for the old make and break engines I would drill and tap two holes from the base up to where the shaft runs.That way I could adjust the shaft to perfect alignment before pour.Will help to heat the blocks before pour and use large clothesline type rope[cotton] and modeling clay to hold the babbit in.After drill for a grease fitting and cut a couple of channels for grease. Frank C.

[bandmiller2]

Time for a sea story,this is no $hi@.An old friend ran an automotive machine shop years ago he was called into boston harbor to work on an old steam tug.What he found was a steam engine built from all pipe fittings frame and all.The connecting rod main journals were pipe tees cut in half and babbeted, clamped with "U" bolts.He said he was fastenated with that engine and it had worked for very many years. Frank C.

[JoeBrittany21]

Bandmiller,

That tip on the modeling clay and rope was what I was needing. Thanks for that, I was trying to think of what would work, you must have been reading my mind.
I am going to put clamps on the jig to pull the angle against the block on one side and the round collar on the other but now I will put a little clay on each side to hold in the babbitt. Can I use kids clay for that or is it something different?

As far as the centering of the axle, the two round pieces on my jig are based at the point where the wheel was pressed on so when I used a mic to check them they were all within a good tolerance to one another.  I actually have a groove cut in the jig where the axle rests to center the axle so that all the centerlines of the axles will be the same.

Will I still need the groove cut into the babbitt even though oil soaked oakum will be touching the axle to lube it?

[JoeBrittany21]

Bandmiller2

Most of my mechanical experience started with my first car which was a 47 plymouth.
I am totally intrigued by this old mill because the Ideas behind it are so simple yet effective.
My dad was one that always tried to do with what he had so we would be out in the garage every night when I was a kid trying to fix something. I loved those days. The only difference was I wasn't so sore the next morning.

[dblair]

in the old days we would have put a coat of red lead on the shaft heated it until dry then poured it with babbit . after cooling put oil on the shaft and the lead would come alive and no boring needed .

[bandmiller2]

Joe, kiddie modeling clay will work for small patching but I prefer the stuff they use on electric boxes to weatherproof them where the leads come in,its tougher and not so apt to blow out. Frank C.

[JoeBrittany21]

Bandmiller2
I can get that electrical dough at lowes. THanks for the tip.

dblair,
Do you mean the red lead would make room for the oil?

Thanks for all this good advice.

[dblair]

I do mean that the red lead made the clearance . that was way back in my job shop years in the 60's .

[JoeBrittany21]

Whew, I am glad that job is done. All 12 bushings have been rebabbitted. Now I can start putting the log carriage back together again.

In the pics:
1. I covered the axle with soot from the torch which stops the babbitt from sticking as well as giving a little space for oil then I placed the axle into the jig.
2. This jig keeps the axle center in a vertical and horizontal plane to the bearing block. I am not sure if this is considered a pillow block or not.
3. This pic shows the oil left in the bearing block casting cooking off. You can see the head of the torch I am holding it under the block. The smoke also seems to say its hot enough to pour. I bought one of those lazer temperature guns they work pretty neat for this.
4. I heated the ladle with a propane torch and melted the babbitt. This last pic shows the finished product. (Ain't she purdy!)

  

 


 

[snowshoveler]

I was trained to do that a long time ago. By the looks of it you were the teacher.
Very nice job indeed. You should be proud of that, not many people can do that anymore.
Regards Chris

[JoeBrittany21]

Thanks Chris,

Appreciate it. I had a fun time today.

[dblair]

they look great .

[tractormanNwv]

You did GOOD Joe,  8) I just got through pouring new bearings for the 4 inch crankshaft in my 20 hp Bessemer oilfield engine....makes ya feel good going back in time even if for a short time huh? Looking forward to more progress news....

Jim

[hardtailjohn]

Very nice job!

[bandmiller2]

Joe is there just babbit in the upper half and not in the cap.? Good job,are you going to use grease or oil cups. Frank C.

[JoeBrittany21]

Here is a pic of what the bearing looks like on the axle. The flat part gets bolted under the wooden log cradle. I numbered each axle end and each bearing. When I poured the babbitt I did each axle separately.

 
The cup gets packed with oakum so it makes good contact with the axle and then oil can be squirted into the sides of the cup. Oakum swells upto 10 times its size from the absorbtion of the oil.
From what I read it would be oiled at the start of the day and then at lunch time.


 


  I got the oakum at Lowes, not all of the stores carry it, I had to shop around to find one that had it.

[hardtailjohn]

Basically like the system they used on steam era train axels.

[dblair]

do  the bearings have a thrust ?

[JoeBrittany21]

The bearings dont have a thrust flange on them but I am going to put shim washers between the wheel and the bearing block to keep things tight and equal distance from the gear. I was setting up the carriage today to get an idea of how far out of rack it may be I was surprised to find out a 22' 6" log cradle 32" wide was only out of rack by 3/16" I am not even going to bother with that. Instead I will align everything perpendicular off the trolley gear.

 
You can see the bolt holes vary in how far off perpendicular to the track gear. The problem is if they were off on the same side of the perpendicular then racking the frame might work but they are not. They vary side to side so I will just have to drill new holes for the bearing block to square up the axles.

  

 

  
Some of the holes are off much more than the pics I posted.
I also want to say thanks for the help and comments, they are keeping me thinking. :P

[bandmiller2]

Your right on the endplay matter Joe,you don't want any.What do you have for rails for the wheels to ride on.? Frank C.

[JoeBrittany21]

The tracks are like the miniature railroad all iron and heavy. Enough for a set 48' long.

  

 

I tore the rachet set works apart today. I have been lucky all the parts I have encountered are fixable which will keep me going. Worn is one thing wore out or unrepairable is another. Thank God they used all this heavy iron, I believe that is what kept it together.


  

  

 


  

[JoeBrittany21]

Started putting the trolley wheels and bearing blocks together today.
I drilled new holes for the bearing blocks that placed the axles at right angles to the gear along the trolley as well as spaced them more evenly along the 22'6" length of the trolley.


 
The bolts are 1/2" and there was play between them and the 1/2" holes a wood bit makes. There was also play in between the bolts and the bearing block bolt holes. I fixed that play by driving 2" long 3/8 iron pipe nipples into the wood after drilling them to the bolt diameter. This will keep the blocks from shifting, as well as tightening up the side play of the bolts.


 
In the next picture you can see how the pipe nipples filled the gaps in the bearing blocks.


 
In the next picture you can see the gear along the trolley in the background. The face of the wheels are all going to be 5 inches from the outside face of the gear. You can also see how the oiled oakum is packed into the oil cup.


 
All of the side play has been eliminated by bushings either between the wheel and the bearing block or the axle and the wheel. That 5 inches to each wheel face I believe is critical to make the trolley run straight.


 


 
View of the entire trolley.


 

[dblair]

 

  looks great . usually the carriage will have only one guide wheel with flanges on both sides of the wheel . on yours it's necessary to have both rails aligned in order for the carriage to stay straight , different and may be harder to keep in line .