# A new A3_Switcher will be born



## georgjorge (Oct 12, 2016)

I am working on my 5"-A3_Switcher since retierement in 2008. This forum I found by chance looking through the net. At the time beeing I am working on the gear on page 114 of Kozo`s book. To get an impression here some photos:


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## Herbiev (Oct 12, 2016)

Wow. That is looking really great and I'm looking forward to next instalment. Thanks for sharing.


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## Ratshooter (Oct 12, 2016)

So, tell us a little about your background, and how you acquired your obvious skills. Looks like that you have spent some time in the hobby, if not in the machinist's trade!

Regards, TC


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## georgjorge (Oct 13, 2016)

Hello,
I am a communication engineer. When I retired, I built up a mechanical workshop and started to learn how to build mecanical parts. The Pennsylvania A3 Switcher book by Kozo Hiraoko is my guide line for learning. This guy made a fantastic tutorial on mecanics.
The reason is, that I promised to my children to build a live steam garden locomotive, years ago. Now, my children are grown up so I will fullfill my promise to my grandchildren.
Last year, I realised, that my skills milling complicated parts are still limited. Therefore, I converted my Super X3 mill into a CNC-version (see the picture).  Now it is easy to make e.g. the expansion link or trunnion plate, etc. 
You can see a cube with 3 knobs (well, you see 2 only, the other hidden). With this knobs I am able to control the mill manually. There are no other handles and I don`t need them. The mill can be controlled more accurate than by handles, in my view.
The only part, I didn`d make is the boiler. The boiler is made out of stainless steel by a work shop. Because of the size (5") it is out out my skills and the neccessary welding tools.

Ok, that`s it for today.

Saludos from Old Germany
Jorge


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## georgjorge (Oct 20, 2016)

Hello,

some more photos about the reverse shaft and the reach rod. Some pins are provisionally replaced by screws. 

The eccentric rod shall be determined on the actual assembly for correct valve gear movement. Therefore you see an adjustable dummy eccentric rod in the valve gear.

Saludos 

Jorge


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## dalem9 (Oct 21, 2016)

Amazing work ! Very nice !!


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## kvom (Oct 21, 2016)

Looks pretty close to chassis on air.  Steam chest covers and timing.


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## georgjorge (Jul 16, 2017)

In the meantime I am able to test the gear on air. Here some pictures of the setup:





.

A video you will find on YouTube:
[SIZE=+1][ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRUCbk3xNEg[/ame]

Enjoy my test.
Saludos 
Jorge

[/SIZE]


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## SilverSanJuan (Jul 16, 2017)

Beautiful work, Jorge!  :thumbup:


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## ShopShoe (Jul 18, 2017)

Very Nice. I also like your CNC conversion: To me, the "Box with Handles" seems more intuitive than the typical pendant.

I'd like to see some more pictures of your shop.

--ShopShoe


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## georgjorge (Jul 19, 2017)

Thanks for your comments. Unfortunately, I don`t have any pictures of my mechanical workshop. It is nothing breath taking, it is a small cellar room 2,4m x 4,4m. Big enough to house another lathe, drilling machine and varius grinders.

Saludos

Jorge


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## georgjorge (Jul 19, 2017)

Now, I will start with the hand pump for the tender and later the automatic pump driven by an axel.
The following pictures are:
- raw material milled to the necessary sizes.
-  drilling jig
-  pump parts put together before soldering
-  soldering station
-  main body soldered
-  grinding drilling bit 
-  boring valve seat
-  hand pump body soldered and all boreholes
-  fabricating suction valve seat
-  suction valve seat with screen


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## georgjorge (Jul 19, 2017)

All parts of the hand pump are fabricated.

All parts are put together:

Final installation into the tender:


Could anybody give an idea how to mix text and pictures here in the forum. There is a list of attached files, but I don`t know how to insert describstions inbetween?

Saludos 

Jorge


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## Cogsy (Jul 19, 2017)

georgjorge said:


> Could anybody give an idea how to mix text and pictures here in the forum. There is a list of attached files, but I don`t know how to insert describstions inbetween?


 
This thread has some advice on getting it done : http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/showthread.php?t=26935


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## georgjorge (Nov 4, 2019)

georgjorge said:


> All parts of the hand pump are fabricated.
> 
> All parts are put together:
> 
> ...


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## georgjorge (Nov 4, 2019)

georgjorge said:


> All parts of the hand pump are fabricated.
> 
> All parts are put together:
> 
> ...



Hello,

in the meantime I succeeded to almost finish my project. Here some pictures:














The last step is underway to install a ceramic gas burner. For this I need some investigation how to build one.
And here the whole train:


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## Sparticusrye (Nov 4, 2019)

That's a very good looking locomotive.


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## bobden72 (Nov 4, 2019)

Very nice locomotive.


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## peter2uat (Nov 6, 2019)

found a round ceramic burner for a 3" boiler - the nozzle has something between 0.4 and 0.7mm diameter, just the size a propane kitchen stove would use (or a 3D-printer.... 
and another one I had forgotten (kudos to Ernest Glaser) plus a gas regulator which might come in handy


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## georgjorge (Nov 6, 2019)

Hi Peter,
thank you for the information about building a ceramic burner. This will definitly help me. As gas tank I am using a comercially offered one for camping usage. It is build in the first wagon for the operator:






At the time beeing I am constructing a track in my garden. Here is my template to elecro-weld the rails:




And here, how I made the bended tracks:






The switch is made in a similar way:






The switch heart was done on my CNC mill:











To change the direction was fabricated in a very simple way to keep it simple:





Here the complete switch unpainted:





That´s all for today.

Saludos 


Georgjorge


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## kvom (Nov 7, 2019)

Using flat steel bars for ties is interesting, but I wonder if you'll have issues keeping the rails level.


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## georgjorge (Nov 7, 2019)

Hi,
I made it according to a friend of mine in Austria, who is running his tracks since years without problems.


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## peter2uat (Nov 7, 2019)

this type of ceramic burner plate was  recommended
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07HVR6CNH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I am building way smaller (LGB) and electric for a friend - living in the center of Wien I'm not having a chance to run in it, but he has a garden in the suburbs


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## georgjorge (Nov 7, 2019)

Thank you for the url. I will try it, as the size is big enough to fit into the fire chanber of my switcher.


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## ALCO-jim (Nov 7, 2019)

That's an impressive portable work bench.  (Blue.)  Did you build that table ?  Do you have more info on that portable table ?  Photos ?  Drawings ?


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## georgjorge (Nov 7, 2019)

Hi Jim,
this is nothing sophisticated. I created it out of the situation. At my hardware store I bought a chipboard and two stands to have a work bench for constructing a lefthand and righthand switch. First, a straight track was put on the chipboard and the rails were marked. Then a bent track was overlaid and marked, too. Further more, I made holes along the rails and inserted dowels to fix the rails. Now I could position the ties under the rails and weld them together.
I started with a righthand switch. After that, the dowels were punched through. When the chipboard was turned upside down, I had the template for the lefthand switch.
The template for the straight track was constructed on the fly with angle iron. To support the template two U-shaped profile irons were positioned on the two blue stands to have a comfortable stable construction for welding the rails on the ties. That´s all.
To construct a bent track of any radius it is very easy. First, one rail is welded to the ties with the help of the template. The second rail is welded to the utmost right tie, only. Now the construction is removed from the template and bent by hand. The trick is, that the inner rail is shorter than the outer one, depending upon the radius. As you can see in one of the supplied pictures, I used a 90 degree double vise to fix the second rail. Now it could be welded to the ties.
I hope, I could explain it in an understandable way in English. Please, don´t hesitate to ask for more explanation, if it is unclear. I will try to do my best. As an retired engineer, I am not used to communicate in English any more.

Best Regards


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