# 1 1/2 Scale Shay Building Blog



## T Mihelich (Feb 6, 2010)

Hey Guys,

I have decided to document every single step of my 1 1/2 scale Shay locomotive build on my special blog site.
I will be showing the good with the bad live as I build.
Of course we always welcome all comments.
Enjoy.

http://shaymaker.wordpress.com/


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## stevehuckss396 (Feb 6, 2010)

Looks like a great project. Make sure you make 2 of everything, I have a birthday coming up!


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## Jeff02 (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks for the Heads up, looking forward to the build.

I have been tinkering with the 0-4-0, mostly buying the Brass and steel for the engine.


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## 4156df (Feb 6, 2010)

Tom,
This sounds like fun. I'll be following along.
Dennis


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## stevehuckss396 (Feb 6, 2010)

Tom Mihelich  said:
			
		

> Hey Guys,
> 
> I have decided to document every single step of my 1 1/2 scale Shay locomotive build on my special blog site.
> I will be showing the good with the bad live as I build.
> ...




Tom if you could just pop in and leave a note with a link when progress is made. I am interested in following the build but am very bad at remembering to go look.


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## compressor man (Feb 6, 2010)

I love shays! They seem to me to be the tractors of the locomotive world, not much speed but lots of grunt. Cant wait to see this one come together.


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## Bernd (Feb 6, 2010)

Hi Tom,

I'd also like to build a shay. I started by buying the castings for the engine. That's about as far as I got with in about 6 years. I actually want to build a four truck Shay. They were far and few but did exist. I did attempt a start at a web page on my site on building a Shay. Four Truck Shay

Don't know if you know this but there is a nice site put up by Nelson Reidel. I have a link on my web site.

I'll be watching your build with great interest.

Regards,
Bernd


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## T Mihelich (Feb 6, 2010)

That 4 truck Shay is something else Bernd. 8)
No problem on update posts Steve.


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## gbritnell (Feb 6, 2010)

Hi Tom, stainless steel, that ought to be gorgeous when finished.
gbritnell


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## 1hand (Feb 6, 2010)

Very interesting.  At 1-1/2" scale, What are the overall dimensions? Also, what kind of CNC mill are you using?


Good Luck, Thm:
Matt


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## T Mihelich (Feb 7, 2010)

Hey Matt,

At 1 1/2 scale the Shay will be 62" long and 13 3/8" wide.
It will be a challange for sure but hey, that is why we all do this stuff right? For the challange.
Speaking of challange, I should be tapping some holes for the first time in stainless today. 
As for the CNC Mill, it is a Smithy 622 machine.
It has worked flawlessly for my thus far and have been very pleased with it.


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## Maryak (Feb 7, 2010)

Tom,

This may help tapping stainless steel.

Angels Breath 

1 Part Turpentine
2 Parts White Spirit
3 Parts Olive Oil

In true James Bond style the mixture is Shaken - not stirred.

I've tried it and it works a treat on difficult metals. I first read about it in Model Engineers Workshop.

Hope this helps

Best Regards
Bob


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## compressor man (Feb 7, 2010)

Just curious, will the shay be painted when finished or will it be left "bare stainless"?


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## T Mihelich (Feb 7, 2010)

Polished bare stainless my friend. Polished bare stainless. 8)


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## T Mihelich (Feb 7, 2010)

With all the holes tapped it was time to clean up the part.

Oh my...I used some Acetone and started wiping off the blue dye and with most of it coming off. However, I have a fair amount stuck in the grain of the metal!  I cannot seem to rub anymore out with Acetone. My next step was to try and rub the entire part out with Emery cloth. 

Anyone have any better ideas for getting this dye out of the grain?


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## chuck foster (Feb 7, 2010)

i use laquer thinner to remove lay out dye.

chuck


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## b.lindsey (Feb 7, 2010)

You might try one of those Mr. Clean Magic Eraser things available at the grocery story. I don't know how they do it but they will get into the grain of most materiials very well like the interiors of cars, leather seats, etc. I don't know if the spongy material is compatible with acetone but it wouldn't cost but a buck or two to fine out. If it is compatible, i think it just might get into the grain of metal too.

Bill


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## mklotz (Feb 7, 2010)

Try some aerosol carburetor cleaner. That always seems to work for me.


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## T Mihelich (Feb 7, 2010)

Marv,
That was the very next thing I tried. It did not get it out either.
It was even the good nasty brake cleaner.


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## bearcar1 (Feb 7, 2010)

Try Scotchbrite scouring pads to clean off your stainless pieces. That is what the fitters that work with stainless sheets use to remove the scale and discoloring from the heat. They are readily available in most grocers for a couple of bucks.

BC1
Jim


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## T Mihelich (Feb 7, 2010)

Well i got it guys.
There is using brake clean and there is USING brake clean! :big:
Seems spraying it directly on it vs a wipe rag did the trick.
Frame #1 is completed and shining nicely.
On to Frame #2.


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## T Mihelich (Feb 10, 2010)

Today I tried a new piece of software, the Alibre Cad and Drawing software.
It worked very well and was extremely user friendly.
I was able to create the frame end brackets and make a nice drawing for shop use.


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## cobra428 (Feb 11, 2010)

Hi Tom,
Denatured Alcohol works great

Tony


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## T Mihelich (Feb 20, 2010)

Well I finished up the frame rails today.
Feel good to get through that first one without any real issues.
I even have me original drills and tap! 
On to the End Sill Brackets next.


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## T Mihelich (Feb 22, 2010)

I have started to mill out the 3 flat surfaces which will mount the end sill bracket to the end sill. The original plans call for this to be a separate piece soldered to the bracket. One nice thing with a mill I can just mill it all from a solid block saving the soldering step. I also allowed my Visual Mill 6.0 program to choose the feed and speed for this operation. I must say I was somewhat surprised at how slow it set the rotation speed. Just 267 rpm. I had it setup to cut .01 deep cuts. It cut perfectly with nice small chips and no smoke. Posted below is the feed and speed setting for this cut on 304 stainless steel with a 1/2" HSS End Mill.

N3 S267 M3
N4 G0 Z0.25
N5 X0. Y1.5
N6 G1 Z-0.00987 F0.7





http://shaymaker.wordpress.com/


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## T Mihelich (Mar 16, 2010)

The second bracket seems to have come out just as expected.
It also fits pretty darn nice to the frame rail.
Oh, and I have since came to my senses and am cutting in a vise now instead of the hold down
clamps with such a small part.


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## T Mihelich (Dec 14, 2013)

After a long break with this project I have picked it back up and am hitting it hard once again.
With the Frame Rails completed I worked on completing the End Brackets next.


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## T Mihelich (Dec 14, 2013)

Just playing catch-up here a little bit.
Here is a shot of the beast End Sills all finished, drilled and tapped.


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## T Mihelich (Dec 14, 2013)

The coupler Draw Heads came next.
This was by far the trickiest CNC work I had done to date on this Loco.
They came out really cool looking.

Here is the Base Plate.


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## T Mihelich (Dec 14, 2013)

CNC'ing up the Drawhead.


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## T Mihelich (Dec 14, 2013)

And the roughed out Drawhead.


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## T Mihelich (Dec 14, 2013)

Finally, the finished Drawhead Picture.


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## T Mihelich (Dec 14, 2013)

Last night I completed work on the Hand Holds which are mounted to the top of the End Sills.  This would be my first bit of soldering on this loco.
Being that I will be using a great deal of stainless steel and brass, I had to find the right kind of solder to do the job.
I finally came upon the Muggyweld SSF-6 flux and solder rods.
This stuff works great.

Here is a shot of the end of the hand hold soldered to hand hold base.


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## T Mihelich (Dec 14, 2013)

And the last but not least final shot of the completed Hand Hold.
One more to make now.


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## stevehuckss396 (Dec 14, 2013)

Good to here your back to the loco. I love watching the loco builds.


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## swst (Aug 13, 2014)

Good to here your back to the loco. I love watching the loco builds.
X2


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