Modified Fowler Inspection loco

[michael mott]

I have been doing a lot of catching up, and I went out to the shop today to get back to work on the air loco, but I have to finish this little swap loco first. it is 36mm scale so 45mm track works out to 15 inch gauge. So instead of opening the box with the air loco, I set to work on a test for a wood framed leather seat instead.

The original loco was a broader gauge and the seats were wood framed wicker.



the leather is from a high end ladies leather skirt that needed some repairs and I picked it up for a couple of dollars at a thrift store. the leather is not quite as thin as 'Kid Leather' gloves but is quite thin.

I glued the leather over some 3/16th foam rubber and then trimmed it around with a number 11 exacto blade.



I had not resolved the seat in any solid fashion but wanted to see how it might develop.



I drilled through the leather and foam and wooden back board with a .037" drill them using a jewelers hammer put in some brass escutcheon pins, then nipped off the protruding ends on the backside.

In order to get the buttons all the same depth I put a small piece of steel into the chuck on the mill drill and set the heats all to a zero mart on the dial gauge clamped to the quill.



then flipped it over and re-nipped the protruding ends.




now to sort out the frame for the cushion, at first I thought about a bead of half-round I tried 2 different sizes, but did not like either so opted for a full frame of maple.

It is not quite right proportionally, but adequate for the test I shall now set about making the two sets of back and bottom cushions.




The loco is fully sprung and the gears are set up in a yoke so that the motor rides up with the axle. the overall length is 10 inches  x 4.5 inches wide and with the canopy will be 9 inches high.

The chronicle of the build so far is here, http://www.7-8ths.info/index.php?topic=16681817.0

I will get back to the air loco soon though.

Michael  

[Malachi Constant]

Cool stuff!  You're taking full advantage of the larger scale to do some really neat details.  Dallas

[marc_reusser]

Whoa...very cool. Love the divesity of skills and the quality of craftsmanship involved.

Marc

[chester]

Excellent!

[finescalerr]

I'm tired of those pictures and all the compliments. Please post more pictures so we can offer better compliments. -- ssuR

[Ray Dunakin]

Sweet! Nice job on the seat cushion!

[michael mott]

Thanks everyone for all the kind compliments. I know that you are all keen observers of detail and are not shy about your thoughts, so I will follow Russ' advice, here is a further progress report.


So continuing on with the seats I started to make the frames for both seats that way they would be the same, I cut some maple sections on the table saw then used a small razor saw to cut them to length then used my trusty antique framing shear (Lion Trimmer) that I won at an auction 30 years ago... its a long story.



half way through gluing up the frames I realized that the seats were a different size than the backs.. heck I was on a roll. I decided to stop and rethink this whole framed seat thing and started over again with some new solid Jellutong wood as a solid base. I glued some more foam onto it and for some reason made a dado in the bottom side.



Marked out the leather on the back side and started gluing the leather to the wood backing by just spreading the glue onto the leather with a toothpick.



folded it over and then hammered in the brass pins just enough to come through



Set up a jig that I could then push the pins home with the mill drill as before on the test, but I backed off the depth a little.



I liked the look of the seat going right across instead of being framed and besides the seat would have looked weird with a frame around it even though the back looked ok. To keep some consistency I decided to make the backs full width as well and started to glue them up the same way.



I'm pleased with the way the corners have worked out.



I just need to finish putting in the pins now and make some support stops on the side frames, now for the backs.



That's all for now.

Michael

[finescalerr]

Perfect. -- Russ

[michael mott]

Russ thanks very much. It is interesting that we do our most intense work when we are doing it for somebody else who doesn't know that it is for them. But it is extremely rewarding in a gut way.

Here is a little more progress.




The funny looking loco in the background is Montague's Carriage it is 45mm gauge and scaled to 1/8th scale. One of these days I will also get back to my little Macton Gn15 layout and the card buildings.

Michael

[Ray Dunakin]

The new seat cushions are an improvement and look great!

I love that little critter in the background, the "Montague's Carriage"! Lots of character there.

[EZnKY]

Beautiful work!

[nk]

This is just a pleasure to watch take shape. The upholstery looks just right.

[Carlo]

Hi, Mike -
This is yet another masterpiece from your talented hands!
I'm wondering about the bolts sticking out of the sides.
Hopefully, these will be covered, or at least shortened.
Somebody (Montague?) might snag their coat walking by those.
Carlo

[Malachi Constant]

The funny looking loco in the background is Montague's Carriage it is 45mm gauge and scaled to 1/8th scale. One of these days I will also get back to my little Macton Gn15 layout and the card buildings.

Michael

In addition to all the lovely craftsmanship, that crazy little loco is just plain fun!    -- Dallas

[marc_reusser]

That loco is too cool!

M