Buffalo Pitts Traction engine 1:16 scale

Seattle Dave · December 22, 2011, 09:17:03 AM

What a lovely model! Really well done Gordon, and quite inspiring for me. I pulled all of my project out now, and have put it back on the table for work as soon as we get home from our Christmas holidays.

I'll also dig around for data on the water wagon and let you know in January.

Scratchman · December 22, 2011, 01:56:42 PM

Here's a great site.

http://antiquetractorsforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=155985

Gordon Birrell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

Seattle Dave · December 22, 2011, 02:48:41 PM

Buffalo Pitts colors: Here is the front cover of the 1906 BP catalog. Hand tinted I'm sure, but a pretty good clue I suspect!

Ray Dunakin · December 23, 2011, 11:11:56 PM

What amazes me is that there were so many different types of steam traction engines, in widespread use, yet nowadays you'd think they never existed. I never heard of such a thing until a few years ago. There was never any mention of them in our history books when I was in school. And I've never seen them in any old movies, nor in later movies set in that time period.

Andi Little · December 23, 2011, 11:58:23 PM

Just adding to the Huzzah's. A really fantastic job Gordon, somehow sublimely understated and yet so visually rich.
Excellent piece of modelling, it really does capture the flavour of the original ............... Brilliant.

finescalerr · December 24, 2011, 12:45:46 AM

Has anyone been able to see the image Dave posted (above)? It's been a couple of days and I keep getting an empty box and a dead link. -- Russ

Malachi Constant · December 24, 2011, 04:04:53 AM

Hmm ... I did see it yesterday or the day before ... failed to save it and don't see anything now.

There is an interesting site dedicated to Buffalo Pitts:
http://www.buffalopitts.com/index.html

And the photo above is linked from their advertising section.

Cheers,
Dallas

Seattle Dave · December 25, 2011, 09:32:32 AM

Strange thing on the picture. I have not moved it frorm its location in my Fotki album, and it continues to come through clear for me. Try this link directly to the album

http://public.fotki.com/rndunique/daves-car-pics/1900-buffalo-pitts-/

And a Merry Christmas to all!

finescalerr · December 25, 2011, 11:58:03 AM

It is preferable to upload a photo directly to the site, or simply provide a link as you did above, than to try to make the image appear here via a link. We occasionally have trouble with the latter on this forum and I don't know whether it's a bug in our software or hiccups in the original servers hosting the photo collections. Either way, a word to all of us: Directly upload the image or provide a written (live) link to it. -- Russ

Seattle Dave · December 25, 2011, 12:26:53 PM

Can individual users upload photos directly to this site? Just how that is done is not currently appearing obvious to me.

Or is that the "Additional Option" allowing a direct attachment of up to four items to a message? I'll try that.

finescalerr · December 25, 2011, 04:04:42 PM

Yes, you clearly figured it out. If you want more info, look at http://www.finescalerr.com/smf/index.php?topic=3.0. It has more suggestions than you can shake a stick at. -- Russ

Scratchman · December 28, 2011, 10:23:51 PM

Here's the S-B-S. on how I build these wheels. For the front wheel I used 2-3/4" O.D. Plastruct tubing and for the rear wheel I used 4-3/16" O.D. pipe. For this S-B-S I used 2-3/4" O.D. 2-5/8" I.D. Plastruct tubing.

Rim Parts

A- (1) Plastruct Tube 2-3/4" O.D. 2-5/8" I.D. 5/8" long.
B- (1) Styrene .020" x 3/8" x 8-1/4" long. (center inside part A-)
C- (1) Styrene .040" x .100" x 8-1/2" long (center around out-side of part A- use on front traction engine wheels only)

Hub Parts

D- (2) Plastruct rings/flanges 11/16" O.D. 7/16" I.D. (1ea) styrene tube 7/16"-3/8"-5/16" x 3/8" long.
E- (1) styrene tube 1/4" x 5/8" long. (All styrene parts are from evergreen scale models) (Part E- goes over a 3/16" diameter axle)

Wheel Parts

F- (2) styrene disk .020" x 2-5/8" O.D. (1/4" center hole)-(add five nut-bolt casting GL # 128 to each disk)
G- (2) styrene disk .020" x 1" O.D. (1/4" center hole)
H- (10) styrene .020" x 3/16" x 7/8" long
I- (10) 3/16" styrene Channel 1-1/8" long (2 each N-B)
J- (10) styrene .030" x 3/16" x 3/8" long (2 each N-B)

Cut the two A- parts I have no way to make a true cut on the larger size tubing when I am cutting these small pieces. I will start buy sanding the end of the stock on the 10" disk sander. From this end I will draw two lines all the way around the piece. One at the finished size and one back 1/8" for a reference point. Cut the piece a little longer than the finished size and hand sand on a piece of sand paper on flat surface until the piece is true and is the right size. Part B- needs to have a very tight fit and the piece will not need to be glued at this point.

The hub part D- need to have the same length as the width of part B-. Part E- needs to be long enough to go through part D- and parts F- and G-.

The wheel have two sets of spokes one on each of each side of the hub. The spokes have three layer first layer is part F-. I cut this part and part G- with an X-ACTO circle cutter. Over cut part F- and sand down to get a very tight fit. Lay out the spokes and cut the 1/4" center hole. Start by drilling a 1/16" then draw 1/4" circle using a small circle template. Drill the hole out to 1/8" and finish it out with a round file. Add parts G- and H- to make up the second layer. Cut out between the spokes and add the third layer Part I-.

Assemble and glue together the three assemblies, and add part J-. The wheel is now ready to go over a 3/16" axle. This is so simple even a cave man could do it.