Quadruped in 7/8ths scale

[michael mott]

The little Fowler quadruped that was pictured at the end of the inspection car is now underway.

I have begun work on the wheels doing it the hard way by assembling various bits of brass.



I stuck some printed information to the brass discs so that I could fret out the spokes with a jewelers saw.





After fretting them all out I have now started on the ribs and hubs.



I devised a crude way to get the angle of the ribs these are also being cut out with a jewelers saw.





only 3 more sets to go.



regards Michael

[Mr Potato Head]

what angle is that? nut angle ?
great work! that's a lot of work!
MPH

[michael mott]

I was looking it up in the sine tables but got lost!

Michael

[vincep]

nice work Michael,  A simple technique with great results. CNC not required.

[Ken Hamilton]

Well worth all the work.  Nice job.

[Ray Dunakin]

Those wheels look great! I don't know if I'd ever have the patience to do that but it's nice to know how it's done, just in case.

[marc_reusser]

Ummm..ah...WOW! . That is some lovely fabrication.

[Wesleybeks]

That is awesome.

Wish I had the tools to do this sort of thing.

[lab-dad]

Very impressive! i would not want to make one, let alone 4!
What is the actual tread diameter?
This also has me wondering how the "real" ones were made.
Can not imagine them cutting out a disc like you. May be 5 spokes welded up, or cast.......
I may have to try one just for fun.
-Marty

[nk]

Thise are some nice wheels. I like how you solved the angle problem and grabbed it by the nuts!

[granitechops]

Very impressive! i would not want to make one, let alone 4!
What is the actual tread diameter?
This also has me wondering how the "real" ones were made.
Can not imagine them cutting out a disc like you. May be 5 spokes welded up, or cast.......
I may have to try one just for fun.
-Marty

If the originals were cast, as I suspect they may well have been ( late 19 - early 20th cent?)
then the original could well have been fabricated out of hard wood individual parts by a very skilled joiner/craftsman,

very similar to mikes method,

& the pattern used to cast the wheels in sand,
I once had to clear an old foundry, & handled some fine examples of the pattern Makers art.
Maybe the spokes were even flat with the webs dowelled/jointed into them.

some cast iron flywheels for example had spokes that were obviously made for the pattern by turning, before assembly

Nice work Mike, wish my hands were as steady & my patience as strong
you cant beat the character of a hand built piece

[michael mott]

Thanks all for your kind words, yes I would suspect that the originals were cast in sand.
the overall diameter is 1.6" amd the tread is 1.5.

here is the latest picture of the first wheel soldered up


Michael

[finescalerr]

Wow. -- Russ

[Malachi Constant]

Yes, indeed ... that is a thing of beauty!  -- Dallas

[Wesleybeks]

I have to agree with Russ and Dallas. Fantastic work.