Hulett Ore Unloader in 1:32th

[Bernhard]

Bill, actually several hundred hours have already gone into research and design.

Russ, actually there were four Huletts on Whiskey Island. But I'm happy when I get a model done, as long as I can still get up in the morning and know who I am and if so when.

Bernhard

[Bernd]

Bernhard,

I'll be following this very closely. On one of the other forums, I'm on way there was the beginning of a joint effort by several modelers to build an HO scale version of a Hulett Unloader. I got very interested and purchased a set of plans from an individual by the last name of Rabbitt if I recollect correctly through Sylvan Models. This quite a number of years ago. I looked to for the drawings today but could not find them. They're buried somewhere in my basement. And you're using one of my favorite building material, brass.

Bernd

[Bernhard]

Thanks for your hint, Bernd. In fact, I have been able to find the drawings by Mike Rabbit for some time. Apparently there has also been a CD with photos. Do you know where I can still get them?

Bernhard

[Bernhard]

Well then, let's take a look over the model maker's shoulder and see how he makes the most important parts. First, however, some raw material has to be procured. In the following picture you can see some of it.



Let's start with the production of the bodies for the nine trucks.
A brass block is milled over on all sides.



The large radii are milled on the manual milling machine.



The small radii are milled on the CNC router.

   

[Bernhard]

Then the axle holes are drilled and reamed.



Next, some parts have to be milled out of 1 mm and 2 mm thick brass sheet. By the way, these were the first parts I made on the newly acquired CNC router. But I had to learn the hard way. Wrong tools and too high feed rate led to the tool breaking twice in a short space of time.




Now two bearing flanges are soldered onto each body. Because this requires a lot of heat to be brought into the solid body, this is done with a soldering torch.

   

[Bernhard]

Now the nine bodies are finished.


 

[Bernhard]

A somewhat simpler part is the bearing plate. Here, too, a brass block is first milled to size on all sides.



Then the flaps are milled out, ...



... rounded with a quadrant milling cutter and drilled.



And another part is finished

   

[Bernhard]

Interesting parts are the dirt deflectors. This is attached to the outer trucks with two bent T-sections.



Since I can't bend the small T-sections like this, I mill them out of a 2 mm thick brass plate on the CNC router.
First the parts are machined from one side to the middle.



Then the plate is reversed and the parts are finished. Two pins ensure that the plate is correctly positioned for this operation.



Then two of the T-sections are soldered to a flat material.

   

[Bernhard]

Now only the plate has to be mounted.



Bernhard

[Lawrence@NZFinescale]

Wow

[finescalerr]

What Lawrence said.

Well, that probably took about half an hour. What will you do for the rest of the day?

Russ

[fspg2]

Bernhard,

First of all, congratulations on the new CNC milling machine!

That's a great project - I love such contributions.
I will follow you here with pleasure!

[Ray Dunakin]

Nice work!!

[SandiaPaul]

Great to see this coming together!

[Hauk]

Always a joy to see another update to this spectacular project!
What kind of CNC-router did you get, but the way?