Hulett Ore Unloader in 1:32th

[Lawrence@NZFinescale]

Hello Hauk,

have a look here:
https://www.fohrmann.com/en/precision-engineering-tools/soldering/

Un fortunately they do not ship outside Europe...

[Krusty]

Do NZ Post drop ship from Europe? They used to have a depôt on one of the minor off-shore islands, but dunno about the mainland.

[Lawrence@NZFinescale]

Do NZ Post drop ship from Europe? They used to have a depôt on one of the minor off-shore islands, but dunno about the mainland.

I think so, but adds another layer of cost.

Mr Ali will provide. I'll have to make my own hold downs, but the ceramic plate and pins they'll do inexpensively.

[Bernhard]

Before we go any further, I'd like to say a few words about rivets. I have shown you here my new rivet punching machine. But now I can't just haphazardly punch rivet heads in somewhere. I have to take each drawing in hand and determine the rivet positions and the type of rivet (punched rivet head, rivet made of brass wire or model rivet).




This is quite a time-consuming job. For interest, I recorded in the parts list how many rivets there are per assembly. For the front tower, that's about 5,200 punched rivets and 670 pin rivets. And that's just the beginning!

[Bernhard]

Most rivets have a head diameter of 1.1 mm, corresponding to 7/8" rivets on the prototype. The brass wire used for pin rivets is rounded with a hollow cutter with 1.3 mm diameter. This way, the head is not exactly half-cornered, but a bit flatter, as it also corresponds to the prototype.

Now I want to show you how the riveted parts are created in detail.
First, all sheet metal parts have to go to the CNC machine again to drill the holes for the pin rivets.




Only 3 of the many holes for fixing the curved angles have a diameter of 1.1 mm. The angles are precisely positioned in these holes. The remaining holes get a diameter of 1.5 mm. This makes it easier to insert the pin rivets later.

Then the punched rivet heads are made first in the sheet metal parts.

[Bernhard]

Small parts are fixed to a sheet metal strip with Scotch tape for this purpose.



The angle profiles get punched rivet heads on both legs.



Now the necessary parts for the first side plate are ready.

[Bernhard]

Now the time-consuming assembly of the bent angles with pin rivets begins.
To do this, a few pieces of brass wire with a diameter of 1.1 mm are first rounded on one side with the hollow cutter.



The pins are put through the two angles and the sheet metal.



Then put some Loctite 648 on the tips of the pins and press them back with the tool on the bottom right. The pins now protrude only 0.5 mm.



Now pinch off the protruding ends with a side cutter. A piece of sheet metal 0.5 mm thick placed underneath ensures that enough material remains for forming the rivet heads.

[Bernhard]

Now only all rivet heads have to be rounded with the hollow cutter.



With this the first side plate of the front tower is ready, and can be held to the frame for testing.




Bernhard

[Hauk]

There are a lot of great threads on this forum, but I alwys feel a burst of joy when I see that there is a new posting by Bernhard in this thread.

The riveted metalwork is a work of great beauty, no less.

[SandiaPaul]

Your work reminds me of something I say to my students in the machine shop trade
I have never regretted taking the time to do things more accurately.

Love your progress!

[Bill Gill]

Bernhard, Your dedication to adding the rivets is inspiring.

[finescalerr]

Your work gives real meaning to the maxim, "Either do it right or don't do it." -- Russ

[Barney]

Gasp with a sharp intake of breath - but it sure looks amazing !
Barney

[Lawton Maner]

Dramatic level of detail.  By the time you are finished you will have reached the highest level of nirvana.

I've reached the age where if the project has more then 100 rivets it will take longer then the time I have left, and I don't have the luxury of the tools you have! 

[1-32]

Hi Bernard .
Very impressive,the planning must have taken a long time.
cheers Kim