Steam powered tonka truck

[scalebowler]

Found this site a while back...

http://www.toydecals.com/

might have something you could use as far as decals go.

They have some awesome decals on there! Funny thing is that while looking through their tonka decals I actually found some that would work for a template for the ad glass on my gas pump and I saw some decals that would work for another project that I am currently working on getting. (going to get another rusted tonka truck from criagslist and turn it into a Civil Defense siren mantinance truck with a scale replica of a Federal Thunderbolt siren in the bed. I think that would look really cool and go well with my civil defense collection)

[aspbear]

Eric, that is a great find on the decal site.  I like to get the old trucks and redo them for the the grandson's and parts were very expensive on ebay.  That site is very reasonable.  Thanks

[scalebowler]

Got 4 or 5 weeks left of the quarter at school and in my grinding class I almost am out of things to grind and my teacher said that once I get those things done I can work on my steam truck again! I am really excited to get this thing done. Only thing I won't have is the grill but other than that I may be able to get this stuff all done in one class period since all I have to do is make one part and remake a few parts that I screwed up on. (really stupid mistakes like using the wrong sized reamer or accidently forgetting that brass is softer than steel and taking too much off with a file)

[scalebowler]

Just wondering but does anyone think that the bottom of the piston where it connects to the crankshaft would get hot enough to melt the silver solder that they sell for plumbing? I think the plastic reel said it melts at 350 or 400 degrees and I don't think that since that part is pretty far away from the actual cylinder that it would be ok but just want to make sure.

[Creighton]

What is the temp at the piston top at full steam? I'd guess at least 300. Doubt there will be much heat dissipated unless the cylinder is finned and you have a good airflow. . Crank will generate some heat trivial though. As with most engineering it will maybe work, blow up or fall over. No matter, at the end of the day something was learned and there is always Rev. B :-)
If it is just soldered mounting points should be good. Pressurized soldered joints, cutting it close.
Creighton

[scalebowler]

Pretty much this solder is just used to connect a piece that hook the piston up to the crankshaft and does not come in direct contact with the steam (although it may get a little bit of the exhaust steam that may be blowing around) Pretty much the piston and rod are machined as one piece and the part that connects to the crankshaft is a seperate part that is soldered onto the end of the rod to make one solid unit (the cylinder oscillates on this engine so the piston needs to be one solid part) I will post a picture later tonight of the piston I made for an air engine back in high school (same plans just scaled up to double size) that shows how the two parts are put together.

[scalebowler]

Here is a picture showing the part that I am talking about. This is a picture of the same design engine but a larger air powered one that I built in high school. It is the exact same design just larger. The part I am talking about soldering is the part at the bottom of the piston. (which is brazed on this one but I don't have access to brazing stuff like I did in high school)

[scalebowler]

Kind of a crazy idea but I am really concidering designing and building a brass cow catcher to install inplace of the bumper and grill that I can't seem to find. I'm thinking that might look kind of cool (just got to design it and make a few cardstock models to see how it would look) If I like how the cardstock models turn out and decide to go through with making one I will post some pics otherwise I will keep looking for the bumper and grill.

Never mind did some experiments to see how it would look and it makes the truck look kind of stupid. Will stick with looking for or making a grill and bumper for it.

[Kilroy]

were you  modeling a steam train cow catcher, or similar to a push bar on police cars?

[scalebowler]

were you  modeling a steam train cow catcher, or similar to a push bar on police cars?

Something like a steam train cow catcher. It kind of made the truck look really weird