Standard Gauge Baldwin Gas Mechanical

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
Go on, Mike, treat yourself. You know it makes sense!

my little Unimat was my second lathe purchase. I paid about £350 some 30 years ago.
It’s paid its way, and it’s probably worth the same, maybe a bit more, now.
I think the Unimat would be ideal, but I simply don't have the space to store one. My 'workshop' is a bedroom and home office, so storage is at a premium. Something a little bit smaller than the Unimat would be ideal, but probably would be more of a toy.

Mike
 

simond

Western Thunderer
Ah, yes. Mine lives in a shelf to the side of my workbench. It has the base & tray which I think was standard for a “school” version. It has quite aggressive abrasive paper on the underside, and doesn’t slide about!

Space is always an issue.

atb
Simon
 

RichardG

Western Thunderer
I keep my lathe on the landing, on top of a folding bed I keep for guests. The lathe doesn't intrude there. It is as portable as the cast-iron sewing machine my Mum had, and I clear off the bench when I want to use it. I found space in the hobby room for a pillar drill, but there isn't room for any more machine tools unless I move the layout to the living room.
 

RichardG

Western Thunderer
Yes I find the so-called "self-levelling" primer, whilst hiding all kinds of minor defects, dries with such a dead matt finish it benefits from the lightest of passes of really fine wet and dry paper.
 

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
Working chain-drive would have been nice, but realistically I'd struggle to achieve that. So, I took the easy option and acquired a couple of Dapol Sentinel chains as spare parts. Once I'd soldered some brass gears on I was good to go.
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The differential was subjected to some unsubtle weathering prior to installation.
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Mike
 

simond

Western Thunderer
Hi Mike

I don’t think so for two reasons.

firstly, a railway vehicle doesn’t need a differential gear because the wheel coning does the job. Indeed, if it has cranks and rods, the pairs of cranks must be immovably connected to the same axle, or it’ll tie itself in knots!

secondly, that photo looks very like a marine reversing transmission such as would be fitted to an outboard, or an outdrive. The pinion (which I think is not visible), rotates only in one direction, as driven by the engine. The two crown wheels are in permanent mesh with the pinion and thus rotate in opposite directions. There will be a pair of dogs that are able to slide on the drive (crank) shaft so one or the other can engage with the crown wheels, thus rotating the crank shaft forwards, or backwards.

cheers
Simon
 

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
Hi Mike

I don’t think so for two reasons.

firstly, a railway vehicle doesn’t need a differential gear because the wheel coning does the job. Indeed, if it has cranks and rods, the pairs of cranks must be immovably connected to the same axle, or it’ll tie itself in knots!

secondly, that photo looks very like a marine reversing transmission such as would be fitted to an outboard, or an outdrive. The pinion (which I think is not visible), rotates only in one direction, as driven by the engine. The two crown wheels are in permanent mesh with the pinion and thus rotate in opposite directions. There will be a pair of dogs that are able to slide on the drive (crank) shaft so one or the other can engage with the crown wheels, thus rotating the crank shaft forwards, or backwards.

cheers
Simon
Yes, you're right. I was thinking in car terms, which of course needs the diff, whereas the requirement for a locomotive is much simpler. Anyway, it's a big grimy box full of gears! :D

Mike
 

King Crab

Western Thunderer
It's looking very good.

I have various drawings for the Baldwin but all without dimensions.
Can you say what the wheelbase is?
And maybe some dims of the cab?
Thanks in advance

P
 

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
It's looking very good.

I have various drawings for the Baldwin but all without dimensions.
Can you say what the wheelbase is?
And maybe some dims of the cab?
Thanks in advance

P
The instructions included a scale drawing. Unfortunately I've only recently binned them! However, I don't think from memory there were any actual dimensions anotated to the drawing.

I have still got the CD from which the seller downloaded and printed off the instructions, but I don't have any means of downloading this myself.

Mike
 
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