Steam Locomotive Connecting Rods - Making a New Wedge and Tramming in the Bearings

[@thisolesignguy2733]

Man, I love to watch you fixing the locomotives. I'm a HUGE train nut. That's funny because I live in a town where you can get railroaded every day and I live 2 blocks from the train lines. The sound and vibration from the trains rocks me to sleep every night. It's just such a treat to watch you fixing parts on old steam locomotives.

[@kylezellmann6811]

Keith, 100year planning! That’s amazing.

[@nobuckle40]

I know absolutely nothing about how locomotives are built. It's a real joy to learn about them through these rebuild videos. Thank you.

[@tpobrienjr]

My Uncle "Bub" once brought me an audio tape of a run-by of a N&W locomotive, and when we played it for my Grandfather (both were engineers), they agreed that the loco needed some oil on the side rods. Now I know what part was squeaking. Thanks, Keith!

[@fricknjeep]

hi there always nice to watch you make things . thank you john

[@johnwaby4321]

Great information on the project Keith .Nice wedge remake. Looking forward to you making the bearings 👍👍👍👍

[@MrChevelle83]

theres a whole catalog of machining channels. but repairs like this are fairly rare in such great detail. Kieth is a super cool im glad to have met him. ive been watching VM for at least 5-6 years now.

[@StevenEverett7]

Thank you Keith. You're excellent at explaining things to those of us who are inexperienced in how this machinery works. I also enjoy watching metal being worked.

[@tomswindler64]

Just saying on all the parts that you replace on the locomotives why not put your initials onto said part ,shows it is replacement part for future repairs.great video as always,you do very interesting work on all scales.great video.continue on doing what your doing.👍👍👍😎😎😎

[@ellieprice363]

K Rucker and Date stamped on the parts would be perfect.

[@melshea2276]

Good Morning Georgia!😊🚂👍✌️

[@migueltorres6073]

Hi Keith, always enjoy you videos.

[@alandaters8547]

As a steam railroad buff it is magical to see those parts morph back into a functional locomotive component. Thank You!

[@ijzfzzy]

Great job as usual, Keith. Would love to watch you reinstall this on the locomotive.

[@morelenmir]

Interesting, but *very* painstaking work! I envy your store of concentration Keith!

[@BillB23]

This makes me appreciate carpentry where you can scribe a measurement and not have to get out the tape measure. Both are similar in how you sneak up to the perfect fit, little by little. This allows me to get inside of my late dad's head a little more: he apprenticed as a machinist in 1936.

[@bustednuckles2]

That right there is a labor of love.

[@CatNolara]

Did you make the new block a little bit wider than the old one? If not there might be a chance that you clamp on the old block instead of the new one, which could result in a lot of problems when trying to mill the angle. Might have been a good idea to put a shim between the vise jaw and the new block only, so you can be sure that it's tightly clamped.

[@CRUZER1800]

Great video, Keith... Always appreciate your expertise. Thanks for all of your entertaining videos for all these years... Russ

[@elsdp-4560]

Thank you for sharing.👍

[@sheph7]

Watching this I was thinking that in the "age of steam" the railroads with hundreds or thousands of locomotives they must have had about a zillion maintenance folks working non-stop. Interesting video.

[@royreynolds108]

You are absolutely correct. But it was the best that was had to offer at the time.

[@donlum9128]

Saving history

[@bboomer7th]

Interesting.

[@RicochetRichard]

I would never have thought of getting the angle by laying the new part on the old part. Good idea! (8:47) I usually go about things the hard way.😏

[@daleburrell6273]

...well, "we live and learn"-(!)

[@paulkinzer7661]

This was fascinating. It's an elegant design that allows for lots of adjustment, and has lasted for a loooong time. And once you've put in the new bearings, is can start that long time again. I'd love to see video of it in action once it's done!

[@royreynolds108]

Check the video list. There are several videos of the train in operation at the museum.

[@tonyjones9715]

Thanks for another great video.👏👏

[@walterplummer3808]

Always interesting to see how things work. Thanks for the videos.

[@Hoaxer51]

I was just thinking the same thing, initial and date it. I think Keith should get a small stamp made with either his name or maybe the VM logo he uses.

[@Turbo-Drew]

Would have loved to see you make the wedge on the Horizontal shaper...

[@bh.boilers]

Very informative video, one to put in the archives for the next generation of engine men and fitters. Ray.

[@P61guy61]

An excellent episode. Thank you for posting!

[@Martin52863]

I always find it funny that people who are into locomotives call them locomotives but people aren’t into trains call them trains.I work with someone who is into them so I’ve been corrected many many many times😂

[@CraigLYoung]

Thanks for sharing 👍

[@MattOGormanSmith]

I clenched when you started cutting that taper, without a soft wire or something between the moving jaw and the part. You might have been clamping on the original underneath. 50-50 chance unless you checked

[@markmossinghoff8185]

My thoughts exactly. That setup would have never worked for me.

[@dcrahn]

A bolt that size fully threaded is available from McMaster Carr in Grade 8 or Grade 5

[@davedaley9093]

Yes, but he fabricated it in much less time than it would have taken to get one off the shelf.

[@Rorschach1024]

Rolled threads are however stronger than cut threads. And grade 8 would likely have been stronger.

[@shortribslongbow5312]

Very interesting video thanks for sharing. :o)

[@dhaynes4515]

Hi Keith, always enjoy you videos. Been watching for years. Can you video the installation on the loco.

[@martineastburn3679]

The bolt head might be tall to match the wrench used to tighten it. Sometimes the specs are there for a purpose hidden from eye. I'd say a shim on both sides of the bronze (to protect the bronze) and then more as needed.

[@terminalpsychosis8022]

There is some complex geometry going on in the fine adjustment features there. Fascinating. Mr Rucker explains things so perfectly, clam factual, and you can tell he could do this stuff with one eye and one hand. Really enjoy these videos, and am constantly impressed with the empire of machinery this man has built. I'd love to have a tenth of his shop... and knowledge!

[@Rorschach1024]

Keith, if you case hardened that bolt, you aren't likely to have it gall in the wedge.

[@SciPunk215]

Nice

[@AlbiesProductsOnline]

The bolt gets stuck because the wedge compresses and jam nuts it on, it would be better to turn the bearing upside down and use a stud coming out of the wedge and use a nut for adjustment

[@bobflores]

I just watched your video from 9 years ago on the operation of the locomotive the connecting rods are from. I wanted to know more about the 1917 locomotive and came across the older video. It was very informative and entertaining. I recommend watching if you're not familiar with the part Keith is repairing or not familiar with steam locomotives.

[@lnchgj]

Are you going to show the installation?

[@michaelvitetta7231]

WHat ever happened to the "little" steam engine used to feed coal. Did I miss the rest of that series?

[@samuraidriver4x4]

Think he is waiting on the crankshaft to be ground.

[@timdouglass9831]

@@samuraidriver4x4 Yes. He mentioned it in a recent video and it shows up in the background occasionally.

[@rayfisher2160]

Don't you need a metal name stamp to finish off all your work? I always paint all of the project parts that I work on.

[@philipallen8648]

Thanks for the video. I understand keeping things original but would there be any value in putting an anti-corrosion/slippy coating on the new wedges? i.e. film of Nickel electroplating etc.

[@hrenes]

Wouldn't it be possible to pour babbit bearings in the brass parts, to cheaply roll another 25 years without shims?

[@wallbawden5511]

just trying to understand the reason for making it the same size . would it not have to be slightly bigger to aloe for the where , on the old one or was there no where just the bolt broken off !

[@Histandard2011]

When he gets the replacement rough . bushings from Windy Hill Foubdary Keith will machine the new ones back to specifications. Then if he ha done what you suggested of making the new wedge oversized it would not have fit

[@pijnto]

This may be a dumb question why not drill the old bolt out and just replace with the new bolt.

[@JRattheranch]

I wondered about that too, especially with all the kit Keith has at his disposal! 😄

[@joedowling5452]

I'd say it comes down to the amount of effort to attempt a removal vs making a new part. Seized fastener removal is almost never easy and good results never a sure thing. Yeah, you may get the bolt out but will you still have a usable part when you're done? In this case making replacement wedges was the better choice.

[@MrChevelle83]

how many bolts have you drilled out like that?

[@joedowling5452]

@@MrChevelle83 Not sure if you're question was directed at me but let answer anyway. It doesn't matter. I could have done 1 or 1001. No two situations are exactly the same so your approach will differ. I this case it was a 3 or 4 inch threaded through hole. No telling what the issue was. I may have been cross threaded or rusted just a bit. It was stuck enough that the decision was made to cut it out of the bearing retainer and make a new one. I trust that Mr Rucker and the folks he works with know when something is more bother than it's worth.

[@MrChevelle83]

@@joedowling5452 my comment was to the original poster, but the reason I said that apparently they dont know how difficult it is to drill and remove rusted bolts like this one, Ive removed a bucket full of broken and rusted bolts over the years. that small part woulda been a major trouble to save and I totally would have made a new one vs fighting to still loose the part and make a new one anyway,

[@jamest.5001]

Now that seems overly, over complicated. ( 32:02 ). Seems there could be an easier way?

[@aserta]

Depending on how the museum is on modification of original parts... wouldn't these wedges be better if they had a fixed rod (the rod part of the wedge) and the adjustment made using nuts, thus removing the potential for them locking in place, and moving the adjustment outside where if a nut were to lock, a nut splitter may be employed? Based on the travel, the extra length of rod sticking out wouldn't be that big, so not something that would be detrimental to the machine.

[@royreynolds108]

Keith made the parts just as they had been made and will last about as long as the originals if properly attended to. This is the "old way" of rod and bearing construction. The newer way was to use a bronze bushing pressed into correctly spaced and machined holes in the rods. As locomotive construction progressed and got better over the years, newer and better materials and techniques were used based a lot on what the loco was bought to do to work and under what conditions it would work and be maintained. When bought new, the loco the museum has was of the lower end of the cost range and the people and facilities to service it were in the simpler end of service also, so the older style of construction was what was used to make it. Question, if you are buying a pickup truck to handle gravel and dirt for work, are you going to buy a tricked-out model or the plane-jane model? Particularly if there is a several hundred dollar difference in price tags? Back in 1919, several hundred dollars was like several thousand to us now. Most men worked for no more than a dollar a day then, and that was for 10 to 12-hour days and at least half a day on Saturday. I am just stating facts, not being argumentative.

[@williamrogers2030]

You should show the installation on the train.

[@daveh7945]

please please PLEASE show us the final install

[@jamest.5001]

What is the bore and stroke on the engine, and number of cylinders? I'd like to build a pre war truck, about 2ton. Usef450-550 axels and a semi truck transmission in reverse,( backwards) and build a steam engine for it, running about 4cylinders , with about 12" stroke and a bore around 8"-12" bore, and build a flash boiler, where water is pre heateted to Around 200°f. In a small tank 20 gallons or less. With the steam generator flashing the stem to 350°+ with the stem exiting making another pass through the furnace a 2" pipe crossing the flames 3 more times. Using waste oil as fuel. With a blower to provide additional oxygen. Use propane to start the oil burning , and get the furnace up to starting temperature. And possibly use a Nissan Leaf motor and around 30 kwh battery, to supply additional power until the boiler is up to temperature. And use the motor as generator as a regen engine brake. Maybe take it to the salt! Go for a land speed record, a 30's truck can be slightly more aerodynamic than a brick. Maybe it could do fairly well. Using a 5-speed transmission in reverse, gives 5 overdrive ratios. With a proper ratio into the transmission. That will allow a modest takeoff and acceleration. Then start shifting into overdrive's. It may only produce 20-40 hp per cylinder, it all comes from TQ. Each double acting cylinder could produce 2k ftlbTQ. And its possible two cylinders could be expanding at once. One up one down, even 100psi over 12" is 1200 lbs per sq ft. Over a 12" stroke 1200 ftlbTQ, with another cylinder expanding at that time it could double! And a 12" with 24" stroke, 😮, or a two cylinder engine 24" bore x 24" stroke running at 250-800 RPM snd150- 200 psi to be safe, being only 1-2 gallons are steam at once, push it to 500 psi😮😮, that would be like a car pushing the piston down. A more daily driver engine being a 6" bore with 10-16" stroke. 4-cylinder, using a normal 5 speed manual transmission, using a 8:1, 10:1 overdrive on the input. 4000 rpm in to the transmission the engine spinning 1/10 this, 400 rpm, the steam engine could be spinning 10-20 rpm going down the highway 60 mph , the large bore long stroke just creeping over, with double acting cylinders. Have the boiler directly next to the engine , so the steam can not cool before it goes to the engine, mat package tight inside a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton truck. Hold about 40 gal of water, until a closed system can be developed, and 20 gallons of waste oils, with a propane starting system, for easily starting the furnace. Pre heat the combustor, then add some fuel and then slowly add air. With the blower. Maybe use a modified small carburator, to stomize the oil. As a starter burner, it could be interesting if someone built it! Sorry to ramble, have an awesome day 🎉

[@phlodel]

I've noticed you hand feed your mill a lot. Does the power feed not work? Personally, I hate hand feeding. It makes me cranky.

[@oldschool1993]

Better unscrew that oil cap and be sure there is not a 5 Franc coin stuck in there.

[@Rorschach1024]

Why would there be a French coin in there?

[@oldschool1993]

@@Rorschach1024Watch this great Burt Lancaster movie called "The Train" and you will get the joke.

[@oldschool1993]

Judge Judy yells at people- "I Don't want to hear basically"

[@paulcopeland9035]

Why are you angry?

[@oldschool1993]

@@paulcopeland9035 Judge Judy is angry, because she respects the English language.

[@johnkelly6942]

Need to repair it to last 100 years because in another 10-20 years it’s probably going to be hard to find someone who cares about keeping an old steam locomotive operating.

[@markbernier8434]

There will be a few who gets the bug. The trick is to get the knowledge passed along. Kieth and others like him are writing the history books.

[@Pinz314]

Don't know about the US, but in Europe steam is doing quite well and growing.

[@DaleDix]

​@@Pinz314Australia too.

[@BrooksideFarmBarreMA]

Manual skills in the US are most definitely on the decline.

[@pmsteamrailroading]

@@BrooksideFarmBarreMAthe STEM/STEAM and the maker movements are indications that you are wrong.

[@RB-yq7qv]

🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂

[@dennys5028]

In my 50 + years of machining I had never heard the word tramming. Until I watched some of the machining videos on youtube. Indicating the head in is all we ever used. You are squaring the head to the table. There is no such thing as tramming. Someone made it up at some point and it spread.

[@ellieprice363]

I learned the word the first time a Bridgeport head got out of alignment and had to be “trammed” back in to perfectly 90 degrees with the table. I can’t think of any other word that would describe the operation any better.

[@robertmatel8136]

That's how most words are "coined".

[@dennys5028]

Look up the definition of tram and tell me how it describes aligning the head. @@ellieprice363

[@charlesmiles9115]

😛😛😛😛😛😛❤❤❤❤❤👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@eugenebennett5800]

howar eyou doing witht he tally ho capstan..... love to know more about it...

[@Hoaxer51]

I saw where someone (I think the guys name was Dave Clark) was making the model part to send to the person casting the part so they could make the sand mold and cast it. Then it goes back to Keith for final finishing. So it’s out of Keith’s hands until he gets it back from them.

[@timdouglass9831]

That project is spread over several people. Someone is casting the broken part (or preparing to) then it will come back. Currently there are at least 3 KZbin channels you have to check in on to keep up with it. I'd list them, but my mind is blank at the moment.