2015 at the Hammond Barn

[RHClarke]

I decided that my son Jesse, needed to be detached from his electronic life support systems (TVs, computer, DS, Xbox) and spend some time in the great out of doors. So, early this fine morning, we thawed out the car and headed to the S&P Museum to give Gunner a hand in moving some frames. It took the car some time to warm up in the -25oC weather, but the roads were clear, making the trip to Kars fairly fast. Seems folks around here tend to stay home when the mercury dips low.

Jesse dug out the front and back door to the museum's main building, and then worked on clearing snow from a few of the trucks. Gunner and I extracted a "quick assembly/disassembly" jeep frame from its icy parking space. It took some time to get the tires out of the frozen ground, but the handy farm jack made short work of it. After hooking the frame to the nearest 2 and half ton, the frame was eventually parked in a warm garage. Gunner will be working on this project over the remainder of the winter, and if and when he comes on to this forum, he can explain what is up.

After frolicking in the wind and snow, we headed into Ottawa to visit the Regimental Museum at the Morrison Gun Park - a new facility set up to accommodate the Bytown Gunners. The park is a temporary solution until someone decides where a permanent structure can be built to house 30th Field Regiment, RCA. After a quick tour, we off-loaded some 6 pounder wheel assemblies and then headed for the comfort of home.

On the way home Jesse remarked that every visit with Gunner was an interesting visit. I think that Jesse actually enjoyed his day away from the electronics. Sadly, he has now reconnected with his Xbox. I guess I shouldn't complain too much. After all, here I sit feeding one of my obsessions...

Photos:

1 - Deuce frolicking in the snow
2 - A frigid Jeep
3 - The restored 17lbr at the Morrison Gun Park
4 - Jesse enjoying the view
5 - Gunner and Jes hamming it up

[Bob Carriere]

We decided to hibernate in the barn. After the usual snow chores and firing up Lucifer we had a coffee break arounf noonish. When we came back it was almost 55 F inside the barn so we set tp desing a jig for bending the bottom angle iron repalcement for my cab 11.

Salvaged an old 1 1/2 x 10 old varnished Oak stair step and traced the angle iron curve and cut with the band saw. Grant refined the radius using a belt sander until we had a perfect fit.

Clamp the Oak jig on the SS work table and went about figuring out how many pie shaped pieces we had to cut out. First try was still too tight so we adjusted/removed a tiny more of the steel until we had a perfect curve resting against the Oak board.

We tacked welded the segments and compared against the original from a cab 12 . The original cab 12 rusted angle iron has already been tested for fit agaunst the floor of the cab 11 so we know it will fit.

Time ran out.... we have to finish the welding on the inside of the angle.... that is the visible side so great care will be taken when welding and grinding to it will look original.

The original angle iron was done in 3 pieces.... each curved corner being stamps than welded ( probably in a jig) .Ours will have just one weld in the centre....carefully done so as to be invisible.

Although we welded while the steel was still clamped to the Oak jig very little wood was charred.

Tomorrow we will finish the welding and grinding on that peice and after flipping the jig over will bend the other side.

Nice team work with Grant as the mathematician me as the welder....

PS....The bending was done cold no added heat necessary.

[RHClarke]

As seen in the above post, Bob and Grant were busy on Saturday designing and fabbing up cab frame rails. I joined the boys on Sunday for some more tin bashing. The weather at the barn continues to be perplexing. Today it was quite cold and the snow was flying sideways with the wind. It would be another day working inside the barn. Fortunately, Lucifer came easily to life and by noon hour, it was quite pleasant in the barn.

Working outside was limited to Bob clearing a neighbour's driveway and the usual snow removal process. Inside the barn the boys continued work on the second lower cab frame rail. Watching Bob and Grant working together made me think that there was nothing that they couldn't fix, repair or make. The combination of Bob's creativity/welding skills, and Grant's analytical mind/patience/attention to detail is something to behold, and the results speak for themselves.

While the boys contented themselves with their project, I continue to learn the ways of the welder and metal work. My process is by trial and error with emphasis on the error part. I expect that I will have committed almost every faux pas with the welder by the time I am finished. In any case my M37 fender is taking shape and I hope that it will be ready for paint next weekend.

"Tempus fugit" when working at the barn, and all too soon production was shut down or another weekend.

Photos:
1 - Teamwork
2 - Almost there - a little more adjustment required

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Bob, etal

Was looking at your work forming the angle for the back of the cab with interest, then was looking at the MetalMeet forum that lead to a YouTube video. That got me to this video take a look https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=01RnS6G6t30

Wouldn't you love to have one of these?

Cheers Phil

[Bob Carriere]

The things you can do with money.

Cheers

[Bob Carriere]

Caution

We would like to share our experience in finishing the curved angle iron.

Having made a carefull copy of the curve on a thick Oak plank and carefully cut out segments which were tacked welded using a Mig welder we continually compared our new angle iron against a salvaged angle iron to insure exactly the curve and fit. The original angle iron had been confirmed accurate by comparing it to the floor of my cab 11.

So completely assured that we had the correct curve I proceeded with the permanent welding of the 12 cuts. We staggered the welds to prevent distortion and finished by carefull grinding on both side. We set the heat to fairly high to insure proper penetration of the weld and to keep the rise of the weld bead to a minimum.

When we stacked up the new angle against the old one we were off by at least 12mm or 1/2 inch. THE SUCCESSION OF HIGH HEAT WELD ACTUALLY SHRANK THE CURVE 12MM OR 1/2 IN. TIGHTER

Not to despair. We carefully hammered the inside flat of the angle iron, to stretch the metal this time, until we had a perfect copy of the old original piece. It does take a fair amount of heavy hammering but eventually, we compared the gradual changes repeatedly against the wooden form and the original piece.

We are also fortunate that our work table, which was salvaged from a Lumonix Laser research centre is built with a 5/8 thick Stainless Steel top mounted on massive square tubing legs with casters. It weight about 1600 pounds and is a beautiful anvil and very flat set up table/welding table.

If we had to do another one we would hammer our welds after each one is done while still semi hot and also to reduce the grinding and keep the shrinkage in check.

Next weekend we will be removing/cutting out the rusted angle now bolted in the jig and bolt the new angle on place for welding the left and right hand section together. The jig weights more than the back wall itself but will insure an accurate alignment of the new angle iron base plate for the wall.

Amazing what you can do with some patience.

Cheers

[Bob Carriere]

The issue here is finding the right bearings for the "transmission counter shaft"

I will try to insert my pictures as I go along within the text.... never tried it before must see if I can do it as per Hanno's instructions.

First thing to do is to find a spare tranny to play with. Had one with a missing PTO cover so it was dry as a popcorn fart and a lot easier to take apart.

First thing to remove was the back cover..... the top four bolts had already been removed due to a catastrophic failure.... the bolts from the flange on the output flange had worked loose and broke the casing and decapitated the four bolts..... that is why the tranny was a spare or parts donor.

The flange was removed first then the cover came off after removing the remaining 3 bottom bolts..... remember to save the spacer on the inside of the cover. The photo shows the rear side of the tranny. The bottom shaft is the countershaft we need to get to.

Now to insert the picture.
IMG_0231.jpg

I think it is working.

So the tranny has to be taken apart to get to the countershaft at the vary bottom. First remove the shift cover.
IMG_0234.jpg
No surprises.... the gears are dirty, surface grime and rust but truns freely and no missing or chewed up teeth.


The front cover of the input shaft was removed...saving the 7/17 bolts and the special retainer washers. A bit of tapping on the rear fo the output shaft with a brass hammer moves the entire shaft and will pushout the front bearing and the front of the input shaft..... pull out the input shaft and bearing.... the rear part of the shaft will remain in the tranny
IMG_0237.jpg

....careful because inside the shaft is a small bearing shaped like a squirrel cage.... wrap up with a paper towel and put a side.

Will continue on the next posting...... obviously having an Australian problem.
( seems all my cell phone pictures are upside down)
Cheers

[Stuart Fedak]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

That got me to this video take a look https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=01RnS6G6t30

Wouldn't you love to have one of these?

Cheers Phil

Bob, may I suggest that we all cash in all our empty beer bottles, and see if we have enough to buy one of these machines..... If we are short, perhaps we can try out the anvil, hammer and oxy/acetylene torch methods?

Lots to learn.......

Cheers!
Stuart