MDC 3tr Shay

Preparations for the superstructure

January 14, 2006

		If you feel that removing flash and deburring is a lousy, tedious job DON'T read this page. If you think it's all part of the deal, maybe even fun if you just have your regular drink, listen to some music while at work and feel comfortable doing something completely different than sanding gears at last, well then you might just as well read on. First, to finish the work on the frame, four retainer clips should be made to hang the electrical wire on, so that they won't suspend from under the frame or get tangled in the driveline.. I used a small screwdriver in my vise to bend the 0,5 mm brass wire.

They look big, but in reality the clips measure only a few mm's!

The holes through which the wires will go through the frame are chamfered a little with an oversize drill

The whole bottom side of the frame, the four retainer clips and the two holes.

Now it's time to turn to the superstructure. The boiler should be made completely free of casting marks.

Use a file, than sand it meticulously with grit 150, 400 and 1200 respectively. I polished the boiler but I don't think that is really necessary

The first official action on the superstructure is making a thread with the self tapping screw (why does the term make me think of Fred Astaire??)

Treat the cab, remove flash, deburr. I used a sharp knife to scrape away the flash, some sandpaper for serious bumps. and finally a glassfiber pencil to smooth the edges after deburring

And this lot of goodies had to be cut out of the sprues, deflashed and deburred.

And now at last, the fun part of all the work come. Working the land was hard, sowing was in doubt, but finally here is the time reap the harvest: constructing the superstructure!!