denis M
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 300
|
Post by denis M on May 22, 2008 22:45:25 GMT
Hello all,
After 17 years of hard use I have stripped down my Romulus for an overhaul. One of the things that I would like to do is fit the Leaf springs as per the drawing as I have coil springs at the moment.
The drawing shows them being 3/4 x 3/32 phos bronze strip available from Reeves, however they do not do the material anymore.
Does anyone have any idea where I may get some or even spring steel.
Thanks
Denis
|
|
|
Post by GWRdriver on May 23, 2008 1:54:33 GMT
A handy source of very nice blued clock spring steel which many US builders have used for spring leaves for years is a "plumber's snake" or "jack" . . . normally available in 25ft to 100ft coils. The most common size is 1/2" x 1/16" but in checking I found that for instance Cobra Mfg Co. makes snakes in 3/4" x 1/16" spring steel in several lengths beginning with 25ft (Model #60250.)
|
|
Deeja
Seasoned Member
Posts: 131
|
Post by Deeja on May 23, 2008 2:42:57 GMT
The black (or green) steel banding used on wooden packing crates, large cartons etc is a spring steel, and can be used for making springs as long is suitably heat treated after forming etc as per any other spring material. Different widths available too if you look around.
David
|
|
waggy
Statesman
Posts: 744
|
Post by waggy on May 23, 2008 20:02:57 GMT
Denis,
The steel banding mentioned is no good for your requirements. Sorry, I tried to use this banding for leaf springs, about as much use as a chocolate fireguard! There have been a few threads on here regarding leaf springs, suggest you serch the site.
Denis, Please let us know where you come across the spring steel banding, I certainly have never seen it.
Regards,
Waggy.
|
|
denis M
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 300
|
Post by denis M on May 23, 2008 20:52:54 GMT
Thanks for the ideas of the banding or the draw tape as we know them but I'm afraid neither would be suitable as the Romulus goes about 300 Kgs or so (4 hundredweight in English).
Denis
|
|
|
Post by alanstepney on May 23, 2008 21:48:21 GMT
|
|
SteveW
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,397
|
Post by SteveW on May 23, 2008 22:31:33 GMT
Denis,
It's the old "trying the scale nature" problem. Anything that looks like a prototypical leaf spring is going to be too hard, it's all too easy to make a spring steel girder.
I've heard of folk using (including) composites in the the 'spring' to bulk it out to size and add a bit of dampening. I was fiddling with a bit of hi-tech epoxy-glass fibre copper laminate (as used in electronic) and it occurred to that is would make an ideal component in a leaf spring.
|
|
|
Post by GWRdriver on May 24, 2008 5:51:31 GMT
Well whatever happened to "Tufnol"? Wasn't that a favorite spring material used in composite with a steel or bronze leaves?
|
|
|
Post by Nigel Bennett on May 24, 2008 8:31:57 GMT
I used spring steel leaves in my Edward Thomas. Rear ones were ordinary lengths of the stuff to make it almost solid (Hackworth valve gear!) but the front were slotted to reduce the amount of material. Slots are all hidden when assembled, and they work very well.
|
|
|
Post by hunslet on May 24, 2008 17:24:05 GMT
hello dennis Doug Hewson sells heat treatable spring steel strip,i've used it myself and it is very good . The nearest size to those you quote is 1"x1/8",but it can be filed ,drilled and cut to size easily,then follow the heat treatment instructions on the web page. www.the-hewsons.demon.co.uk/accessories&materials.htmcheers............Hunslet
|
|
abby
Statesman
Posts: 927
|
Post by abby on May 24, 2008 20:14:49 GMT
Almost any steel stockholder can supply steel strip suitable for springs , there are 47 listed on the Kompass directory for the midlands and thst is without the big stockholders . most would probably give you some material.
|
|
|
Post by chris vine on May 24, 2008 22:52:43 GMT
If you want to know how to reduce the rate of leaf springs while keeping the same thickness and width and number of leaves, then just ask Gugger on this forum how he did his.
It is ingenious and involves cutting away slots in the leaves which are invisible from the outside but leave them much more flexible.
He lives in Switzerland and is clearly as ingenious as other engineers there, who make curved hydraulic cylinders!!
Chris.
|
|
Smifffy
Statesman
Rock'n'Roll!
Posts: 943
|
Post by Smifffy on May 25, 2008 8:42:27 GMT
My drawings show using Tuffnol and if necessary inserting a 1/32" Spring Steel leaf at the bottom to give stiffness. Both are readily available in different widths from Reeves.
Smifffy
|
|
denis M
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 300
|
Post by denis M on May 29, 2008 22:38:17 GMT
Thanks for all your replies, been away from the P.C for a few days.
I have used Tuffnol on my Baldwin springs but find them tending to go a bit straight so was looking for the real McCoy.
Smiffy, interested to see that your drawings, I assume for Romulus, show using Tuffnol as the one I bought 2 weeks ago suggests Phos Bronze strip.
Thanks again
Denis
|
|
Smifffy
Statesman
Rock'n'Roll!
Posts: 943
|
Post by Smifffy on May 30, 2008 11:47:07 GMT
Hi Denis,
No, my drawings are for Martin Evan's Royal Scot. Nothing to do with your Romulous, just passing on the solution from another model. Sorry, I should have made that clear above!
Smifffy
|
|
|
Post by Laurie_B on May 30, 2008 12:10:32 GMT
One source of phos.bronze strip for leaf springs is Mr.R.Fardell in Huddersfield.He advertises in both M.E and E.I.M.Might be worth giving him a try to see if he can still supply.
In the latest E.I.M. (June '08),Dave Aitken has described phos bronze leaf springs for his 7-1/4" gauge '2251' loco design.I believe he uses this material on his locos.The material might be available through Polly Model Engineering.
|
|
PeteT
Active Member
Posts: 27
|
Post by PeteT on May 30, 2008 21:03:00 GMT
To avoid confusion, PB spring leaves specifically to suit the Collett are available from Polly for builders, but we had not perceived a general requirement for the heavier material. Our spring leaves are 2mm thick PB in hard state, with all lower leaves relieved to reduce spring rate and give an acceptable deflection - loco weight is estimated at 360 lbs and spring deflection under test approx 1/8". We also supply spring steel in thinner gauges in the soft state for builders of some of our 5" gauge locos.
|
|