Jerry Christiansen
03-27-2010, 07:59 AM
In December of 2008 Jim T. got snow bound in Casselton on a Friday evening. Jim, Peter K., Jane and I were debriefing the previous year’s Steam Shows. At previous meetings such as this we had discussed how to add additional cooling capacity on Jane’s Prony Brake AKA the Blue Brake. The brake wheel doesn’t have enough surface area to dissipate the heat when a large tractor is run for an extended period of time. One of the problems this lead to is that Jim missed some good Spark Shows. During the Spark Shows he was using a garden hose to spray water on the outside of the brake wheel and was watching sparks come off the brake instead of out of the steam engine.
At this meeting Jane and I were able to report that the cooling problem has been solved. A few days earlier we stopped at Larson Welding and there on the floor was a 36” diameter, 7’ wide belt pulley with rim about an inch thick. I tried to slip it in my pocket and sneak out with it, but Kenneth spotted me and didn’t let that happen. (That was the pulley that he and Jim acquired for Old Smoky.) After few conversations with Jim and my Financial Advisor, we were told that an identical wheel would be in our possession soon. The slightly larger diameter along with the wider face should provide enough cooling so that Jim can once again enjoy Spark Shows.
The Blue Brake was all ready in its Third Phase and now the details of Phase Four of the Blue Brake were being hammered out. Finally Jane asked, “How much of the Blue Brake will you be able to use?” The answer was, “The frame and the electronics.” Then she said, “It doesn’t sound like you have much left. Do you think you can sell the Blue Brake and just build a new one from scratch?” With all the confidence in the world I said, “Sure, we can sell the Blue Brake.” (More about that later) The discussion then changed from ‘rebuild’ to what will the next one look like.
Another friend, Don G. that does design and drafting with his computer, said he would help put something together. After a few discussions with Don and a couple trips to his house, we had plans for a new Brake. Don called up a steel supplier and a few days later all the pieces were ready to be picked up. Not only were all the pieces cut to length, all the angles were cut correctly! That certainly made assembly a lot easier.
The plan was to have the Brake ready for the 2009 Rollag show and maybe, if we got our act together, even for Steam School in June. Then, Peter died and a lot of plans got goofed up. Finally in June 2009 I got to work. Eric Mars drove out to Peter’s shop and we assembled the frame of Jane’s new Brake. After about a day of setting pieces together and welding, we had the frame complete. The Brake’s foot print is very similar to Jane’s first Brake. The new brake will fit in the back of a pickup or in Jane’s Red Trailer.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/jtchrist/bluetwo/blue2004a.jpg
The first picture is an indication why some projects take so long. Just about any time someone sees the overhead door of Peter’s shop open, they stop in to see what is going on. When one of Peter’s nephews showed up we had to stop, make some coffee and explain what we were up to. The next pictures show Eric and me setting up some pieces, Eric welding, and a nearly complete frame.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/jtchrist/bluetwo/blue2006a.jpg
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/jtchrist/bluetwo/blue2010a.jpg
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/jtchrist/bluetwo/blue2001a.jpg
Jim at Larson’s Welding made the shaft and machined the brake wheel. The machining included making the face of the wheel true, boring the hole in the center and cutting the key way. I drilled and tapped holes in the side of the brake wheel so that the large washers could be attached. The washers keep the brake blocks running true on the outside wheel and hold the cooling water on the inside of the wheel. After that, the brake wheel and shaft were set on a pallet next to the frame. That was about all that happened during the summer of 2009.
More to come,
Jerry Christiansen
At this meeting Jane and I were able to report that the cooling problem has been solved. A few days earlier we stopped at Larson Welding and there on the floor was a 36” diameter, 7’ wide belt pulley with rim about an inch thick. I tried to slip it in my pocket and sneak out with it, but Kenneth spotted me and didn’t let that happen. (That was the pulley that he and Jim acquired for Old Smoky.) After few conversations with Jim and my Financial Advisor, we were told that an identical wheel would be in our possession soon. The slightly larger diameter along with the wider face should provide enough cooling so that Jim can once again enjoy Spark Shows.
The Blue Brake was all ready in its Third Phase and now the details of Phase Four of the Blue Brake were being hammered out. Finally Jane asked, “How much of the Blue Brake will you be able to use?” The answer was, “The frame and the electronics.” Then she said, “It doesn’t sound like you have much left. Do you think you can sell the Blue Brake and just build a new one from scratch?” With all the confidence in the world I said, “Sure, we can sell the Blue Brake.” (More about that later) The discussion then changed from ‘rebuild’ to what will the next one look like.
Another friend, Don G. that does design and drafting with his computer, said he would help put something together. After a few discussions with Don and a couple trips to his house, we had plans for a new Brake. Don called up a steel supplier and a few days later all the pieces were ready to be picked up. Not only were all the pieces cut to length, all the angles were cut correctly! That certainly made assembly a lot easier.
The plan was to have the Brake ready for the 2009 Rollag show and maybe, if we got our act together, even for Steam School in June. Then, Peter died and a lot of plans got goofed up. Finally in June 2009 I got to work. Eric Mars drove out to Peter’s shop and we assembled the frame of Jane’s new Brake. After about a day of setting pieces together and welding, we had the frame complete. The Brake’s foot print is very similar to Jane’s first Brake. The new brake will fit in the back of a pickup or in Jane’s Red Trailer.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/jtchrist/bluetwo/blue2004a.jpg
The first picture is an indication why some projects take so long. Just about any time someone sees the overhead door of Peter’s shop open, they stop in to see what is going on. When one of Peter’s nephews showed up we had to stop, make some coffee and explain what we were up to. The next pictures show Eric and me setting up some pieces, Eric welding, and a nearly complete frame.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/jtchrist/bluetwo/blue2006a.jpg
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/jtchrist/bluetwo/blue2010a.jpg
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/jtchrist/bluetwo/blue2001a.jpg
Jim at Larson’s Welding made the shaft and machined the brake wheel. The machining included making the face of the wheel true, boring the hole in the center and cutting the key way. I drilled and tapped holes in the side of the brake wheel so that the large washers could be attached. The washers keep the brake blocks running true on the outside wheel and hold the cooling water on the inside of the wheel. After that, the brake wheel and shaft were set on a pallet next to the frame. That was about all that happened during the summer of 2009.
More to come,
Jerry Christiansen