Traction Engine and Farm Machines

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

I find I love these tiny Micromodels models very much. This time I try the Traction Engine. I have also actually in this model the entire original wrapper which has instruction on the inside (not that it says very much of great use). Model builds the tractor and two farm implements.

I make some copies (good idea for me!). I had also the idea to make one large size, but I quit this after I make some basic parts. But it learned me some things to do on the regular size model.

Here is parts for the old fashion steam traction engine tractor. At first I thought curved lines drawn on the side of the body was excess ink or mistakes but they are lines where the wheel parts glue. This is very complicated model...




I learn from the large model I work with that perhaps folding the body is not so good idea. So I cut the parts into sections instead of folding. Then reassemble around the folded floor, coal bunker, control box, etc. It fit much more firm this way.




Now it goes together with the boiler tank. The edge along the back that is white... I color it green now to match, and trim it down slightly. I might glue some kind of black grain or sand to the top of the coal bunker where the printed coal is just white blobs.





The real size model with the large size one I had make at first. It did not fit well made so large and the drawings they became fuzzy and the edges indistinct to cut cleanly.




I learn from the large model to cut the fly wheel into three parts. It is printed as almost a " % " sign with the wheel sides next to the edge all together. When you fold this, you get a big flat spot. I made the wheels now individual parts from the edge. This has lots of wheels to make

[modelperry]

Traction Engines are pretty interesting machines. They used to build them in my town way back when (ie. MUCH before I was born). Every once in a while there'll be some in one of our annual parades, puffing, popping and whistling along.

Look for Frick Tractors here:

http://steamtraction.farmcollector.com


Greg

[Don Boose]

I love steam engines of all types. There is an outfit in Kinzers, Pennsylvania, called the Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Society that preserves steam traction engines. We go by every time we go to and from Cape May, but I have not yet visited them. Perhaps on our next visit!

Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association

Don

[THE DC]

There's that famous penny again!


You get a lot of work out of that Lincoln!

Seriously, I had considered building a car to run off steam, but the manufacturing was too cost prohibitive, so I chose another alternative fule. But I have had an iteresting in steam power too. Check out this related link:

YouTube - Trevithick's steam locomotive paper model part1

and if you want a free downloadable steam engine paper model:

Download Ed Bertschy's Amazing Paper Model Steam Engine Instructions


Cheers!


The DC

[THE DC]

I forgot to put the link for the Steam driven paper model in the video, last post:

Glue² chronicle - Trevithick's Locomotive

Not very expensive but looks pretty wicked when running...


Cheers,


The DC

[dansls1]

Interesting model. I have recently become a bit more interested in traction engines - thanks to my son. In addition to all the trains in the Thomas videos, there is at least one traction engine (named Trevor ). So when we go to Henry Ford Museum, we always go by the traction engines and I try to compare them with 'Trevor' with Niklas. When we went out to the 'Day out with Thomas' at Greenfield Village this past weekend, they also have one displayed outside. I wonder if this model has any specifics of the type, or is it just a generic traction engine?

I learn from the large model to cut the fly wheel into three parts. It is printed as almost a " % " sign with the wheel sides next to the edge all together. When you fold this, you get a big flat spot.

I also follow this practice - and am starting to cut more of my boxes and the like apart and glue them back together rather than trying to crease and fold. I suppose it's another example of advancement in your modeling technique when you can modify designs such as this to make them easier for you to build. I really wish I was able to pick up Carl (Golden Bear)'s release from Gremir Models, because I consider him one of the best builders I've seen, and I'd really like to study his design concepts to see what tips I can pick up for other builds just by how he designs. Now if only he'd tackle an airplane project.

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

I love that locomotive. I wish it was offered free Isa there a Trevithick model available aside from that one?

[THE DC]

Not that I'm aware of, but I'll do some hunting tonight. I've got a ton of electronic folders to organize.


The DC

[eatcrow2]

I got this model a few years back that is in the same style of the MicroModels.. Have never seem this company "Kardcraft", and was wondering if anyone else has ever heard of them?

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

My daughter, she arrive to live with me now, so I have lesser time. But today I make some wheel parts for the Traction Engine. I use a cheap compass cutter I buy at Michael's for $6.95. It work very well if I cut using thick cork or padding to push the point in to. I made wheels slightly different by cutting the rim or tire away from wheel into three pieces. Then I fill the wheel with card board disc just slightly smaller than the wheel. I do this so I can move the part around to make sure it is really round. On picture of the real steam tractor, the rim or the tire it is wider than the wheel so I replicate this, if only by .5mm or 1mm. I cut all the wheel and disc piece in only 10 minute.



I make front axle from toothpic, although instruction say to make from match stick. I find toothpick it is round already and is more hard. Plus I do not have wood match.


The tires on the big wheels are metal and printed flat. So I decide to print extra copies and to cut the raise pieces away and to glue them on the flat strips for texture.

Cutting the raised plate pieces off...



And glue the pieces to exactly the same location on new sheet... This takes more time than I want. The original drawing it is not precise, so each piece you cut away must be glue down over the exact same piece on the printed part. You can not mix them up.




Now I must put away everything in a plastic box which take more time but give room for my daughter. This is all the work for today.