John, To begin with, you need some bluing and a sharp scriber to mark the metal, along with some really accurate measuring instruments. If you don't want to use the bluing, you can coat the material with (Sanford) black marker and scribe that to get an easily visible line. The Sanford marker cleans off with lacquer thinner, or MEK when you're done.
I think you could get away with using a hacksaw for some of the rough cuts, say within 0.05" of your finished line, but I wouldn't suggest using it for anything closer in tolerance. For that you need some good files. A new single cut bastard file should handle most of the flat sides outside the nubs. Between the nubs maybe you can grind close to the line with the Dremel, but you will need a smaller file, at least to finish. Some needle files would also come in handy. Maybe you can find a sharp V file for the wheel flange notches. It looks like a desk mount - flexible arm - circle light - magnifying glass would come in handy too. If you're going to make one, how much more work would it be to bolt two or three layers of stock together and machine them all at once? I know I would be happy to have one. (Hint hint) Darrell Smith modeling the Bellaire Zanesville & Cincinnati narrow gauge in S, along with the Baltimore & Ohio and the Cleveland & Pittsburg standard gauge roads in 1885, all to P64 standards (I hope!) --- In [email protected], "John Degnan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I have a .75mm thick piece of 316 stainless steel that I'd like to TRY to turn into a P:64 track gauge. It will have to be done by hand since no tooling shop in my area seems to have machines that can handle such tight tolerances. (see www.trainweb.org/seaboard/ODDSTUFF/P87GAUGE.jpg) > > "IF" it is possible to make one of these gauges by hand, can anyone suggest some good tools that might come in handy for tackling such a task? I have a dremel tool, some files and a vise... and a fairly steady hand (two, actually)... but I'm wondering about such things as hack-saw (or similar) blades for cutting "square-bottom" notches (as opposed to an Dremel cut-off disc which would cut notches with rounded bottoms). > > I have looked into CNC machines, but don't really have that kind of $$$ to put into it. > > Suggestions, anyone? > > > John Degnan > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Seaboard Box Car Coming In S Scale > www.trainweb.org/seaboard/SALRoundRoofBoxCarProject.htm > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
