Just Started a 4 inch Foster

Thanks for the info jason like I said there's no info on the drawings but since I've put a radius on the small circumference of the inner hub cover (the top hat item) its no big job to do the outside circumference and then the brass hub cover can have its edges smoothed and job done. Since my work has to come out of the lathe during the day if I'm using one of works I'm a dab hand at clocking work back up in short time. Besides I may put the whole assembly in the chuck when its time to ream the bearing to size (discuss). Also one has to think of paint as it doesn't like to stick to sharp edges. Whilst I'm certainly in no rush to complete the job since I get my joy from the building im still not sure how I feel about getting it exact to how the production model was. As far as I'm concerned it's a test/demonstraition of my skills hence I'm scratch building. Once the wheels are done I have a square bar under my desk from which I plan to fashion the axle. I could purchase castings and be done a lot sooner but like I've said my preference is to scratch build. Somethings I have purchased such as the spokes especially since they are cheaper from lsm than I thoughr and I don't really need to demonstrate or test my skill in cutting out 24 pieces of flat steel.

Again thanks for the help and please feel free to offer advice in the future. When im further down the line I may start a proper build thread but at the moment work keeps me busy and a boring illness limits progress.

Hi, as this is rapidly coming the place for good reliable advice for me I have a query regards lubrication for my front hubs. I plan to fit plain bearings in two halfs (as sugested here, thanks). My drawings simply a drilling in the side of the hub. Does one fit a flip top oiler or simply use the drilling as my lube point. My phosphor bronze is missing in transit at the moment so my hubs are on hold. Not wishing to name and shame yet but I have an email saying it was posted 3 weeks ago. I've tried to email back but its a no reply type email address, so ive rang and left messages but no joy yet.

To keep myself busy ive started machining my front axle from a piece of square steel and whilst I can obviously get it to within tolerance via the drawings, if someone has a photo of a cast one the could show me it'd help me get it spot on.

Mr Mike,

I used grease to lubricate the bushes in my hubs. Oil will run thru the bearings onto the ground unless the axle shaft is fitted with seals. (the trouble and strife (wife) would complain bitterly if I stained our driveway with MY engine)

Paul.

MIke, I would advocate grease as well, it will fill up the gap between the 2 bearings which will act as a reservoir. Just be careful when you drill the hole in the hub to make sure the greaser is in the middle of 2 spokes on the outside of the wheel so you can get at it easily.

Chris Gunn

Again thanks for the advice I need to look at greasers, have I imagined a type that forces grease through every time you turn it? I was thinking if it's possible to hide a nipple in a cup oiler.

Work so far.....as said before for me its a test and demonstration of skills rather than the end result so rather than buy an axle I'm making one from square bright bar 40mm. The axle shafts were turned on the big Colchester at work as it was all I had access to that had a spindle big enough to take this size bar else it'd have to be turned between the chuck and a centre. First I scribed 2 diagonal lines corner to corner in the ends to line the centre up roughly using a 4 jaw and a dead centre. Next I put a tool in the post backwards and used it and the feed reading to measure and adjust the work in the 4 jaw chuck. Finally it was clocked up with a dti I have made to fit in my tool post.

Onto the mill, I placed the work in a vice and used the turned ends on blocks as my level. This way I could turn the work through its 4 sides and it remained at the same height regardless how much I removed at a time. Not shown is the stop I clamped to the bed to place one end against, this way provided the work was positioned against the stop I could work on each end and side and my machining remained equal. The tool used was a carbide that was wider than my work so I could mill from any direction and not be climb milling.

I left one section on opposite sides as my axle requires a taper on it.

Finally I angled the milling head after working out the angle and machined the taper. Again I fell foul of the lack of measurements on the drawings and my taper isn't as long as it could be so im undecided if to leave it be or fabricate a longer taper to it. The last part was to round off the sharp corners and lots of emery paper with a file to give it that look of a casting. I'm sure some purists may not be keen but im happy with the result.

Front spokes, these I did purchase fro lsm as it made economic sense as they were cheaper to buy than the raw materials would be. Also I don't feel I need a skills test of plasma cutting 24 pieces of 6mm plate. After a misadventure or 2 with a poor performing vernier height gauge, the result of which is visible in one of the pics. I had one marked up to be drilled. With this I set the vice up in the pillar drill and simply place each spoke in turn in the vice using a parallel as a stop each time I set up. This method allowed me to knock them out as a production line. A chap at work ground an old drill to make a counter sink that was the same profile as my allen bolts and off the production line went again. Next using a jig made for my rotary table I put a radius on the end of each spoke with the mill. Here hast led me astray, obviously the radius was different to the on in my milled hubs them being 8mm and me having put a 12mm one on the spokes. So a quick finish with a file and they fit a treat.

Mike, here is a dummy screw down greaser fitted to my 6" 4CD, under the cap is a TAT flat grease nipple. If you want to go down this route I can help you with the grease nipples, just PM me.

Chris Gunn