Axles, Crankpins and Wheel Quartering

After turning the axles, I assembled them with their bearings in the axleboxes, using Loctite 603 to ensure they will stay put. I've turned thrust washers of Delrin (black) and "dust caps" of Nylon (white), and in addition I have thin felt washers inside the axleboxes, on each side of the needle bearing - these washers prevent any track dust from getting into the needle bearings.

Note that I've knurled the outer ends of the axles - maybe a crazy idea, but it makes the quartering a lot easier! The knurling will ensure that the wheel won't inadvertently slip on the axle during assembly, and the unevenness of the surface will help the retaining compound do its business.

The crankpins, made of silver steel (also called drill rod), are hardened and tempered, so they will stand the wear. The bearing surfaces of the pins are polished to mirror finish, but I left the parts to be loctited into the wheels a bit rough... The rods (yet to be made) will contain PTFE-coated steel ring bearings, just as in the 3003.

I quartered the wheels in the same way as on the 3003, i.e. I used the 4-jaw chuck as an accurate 90 degree reference, and used an adjustable, lockable spacer to get the distance from the lathe ways, and a stopper on the tailstock. (The spacer is just two M8 bolts assembled with a "long" nut & two locknuts.)

The wheels are on their axles!

I'll still put a securing screw in the interface between axle and wheel, to ensure that the wheel can't shift even under heavy loads.


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