hi alan i have been following your progress with your engine nice job so far im in the process of ordering the boiler and castings for the 6″.

i was looking at the spoked wheels your making and i think they look nicer than the cast ones do you have a drawing or did you take the measurements from another model

Hi Fergal,I do apologise for the slow response (see below) in replying to your email and hope my reply is not too late for you.The drawings for the Little Samson Traction Engine (from http://www.littlesamson.co.uk) include both cast and built-up wheels.Bizarrely I chose the Little Samson because the cast wheels would be easy to make – I wanted a fast easy built project – but then decided to go for the spoked option not for appearance but because I foresaw logistical problems in getting the wheel castings first to my home in the UK and then to out here in Thailand where I live now.The reason for the late reply is that you caught me off-guard.

The website at https://littlesamsontractionengine.com is still in it’s infancy and I wasn’t expecting anyone to stumble across it just yet. Hence I have not been in the habit of checking for emails or comments.I have now spent some time updating the site here and there and actually just posted a new page showing photos of a fully-spoked front wheel, as announced in a another email I just sent you.If you have any more questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Happy Steaming

Alan

LittleSamsonTractionEngine.com

hi alanthanks for getting back i see you made a nice job of that wheel the second one should be no problem to bang outi have nothing ordered yet and its getting close to christmas now to be shipping over herekeep the pictures coming just a taught on cutting the radius on the spokes do you have any access to a plasmaregardsfergal

subject:    Re: 6″ Little Samson Wheels – Plasma

Hi Fergal, and thanks for the reply.You say “to be shipping over here” – do you mean that you are in Thailand?To have a fellow Little Samson Traction Engine builder (especially 6″ scale) here in Thailand would be fantastic.There’s a workshop near here that has a plasma cutter. It’s the same one (workshop not plasma cutter) that rolled the wheel rims for me.I can ask them about plasma cutting for the back wheel spokes. It would save time I’m sure.

The back wheel spokes aren’t as difficult as those specials on the front wheels. The radius on the front wheel palm-ends was too big for a single drill or milling cutter. The radius on the back wheel spokes is 3/8″ (or 3/4″ diameter) and can easily be cut with a drill or endmill.

As to plasma I have not tried it before. The guy in the shop I mentioned keeps telling me how good it is. My concern is if it leaves a hard rough edge that is difficult to clean up. I suppose the 4″ hand grinder with a sanding disk would do the job.

This is an interesting little conversation we are having. Can I post these on the website as comments? Your email address will not be seen.

Happy Steaming

Alan

LittleSamsonTractionEngine.com

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hi alan no im in ireland the plasma is the way to go very little cleaning to be done after cuttingi thought the spokes came with the castings when you order them?
soundfergal

hi alanwhat is the expansion link?

theres a company here shannon coiled springs i can make an enquiry to see what they have ,what size is the material your looking for and what spec is itfergal

subject:    Re: 6″ Little Samson Spokes – Plasma

Hi Fergal,Ah! You can buy laser cut spokes from Little Samson Models but I chose not to because I thought I could source them over here in Thailand.I only bought what I knew I couldn’t source/make here in Thailand.

Same situation with the hornplates. Little Samson Models do laser cut ones but I know I can make them here.I did buy the laser cut expansion link though. That is pretty complicated and would be very time consuming to make. There’s a good few hours work left in it even so,  just cleaning it up.The attached list shows what is available and what I bought. you might find it useful.I’m struggling at the moment to find some spring steel for the front axle spring. I found one place online but don’t know if they’ll supply such a small amount as I need.http://www.westyorkssteel.com/spring-steel/Any ideas?

Attached:-

6-Inch-Little-Samson-Materials-Order-Actual-Alan-Brown-1.pdf

Happy Steaming

Alan

LittleSamsonTractionEngine.com

As you can see it’s well profiled but needs a good few hours work to clean it up and fit the die block which you have to make.

Also attached is the drawing of the front spring. As you can see it’s a leaf spring exactly as on trucks but smaller. So the spec for the steels is “as for motor vehicle axle springs.”

I would expect to buy the material in lengths of straight bar 1.25″ X 0.125″ (1 1/4 X 1/8″), then cut it to length and drill, bend then heat treat the individual leaves by myself.

Attached:-
“LSTE-Front-Spring-600.jpg”

LSTE Front Spring Drawing

“LSTE-Expansion-Link-Laser-Cut-As-Bought.jpg”

LSTE Laser Cut Expansion Link As Bought

Happy Steaming

Alan

LittleSamsonTractionEngine.com

Hi alan,i ordered one from edward save a bit of time i have the courier collecting the castings on monday.

should keep me busy over xmas trying to figure out all the bits and pieces

you can keep me informed what to look out for?

how long do you think yours is going to take you before you get steam up?

have you got a good amount of gear in your w/shop?

had you any luck with the steel yet is there any stockist out next to you?

fergal