Working Railroad Switch Padlock - finished pics finally

[Hermit]

I realised today as I walked past it that I never did get around to posting finished pics of this one.
(We still can't add to old threads due to a technical problem, so I had to start this new one.)

Body is Calantis Cedar, shackle is Camphor Laurel, and I finally settled on Camphor Laurel for the spring after extensive testing. Finished in traditional wax only.
Still working well after 6 months, with no spring sag etc.

Front locked 1.JPG Front locked 2.JPG

Front unlocked.JPG Rear.JPG

[Hermit]

A couple of shots of the inner workings. The latch bolt is Jarrah: -

ay. Shackle test fit - closed.JPG az. Shackle test fit - open.JPG

I have another in the works, of my own design and still in the drawing stages, but it won't happen for quite a while. Pretty busy right now.

Edit: Something that always bugged me about this design was that it wouldn't stand up by itself, (I should have given it a flattened bottom), so I made a little stand to keep it upright. The blue stuff is just a bit of self-adhesive felt: -

Padlock Stand.JPG

[bj383ss]

Very nice Steve. I want to build one of these someday. I think I might build my half scale though as it seems a bit big to me. Bret

[Hermit]

Very nice Steve. I want to build one of these someday. I think I might build my half scale though as it seems a bit big to me. Bret

I couldn't agree more, Bret, they're huge. Including the shackle it's 7 inches tall, ~175mm.
The one I have on the drawing board is much smaller, only about 3 inches tall with shackle, but the problem is the spring. It's very hard to make a small spring without it being too stiff, and if too thin it will break easily. I'm planning to make the next one out of bamboo, a skewer, to overcome that problem.
That's the reason I went with Camphor Laurel rather than the harder timbers for a spring - Hickory etc were too stiff, even at just over 1mm thick.

[oneye]

very neat.

[Mutawintji]

Beautiful craftmanship ... And lock.

just love looking at it.

greg

[Hermit]

Beautiful craftmanship ... And lock.
just love looking at it.
greg

Thanks, Greg. I value the comment, coming from you.
Doesn't hold a candle to your Brabham build, though. It's inspirational. (Just commented in that thread.)

[Mutawintji]

Thank you for the kind comment. But I don't agree. Quantity and Quality are different.

The curve of the hasp (iz that its name, or is it the staple ?) appears in the photo to be asymptotic. I don't know how you achieved this. I am sure the plan, if there was a plan showed a simple curve that if carried thru would meet. I have looked at it for ages, at least 3 coffees and three cigarettes ... Haa

To be totally honest, for me, the hasp (or staple) could stand as a piece entirely by itself, a sorta abstract.


ta for this ... Greg

[Hermit]

Thank you for the kind comment. But I don't agree. Quantity and Quality are different.

The curve of the hasp (iz that its name, or is it the staple ?) appears in the photo to be asymptotic. I don't know how you achieved this. I am sure the plan, if there was a plan showed a simple curve that if carried thru would meet. I have looked at it for ages, at least 3 coffees and three cigarettes ... Haa
To be totally honest, for me, the hasp (or staple) could stand as a piece entirely by itself, a sorta abstract.

ta for this ... Greg

Greg, I'd like to take credit for the shape, but I made the hasp exactly according to the plan. To shape it, I used the bandsaw to rough out, then oscillating spindle sander to smooth the shape, finished with hand rounding of the edges. A bit of drilling and chiselling in there too.
Not as difficult as it looks.

_Fig 30c. Hasp - full scale.JPG

You're right to call it a hasp (or staple, I think). I was calling it a 'shackle', because that's what the plans called it.

[Mutawintji]

OK ... Now I see .... There are multiple inner radii .... and then you just sand to merge them ? The designer/draughtperson had an eye for art thats for sure.

Its a beautiful curve and with your permission I will keep it ? I can scale it up and down, even change the radii ... would be a great way to taper mudguards or headlights ... or even external rear view mirrors. Might even try to use it on the BT19 where the front suspension cuts into the body shell.... and the 'arc-of-the-curve' is constantly altering .... ummmmm ... with your permission of course.

Greg

[Hermit]

OK ... Now I see .... There are multiple inner radii .... and then you just sand to merge them ? The designer/draughtperson had an eye for art thats for sure.
Its a beautiful curve and with your permission I will keep it ? I can scale it up and down, even change the radii ... would be a great way to taper mudguards or headlights ... or even external rear view mirrors. Might even try to use it on the BT19 where the front suspension cuts into the body shell.... and the 'arc-of-the-curve' is constantly altering .... ummmmm ... with your permission of course.

Greg

PM sent

[TKO]

Great Job Hermit , But its out of my league.

[Hermit]

Great Job Hermit , But its out of my league.

I don't believe that mate.
(They're easier than they look.)

I don't ever think about whether or not I'm capable of making somethin. If I did, I'd make nothing.
Instead, I just decide what I'd like to make, then have a go and see if I'm able. The results can be surprising. (Still in shock that I got away with the Roadster.)

Thanks for the good feedback.

[Mutawintji]

I don't believe that mate.
(They're easier than they look.)

I don't ever think about whether or not I'm capable of making somethin. If I did, I'd make nothing.
Instead, I just decide what I'd like to make, then have a go and see if I'm able. The results can be surprising. (Still in shock that I got away with the Roadster.)

Thanks for the good feedback.

Yes ... The roadster is superb .... but its the finish you give them as well. The wax is definitely for me from now on for everything.

Greg

[Hermit]

Yes ... The roadster is superb .... but its the finish you give them as well. The wax is definitely for me from now on for everything.
Greg

Greg, I used a combination of finishes on that - wax, wipe-on poly and polycrylic. Just wax alone on the interior, but the exterior was WOP and polycrylic, rubbed back with 1200g then waxed. Some of the waxing was painstaking though, I had to apply it then buff with cotton buds in the tight spots.

I've found that even with poly, that last 1200G rub-down followed by a wax gives a great look, without any application marks, especially with brushed on poly and polycrylic. Polycrylic is very similar to poly, but without the yellowish tint, by the way. It's almost perfectly clear.

Wax is higher maintenance than straight poly, and needs regular re-application to keep up the gloss, whereas poly alone just needs a wipe with a moist rag.

This padlock was wax alone - no hi-tech stuff.