Brass Model T Tutorial by XKen

[xken]

Here is getting started by cutting out the profile of the side rails. You need real good light to cut down the scribe line. Once cut out the side rail may have some curl from cutting, very carefully with just your fingers form it back to flat slowly and carefully. The rails were layed out on 1" x 12" x.016" brass sheet. The angles were 3/16" x 36" x.016". When all soldered together the side walls will be 1/32" thick with the return flanges being .016. Working with brass is like playing chess; you have to plan ahead right down to buying your materials. Build the part in you head first step by step, then buy what you need, materials, tools etc.

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Here is soldering the side rails to top angles. The secret to soldering is letting your iron get real hot, touch it to the solder end to gather a puddle on the iron and then to the joint. Remember solder will always flow to heat and since it is liquid is subject to the laws of gravity.
I apply the liquid flux with a paint brush to the entire joint before soldering. The tempurature is correct when the solder flows freely into the joint. The spring clamps also provide handles to hold the piece while soldering.

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Here is a closeup of the above picture.

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Here is a shot of adding the rail extension since stock sheet was too short. Needed another 11/16". Once finished up the joint is barely visible and I put this to the rear of the chassis where it will be less obvious anyway.

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Here is how to file the bottom angle to fit the side rail. Double sided carpet tape works great to hold small pieces. I would recommend buying a steel block if you do not have one. I think MicroMark offers one. Also handy to hammer some parts back to flat. Be careful to slowly remove the part from the tape so as not to bend or distort the piece. The tape adhesive works well in holding it in place.

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Here is the bottom angle cut and filed to fit. Working with brass requires patience and a good assortment of files.

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Here is how to remove excess solder. Scrape, file, sand and polish. Note: Blades are stamped out as a result one edge is rounded down while the other has a sharp edge. Use the sharp edge to scrape. You can easilly tell the difference when you try to scrape.

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Here is the finished left rail.

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Now to finish up the right side. Then the next installment will be the crossmenbers.
Please feel free to post questions, and there is no such thing as a stupid question.

Ken

Here I have cut out patterns in paper and have spray glued them down to two sheets of brass for both front and rear crossmembers of chassis.



I am not left handed; I just wanted to hold saw while I took picture with my right hand.













If you are going to solder; you will need a roll of binding wire. This is what I use and it does a great job holding assemblies together until soldered.



Finished Basic Frame

[xken]

Is this the same engine that is in your pictures? I found this in my 1918 Dyke's manual.

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Here I have enlarged a plan view of the engine to 1/8th scale and printed it on card stock. I use card stock to make many patterns because it has enough stiffness to trace around with a scribe and be used for test fitting.



Here is a great example of the use of binding wire before soldering. Binding wire is like all those fingers you wish you had and did not want to get burned. Note how tight you can get the joints to fit which is the key to good soldering.




Here I am using wood to hold the small piece of brass in place until soldered.



Here is the finished for now front engine mount. What is nice about working with brass is that I can CA the part in place and if need to be worked on, modified or move it is easily debonded with no damage to it. Once complete then it will be soldered in place. Scratch building is a great deal of detective work at times; no instructions and you make your own parts, some times more than once.

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Here are the steps to make the chassis brackets that contain the ends of the tensioning rod to stiffen and strengthen the chassis. Kind of like a bridge structure.



Here is the soldering operation. Again working with brass is like a chess game thinking ahead helps. For example pre-drilling holes and adding excess material in straps that is cut off after soldering. Also learn to enjoy the smell of burning wood. After completeting one I cut the burnt end off to have a clean end to press fit on next piece.



Here is a closeup of the finished bracket with rivets soldered to the frame. The tension rod is threaded and function like the original.



Here is the basic chassis with the brackets and tension rods in place.

[xken]

Since this is my first car that I have built and I have good photos so far. A friend is in contact with the owner which I think is the Gilmore museum in Michigan. Perhaps the next one could be that one. That is a pretty brass body for sure.

[xken]

Pictures are worth a thousand words. This is the iron I use most of the time, used earlier today to make the brackets. It is a big mother, and does take time to heat up to temp; but once there works great.



Here is how to hold and travel down joint. I just stagged this rather than try to explain in words. This is a chisel tip and I tend to favor the side rather than the flat for close work.



Just started the rear leaf spring here is a shot of the first leaf.

[xken]

The rear leaf springs are hand formed using 1/32" x 1/4" brass strip. The first lower leaf is the foundation and most important to get correct, for it will be used to fit all subsequent ones to. The ends are cold formed around a 3/32" drill bit shank as a mandrell. Sneak up on the forming and fit this has to be symetrical left to right and up and down.



How the leaves are formed and mated.



Here are all the form fitted leaves together. Note I used a 3/32" drill bit not 5/32" as noted in picture.



Rear view of spring fitted to chassis. Binding wire holds them until the shackles are made.



Rear left 3/4 view, ends of leaves still need to be tapered and trimmed.



The same process will be used to form the front spring next.



Here is the front spring bolted in place. It was much easier and quicker than the rear.



Overall view of chassis so far.

[xken]

A box frame would be real easy many rectangular profile are available. Visit http://www.specialshapes.com/default.asp however be advised these folks have a $20 minimum. Not hard to get there quickly. Super people to work with.

As for my camera I use a Nikon Coolpix 3200, with zoom and macro lense built in. It is one an old guy like me can use.

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After laying out shackle parts on two layers of brass that were spray glued together and cut out I then shaped them with file. This hand vise is great for holding small parts.



Here is making the shackle shafts.



All the pieces parts.



The front left working shackle complete.



Now to make the rest.

[xken]

Just a brief update on progress. Making these little pieces really slow you down with cutting fitting and threading.



Here is a view of the rear spring. Once the front pieces are done then they will all come apart to round the ends of each leaf spring. They will take a little while to do.



The pieces made for the rear spring.

[xken]

This is the solder I use and is called Staybrite which is a silver bearing solder.It is produced by J.W. Harris Co. Inc. wharris.com it melts and flows at 430 degrees and is good to use on copper, brass. stainless steel and aluminum. However, for aluminum you need to use the "Stay Clean" aluminum flux for aluminum. Any local plumbing supply house can supply you with this and/or order it for you. Keep in mind that you need to get the flux to.

I have also found that with the tiny part assemblies the tinning process is not necessary due to the scale, but for larger flat matting surfaces can be usefull. When using flame assemblies need to be held together mechanically with clamps or binding wire.

Soldering is an acquired skill that takes practice and patience to learn.

[xken]

Here is the breakdown of the front spring parts, in this picture the ends have not been rounded yet



Here is the breakdown for the rear springs;here you can see the front leaves have been rounded. Also the edge of each leaf has been filed flat and then edges rounded, this will help if parts are to be painted.



Here are the rear main bracket clamps; note that the inside surfaces have been filed flat per originals.



Here are the outboard spring brackets.




Next I will start the front axle which will be a laminate build up of multiple parts.


Ken

[xken]

This is a complex lamination build, so I will do my best to explain. It will also require tricky soldering operations; but none that patience cannot overcome. This build is a good example of planning ahead; and thinking of what can go wrong; also what or how will I hold that. For example holding the two tubes vertically while being soldered; drill holes in the bottom piece so they press fit in place. Also plan your layout of parts on strip for easiest cut out with jeweller's saw. Kind of like not painting yourself into a corner.



Super gluing pieces together in a stack is a great technique to get identical pieces and also drill them at the same time. Again thinking ahead and using pins to hold the assembly together while being soldered.



The pins will keep the parts aligned while soldering. heat expands and if not located will hydroplane on the liquid solder and slip.



This is the tricky part first the center section with tubes in place were soldered. Then the ends bent to match the required angle on the spindle assembly tab. Carefully hold in place with an alligator clip and tack solder the tab to the bottom piece; then solder the top of the tab angle; then along the bottom through the open jaws of the clip.









Solder joints can get real ugly looking; use a very hot iron to get the flow and use of solder to a minimum. This will require so practice. Again this is done with the big iron; no flame, no resistance soldering. This is where the pins hold everything together while soldering.



Final shapeing will happen once the spindles have been made; also final holes sizes will be drilled as required; thinking ahead.



This is a good example of some tricky soldering of various pieces and assemblies. For a sense of scale the vertical tube is 1/8" O.D. and the rod in the spindle is 1/32".

Ken

[xken]

Axle and springs now attached.



Close up.



Starting the spindle.



Finished left spindle minus steering arm. Now to do the right one.



There is some tricky soldering needed for the spindle and I used my lathe for tapering.

Another closeup of details.



Both spindles done, pardon the camera lense distortion.