leaded steel wheels

[softwerksaol]

Does anyone have experience with the leaded steel alloys for wheels? Like C12L14?

[UK Steam]

Try this site, comparisons of alloyed steels, hardness, wear etc http://www.key-to-metals.com/

[andypullen]

That stuff sure cuts nicely....I've never made wheels from ledloy, so, I can't really give an answer here. Kozo's PRR switcher wheels are made from it, I think...

All my wheels are made of 1045 or 1141 steel from old hydraulic cylinder rods. They are a bit more difficult to machine, but they've held up well.

AP

[softwerksaol]

Where would one find lengths of old hydro rod? Who would I approach?

[softwerksaol]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by UK Steam:
Try this site, comparisons of alloyed steels, hardness, wear etc http://www.key-to-metals.com/</font>

That site requires a paid membership.

[andypullen]

I worked in a hydraulic shop as a machinist for a number of years. So, I had access to the scrap bin. Look in the phone book and call around to find a repair shop that has a machine shop or a scrap bin. Ask them if you can get any scrap cylinder rods from them. Take along a ball pein hammer to smack the rod with. Alot of rods are hardened and will not dent from a hammer smack.

Maybe take a box of doughnuts with you to make friends with the guys in the shop.

Read Lautard's Machinist Bedside Reader Volume 1 for tips on getting scrap metal out of shops. Some places won't be willing to help you out even if you offer to pay for it. Liability reasons. Keep that in mind...

Andy Pullen

[softwerksaol]

I looked in my archive, and yes, the Kozo switcher does specify free cutting steel for wheels.

Off this message board, someone else told me the leaded steel had wear characteristics like "cast iron". This was a negative for him, but seems about normal for the rest of us, since many projects use cast iron for wheels.

Here at the Cinder Sniffers, I have one other riding car with cast iron wheels, originally from Morewood (Raritan). These wheels have slots worn in them, not from the rails, but from the brake shoes! the flanges are fine. We have a steep descent on the line, and you have to brake hard all the way down. The shoes are also cast iron.

My current riding car has a direct track brake.

[andypullen]

My 1 1/2" scale 0-4-0 has tender and engine brakes; but they haven't been plumbed in yet. The flatcar I have has brakes mounted but not fully finished. The water pump on the tender slows me down pretty well. Pushing water against boiler pressure acts as a brake to some extant. Hopefully, this winter, I can get the Locoparts ejector mounted and hooked up. Then, I'll be legal. I usually only run when there's little traffic and I keep my "nose out of the firebox"

My steel wheels have iron brakes onthe tender and bronze on the flat.

The 3/4" stuff I have will use a pad which will be levered down onto the rails. (like you mentioned) I saw a few cars like that at New Jersey a few years ago. And that method worked well. The pad is a drop of padding from lifting rigs for Navy periscopes. I'm not sure what kind of material it is.

Maybe, I can get out to the Cinder Sniffers track in the next year or so...

What size steel are you looking for? I may have some smaller diameters than what I need for the "hernia scale". I could cut some blanks for you if you want...

Andy Pullen

[Rich Carlstedt]

12L14 should work fine for periodic running ..
If your running on Aluminum rail, it should do well.
If running on steel rail, then you could see wear after awhile..also on steel rail, the lead in 12L14 may reduce traction somewhat, but I don't think it will affect you unless it is a light locomotive with steep grades.

The problem, if there is one with 12L14 ,is that it should not be welded or silver soldered

[Unka Jesse]

The problem, if there is one with 12L14 ,is that it should not be welded or silver soldered[/B][/QUOTE]

I use 12L14 steel rods on a regular basis and the stuff will weld OK with an acetylene torch, but not with electric arc. I am sure I have also silversoldered the stuff, but can't remember a specific time or project as most of my steel rounds below 3/4" are 12L14.

Unka Jesse

[softwerksaol]

The prohibition on welding/bonding leaded steel is due to the lead, not the ability. Lead fumes are a possibility.

[Unka Jesse]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by softwerksaol:
The prohibition on welding/bonding leaded steel is due to the lead, not the ability. Lead fumes are a possibility.</font>

I tried welding 14L14 only one time and was using 7018 electrodes. The weld did not hold and when it broke, the parts had a white crystaline look to them. The steel dealer I was working with at the time said, "12L14, 12L15 etc can only be welded with difficulty". I did not know this and had been using oxy/acetylene for several years to weld pieces made of this material to 1018 steel rods so ignorance was a plus in this case! It was only later that I tried to electric weld the stuff. Possibily there is some electrodes that will work fine with leaded steels, but I dunno.

Unka Jesse