# Sidetracked again, the Yellow Premie NT



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

While we were at an engine show in New Centerville, Pa. last Saturday Kim saw this Avery Yellow Baby thresher, and decided she wanted one to go with her Wilesco live steam traction engine....









Since the original was a Yellow Baby, she dubbed this thing the 'Yellow Premie'. The first step was to cut a styrene sub base, and then plate it with coffee stirrers for wood siding and then basswood framing - nearly exactly backwards of how the real thing was built. I'm working just from pictures, no measurements or plans. Any odd proportions and variations from the prototype were either a mistake, made to ease construction, or to make it sturdier...









The cylinder is two old Kalamazoo freight car wheels, coffee stirrers, and carpet tacks. Yes, it will bite! Also visible are the cylinder and shoe grates (stainless screen from a dollar store splatter shield). Next step will be to install the grain conveyor (it's 3/4 built) and beater. I'm making a SWAG (Scientific Wild A## Guess) on the details based on Case internals, since I've not seen the inside of an Avery. Kim has suggested adding a couple plexiglas 'windows' in the top so people can see the various parts move..... maybe. This thing will only be semi-operable. There is no such thing as scale wheat anyway.









A pic showing it's comparative size to her modified D405 (they are both a bit smaller than 3/4" scale ). (Yes it IS rather yellow) Good thing I love her because this thing is gonna be a BUNCH of work before it's done. Especially designing it so the drag is low enough for Wilesco spring belts, and the rather anemic power source....


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh, memories! Long summer days at the thresheree. 

One real scorcher of a day, humid and over 100 (37C), the only comfortable place to be was right up next to those hot steam engines. There were a variety of theories proposed, but none seemed right.

I think they were off when they rated the horsepower of those old engines. Neil's derated "65 horse" engine ran 20psi lower than the original spec, but still had no trouble running a dynanometer over 100HP. I was "driving" while Neil operated the engine once as we moved from the sawmill back up to parking. A car tried to squeeze past as we came to a narrow spot between 2 buildings. Mashed the fender beyond recognition! The cop decided the tractor had the right-of-way and gave the lady the ticket. She was a good sport. "Imagine explaining *this* to the insurance company!"


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Most people think you're nuts when you tell them it's more comfortable up there than it is for the tourists. My guess is there are 3 reasons why it seems cooler next to the hot boiler, all working together. 1. The elevated temperature lowers the relative humidity, so your sweat can evaporate faster (radiant heat). 2. Shade from the canopy is shade you mostly don't have standing on the ground. 3. The heat rising off the boiler makes a small constant convection breeze. Oh and 4, you're having fun so you don't notice any discomfort as much. I know I'd MUCH rather be the guy firing the engine than the poor slob pitching bundles into the thresher out in the sun and dust.


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## AzRob (Sep 14, 2009)

As for the weak Wilesco spring drive bands, you can substitute those with cut-to-length rubber-type belts which are better for transmitting the flywheel energy down to the thing (thresher in this case) that you're trying to power. Just as a thought.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Since I was off work, and we didn't have enough money to go gallivanting, I actually made some progress on this thing over the last couple days! Weird how that works, isn't it? 

I decided to just freelance it a little bit since I haven't been able to find any internal drawings or pictures. This pic shows the beater assembly. Made from basswood and a Bachmann plastic wheelset. Kim decided she liked the idea of 'windows' in the top so people could see it wasn't just an empty box (which would have been MUCH easier... trust me.) 









The curved slots for the straw shaker mechanism were a pain to cut freehand with a Dremel. There should be 6, there ARE 4. The other two are on vacation. There will be a second 'window' just behind where the top boards have ended.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow, nice work. Gives of a certain vintage model/toy vibe for obvious reasons.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Did you ever feel REALLY dumb? The straw rack was binding. Then I noticed one side was 1/8" lower than the other. So I had to cut the slot wider and replace a piece of the coffee stirrer siding. I thought that would solve it.... nope. I still had a geometry problem that required a bit of "Jerry rigging" to solve. Those long arms going UP aren't supposed to be there, and look kind of funny, but now at least it works now....









I wasn't going to put much detail on the wind stacker pipe because I didn't want to make all those winches and such. But it looked TOO bare. So now they are there, but don't DO anything. I need to shorten the collar a bit, but other than that I can live with it.


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