The spring rigging is almost complete. The saddles were blocked to their theoretical height and a load was placed on the rigging. The small block at the bottom of the spring assembly was then cut down so that the springs and equalizers were relatively level.
In making the springs, we ran the spring steel through a set of slip rolls to achieve the desired radius. Even with the curve, there are still some concerns about the spring heights, especially the rear set where they may interfere with the boiler. Using another of Ed's fixtures and a homemade punch, holes were punched in the center of the springs to allow them to be bolted together.
For me, one of the coolest parts are the bronze keepers at each end of the spring. Rather than machine each of the 16 keepers out of bar stock, we decided to make a mold and have the parts cast. So, 2 molds (the rear 2 keepers are different than the rest) were made out of aluminum. We then shot wax into the mold and made enough copies for my engine, a few for Ed's Z-8 and a couple of extra in case of a "oops". The wax pieces were then shipped down to a foundry in Los Angeles and a few weeks later, "voila" these pieces show up in the mail. I cant stop looking at them!
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