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Post by builder01 on May 14, 2019 1:02:00 GMT
Actually, a displacement lubricator works by the steam condensing into water and sinking to the bottom of the reservoir. The water in the reservoir displaces the oil. This is why it is called a "displacement lubricator". There is no air pocket. Any air in the reservoir will be removed by the steam.
David
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Post by builder01 on May 13, 2019 20:54:46 GMT
You don't want the lubricator to cool the steam. After all, the lubricator is in the steam line before the steam gets to the engine. If the steam is completely cooled, you will be sending water to the engine. The steam that passes by a typical displacement lubricator, is just cool enough so that a very small amount of the steam turns into water and sinks to the bottom of the reservoir, displacing the oil into the steam line. If this happened very fast, the reservoir would soon be emptied. A displacement lubricator, because it is usually only supported by the steam pipe connected to it, stays at about the right temperature for it to operate correctly. Don't overthink this, displacement lubricators have been used for a very long time quite successfully, built exactly as you see them in catalogs and articles. No need for cooling fins.
David
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Post by builder01 on May 13, 2019 20:43:55 GMT
How long will it take? What a great question. I consider a Super Simplex to be a fairly straight forward, not very detailed, very basic 0-6-0 tank engine. I started making the frames for my Simplex in June of 2015. The chassis first ran on compressed air in February of 2016. So, about 9 months to get it running on air, or about 540 hours. It was in May of 2017 that the locomotive was officially steam certified and operating with it's own boiler. (I built my own boiler). About 23 months, or, about 1400 hours from start, to operating on it's own boiler. It took about another 600 hours to do the plate work and boiler jacket, and painting and lining. No laser parts for the plate work. I did my own lettering and lining. Nothing fancy as you can see here. The photos below represent about 2000 to 2500 hours of work and there are still a few things to finish. It runs very well and is fun to operate. As far as construction time is concerned, perhaps I am just slow! DSCN1859 - cropped & added by Builder16, on Flickr
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Post by builder01 on May 5, 2019 2:10:36 GMT
Well, you could post them here! Or, Flickr is where I post mine and use a link to allow them to show up here. I don't know if it's the best site or not, but, it does work.
David
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Post by builder01 on May 4, 2019 22:51:11 GMT
I am taking photos of progress and an interesting pair being a Jinty boiler stood side by side with the Simplex! So you do have photos, excellent! Where have you posted them? David
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Post by builder01 on May 1, 2019 9:59:40 GMT
Any photos?
David
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Post by builder01 on Apr 1, 2019 9:25:59 GMT
The handbrake on my riding car is on the right, it was made by a builder in the U.K.
David
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Post by builder01 on Mar 20, 2019 9:14:50 GMT
I replaced mine with Viton and never looked back.
David
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Post by builder01 on Mar 7, 2019 0:36:44 GMT
Or, if you would like a slightly larger sweep in the exhaust line, you could use 1/2" copper tube. Push it around a form to your required radius, then silver solder the assembly. DSCN0957 by Builder16, on Flickr
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Post by builder01 on Mar 3, 2019 13:55:51 GMT
Beautiful locomotive! Congratulations! The steam pump, did you make it yourself? It looks to be a Van Brocklin type?
David
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Post by builder01 on Mar 2, 2019 21:27:49 GMT
I used a boring bar turned between centers to machine the large radius on the saddle. As you mention, you must first machine the bottom of the saddle. I did the bottom and sides on a shaper. Then clamped it to the saddle on the lathe. You get automatic feed this way also! My bar is 1" diameter, here is is cutting a 5-1/8" circle (2-9/16" radius). DSCN0986 - reduced 1 by Builder16, on Flickr DSCN0987 - reduced 3 by Builder16, on Flickr DSCN0985 - reduced 2 by Builder16, on Flickr
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Post by builder01 on Feb 7, 2019 10:13:49 GMT
Johannes,
It would be beneficial if your photos were posted here for everyone to see your solution.
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 2, 2019 15:40:44 GMT
I think the original plans required the builder to drill and tap into the boiler back head to fit the fire door hinges and closure!! Of course this is not the way to do it these days. The retro-fit of the previously mentioned brass sheet is certainly a good way to do the job. If someone is building this boiler from scratch, it is always wise to include blind threaded bushings for the fire door fittings. This is how my installation turned out. I also made the door swing to the left so the water glass was not in the way of reaching the door handle. DSCN1382 - reduced 1 by Builder16, on Flickr Also blind threaded bushes should be made and installed for the expansion angles that are on the sides of the fire box. Below is a photo of the blind bushings for the expansion angles ready for a heat up to be silver soldered. DSCN1193 - reduced 03 by Builder16, on Flickr
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Post by builder01 on Feb 2, 2019 15:20:50 GMT
I'm looking at the error presented here. After going over my own Super Simplex drawings, the error is quite real. My Super is up and running and has been for well over a 2 years. I will have to go out to the shop to see what is going on here on my completed Super. Probably what has happened, the combination lever is not exactly straight up and down. It probably splays out from the locomotive to fit into the union link. There is nothing keeping the combination lever exactly vertical, so, it has probably been swung outward (by 3/64") to meet the clevis of the union link. Not really a big deal, but it actually can be built even with the error. (I did, oh well!).
What to do about it, looks like modifying the drop link plate to get the pin in the "right", or at least "better" position for the union link.
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Post by builder01 on Jan 31, 2019 10:18:53 GMT
I have a Unimat 3 and need to remove the pulley on the headstock. I think it unscrews but I cannot shift it. Any clues from other users ? The pulley is threaded. It unscrews with a right hand thread. There should be a cross drilled hole for a bar to slip through the head stock shaft while unscrewing the pulley. David
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Post by builder01 on Jan 8, 2019 22:17:08 GMT
I have used both straight and twisted flute types of reamers. Having used both types, I really prefer the twisted flutes, the left hand twist is even better. I was lucky to get this high helix, most twisted flutes are slow helix.
David.
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Post by builder01 on Jan 8, 2019 22:03:00 GMT
Taper pins are a good way to secure nuts to shafts and really anything to a shaft that you may want to later easily remove. Most people don't want to go through the trouble of installing them because the hole for them must be carefully reamed by hand. Once installed, they are more secure than a straight pin, or tension pin, and are easier to remove and install. Imperial size taper pins all have the same taper and a longer taper pin of a larger size can be used to fit in a hole reamed for a smaller size, if you happen to ream it a little over size. Attached are a few photos of my return crank on my Super Simplex. It is secured with a taper pin. The pin is about .085" on the small end. This is a #0000 taper pin 5/8" long. The hole drilled for it is just large enough for the reamer to start into the hole, or, just a little larger than the small end of the pin. The reamer shown has a high helix with a left hand twist. This pushes the chips ahead of the reamer. A right hand twist tends to "suck" the reamer into the tapered hole and can cause it to jam. Never turn a tapered reamer backwards to unjam it, you will break something. Use cutting fluid and clear the chips frequently. Also, clear the hole when you get close to size and frequently check with the pin to be used, for fit. As you can see, all of the rods are still in place as I did not want to pin my return crank until it was exactly in the perfect spot where I knew the loco would run correctly. Removing the rods would have disturbed the setting of the return crank. Now that it is pinned, the return crank can be removed and put back exactly in the same position every time. I got all of my pins and reamers for a fraction of full price off of Ebay, all new old stock. DSCN1766 - resized 3 by Builder16, on Flickr DSCN1768 - resized 4 by Builder16, on Flickr
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Post by builder01 on Jan 8, 2019 10:59:49 GMT
Yes, you are correct. Only the home page can be viewed. None of the other pages can be opened. Too bad.
David
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Post by builder01 on Jan 6, 2019 19:13:27 GMT
Don't confuse full size practice with miniature. Also, miniature tracks are not as nice as full size. It's pretty easy to see how much relief on the axle block flanges you need on a miniature once you have a wheel set complete. Put the wheel set into the horns and lift up on one side, it will be quite obvious what needs to be done.
David
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Post by builder01 on Jan 6, 2019 13:26:50 GMT
Hi Pete, Yes, you are understanding what I have said correctly. This distance seems to make sense to me as this is the face that the block will "roll" against. The above photo shows the beginning of the radius. I decided to call it "finished" when there was about 3/16" of the blue left un-machined. David
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