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Post by manofkent on Feb 9, 2017 18:36:23 GMT
Great progress Roger. Can you remind me what grade of silver solder did you use on these parts?
Thanks
John
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Post by manofkent on Feb 7, 2017 22:09:06 GMT
Hi Roger. Just a quick question. Do you put tippex on the boiler before pickling?, and if so does it survive the acid OK?
Before your posting I had no idea that tippex could be used like this.
Just one of the many things I have learned from this thread.
Thanks
John
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Post by manofkent on Feb 1, 2017 7:07:31 GMT
And here they are with Delrin handles.... do you know what it is yet?
" it's a Portable"
"A portable what"
" Don't know yet. I've only made the handles"
An old joke I couldn't resist.
Thanks Roger for your postings, I really enjoy them.
John
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Post by manofkent on Jan 29, 2017 10:53:51 GMT
Hi Gary Just to clarify, did you heat and remove stay or drill it out?
Thanks
John
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Post by manofkent on Jan 28, 2017 21:23:31 GMT
This is one of the most interesting and practical threads on the forum as far as I am concerned. I do hope Roger will continue with it. I am learning a lot. John
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Post by manofkent on Jan 25, 2017 21:48:58 GMT
Thanks for the update John.
I think I will also clean up the slides then - I will add it to the list...
Fortunately I also have an Amolco mill (like the Rodney mill that bolted to Myford lathes). This one I converted to CNC, and I now tend to do all the difficult work that way. It makes valve gear parts very nicely.
Cheers
John
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Post by manofkent on Jan 25, 2017 8:41:56 GMT
Hi Norman
Prior to my ML10 I had a HARRISON L5 9" lathe, and apart from size I only notice that slightly smaller cuts are needed, and that drills in the tail stock need to be properly sharp.
The ML 10 is really excellent IMHO . If you can hold the work you can machine it.
I use a large dti on the crosslide to measure distance rather than use the dial which is small and (I noticed) a bit inaccurate.
The far side bed slide needs to be kept clean, as it forms the register and can throw the tail stock just off centre.
My only other observation us that if you use back gear put plenty if oil in the headstock pulley grease nipple ( oil seems better in my experience rather than grease) otherwise it can sieze.
Just some observations that I hope are useful.
John
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Post by manofkent on Jan 24, 2017 21:32:10 GMT
Schofieldjg (John). As Jo suggests, I have er32 collets as well as the Hobbymat collet chuck. I managed to get a 1MT collet holder off eBay made in Germany. I use this with larger mills. I don't like to mix collets that hold work (precision) with mills, so don't tend to use it elsewhere. I have found the Hobbymat perfectly comfortable with a slitting saw or side and face cutter held in a suitable arbour. Rather interestingly my lathe is an ML10 as well! I haven't tackled the slides on the mill yet, and would be very interested to hear how you get on.
John
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Post by manofkent on Jan 23, 2017 22:13:04 GMT
I use this mill as well. Fortunately my collet chuck has a threaded end for an arbour to screw it in tightly, but the 1MT shank is certainly limiting. However, I do cuss wnen engaging the mill and John is not alone, the slide locking and slide adjustments are tricky, and the work can tend to "wobble" on the bed. I too would love to hear from someone who has solved this problem.
The vertical slide and quill all seem to lock up pretty well though on my machine.
John
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Post by manofkent on Jan 18, 2017 7:57:32 GMT
This thread started with correspondence about a fake certificate, forum member huttcourt seemed to be criticised unfairly as it turned out. I have met this gentleman and he is a good decent chap with lots of lovely locos I wish I could afford. Now Simon is defending himself - and doing so very well in my opinion. We need the Simons of this day, and if I could afford it I would happily buy one of his locos with his boiler certificate. Denis M has a good point though that if he had any concerns about the boiler certificate then a retest is best. I wouldn't expect a boiler inspector to do otherwise. Best to be safe.
In another life I was once finance director on a board that seemed hell bent on destroying itself. It was like one member would light a fire and others would (metaphorically) pour petrol on it. The business was good and profitable - arguably despite those board members. This thread is beginning to feel the same.
So a plea: can we avoid trying to damage what is in my opinion a good system of boiler regulation. The fake boiler certificates are the real problem and deserves our vigilance. Simon and his business are one of the good guys.
Thanks for reading this
John
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Post by manofkent on Jan 16, 2017 8:34:13 GMT
Thanks Gary. I guess it is easier to get a more local heat using oxy acetylene - I only had a propane burner.
Jim - could the glass seal compound deteriorate when the boiler is regularly steamed? If not It sounds like a brilliant solution.
John
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Post by manofkent on Jan 11, 2017 8:30:18 GMT
Hi Gary. Firstly a huge thank you for posting pics of your boiler build. Seeing yours (and Roger's) excellent work on boilers inspires me to raise my own standards of work .
So I am curious - how did you fix the leaking boiler stay? My experience of leaking stays is that fixing them can upset other parts of the boiler.
Your next posting most eagerly awaited!
Regards
John
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Post by manofkent on Jan 8, 2017 8:34:32 GMT
Hi Roger. Firstly thank you for your brilliant build log which is inspiring. On my boiler I silver soldered the stays which were long, and then cut them down to a much shorter length. On testing the boiler we had two stays weeping. Because I had cut the length down it was a devil if a job to fix - I was belatedly advised that leaving the stays long made such a fix much easier. I only used propane though. Hope this helps.
Regards
John
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Post by manofkent on Dec 28, 2016 16:13:26 GMT
Roger and Julian. Re sifbronze - interesting replies thanks. Julian - thanks for the links to earlier threads. Looks like it's the temperature that makes sifbronze less desirable. I use propane for heating. The trick is to be patient and wait for the metal to reach its correct temperature. To help me I have used a laser type thermometer - you just point and click. It goes up to 900 C so stops the inclination to under or over heat. I have some old brass brazing rods - C2 - which are specified for use with mild steel. These are a real pain to use as you need so much heat to melt it.
I would like to use three grades of silver solder for my next boiler. Highest temp for the throatplate and the barrel fittings - safety valve bushes etc, and then two more lower steps as I go along. The lowest temp is really only to complete fitting the backhead and the inner firebox stays - which is where I found the risk of disturbing other joints was highest. At least that is the plan - yet to be discussed with my boiler inspector.
We used to have a saying at work " He who asks is a fool for five minutes, He who does not ask is a fool for ever".
Regards
John
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Post by manofkent on Dec 28, 2016 8:27:51 GMT
Julian: please excuse a potentially daft question, but you observe that some may not be comfortable using sifbronze on the foundation ring. Why is this please?
Roger - I am learning so much from your posts - thank you and keep it up.
Regards
John
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Post by manofkent on Dec 3, 2016 8:05:09 GMT
Please - no apology needed for "hijacking" my thread. This is all very interesting. Brian has inspired me to consider a beer supply - though the refrigeration could be tricky. I guess the boiler will bubble with pleasure if you got the beer and water supplies mixed up!
The electric actuator is interesting - with my 3.1/2 gauge Bantam Cock I still would like a better way of getting water in the boiler - and wondered if the actuator or similar could drive a small bore pump.
John
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Post by manofkent on Dec 2, 2016 17:18:28 GMT
Cor Blimey Paul. That's one posh driving truck. I like the electric actuator, does that mean no brakes if your battery is flat? I fitted a couple of bike disc pads from Halfords this morning - 3 securing pins. It was all nice and straightforward. This afternoon - new balls in the safety valves which had been weeping a little when in steam. All in a day's work I suppose. Blooming cold though!
John
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Post by manofkent on Dec 1, 2016 19:03:01 GMT
Thanks Brian and Andy. Brilliant suggestions. Off to Halfords tomorrow.
John
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Post by manofkent on Dec 1, 2016 15:46:50 GMT
Hello. I am just rebuilding a driving trolley in 5" gauge. it has two axles, and disc brakes running in the centre of each axle. the last thing to do before reassembly is to put the brake shoes on. Can anyone help me please with two questions: 1. What material should I use for the brake shoes. The discs are mild steel. 2. How are the shoes secured to the brake arms? Is it possible to glue them?
thanks in advance for your help.
john
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Post by manofkent on Oct 13, 2016 13:39:23 GMT
Hello. Christmas is approaching, and I am being pestered for a present list. i plan to start on the boiler for my 3.1/2 gauge Rodean Schools class in the spring, so thought that a suitable hammer for beating the copper flanged plates into shape would be highly desirable. i know enough not to use a standard claw hammer or similar - but what have others used and recommend? Thanks john
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