smallbrother
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Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
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Post by smallbrother on Apr 25, 2021 16:22:28 GMT
Thought I would have a crack at the buffers. Going alright with the first one but with so much done by eye I wonder how I will get them to look even remotely similar.
Anyway, may get No. 1 finished today with a bit of luck and I will have a few days off for a bit of thinking time before starting No. 2.
The castings carry an awful lot of excess material so I may well chop some off with a hacksaw before mounting in the lathe.
Pete.
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Post by GWR 101 on Apr 25, 2021 17:10:42 GMT
Pete, glad to here you are making progress I am sure they will be ok. I will probably get chastised for this but as long as they look ok then it's your loco, in this scale I have found that they are only ornamental. I usually do each operation on all four at the same time so if I get one wrong they are all wrong. Regards Paul
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smallbrother
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Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
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Juliet
Apr 25, 2021 18:11:45 GMT
Post by smallbrother on Apr 25, 2021 18:11:45 GMT
Pete, glad to here you are making progress I am sure they will be ok. I will probably get chastised for this but as long as they look ok then it's your loco, in this scale I have found that they are only ornamental. I usually do each operation on all four at the same time so if I get one wrong they are all wrong. Regards Paul They certainly won't conform to any known standard! I have looked at a number of completed ones on Stationroadsteam and there is quite a variety on view. Yes this locomotive is very much a do as you please design which is very good from my point of view. Having finished one as an experiment I will as you say do the last 3 together at each stage. I reckon at least 50% of each casting is in little bits on my lathe ready for a clean up. Pete.
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smallbrother
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Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
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Post by smallbrother on Apr 25, 2021 20:13:44 GMT
A photo of Buffer No 1. Pete.
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smallbrother
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Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
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Juliet
Apr 25, 2021 20:18:38 GMT
Post by smallbrother on Apr 25, 2021 20:18:38 GMT
I was going to make the stocks with square profiles to fix to the buffer beams. However, the first casting I took out of the box was in no way square so I made it a round profile.
To be honest, I think I have enough of a challenge with just getting them reasonably uniform, so I'm not losing sleep over that.
Pete.
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Post by coniston on Apr 26, 2021 21:28:32 GMT
Looks good to me Pete and there are plenty of full size locos with round fixing flanges.
Chris D
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smallbrother
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Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
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Post by smallbrother on May 2, 2021 15:37:01 GMT
This is frustrating.
Today I completed the 4th and final buffer stock. Went to start the 2nd buffer head and I'm blowed if I can recall how I did the first one!
Enough for today methinks.
Pete.
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Post by GWR 101 on May 2, 2021 17:41:26 GMT
Pete, keep at it you will succeed it's all part of the journey. As my old boss used to say "if it was easy everybody would be able to do it." Regards Paul
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Post by dhamblin on May 2, 2021 19:13:07 GMT
I find making notes on my workshop white board helps to keep complex machining operations consistent. Normally it is a diagram of the part and the dimensions are numbered in the sequence to do them in, plus other notes made as the first one is made.
Regards,
Dan
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smallbrother
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Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
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Post by smallbrother on May 2, 2021 20:30:47 GMT
I find making notes on my workshop white board helps to keep complex machining operations consistent. Normally it is a diagram of the part and the dimensions are numbered in the sequence to do them in, plus other notes made as the first one is made. Regards, Dan All I had to day was take a few photos - I keep my phone on me! Pete.
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smallbrother
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Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
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Post by smallbrother on Oct 26, 2021 8:37:30 GMT
I sold my Polly 1 yesterday to a very nice couple from near Taunton. They brought me an old Juliet chassis they had acquired years ago that will never get worked on. It's covered in muck but there are a lot of parts on it that I may be able to use to get mine further along.
I've got grandkids over as it's half-term but hoping next week to have a closer inspection and see what I can steal off it. Would be good to get things moving again.
Pete.
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smallbrother
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Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
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Post by smallbrother on Oct 26, 2021 21:45:35 GMT
I was also given an old attempt at making a boiler. I took out the superheater and regulator this evening. I can now make sense of the drawings and have ordered material to make a new regulator.
I believe the LBSC type is not highly regarded but I am going to stick with it for the sake of simplicity and my sanity.
Pete.
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smallbrother
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Post by smallbrother on Oct 31, 2021 21:20:08 GMT
I made a start on the regulator today. Nice to be making a little progress again.
It's the bog standard LBSC jobbie.
Pete.
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Juliet
Nov 1, 2021 8:48:19 GMT
Post by GWR 101 on Nov 1, 2021 8:48:19 GMT
Pete, I struggled with the regulator on my Juliet. The problem I had was getting the faces to seal, I must admit this was probably 100% down to me. So I took the "easy " option and modified the design to a screw valve type. I did make it with an 8mm. dia. double start thread to get a quick action.
The jubilee I am working on also has a very similar design to Juliet (the steam collection is different) so I am intend to have another attempt to get it to work as the drawing. I will probably start this in about a couple of weeks time so I will let you know how I get on, I may seek advice from the clubs Boiler inspectors if I still have issues.
I am collecting Jubilee's Boiler today from the boiler maker so more incentive to press on , (I will get my coat!). Regard Paul
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smallbrother
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Post by smallbrother on Nov 1, 2021 9:19:40 GMT
Pete, I struggled with the regulator on my Juliet. The problem I had was getting the faces to seal, I must admit this was probably 100% down to me. So I took the "easy " option and modified the design to a screw valve type. I did make it with an 8mm. dia. double start thread to get a quick action. The jubilee I am working on also has a very similar design to Juliet (the steam collection is different) so I am intend to have another attempt to get it to work as the drawing. I will probably start this in about a couple of weeks time so I will let you know how I get on, I may seek advice from the clubs Boiler inspectors if I still have issues. I am collecting Jubilee's Boiler today from the boiler maker so more incentive to press on , (I will get my coat!). Regard Paul Hiya Paul, I looked into a few regulator types and came to the same conclusion as always in this hobby - there are loads of re-inventions of the wheel. I see for my next project, Mona, it is a Stroudley type. It's early days yet but my plan is to try and make my model easy to take apart. Thus screws will be visible and paint will be plain black so any damage is easily repaired. If the regulator needs changing/improving then strip down and do it. Long, long way to go yet of course. That's great news about the boiler and all the other progress you've made. What a great way to remember your Dad! Pete.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Nov 1, 2021 9:48:59 GMT
I have a screw-in regulator on my Rob Roy, made exactly to Martin Evans' design. 90 degrees of movement gives me all the regulator opening I need.
The only drawback with it is that if you leave the regulator closed at the end of steaming, you will find it locked solid when the boiler cools down. The simple answer is to open the regulator slightly after blowing down.
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smallbrother
Elder Statesman
Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
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Post by smallbrother on Nov 28, 2021 20:21:44 GMT
As suggested by Paul I did some work on the 4th and final buffer today. Relatively easy stuff so quite enjoyed myself.
Pete.
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Post by GWR 101 on Nov 29, 2021 9:15:41 GMT
Pete, glad to hear you are back in production. I spent some time in the work shop yesterday, we have to be hardy folk working in these temperatures as a hobby with all the cold metal about. Its nice to hear you have no longer "hit the buffers" (I will get my coat) Regards Paul.
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smallbrother
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Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
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Post by smallbrother on Nov 29, 2021 10:38:37 GMT
Hoping to get out there a bit later today as it warms up, or gets less cold.
Once the buffer is done I am going to tackle some platework. I have the complete set from Model Eng Laser.
Wondering how to hold the pieces together while I heat them up. They are very small and light and though they are tabbed the slightest touch and they move about.
I'm thinking of setting them up in the corner of a wooden box which I will tilt slightly so gravity keeps them together in the corner maybe.
Anyway, buffer first.
Pete.
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smallbrother
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Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
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Post by smallbrother on Nov 30, 2021 19:01:54 GMT
Buffers just need a bit more filing. Done very much by eye. They'll do for this project. I cobbled this set-up together and had a go at soldering some of the side tank parts. Seems to have done the job. Productive few days (for me!) and enjoyed myself. Pete.
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