New simplex

[welshy]

Yes Sapper is right about not heating up the frames, you could plug them either as Sapper suggested or by tapping the hole to a suitable thread size and screwing in a plug or just Loctite a pin in the hole, which ever way you plug the holes they wont be noticable once filed clean.
Where in South Wales are you by the way?
Mike

[drjohn]

My goodness - you two will be chatting in the Gaelic before long. ;D ;D

Sapper is absolutely right - do not weld to the frames.

However, talking of holes for the reverser, if you're thinking of a pole reverser, the stand for the screw reverser brings it too close to the back of the left tank and I had to readjust the holes, using the back two and drilling another couple to accommodate the pole reverser. Easier to adjust at this stage unless you have a big table on your drill press/milling machine.


Being wise after the event!!

All the spare holes in the frames of mine are just left - nobody sees them as they're under the running boards.

Then of course there are the holes for the brackets for mounting the running boards which weren't mentioned on my version of the plans from Oz. lol!

DJ

And of course the hole (or in my case, notch) for the feed from the mechanical lubricator on the right running board! All lots of fun!

[stephen1234]

I have just found out that I can get castings done for £10.
Anybody got any patterns for simplex wheels and cylinders?

[stephen1234]

Welshy,
I live in Cwmbran South Wales.

Dr John, I can't speak welsh let alone gaelic.

To all
no welding.............

Regards

Stephen

[welshy]

Bora da Stephen, glad to hear you decided against welding the frame holes, you will make plenty more mistakes by the time you finish, it is all part of the learning curve- half the enjoyment of the hobby is correcting the errors anyway.
You can ignore any non technical advice that Dr John gives, he is good at building locos but has been in the Malaysian heat and monsoons for too long and is re known on here for his 'sharp wit'. He has been gone from the UK for so long that they probably did speak Gaelic in Wales when he was last over here. But he does keep us entertained with off the cuff comments.
Mike

[steam4ian]

G'day Stephen

I thought Cwmbran was something you had with breakfast to promote regularity. It is however short of at least one vowel so would be no good for your bowel. How is that word pronounced? We wouldn't want to get bound up by it.

Regarding DrJ, Mike is half right

entertained with off the cuff comments

. He certainly keeps us entertained but sometimes the two words "the cuff" are superfluous. The board is the richer for his presence.

Regards
from the armchair (for DrJ) or is that "Ex cathedra"
Ian

[stephen1234]

I think I may be cracking up. Last night I cut the stretchers and tried a trial fit. I have not machined them down to final size but I found that the centre stretcher which s a little bigger that the prescribed 3 3/16" does not match up with the pictures on Dr John's site. His photo's show it going from top to bottom of the mainframe. Mine is definetly not going the full 3 3/8".
Is there a need for it to fit the full 3 3/8"?

I also cutter the buffer beams, these are cut to 9 3/4" as per discussion in other parts of the forum.
Regards

Stephen.

[drjohn]

Hi Stephen

The picture on my site is an optical illusion - that stretcher is 3/32 short of the top and bottom of the frames, but it's not critical as it doesn't impinge on anything else.

DJ

You are correct at 9 3/4 for the buffer beams

[redmog]

Simplex Centre Stretcher.

Stephen.
I've just looked on my Simplex.
The centre vertical stretcher is centered up leaving a clearance
of 3/32" above and below the side frames.
John might not have done his true to the drawings, which is OK as a lot of us change
things and just use the drawing as a general arrangement.
If you stick to the drawing you won't go far wrong with Simplex.
Chris

[drjohn]

Nov 6, 2009 13:35:21 GMT redmog said:

Simplex Centre Stretcher.

...John might not have done his true to the drawings ...

I actually did it to the drawings Chris as you can see from the undercoated frames.

DJ



The milled out bit behind the stretcher is for the boiler blow-down bushes to fit as I used 3/16" steel for the frames.

[redmog]

Nov 6, 2009 23:33:00 GMT drjohn said:

Nov 6, 2009 13:35:21 GMT redmog said:

Simplex Centre Stretcher.
...John might not have done his true to the drawings ...

I actually did it to the drawings Chris as you can see from the undercoated frames.
DJ

The milled out bit behind the stretcher is for the boiler blow-down bushes to fit as I used 3/16" steel for the frames.

Thanks John.
That was the point I was making to Stephen.
3/16" frames and the like.
Sometimes we change things to suit ourselves of because of the size of
obtainable material.
I think you do have a few extra holes, to mine.
- Horn lubrication perhaps?
Chris


PS. and 'No' your track photos are not boring.
Can we all bring our locos out to play when it's finished.
Would I like a go on that!

[drjohn]

Nov 7, 2009 8:40:33 GMT redmog said:

I think you do have a few extra holes, to mine.
- Horn lubrication perhaps?
Chris
...
Can we all bring our locos out to play when it's finished.
Would I like a go on that!

In these slightly warmer climes, I need the extra holes for ventilation ;D And sure - bring your loco any time you want - sorry, it's only gonna be for 5" so JB, his Brit and his speedos won't fit!

DJ

[stephen1234]

Thanks for the response onthe strethcher. I thought I had found an issue that no one had discovered or commented on.
Progress is going to be slow for the next few weeks, what with work and christmas family commitments.

Anybody have a set of patterns for the simplex i could "borrow"?

Love to bring my train (when it is completed) out to your track Dr John.
Regards
Stephen

[stephen1234]

I have progressed spreaders and started drilling holes in the buffer beam for the 3/32" soft iron rivets. I am considering not using the rivets and moving over to countersunk screws.
Any thoughts on this idea?
Stephen

[drjohn]

Nov 23, 2009 6:01:16 GMT stephen1234 said:

I have progressed spreaders and started drilling holes in the buffer beam for the 3/32" soft iron rivets. I am considering not using the rivets and moving over to countersunk screws.
Any thoughts on this idea?
Stephen

I don't see a problem with that. As I said previously, cold rivetting isn't particularly strong, and the snap heads are inside the buffer beams.

DJ

P.S. You wet the bed? you're up awffy early!! ;D

[stephen1234]

late to bed early to rise......
thats the cost of having to wokr for a living in gods little golden corner of the world. All us welsh are so put upon.......
Stephen

[russell]

You could even tap the angle brackets to save fidling with nuts behind the beams.

Russell.

[davidm]

Thought this picture of my frames might be useful.

Something that is well worth while, but not shown here, is to bore a hole about 2½ inches dia centrally in the front stretcher. It won't weaken it significantly, and will allow access for oiling the pump eccentric and axleboxes.

If you look closely you will see that I also drilled the four holes in the right hand frame in error. Don't worry, you won't be the last person to do it, and you are not alone! No one will notice, they are tucked away under the running boards, and if you put the whistle there they will be well hidden!

David

Attachments:

[stephen1234]

Looks like screws are the way to go.....
Now all i have to do is get new steel as i just messed up the set of buffers beam, and do a load of drilling and tapping.

[drjohn]

Nice looking frames David, but I never quite understand why people paint the insides red?

And Stephen, unless you're a really rotten shot with an oil can, a 1" hole in the stretcher as shown on mine, is more than enough to slunge the eccentric and it's lubricator hole with oil.

DJ

P.S. I also think the buffer beams look a bit better with a few decorative 3/32 rivets.