Simplex in Colorado

[Deleted]

looking good Ron, that's a hell of a task you took on machining those wheels... nice one ....

Pete

[ozzie46]

Thanks Pete. It's not something I'd want to do every day for sure.

But I do gst a warm fuzzy feeling looking at them. ;D ;D

Ron

[ozzie46]

Got a little bit more done.

Made up the motion plates. Nothing much to show here as its just marking out then using a drill press, band saw and a "Nicholson Hand Mill" aka file work.

Heres the end result.










Had to mill the angle for the mounting brackets to get it 90*

I need to start on the cyls but I need to make a milling table for my cross slide first so I can line bore them.

Ron

[ozzie46]

Its been a while since I updated this thread so here goes.

I made a plate to go on my cross slide to use it as a boring table to bore out the cyls.




Made a boring bar out of some rusty bar and put it between centers to do the boring. Used a set screw to adjust the cutting tool and another to lock it in place.






I used a auto brake wheel cyl hone to hone the cyls. For got to take any pics of that.

I used the off cuts of the steam cyls to make the end caps (?) for the cyls.



I cut off as much as I could on my 4 x 6 saw to make it as round as possible be for turning them in the lathe






For the steam chests I chain drilled around the inside of the blocks for the chests and cut out the center with a hacksaw,then milled the insides. I them made the valves and the vale nuts. The valves are cast iron and the nuts a re bronze. The cyls and the steam chest are sat iron as well as the end caps/ cyl heads.



The valve rods are stainless steel.

I did some profiling on the cyls to make them more like castings ala kvom.




I also took his idea of putiing 2 countersunk cap screws in th steam chest to keep them in place when the top cover is taken off.

I'm going to mill a .020 depression in the covers inside of the gasket area and may do the same for the top of the covers.


That brings it up to date as of today. I will profile the other cyl tomorrow.


The bolts in the steam chests are temporary, proper scale hex head bolts will be put in for the final assembly.

Ron

[ozzie46]

Time for another update. I have made the cross heads and profiled the cyls and mounted them. Pics follow.

Set the cross heads up in the mill and machined to lines basically. I used a 1/8 ball end mill here.



Changed to a 3/16 end mill here.








I silver solder bronze slippers on them and silver soldered the backs on too.

I riveted in the drop link pins to the front of the cross head. I took a page out of Dr. Johns way of doing things and milled the front plate from solid instead of trying to bend the off set for the pin.




I turned the piston rod ends of the cross heads in the lathe but for got to take pics.

Ron

[ozzie46]

Have a look at the Cyls and frame.




Cyls with the steam chest set on it.



kvom (a member of HMEM) had an idea about using countersunk screws to hold steam chest on the cyls when the cover bolts are removed. I thought it was such a good idea. I pinched it.



Starting to look like something.







Still have some work to do on the guide bars.


Thank for looking in.

Ron

[jgb7573]

Coming good Ron!

[ozzie46]

jgb7573, Thanks for the comment and looking in.

Ron

[nigelh]

Hi Ron,
how do you plan to fix the piston rods into the crossheads?
Your Simplex is looking very good - congratulations !
Nigel

[Deleted]

Nice work Ron.... looking good.

Pete

[ozzie46]

Thanks Nigel, Pete.


Nigel, I was thinking of using roll pins as I don't have any taper reamers for taper pins. I don't think I could turn a taper accurately enough to try to make a reamer out of drill rod/ silver steel.

Ron

[drjohn]

Hi Ron

I must say that I used loctite and roll pins for my crosshead to piston rod joints and they seem to be holding fine. A taper pin would be stronger, but like you, I didn't have a small enough taper reamer.

Must say I have always wondered why no-one threads the crosshead then screws the piston rod in and loctite and pins it.

DJ

[nigelh]

Thanks, Ron - I'm still debating which way to go.
Using a screw thread sounds like a great idea, John - that way one can get the piston in exactly the right place, I guess. Hummm - I can feel a bit of re working coming on, in that area !
N

[ozzie46]

Made the push rods. Started by riveting 2 pieces of stock together. I didn't have any rivets so I used 16 penny finishing nails. They worked like a charm.

I then marked out the profile and sawed it to rough shape on my 4 x 6 saw.





I then drilled out the big end an little ends and made mandrels to fit the drilled holes as I drilled them to the size of thOD of the bushings. I drilled and reamed the mandrels .250 and mounted the roughed out blanks on a piece of 1/4 thick angle iron for machining.




Here they are after machining and sanding. Still have to make the bushings.

[ozzie46]

Thanks for the info John.

I have Kozos A-3 Switcher book and he does thread the cross head and piston rod on it.

Ron

[davidm]

I've got a similar sized hole in the front stretcher on my Simplex. It makes it easier to get the oil can spout to the axle box oil holes, rather than through the wheel spokes, as well as the eccentric.

David

[ozzie46]

Good to know David. Thanks.

Ron

[cplmickey]

DJ - my Winson 9F has rods threaded into the crosshead. It seems like a good idea until you find out that they're the wrong length and the piston hits the cover. Yes you can then adjust it but who wants to see an unsightly thread at the cross head end. I ended up making 2 new piston rods, but I suppose that's Winson quality for you!!

[ozzie46]

It has been awhile since I've updated this, so here goes.


I haven't been doing much but here is what I have. Health issues (mine and daughters)and life has gotten in the way.

Made the expansion links and have started to make the radius rods.








Will post more as it's done.

Ron

[ozzie46]

Well I've completed the radius rods and temporarily mounted them.










Now to start on the Combination Levers.


Ron