ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on Apr 18, 2011 12:46:54 GMT
I went to the G1MRA show on Saturday at Leicestershire and had a good day out looking at the G1 trains and taking the opportunity to stock up on some G1 parts. Chatted with a few members ( nice to see you again Tony) and discussed the new ARMIG loco to which I have decided to build as an another infill project. It looks like a nice little build project with most parts available to those who wish to build it as a kit form. I was hooked and bought the ARMIG book and yes I bought most the parts from the chassis up to the running boards, cab etc. The wheels will be coming from www.walsallmodelindustries.co.uk not sure if I should just buy the castings or have them machined, not that confident on doing them myself. I think looking at the drawings that I will make both the boiler and gas tank as they seem simple enough. I was amazed to see how quick the parts became available through various traders and would like to thank one or two for there time spent explaining the build with me. It was a good day overall and now look forward to getting stuck back into some G1 model building. As for the ARMIG build watch this space..... ace
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2011 21:02:39 GMT
That looks an interesting loco ace, I plan on building a garden railway once I move away from London. I've been undecided as to what scale to do, O or 1, things like this help me make up my mind. If I have room I'd like to do gauge 1 as it's probably the smallest scale for true live steam. So keep your updates coming and start a new thread for the Armig as I for one will follow your build with interest.. Pete
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on May 8, 2011 13:10:59 GMT
Some work done on the ARM1G this week, the frames are laser cut as is the rear bogie and these just a quick clean up job. The regulator valve is again a simple and quick job so I knocked this of the to do list as well. The oil lubricator I finished off last night as this to was a simple build with the silver soldering done along with the frame stretchers, bogie etc. Today I finished off cutting out the cylinder block from a chunk of brass and machining it down to just slightly over size and then cutting the front and rear covers.
The covers where marked out and drilled then the holes transfered on to the cylinder. The holes in the cylinder block where drilled and tapped all 15 out of 16 that being because I just broke the 10BA tap off in the block, so guess what I'm doing for the rest of today after the racing that is .............
Post some pic's later
ace
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on May 16, 2011 22:56:05 GMT
Enots / Rectus valves.
Anyone know who supplies the small valves for filling boilers, I forgot all about this little item when I went to the ME show at Harrogate.
I need both male and female parts plus the pipe work and a good spray bottle needed.
steve
|
|
|
Post by baggo on May 17, 2011 0:16:53 GMT
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on May 17, 2011 0:39:29 GMT
Hi John
Thank's for the link, will check wiith them tomorrow seems to a few to choose from.
Steve
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on May 19, 2011 22:15:17 GMT
Sorted, parts found and bought.
Thanks.
steve
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on Jul 11, 2011 21:06:32 GMT
Hi All I haven't posted for awhile for I thought I would post an update on the ARMIG. Bits so far - Chassis, footplate, tanks and cab finished but need cleaning up a bit. These where all laser cut parts from Model Engineers Laser and saved me quite a bit of time. I have made the whole cylinder assembly myself including the steam valves and this is ready to test. The split crank came next and this was quite simple to construct as where the eccentrics. However disaster struck yesterday when I tried to put the two halfs together, I over did it with the thread lock, everything appeared to be fine until after around ten minutes when I realised the eccentrics had stuck, and stuck fast. All was not lost......... I applied a little heat over the edges and soon managed to free them off....Phew. I have tonight just finished the low water sensor and the electrics that go with it and installed it into what would be the fire-box. I will be stripping it all backdown tomorrow and installing all the gaskets, seals etc ready for a run up on air. steve
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on Jul 20, 2011 22:24:26 GMT
ARMIG update - The Boiler Well I have made all the boiler parts and assembled them to make sure it all fits together and I'm happy to say everything fits snug. I put all the boiler parts through the acid cleaner and then reassembled them into the correct position and gave all the joints a good coating of flux. I made some small rings of silver solder to fit around the bushes and flue and a large ring of solder to fit around the edge of the end plates, then came plenty of heat and within minutes I had a boiler ready for testing, well almost. The regulator needs to be fitted but I am unsure about the regulator only being supported by the two very short 1/8th pipes. So I am looking to give it additional support by the way of a little bracket. I will be tackling the rest of the pipe work and fittings tomorrow evening and finishing of the dome and Ramsbottom valve cover so will post some pic's tomorrow evening when I've finished in the workshop.
steve
|
|
|
Post by jgb7573 on Jul 21, 2011 6:20:31 GMT
Feels good when the boiler goes together like that!
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on Jul 22, 2011 21:07:51 GMT
Hi jgb7573
it most certainly does, especially since when I spent sometime marking out the parts and then cutting them out by hand and filing them to fit.
steve
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on Jul 22, 2011 22:50:16 GMT
ARMIG update......... A couple more parts completed today, the low water sensor certainly became a challenge as I struggled to make the PTFE sleeve, this proved the most awkward part as its small and difficult to grip in the lathe even on a mandrel. I also finished some of the pipe work, the condensing coil to be exact. It states in the ARMIG book that this is to be made from stainless steel, is this critical? I made a copper one first as a set up piece but wondered seeing as I made such a good job would a copper one do. The boiler was tested today and unfortunatly the pump won't pressurise it above 80 psi I think the seal on the pump may be duff it just kept blowing back past the piston. I'll have a look at it tomorrow. I will be making my own clack valve as the one I had in stock is to short and catches the flue. What are the best type of balls for this, bronze or stainless?. steve
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on Jul 25, 2011 0:02:31 GMT
First trial run on air today and it was a bit hit and miss at first to get it running, the timing was a little fiddly to set up and I think it may need some more tweaking but at least it ran. There is one tight spot but I think its in the trunk guide as both the pistons move freely and there is no problem with the crank assembly, so I'll check this when I strip it back down later. Next came the mounting of the boiler, steam pipes and smoke-box, and all of these need some minor adjustment to get them to fit right, overall not a bad weekends work.
steve
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on Aug 15, 2011 21:42:12 GMT
Just a little more work on the ARMIG, most of the hard work has now been done and I am now sorting out the fittings for the gas tank. The smoke box is now almost completed, not to sure about the door hinges but they will do for now. The handrail needs a little tweaking and I'm just finishing off the rear stanchions which will be soldered on to the boiler wrapper later. I have completed the electronics for the low water sensor system and managed to fit all the electronics into the ash pan including the LED lights. I test the system and it works really well.
|
|
|
Post by spamcanman on Sept 12, 2011 15:52:29 GMT
|
|
|
Post by jones1972 on Sept 12, 2011 17:39:47 GMT
Hello, I have to ask what the model loco is based on? i have been working on two gauge 1 Southern M7 tanks to my own design but i used LBSC single cylinder unit which under air seems ok but your system of two cylinders would be more prototypical.I admit these two M7's are my first entry into gauge 1 but enjoying scale ling down from full size to 10mm to the ft.i enclose a picture so far of one of them of which both are to same stage of construction.I will try harder on my next g1 locomotives! Jones 1972 [/img]
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on Sept 13, 2011 20:14:39 GMT
Hi Tony
Building this has been fun but I won't lie I bought the body work and chassis frames laser cut which speeds things up. There's still all the bending and soldering to do but not having to cut it all out by hand does make a big difference. Had this been my first loco I would have said it was cheating but its not and I enjoyed it. The boiler and gas tank really are simple to build but the cylinder block is the most time consuming part along with the pistons etc. Its almost finished now apart from a paint job and I spent last weekend making a travel box for it.
Hi Jones1972 I'm afraid I can't answer that one I don't know much about trains other than I've built one or two, someone on here will no doubt know the answer. I couldn't see the photo you posted.
steve
|
|
|
Post by teakfreak on Dec 13, 2011 16:30:55 GMT
The ARMIG is based on the SECR H class (as per 263, preserved on the Bluebell Railway and due to re-enter traffic next year).
|
|
ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
|
Post by ace on Aug 26, 2012 21:29:09 GMT
All steam but no go.........
Hello folks
Well finally managed to get back into the workshop for well earned me time.
Managed to get the ARMIG out of the box and get down to steaming it up but remembered I had a few bits to finish off first. The burner didn't work properly last time so that needed some tweaking and the gas tank valve leak as I remember so that was rectified, now came the best bit steaming it up. Water gauge works a treat and the enots valve makes filling the boiler so simple. The gas tank was filled and the lubricator fill led with oil all that was a left was to light the boiler up. Now I had the pressure valve set for around 60psi as stated in the book and soon had 40psi of pressure so I opened up the regulator a little and a little water came spitting out of the exhaust and I rotated the wheels to get rid of any condensed steam but as much as I tried it would not run. I have had it running on air and as little as 20psi. I have now spent Saturday and Sunday checking everything over twice. I get ample steam venting out from the exhaust but it just won't run on steam. After everything had cooled down I connected it up to the compressor and it turns over nicely but again when steamed up it just won't go, I am lost as to why as everything seems OK. I guess its back to the drawing board and strip the lot back down. Any thoughts or advice would be welcomed.
ace
|
|
elly
Active Member
Posts: 33
|
Post by elly on Sept 23, 2012 21:16:22 GMT
ace , I built a 2 cylinder 4f g1mra project 2 cylinder was my own design similar t o the dee engine I used tufnol for the pistons with o-rings. worked a treat on air as little as a few psi so I was really happy until time for steaming, it did not go well, it tried but just got tight,I figured that it was water in the cylinders as I had not done draincocks,again on air it was ok,on steam not a chance,stripped it and low and behold the pistons had grew only a few thou but enough to cause problems,took 5 thou off the pistons and re did the groove and presto it worked . may not be your problem but keep it in mind Regards steven Attachments:
|
|