|
Post by Jim on Aug 26, 2017 7:47:37 GMT
Gosh Steve there's been a bad slip up there. Hope that's not a Brit in the middle. Jim
|
|
Tony K
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,573
|
Post by Tony K on Aug 26, 2017 12:05:59 GMT
Someone's monkeying around!
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Sept 3, 2017 8:38:14 GMT
Over the last few days I've been working on fitting the securing tabs to sides and ends of the tender in readiness for the final reassembly. However there are still some details to add including the small window frames on the tender. For this job I decided to anneal some brass strips I had then I set about bending up the frames by hand, it's not as hard as it sounds. The first photo shows the brass strip in place and securely held while the first bend is made. I used a nail punch which was the right diameter to hold in the window as the strip was gently bent round the curve. This was done in about 3 goes as the strip needed to be flattened as it tended to 'bank' as the bend was formed. Once the I was satisfied with the way the strip was sitting a second clamp was used to hold things while the second curve was formed which again took 3 or 4 goes to get it sitting nice and flat and along the edge of the cutout. To finish the first clamp was moved to hold the top of the frame and again using the punch the strip was formed round and down to meet up with the other end. While the annealed brass is easily worked with fingers it is necessary to work in stages and frequently flatten the strip as it tends to twist. Before I could cut and join the strip some more tweeking was needed to get the final outline right. A touch of solder and some polishing with steel wool and brasso.... oh happy memories of distant days in the army reserves, and a trial fit was made. Now to do 3 more and fit the 'glass'. As with the cab windows these windows will be held in this case with fine pins so the frames can be removed for painting the tender front. Things are starting to fall into place and even off the work bench, now I really do need a soothing ale. Jim.
|
|
|
Post by GWR 101 on Sept 3, 2017 13:56:11 GMT
Great detail there Jim, it's really coming along you will soon be needing another reason for the SA. Best Regards Paul
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Sept 3, 2017 21:06:07 GMT
Great detail there Jim, it's really coming along you will soon be needing another reason for the SA. Best Regards Paul Thanks Paul, these projects are time consuming but great fun and it has successfully kept me out of the garden and stopped me from renovating the house. I do have another project by the way, it's called a 'ride on carriage', we started them together and you've completed yours and I'm still trying to remember where I put the frames. Cheers for now Jim
|
|
|
Post by GWR 101 on Sept 3, 2017 22:12:46 GMT
Hi Jim, now there in lies a tale yes I completed, the 5" version. And started on the 7 1/4" version, got as far as being ready to machine the keyways in the axles having completed the wheels and work came to a stop. Why ? well I reasoned that I could have Juliet running and certified in about 4 weeks (after working on it for 47 years). Well it passed its 1 1/2 hydro with ease, but failed its steam test because of a faulty regulator. That was 3 months ago, since then I have been re-making the regulator, modifying the axle pump and generally pulling my hair out. I have taken the boiler out that many times I am thinking of securing it with zip fasteners. At this point you could perhaps suggest sending a crate of soothing ales !. The fact that many club members keep telling me that one should expect teething problems is doing nothing to improve my general view that what once was a pleasurable pastime is now a war of attrition.!! In hope if not belief Paul.
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Sept 3, 2017 23:21:00 GMT
Thanks so much Paul I only feel half as bad now. Don't you love it when other club members go steaming past with a superbly running locos and then tell you not to worry, "we all have teething problems". I think they are dirty rotten liars, anyway I don't have enough teeth for all my teething problems. Case of soothing ales on the way Jim.
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Sept 7, 2017 14:06:15 GMT
With the tender now at a stage where it can be assembled permanently I decided to work on completing the tender's rear deck by cutting out the circular hole for the water pickup dome which will be removable to give me access to the injector water valves As the first two photos show I used a hole cutting saw to cut the hole in the deck. As with the slitting saw I run it at the slowest speed, in this case 150rpm and with a gentle down feed of the saw by hand Of course once the plate was cleaned up I couldn't resist seeing how everything would look with the water valves in place. While they are not secured yet I'm happy that the taps will be easily accessible from the ride on carriage that's yet to be built. The next job will be to make the dome that will sit over the taps and which will be removed when driving. The temptation to do a trail steam up is getting very hard to resist but that's just going to have to wait awhile yet. Now all I need is a warm still day to paint the inside of the bunker and the front of the tender. Jim
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2017 14:20:08 GMT
nice work Jim..I would be 'biting at the bit' too for a steam up...resist sir, resist....not for too long though, we all want to share in the big event... Pete
|
|
|
Post by Cro on Sept 7, 2017 15:01:03 GMT
Nice job Jim, my only concern with having this removable piece would be the foreign bodies that can easily get into the tender during a run when like this. I know we spoke at lengthhh on filters but this to me is asking for trouble, Could you not have just the two valve handle poking through two holes with the dome cover sat over top when not running rather than this big hole?
Adam
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Sept 7, 2017 21:19:16 GMT
Absolutely Adam, I should have provided a bit more detail as to the next stage. There will be a plate to cover the current circular opening with provision for the valve spindles to protrude. This will do two things, cover the hole to prevent dirt, bits of coal dust etc getting into the water tank and provide support for the spindles which due to their length are prone to be unstable as they are. I will be making the rear deck removable for access to the tank's interior which will be painted rustproof cream so that any foreign bits that manage to get into the tank can be more easily seen and easily cleaned. Thanks for raising the issue Adam it's a very valid point. Jim, who's just looked out the window to see it's another gloomy non painting day.
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Sept 10, 2017 7:45:39 GMT
With the departure of the icy winds and grey skies the sun has returned with a couple of nice warm still days which means I have been able to paint the bunker assembly for the tender. With a coat of matt black and the windows in place it suddenly looks finished..well almost. As the this photo shows I very purposefully didn't add the interior baffles and cross bracing shown in the drawing as I wanted to be able to completely drain the tender without any trapped pockets of water being left behind. I've also painted the floor with a spray-on epoxy cream paint so anything that manages to get past the filters and into the tank can be easily seen and removed. There are still some jobs to do such as the rear ladder, safety steps on the top of the tender and the finishing off of the rear deck with its dummy rivets, hand rails, dome and water filling hatch. Luckily Steve (Springcrocus) has already done all this work so I just have to check what he's done and follow on. Well all this 'out in the fresh air' caper has worn me out and a glance at the clock says it almost Soothing Ale O'clock and just in time too. Jim
|
|
Lisa
Statesman
Posts: 806
|
Post by Lisa on Sept 10, 2017 9:07:19 GMT
With the departure of the icy winds and grey skies the sun has returned with a couple of nice warm still days which means I have been able to paint the bunker assembly for the tender. With a coat of matt black and the windows in place it suddenly looks finished..well almost. It's already getting uncomfortably warm here through the day now, I've actually had the air-con on a couple of times already. Well all this 'out in the fresh air' caper has worn me out and a glance at the clock says it almost Soothing Ale O'clock and just in time too. Reminds me of the sign that used to be stuck to dad's meccano clock "beer O'clock, what time? anytime!" That cream colour looks all very fancy, almost a shame to hide it.
|
|
|
Post by dhamblin on Sept 10, 2017 20:57:24 GMT
That shade of cream reminds me of the interior of the corridor tender on several of the Gresley A4 pacifics that were gathered at the National Railway Museum a few years ago. Exactly the same principle to help light what would be a very dark space. The tender front is looking very fine after painting. Hopefully the coming of Spring for the Southern Hemisphere will help get you to the finish line Regards, Dan
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Sept 10, 2017 22:16:01 GMT
That shade of cream reminds me of the interior of the corridor tender on several of the Gresley A4 pacifics that were gathered at the National Railway Museum a few years ago. Exactly the same principle to help light what would be a very dark space. The tender front is looking very fine after painting. Hopefully the coming of Spring for the Southern Hemisphere will help get you to the finish line Regards, Dan Actually that was the other intention Dan and why I've also painted the inner sides of the tender the same colour. Trying to spot a 12BA nut or screw in the bottom of black interior isn't for me. At one stage the Midland Railway painted the undersides of the boiler cladding on its singles cream for the same reason. There's a photo of no 1871 a MR 4-2-2 looking immaculate in its Weatherburn livery and with the cream reflective panel under the boiler clearly visible. Keeping it spotless must have been a happy job for the cleaners. Jim
|
|
stan
Seasoned Member
Posts: 110
|
Post by stan on Sept 11, 2017 21:00:33 GMT
Jim The inside frames of the A4s were painted white, wouldn't fancy keeping them clean Stan
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Sept 12, 2017 8:25:39 GMT
The warmer weather has started to return so work is starting to pick up in the workshop...well just a little bit. Today following Steve (Springcrocus's) method I made up the two rear deck foot rests then went on to complete one with the floor for the second ready to go tomorrow. The first photo shows the main frames of the two steps secured to the tender. I must say Steve's method of having a wood former to mold the outer wall worked perfectly as did his methos for milling out the centre recess. The second photo shows the completed step/footrest with only the pimple safety tread to make and fit. Regards Jim.
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Sept 16, 2017 8:06:55 GMT
Spent this afternoon making the safety tread plate for the two foot rests on the top of the tender. I took the layout of the tread pattern by scaling up a GA drawing of a BR1 tender I had from an article in ME. The material I used for the plate was .005" copper sheet found in art and craft shops among other places and used in copper art. The benefit of using copper is that it's very malleable and and while it tends to deform as you tap the 'pimples' in it is easily flattened to shape by burnishing with a small block of hard wood or MDF. The tools I used are very hi tech and consist of a precision punch formed from a specially shaped cut chicken kabbab skewer to the end of which is fixed a pin. The other essential item of tooling is a precision tapping hammer, normally used for throwing at the back wall when things go wrong. With the layout for the tread pattern drawn up on the copper with an easily smudged black pen the copper sheet was taped to a block of soft wood in this case pacific maple and the tapping commenced. I must say this activity has the ability to send one dotty and cause tinnitus if frequent sips of soothing ale aren't taken. When completed the now formed safety tread was cut to size and glued in place using Kwik Grip Crystal Clear adhesive. Sadly I suffer from a compulsive 'must paint everything grey' disorder so you'll understand why I succumbed to a temptation that was irresistible. The handy thing with this exercise is that I now have enough safety tread for the tender steps. Now I do need that medicinal ale. Jim
|
|
|
Post by 92220 on Sept 16, 2017 16:31:11 GMT
Sadly I suffer from a compulsive 'must paint everything grey' disorder so you'll understand why I succumbed to a temptation that was irresistible. Jim Not to worry Jim. So did most British railway companies...............hence Photographic Grey.
Bob.
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Sept 18, 2017 8:12:00 GMT
Back from shopping and it being a lovely spring day I had time to cut the fill in strip to complete the rear deck of the tender. The trusty slitting saw was used to cut the fill in strip with the marked out brass sheet held and supported on an off cut of 1"mdf. With the fill in section sweated to the main plate, I had a binding strip underneath the joint for added strength, the hole for the water filling point was cut using a hole saw as was done with the water dome. There's still a lot more to do before I can finally bolt the floor to the body and then fill the tender with water. Who knows I might still end up with a fancy if unusual watering can. Cheers, Jim.
|
|