JonL
Elder Statesman
WWSME (Wiltshire)
Posts: 2,990
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Post by JonL on Oct 29, 2018 19:39:39 GMT
Really enjoying reading this, thanks for sharing.
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 961 
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Post by don9f on Oct 29, 2018 20:49:48 GMT
+1
Cheers Don
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Post by Roger on Oct 29, 2018 22:20:16 GMT
Ok, it's time to bring out one of the monster Soldering irons I bought a couple of years ago for sheet metal work and see if it's any good for tinning the edges of the boiler cladding where they overlap. I've got a series of M1 Brass nuts and bolts to locate and hold them, but it's not really strong enough. I slipped up really, I should have used my 'point and shoot' digital thermometer to judge the temperature. Instead I watched for a bit of green in the flame like my Dad used to do.  20181029_185347 by Roger Froud, on Flickr I protected the edge with Tippex to stop the Solder running everywhere. The flux is a greasy paste used for plumbing. The iron worked a treat, the excess being wiped away with a cloth...  20181029_190037 by Roger Froud, on Flickr ... but I should have masked the other side! Doh!  20181029_190132 by Roger Froud, on Flickr Here are both pieces tinned, the odd high bit filed flat.  20181029_191630 by Roger Froud, on Flickr They are bolted with M1 nuts and bolts after fluxing the joint. There's Tippex all over it because I want to keep the Solder in the joint.  20181029_195414 by Roger Froud, on Flickr The top half is masked and there's a small area next to the joint left bare so I can feed in a little Solder.  20181029_195438 by Roger Froud, on Flickr  20181029_195457 by Roger Froud, on Flickr Using a flame was obviously going to make a mess, but it seemed like a sensible option because an iron on the inside would get Solder where I don't want it, and on the outside it would leave solder next to the joint. It seemed like the least worst option. Anyway, here goes, it doesn't take long to get it hot enough, probably too hot since it's blue in places! I managed to resist feeding too much Solder into the joint, I didn't fancy scraping off loads of it. I discovered that although Tipped doesn't come off with Meths, it does with Label remover! This took a hell of a lot of elbow grease and coarse wet & dry to get back to bare metal all over. Fingers with flux and splashes are guaranteed rust starters so all that had to be carefully removed.  20181029_195941 by Roger Froud, on Flickr This isn't a serious attempt to start painting it, it's just to make sure that rust doesn't set in.  20181029_215319 by Roger Froud, on Flickr |
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Post by Roger on Oct 30, 2018 19:24:29 GMT
The middle firebox band needs to be attached to the face of the cladding, so I've decided to make a couple of Phosphor Bronze clinch nuts to give the thread more strength. This looks huge, but it's only 4.2mm diameter. The small diameter is 0.9mm long for the sheet which is 0.6mm thick. That leaves a decent amount to form the clinch.  Clinch nut by Roger Froud, on Flickr I made a pair of anvils to support the back and form the head into the small countersink on the outside. This is why I take time out to make special tools. You never know when they will come in handy for something unexpected.  20181030_181324 by Roger Froud, on Flickr Anyway, this is how it looks on the outside. I won't file that flush, there's no point and it's stronger as it is.  20181030_181638 by Roger Froud, on Flickr The inside looks like this. Simple enough, but time consuming.  20181030_181654 by Roger Froud, on Flickr |
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Gary L
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,208
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Post by Gary L on Oct 31, 2018 0:13:27 GMT
Really enjoying reading this, thanks for sharing. Seconded! Wnat I don't understand is how Roger gets three times as much done in a day as I do, has a business to look after, and yet he still finds time to program the CNC files for his Infernal Machines and then photo and log everything he does onto this thread. Respect! Gary |
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Post by runner42 on Oct 31, 2018 0:58:09 GMT
Really enjoying reading this, thanks for sharing. Seconded! Wnat I don't understand is how Roger gets three times as much done in a day as I do, has a business to look after, and yet he still finds time to program the CNC files for his Infernal Machines and then photo and log everything he does onto this thread. Respect! Gary Yes Roger produces a fantastic amount of work, often pushing the envelope with excellent workmanship standards. But I suspect he doesn't sleep. Brian |
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Post by Roger on Oct 31, 2018 7:49:50 GMT
Gary and Brian,
I think about this damned project every single day because I know if I don't, it won't get finished. It doesn't matter what I do towards it, as long as I do something. When I get focused, I try to make sure that I'm modelling while I'm machining so wherever possible I'm always making something.
It does help working at home, because I can organise my work around running the mill if it's not being used for the business. Knowing what to model is the biggest headache when you're not working from plans. I'd have had it finished years ago if I'd made SPEEDY to the published design.
I reckon to spend about four hours a day on average, every single day. Some days I do nothing else if I can't be bothered to work. You have to get your priorities right, after all!
I'm just surprised that everyone hasn't got bored with it by now. The input of member's ideas and their constant encouragement help keep the momentum going. It's so easy to get a bit stuck and to end up unmotivated. Being here means I know people expect to see progress and that really helps.
So thanks to everyone who's commented and assisted me over the past five years, and to the silent audience too. Another couple of years and I might have it somewhere near finished.
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Post by 92220 on Oct 31, 2018 8:48:54 GMT
Hi Roger.
That's a very handy section on how the cladding is fitted! I second what Gary and Brian say too. I'm storing a lot of info from your posts, for future reference when I get to similar jobs. I think we all learn something from your posts. Thanks from all of us.
Bob.
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Post by Roger on Oct 31, 2018 21:07:03 GMT
This is how the backhead blends into the RH side firebox cladding on 1501. This doesn't show how it necks in at the bottom though.  Backhead32 by Roger Froud, on Flickr This is the LH side as it stands with the end of the firebox cladding square to the backhead. The firebox cladding needs trimming back so that it describes a 35 degree cut as viewed from the top.  20181031_205010 by Roger Froud, on Flickr I'd already made the infills, but due to a cockup I'd somehow modelled it so that they didn't clear the corner of the firebox. So here's the former going back on the mill to have the correct profile put on it. Fortunately it's narrower so I can modify the original tooling. Here's a wobbly video of the finishing cut.  20181031_180053 by Roger Froud, on Flickr The program was then mirrored in the Y-axis and the other side done too.  20181031_200915 by Roger Froud, on Flickr The cover plate also needed trimming, so I've clamped that on one side and just machined the curved edge. It's being done with a 10mm cutter sticking out a long way to clear the clamps. A quick look at the tool path made it clear that it was going to do a rapid move from the end of one cut to the start of the next in a path that would pass through the clamps. I've forced it to use a clearance height of 40mm so it can do that safely. This is something you have to be vigilant of when looking at tool paths, it's easy to crash into clamps on setups like these.  20181031_204730 by Roger Froud, on Flickr Ready to go... the 0.6mm Brass sheet has been annealed by hanging it by a corner using pliers and heating it with a blow torch until it's a dull red colour. That way it doesn' get damaged by resting on something or deforming.  20181031_214621 by Roger Froud, on Flickr |
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Post by Roger on Nov 1, 2018 22:58:48 GMT
Time to bash some Brass around the formers...  20181101_113028 by Roger Froud, on Flickr ... with this being as far as I want to go without annealing it again. I nipped the corner of the scrap edge in the Mole grips and dangled them vertically while heating them to a dull red. The idea is to stop them bending and being damaged by resting on something.  20181101_113521 by Roger Froud, on Flickr And this is how they look after a first trimming and a second bashing. I'm using rubber mallets and also a few pieces of Delrin between the Aluminium mallet and the Brass so it doesn't mark it.  20181101_121216 by Roger Froud, on Flickr This is a pretty crude way of marking out the cutout in the firebox side, but it's not easy to do. I know it will probably not be enough, but I can't put metal back on if I go too far.  20181101_213124 by Roger Froud, on Flickr The 'vice on a stick' is ideal for this sort of work.  20181101_213847 by Roger Froud, on Flickr  20181101_214728 by Roger Froud, on Flickr Sure enough, offering it up to the backhead, I can see that it needs about another 1mm off all the way along. This is one way to do that without having to mark it and try to see the line.  20181101_220544 by Roger Froud, on Flickr I'll file the teeth off tomorrow and try it again. Once I've got one side right, I'll be a bit bolder with the second one.  20181101_224209 by Roger Froud, on Flickr |
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stevep
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,073
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Post by stevep on Nov 2, 2018 9:28:48 GMT
Roger,
You have used your vice-on-a-stick for a number of items. (I tend to hold a piece of wood in the bench vice, and then clamp the workpiece to that with toolmakers clamps).
Did you buy your vice-on-a-stick, or did you build it? I would be interested in the details.
Thanks
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Post by Roger on Nov 2, 2018 10:10:32 GMT
Roger, You have used your vice-on-a-stick for a number of items. (I tend to hold a piece of wood in the bench vice, and then clamp the workpiece to that with toolmakers clamps). Did you buy your vice-on-a-stick, or did you build it? I would be interested in the details. Thanks Hi Steve, I bought the vice from eBay, it was a type with a big sucker on the bottom to hold it to a bench with a vacuum. I adapted it from that. There are lots of cheap vices on eBay that could be modified in a similar way. Part of it broke, it was cheap cast iron, and I had to re-make some of it. There are some pictures of it in the album if you follow this picture...  20160724_221338 by Roger Froud, on Flickr The key thing I wanted was for something to hold parts at any angle, and preferably high up so I don't have to stoop down when I'm needle filing. Some ways it has to be lower, such as I've shown recently. It would be handy to have another way to articulate that really. Anyway, I use it a lot, it saves my back and it's something I'd certainly make again. I've had to do the same as you describe. It amazes me that there aren't more options for vices, ie ones that can at least have the jaws clamping vertically. |
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Post by Roger on Nov 2, 2018 22:27:37 GMT
I found that a welding glove over the vice made just the right shape to support the cladding for filing...  20181102_184255 by Roger Froud, on Flickr ... so it ended up like this. Both sides are at this stage now, so it's time to take off the backhead cladding and bolt the side pieces to it.  20181102_185334 by Roger Froud, on Flickr While I've been working over the past couple of days, I've been machining the ashpan parts from 1.2mm thick Stainless Steel sheet.  20181101_180541 by Roger Froud, on Flickr I couldn't clamp it very close to the part, but it worked out well enough. There's some packing tape holding the back edge down.  20181101_213339 by Roger Froud, on Flickr The finish is absolutely shocking, with a massive burr. Some are far worse than this!  20181102_122140 by Roger Froud, on Flickr I managed to machine all of the above parts with one 2mm Carbids slot drill, you can see the discolouration where it finally became too blunt and had to be changed. Considering what horrible material it is to machine, I think that's pretty good cutter life.  20181102_182040 by Roger Froud, on Flickr Anyway, after over an hour of work with a file, this is what I have. The recess in the top LH part is where the cutout will be for the air. I need to fold it close to the edge, so I decided not to go very deep, just enough to make it clear where I need to cut it out when it's folded.  20181102_221233 by Roger Froud, on Flickr |
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Post by Roger on Nov 3, 2018 21:58:31 GMT
Time to put the ashpan parts together.... The top rim was modelled in one piece, but that was too long to machine and it would have been hard to bend accurately, so I made it in two halves which are getting set up for welding here.  20181103_120136 by Roger Froud, on Flickr First a tack...  20181103_122042 by Roger Froud, on Flickr ... then held more firmly in the vice for welding properly...  20181103_122822 by Roger Froud, on Flickr ... on both sides.  20181103_123555 by Roger Froud, on Flickr I wanted to offer it up to the bottom of the boiler to make sure there wasn't a cockup. This is plenty far enough over to be able to do that, I reckon you only need to tip a locomotive over to about 45 degrees to be able to work in it if it's high enough. My tool cabinet is ideal for that.  20181103_124447 by Roger Froud, on Flickr That looks ok, so time to press on.  20181103_151157 by Roger Froud, on Flickr You have to be creative with your setups to be able to hold each part firmly and also at an attitude that still allows you tack it.  20181103_130826 by Roger Froud, on Flickr  20181103_131500 by Roger Froud, on Flickr  20181103_132704 by Roger Froud, on Flickr  20181103_132857 by Roger Froud, on Flickr  20181103_144635 by Roger Froud, on Flickr  20181103_191921 by Roger Froud, on Flickr The part that covers the rear axle has a bend in it, so the variable radius folder came in handy for that.  20181103_201116 by Roger Froud, on Flickr  20181103_202303 by Roger Froud, on Flickr Originally, this section was folded and was part of the long curved underside. That proved to be a bit of a nightmare to fold, so I just cut it off and welded it on separately. I don't know what I was thinking of really, I should have done that in the first place.  20181103_204946 by Roger Froud, on Flickr The light on the RH is a 12V automotive LED side light in what was an old anglepoise lamp. I find it really useful for illuminating an area I'm about to weld so I can see it really clearly just before striking the ark. This is one of the tiny side infills being tacked on. Again, those were originally folded but I thought better of that too. Tig welding bits together is much easier than getting folds in the right place.  20181103_211231 by Roger Froud, on Flickr All done. I'm looking at the openings at the front and back and wondering if ash is going to come out of those at times. Maybe I should put a small baffle upwards to prevent that.  20181103_212548 by Roger Froud, on Flickr  20181103_212602(0) by Roger Froud, on Flickr  20181103_220631 by Roger Froud, on Flickr |
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 961
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Post by don9f on Nov 4, 2018 9:40:58 GMT
Hi Roger, that ashpan looks very good....I must learn how to tig weld!
I think this might have been mentioned before but is the bottom of the ashpan closed off somehow when the grate is in position, or left open and if it is closed off, do those openings have damper doors fitted?
Cheers Don
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Lisa
Statesman
Posts: 806 
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Post by Lisa on Nov 4, 2018 10:10:40 GMT
I once welded an ashpan together from 1.5mm steel sheet using a stick welder... needless to say the job was not as neat as yours Roger, looking good!
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Post by Roger on Nov 4, 2018 15:07:09 GMT
Hi Roger, that ashpan looks very good....I must learn how to tig weld! I think this might have been mentioned before but is the bottom of the ashpan closed off somehow when the grate is in position, or left open and if it is closed off, do those openings have damper doors fitted? Cheers Don Hi Don, Thanks, I'm quite pleased with it. The idea is that both of those openings are always open. The ash pan will sit 5mm below the bottom of the outlet. The ash pan will be wider than the the outlet so there is room for air to get in. The sides of the ash pan will be quite tall. I don't have any plans for restricting the air to the fire. I'm not convinced of the usefulness of dampers to be honest. |
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Post by Roger on Nov 4, 2018 15:09:10 GMT
I once welded an ashpan together from 1.5mm steel sheet using a stick welder... needless to say the job was not as neat as yours Roger, looking good! Hi Lisa, I'm surprised you managed that at all, I'm impressed. It's so much easier when you can take your time with Tig |
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Lisa
Statesman
Posts: 806
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Post by Lisa on Nov 4, 2018 15:27:45 GMT
I once welded an ashpan together from 1.5mm steel sheet using a stick welder... needless to say the job was not as neat as yours Roger, looking good! Hi Lisa, I'm surprised you managed that at all, I'm impressed. It's so much easier when you can take your time with Tig Stubbornness and an angle grinder work wonders.  |
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don9f
Statesman
Les Warnett 9F, Martin Evans “Jinty”, a part built “Austin 7” and now a part built Springbok B1.
Posts: 961
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Post by don9f on Nov 4, 2018 20:42:15 GMT
Hi Roger, that ashpan looks very good....I must learn how to tig weld! I think this might have been mentioned before but is the bottom of the ashpan closed off somehow when the grate is in position, or left open and if it is closed off, do those openings have damper doors fitted? Cheers Don Hi Don, Thanks, I'm quite pleased with it. The idea is that both of those openings are always open. The ash pan will sit 5mm below the bottom of the outlet. The ash pan will be wider than the the outlet so there is room for air to get in. The sides of the ash pan will be quite tall. I don't have any plans for restricting the air to the fire. I'm not convinced of the usefulness of dampers to be honest. Yes I now recall that this was mentioned a while ago in relation to a discussion about fires under the track....a definite problem for us due to the nature of the site, dry grass and all that! Cheers Don |
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