Wantage Tramway No.5 "Jane" or 'Shannon' from the Sandy & Potton Tramway (1850).

[chris p bacon]

I've used those on another loco but there was only 2 components.

 

I screwed in the threaded crankpin then opened out the rod to sit over the bush which was shouldered & threaded.  I'll try and take a pic later.

[N15class]

The crankpins need to be fixed firmly to the wheel, then the coupling rod is given as little clearance as needed to rotate freely. Connecting rod is the same, just enough to rotate freely

[AdeMoore]

The crankpins need to be fixed firmly to the wheel, then the coupling rod is given as little clearance as needed to rotate freely. Connecting rod is the same, just enough to rotate freely

So my first suggestion is correct then Peter the bushes are fixed on the cranked pins and the rods are loose fit and rotate. The bushes are not fixed in the connecting/coupling rods?

Cheers

[N15class]

Where there is. Coupling and connecting rod. It is best to put coupling rod first, followed by a washer then the connecting rod and finally then the cap, bush, or whatever you use to hold them in place.

Edited June 2, 2018 by N15class

[AdeMoore]

Thanks Peter so no bushes! I don’t have any washers in the kit. But the bushes have like a top hat shape so the rim will act as a washer I guess. But when you put the nut on it will lock both bushes to the wheel, so maybe I need loctite or something to fix the nut slightly slack.

So here’s the set up as I’ve fixed it wheel then crankpin then bush rim wheel side with coupling rod over bush then next bush on rim against previous bush, connecting rod over bush then finally the nut.

 

 

Just the coupling rod on bush and nut tightened on bush.

 

 

All comments greatfully received.

Cheers

[N15class]

That looks ok. I would shorten the bushes the rods are on so that there is less side play. But not too short that when the nut is tightened it locks up solid.

[AdeMoore]

So after I said I’d given up shortening the bushes post #88 after many different attempts at it. Peter said stick um in the connecting rods and carefully file them down! Well Peters last post convinced me to look at it again.

I knew they looked wide. So duly did as Peter suggested. Gone in a bit to much maybe on 2, but enough brass still proud I reckon to keep them.

Before and after.

 

 

Does look better, now need to know if I pinch up the nut on the bushes or leave slightly slack and loctite it.

Route to goal, job to see it filing bushes!

 

 

 

 

Filed the rim of the bush down to. The laminating of the rods left a bit to be desired! The bosses particularly show gaps where no solder has oozed out is there some filer or something that will sort that?

Cheers

Ade

As always all comments gratefully received.

[Horsetan]

....The laminating of the rods left a bit to be desired! The bosses particularly show gaps where no solder has oozed out is there some filler or something that will sort that?...

More flux, and a touch more solder. Then file down any excess.

[AdeMoore]

Thanks Horsetan, I did consider that but thought by doing that I would un laminate the rods and end up in a mess!

I’ll try one and get in and out quick with the iron.

Cheers

[Guest Isambarduk]

The laminating of the rods left a bit to be desired!

 

And

 

More flux, and a touch more solder. Then file down any excess.

 

Yes, that's what's needed.  If you have an RSU, it's the ideal tool for the final stage of this job - with plenty of solder added with the iron, the RSU will press the laminations together as the solder melts and fills all the external gaps.

 

David

[Horsetan]

Thanks Horsetan, I did consider that but thought by doing that I would un laminate the rods and end up in a mess!....

You won't if you clip in a hairgrip or even a paperclip to keep the body of the rod together whilst you wipe more flux and solder into the bosses.

[doilum]

"Peg out" the rods on a piece of flat timber using old / broken drills.

Low melt solder helps.

Lollipop sticks save fingers. Have two ready, predrilled to fit over the broken drills.

Be careful with RSU settings on skinny components. Not the approved method, but you can feed neat solder wire in just like brazing rods of old. The most important thing is to clean out the cavities first. An old scalpel blade or scriber will do. Use lots of flux.

If you need to repeat, do a full clean up first.

In the land of solder, cleanliness IS godliness.

[Horsetan]

....If you have an RSU, it's the ideal tool for the final stage of this job - with plenty of solder added with the iron, the RSU will press the laminations together as the solder melts and fills all the external gaps.

 

In reality, he doesn't even need that. I've assembled plenty of rod sets with nothing more than a 25w Antex and a hairgrip. Meanwhile the RSUs that I've had for ages in the attic are still untouched - it got to the point that I had to cadge another set of RSU instructions from John Redrup at LRM because I'd mislaid my set.

[AdeMoore]

In reality, he doesn't even need that. I've assembled plenty of rod sets with nothing more than a 25w Antex and a hairgrip. Meanwhile the RSUs that I've had for ages in the attic are still untouched - it got to the point that I had to cadge another set of RSU instructions from John Redrup at LRM because I'd mislaid my set.

Cheers all above for your tips, Horsetan I like what you say as my iron is bog standard 30w to.

[Horsetan]

Cheers all above for your tips, Horsetan I like what you say as my iron is bog standard 30w to.

 

I use 179 or 188 degree solder plus Carrs "green" flux for rod laminations - they should be at least as strongly assembled as the chassis itself.

 

I wouldn't use "low melt" (70 or 100 degree) solder for rod laminations unless you've pre-tinned the surfaces with a higher temp solder such as 179. On its own, I find low melt's pretty awful for joining anything except whitemetal.

[doilum]

I use 179 or 188 degree solder plus Carrs "green" flux for rod laminations - they should be at least as strongly assembled as the chassis itself.

 

I wouldn't use "low melt" (70 or 100 degree) solder for rod laminations unless you've pre-tinned the surfaces with a higher temp solder such as 179. On its own, I find low melt's pretty awful for joining anything except whitemetal.

Sorry, I was advising the use of low melt solder as a filler so as not to disturb the existing rods. I was also thinking more of 145, my usual RSU choice.

[2mmMark]

A really useful aid to soldering are flat aluminium hair clips (sometimes called sectioning clips). They can be bent to suit whatever you're soldering and being aluminium, there's no danger of accidentally soldering them to the workpiece.

 

ebay item 173272894783 for example.

[Guest Isambarduk]

... the RSUs that I've had for ages in the attic are still untouched ...

 

Well, each to their own.  There is a well-known and highly competent 7mm scale modeller who uses his RSU for absolutely all his construction, resorting to an iron only for electrical work.  I use an iron for about 95% of my 7mm loco building work but, for the other 5%, I find that my RSU is such a great tool.   David

[2mmMark]

I'm pretty much a "one-club golfer" when it comes to soldering.  Hi-temp 60-40 for nearly everything, via a cheap Maplin 48w soldering station like this:

I'm so used to it now that it's like a third hand. A while back, I did take the precaution of getting in a stock of tips as they get hard to find when the unit itself goes out of production. What nice about this iron is the ability to quickly change tips. It's possible to do it when hot.

 

An RSU looks like making for neater work but I find that using thin gauge solder gives me reasonably tidy joints. I'm still using a reel of "Litesold" branded cored 0.5mm dia 60-40 tin/lead that I bought in 1983!

 

Mark

[2mmMark]

In reality, he doesn't even need that. I've assembled plenty of rod sets with nothing more than a 25w Antex and a hairgrip. Meanwhile the RSUs that I've had for ages in the attic are still untouched - it got to the point that I had to cadge another set of RSU instructions from John Redrup at LRM because I'd mislaid my set.

 

Ah yes, the "Dorian Gray" soldering technique.

[AdeMoore]

Had quite a few hours on the model yesterday but not a lot to show!

Thinking about setting the cylinders out I figured I ought to add the crosshead and slidebars and the slidebar attachment plate no idea what it’s proper name is!

Dave had a P4? one on the etch he gave me I thought I could use that but after removal from the etch it was way to small so have to scratch build that. Then I removed the crossheads Dave made them of 4 laminations! Oh dear I looked at them for a good quarter of an hour I have to scratch one set anyway so I gave tha a miss for now, so darn small.

 

 

So went on to do more on the cylinder block. Filed down the crankpin and nut on the front as far as I dare, offered Up the folded block then I realised the holes for the pistons were at different widths each side so a new hole required but very close to the old one. So laid it on some aluminium tweezer handles (solder won’t stick to aluminium) and soldered in the bad hole.

 

 

Then drilling the new hole first with a pilot drill the solder came out! Never mind job done and the follow up drill had its guide.

 

 

Soldered up the rear half of the cylinder block.

 

 

Then drilled it for attachment to the footplate. I’ll have to devise how the smoke box also attaches.

Then screwed it on and temporary lined up the front plate of the cylinder block and the piston tube.

 

 

So the hole middle of the frame spacer is one I drilled as the instructions said to early on may be I can relocate for the smoke box screw and nut. But after this mock up the piston centre’s were to low, should be roughly centre of the wheels.. so I filed deeper the slot the block goes in.

Then offered it back and got it there abouts. Then made a start on the front plate the bad hole also had to be moved and then started cutting the covers for the front plate to add them on before I solder it in place.

Cheers for looking in.

[chris p bacon]

. Then I removed the crossheads Dave made them of 4 laminations! Oh dear I looked at them for a good quarter of an hour I have to scratch one set anyway so I gave tha a miss for now, so darn small.

 

96D9A8EE-D382-4820-873A-D9D84FD83504.jpeg

 

 

 

They are tricky little devils but it is possible to get them to work (well I managed it and I'm a real bodger)

 

In the pic are the 2 types,  there are the smaller ones that are for the inner that slides in-between the bars and the larger for the outer (they have the pin/bolt hole) that creates a shoulder.  The idea was to solder 4 together at once, 2 inner and 2 outer, they would then form the crosshead. The extended pin is only needed on the inner ones, I used it to locate inside a 1mm(or 1.5mm) rod so that the piston rod had some strength.

 

I did look at using some ready made ones but couldn't find anything suitable, although some from London Road Models weren't far out but did need altering.

[AdeMoore]

They are tricky little devils but it is possible to get them to work (well I managed it and I'm a real bodger)

 

In the pic are the 2 types,  there are the smaller ones that are for the inner that slides in-between the bars and the larger for the outer (they have the pin/bolt hole) that creates a shoulder.  The idea was to solder 4 together at once, 2 inner and 2 outer, they would then form the crosshead. The extended pin is only needed on the inner ones, I used it to locate inside a 1mm(or 1.5mm) rod so that the piston rod had some strength.

 

I did look at using some ready made ones but couldn't find anything suitable, although some from London Road Models weren't far out but did need altering.

Cheers Dave I did actually work it out by putting the Verniers on them to tell which did what and refering back to your thread. So you did a good job. I’m toying with a solid brass part to make them, I have something in mind, formally a 2amp socket earth terminal. Not gone as far as the shed yet though to see what I have.

Cheers

Ade

[chris p bacon]

 I’m toying with a solid brass part to make them

 

 

Although I've been able to make the chimneys and dome in 3D,  the crossheads are a little beyond me at present. otherwise I may have been able to draw one up and then got it done in brass (lost wax)

Mind you I'd hate to think what the cost would be 

[AdeMoore]

Well not a lot going on here at present as one at home the weather has been brilliant to good to be modelling really. Two I’m away on holiday better than being abroad! But some modelling is being done took a few Airfix kits away I won on eBay pre 1972 decimalisation! 46 years old at least. 1st one buffer beams missing and one buffer, need to scratch build something for those but nothing with me to do it yet. The meat van is ready for the roof but needs paint and lead first as well as the buffers and couplings. Bought some wagon wheels also from eBay advertised as probably metal, I took a punt but they we’re metal axles and plastic wheels they would have been better than the Airfix offering but we’re to wide pin to pin. So the Airfix wheels are under it for now.