sir douglas Posted June 29, 2019 Author Share Posted June 29, 2019 thanks Northroader but ive already thought about the weight distribution,the firebox and bunker will be filled with lead and any available space rear-ward from the front driving axle. and then after running will decide if the front axle needs springing 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 Cylinder block and smokebox next, the cylinder block has holes cut int he wrapper for the bolts which go upwards into nuts trapped in the smokebox. The back of the smokebox is cut out to fit around the boiler mounting and motor keep hook. the holes are barely noticeable even from alvel vie and will be even less so after painting ive printed out the photos a while back and last friday photocopied the drawings from the book and re arranged them onto A4. the fold in the page was starting to get a bit worn since having the book on my workbench for reference but now it is back on the shelf out of the way 10 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Isambarduk Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 On 27/06/2019 at 21:42, sir douglas said: ... no matter how much i tried, the sodler wouldn't stick to the copper pipe, so instead it has been soldered to the frames. a strip was soldered on over either side for brackets that are in the drawing and photo. I am sure that you know, Sir D, that solder does not 'stick' like an adhesive. If the parts to be joined are sufficiently clean (abrasion and flux) and there is sufficient heat within the correct temparature range, then the solder alloy will form another alloy with the metals of the parts; the alloys solidify upon cooling and provide us with the desired joint. Solder easily forms an alloy with copper but, as has been pointed out, copper is an excellent conductor of heat (and electricity) so it will rapidly sap the heat away from the joint and so you have to put in a lot of heat very quickly to keep up with the loss. A blow torch is one solution but an iron with a large bit is another; both of these are a bit risky, though, as it's all to easy to unsolder previously made joints. Attractive though a piece of copper pipe might appear, it does come with its little challenges so it's best to stick with brass or nickel silver, which is even easier to use as it's not such a good heat conducter as brass. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 I had not thought about the copper needing to be up to temperature for it work before i started, i just thought that if i slap on the solder with a smear of flux, it would be okay but obviously not. In hindsight it would have been better to use brass or nickel but i went with it because it is already formed to the right diameter, then found out the heat sink problem. When ive tried just holding the iron on for a few minutes, a barrier of dirt forms preventing further soldering work and when i put the iron away to clean the dirt, it cools down a little bit. i was just thinking while writing this about making up a replacement from brass but its in now so unless something happens in the future to change my mind, the copper pipe stays. the dirt that forms i would guess is the same idea as when you watch blacksmithing, iron forms a layer of dirt in the hearth which constantly needs brushing off Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted June 30, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 30, 2019 Sometimes, Sam, you bring up the big guns, here it’s a Weller 120watter. The leading part of the diesel, nose and cab, is a bronze casting, the tail two thirds is a single piece of brass. David has pointed out the snag, you don’t want any more bits around to come unstuck, but it’s a nice tool for warming the job up. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doilum Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 An alternative approach is to find some thin shim brass. This can be used to wrap a heavier tube. Boiler bands are easily attached and the tube filled with molten lead. Slightly OT, this is also a good way to scratch build tank wagons. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted June 30, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 30, 2019 The other thing that you might do Sam is to 'tin' the copper tube off the loco so that there is a layer of solder in the area that you want to make the join. This could be done using a small blowtorch. Then tin your brass part , put some flux on and then hold them together and apply the iron to the brass. If you are lucky the two layers of solder will melt together to make you a join. You can get very cheap cooks blow torches from many shops that would give you quite enough heat. I use one for high temperature soldering or large pieces and it only cost a few pounds. Jamie 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted July 5, 2019 Author Share Posted July 5, 2019 This week has been mostly focusing on the body except for the addition of cab steps on the chassis. A tank and firebox were made and glued together with the smokebox and footplate, then the insides were cut out to fit the motor, i fond that the copper tube had to be filed down a bit and the gearbox slot filed out, the wires had to be re routed away from the top as they were fouling the inside of the tank, im still fettling here and there to get everything to sit right together. the smokebox a "D" door guessed from the hinges and handle on the drawing, the angle brackets on the side and the chimney is a wall screw plug super glued on and milliput applied for the base curves, a tank lid glued also with milliput for the curves, the top of the firebox has the base of the dome. for which im not decided yet whether to machine down from a solid piece of styrene plied up or to build it up in layers. the copper pipe has got some milliput too, this is to fill up the gouges pits. and tonight the wheels arches have been made and fitted im getting the update in now as ive got a busy day tomorrow going to a field near Cleackheaton to see some tanks and trucks as i did last year 12 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted July 12, 2019 Author Share Posted July 12, 2019 After handling the bufferbeas start becoming a but wobbly as the solder joins weaken, ive had to re do the joins twice already so angle bracing has been added to both bufferbeams making up the bunker out of nickel sheet with brass strip around the top and wire for the handles, the styrene is packing in a gap after measuring without taking the footplate into account. the coal sluice is styrene superglued on. Middleton this weekend https://www.middletonrailway.org.uk/index.php/special-events/model-railway-exhibition 13 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted July 24, 2019 Author Share Posted July 24, 2019 still working on gilgamesh regularly while on other things but the heat is so demotivating. The front sand pots are soldered up out of nickel sheet, as there is no end drawing to work from i dont know how wide they should be so they are just wide enough to hide the buffer bolts and bufferbeam supports inside them. the front axle boxes are made up with thin styrene sheet superglued to the back of the brass with the axle boxes layered up with 2mm thick square of 5x5mm stuck into the hole onto the sheet with cement. Handrail knob positions on the tank have been marked and drilled. The dome was made up in layers by turning each on the dremel. the back head is coming along, mainly inspired by "lion" i think it'll look righ with it being a contemporary of Star and Swallow on the L&MR only built 3 years before and what little i can see of the regulator stuffing box on the drawing looks about the same as Lion. The bunker is superglued down with 8BA nuts soldered inside to screw that end of the body down to the chassis through the rear frame stretcher, the filler packing on top of the rear bufferbeam had to be replaced and the inside of the bunker has been capped off and sealed with superglue ready for putting lead in and then coal, the brake column will be left until after finishing the backhead. and i cant make up the cab sides until i get some leaf springs as the sides have cut outs to go around the springs. i cant just use wagons springs this time as they are clearly chunker with more layers, im thinking of goin with some from Peter Mullen and i might as well get the salter safety valve springs while i'm at it 15 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 That's coming along nicely. I like it! I really ought to get my drawing board out and do the 4mm version that I've been meaning to do. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano747 Posted August 2, 2019 Share Posted August 2, 2019 Congratulations, Sam, on your article in the GOG Gazette. Very inspirational for scratch building! Well done. Regards, Deano. 1 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted August 3, 2019 Author Share Posted August 3, 2019 thank you Deano Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted August 8, 2019 Author Share Posted August 8, 2019 An order for leaf springs and salter safety valves was made to Laurie Griffin yesterday. Yesterday the bunker was filled with lead and balance out just enough for the loco to sit level on the drivers without the front wheels. the lead was covered over with coal set with superglue. so with some lead inside the firebox and whitemetal crew on the footplate, the weight balance should be fine. Today a few more bits have been fitted; saddle tank hand rails, water gauge and brake column. 9 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 Brake gear (left) and sanding pipes (right) soldered into the chassis 7 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 the order came yesterday which is only 2 days. the salter springs are fitted but the leaf springs are much bigger than i thought from the photo. from here i either heavily modify them or not use them because i cant use them as they are. i dont think i could send them back as i already cut off the casting spigots and started modifying one. i might wait a few weeks and get more suitable ones from him at Telford ( if ii can go that is). Salter springs mounted with the arm length cut down, and cab sides made up ready to cut for the springs. Another little thing you cant see is a short handrail on 2 knobs ont he smokebox front above the door 6 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted August 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 11, 2019 Looks a really tasty job. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted August 14, 2019 Author Share Posted August 14, 2019 while i wait on what i'm going to do with the springs, ive had a good idea on what to do with the atlas chassis. The hudswell body with the con rods, jack shaft and bufferbeams will be put aside for another day when a new chassis in my usual style will be built for it. the Atlas will now run on Slater's wagon wheels with the gears fitted onto the axles, the axles are 1/8th, the old atlas axles are 5/32 but it is just my luck that i have a mild steel tube which perfectly fits between them. monday night the new axles with gears and tubes on were drilled through on the club pillar to locked them together with a bit of wire bent over at either end. the chassis has been cut down again as the front axle slot is no longer needed. the parts to be put aside with the hudswell body except for the motor plug the shortened chassis on the new wheelsets, the plastic keep plate was cut down as well and fitted. a test run power by croc clips to the track worked but its a bit jerky as the wheels have a lot of play in the axle slots, which i'm currently working on to sort out This project hasnt yet got any prototype to base it on or any vague inspiration let alone a chosen name, for now its just a matter of getting it running then i can think about what its going to be. 5 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted August 14, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 14, 2019 It’s a neat arrangement, Sam, but the gear ratio looks very low to me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brack Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 40 minutes ago, Northroader said: It’s a neat arrangement, Sam, but the gear ratio looks very low to me. Pressing that worm off the shaft and putting it on a cheap ebay gearmotor would tame it whilst still keeping the same drive train. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium J. S. Bach Posted August 14, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 14, 2019 6 hours ago, sir douglas said: the shortened chassis on the new wheelsets, the plastic keep plate was cut down as well and fitted. a test run power by croc clips to the track worked but its a bit jerky as the wheels have a lot of play in the axle slots, which i'm currently working on to sort out I am guessing that there is/are intermediate gear(s) between the driven axle and the second axle? Quote: "This project hasn't yet got any prototype to base it on or any vague inspiration let alone a chosen name, for now its just a matter of getting it running then i can think about what its going to be." Was it common (or not?) for an industry/mine/whatever i the UK to homebuild a loco out of scrounged parts? It was here especially among loggers; some really neat "devices" were produced. Note that some did not resemble anything conventional!! But they did the job that they were designed (using the term loosely) for. Use you imagination here, let it run wild. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 The ex Atlas is a runner now with more modifications. The slop in the axles have been removed with brass bearings soldered to new keep plates, i was going to use brass but a brainwave told me to use the double sided copper clad so the other side could be used for the pick ups. a problem with the motor has had to be sorted by taking down the diameter of the worm gear, the mesh of the gears was a little too tight causing the motor to jerk in a piston motion but its fixed now. the pickups are wire to the motor and it runs, its occasionally stuttery and it often needs a nudge to get it going but its a start. A short test run video, it can go slower but its less reliable at the moment so its at this speed just to keep it going for the camera 7 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 6 hours ago, sir douglas said: The ex Atlas is a runner now with more modifications. The slop in the axles have been removed with brass bearings soldered to new keep plates, i was going to use brass but a brainwave told me to use the double sided copper clad so the other side could be used for the pick ups. a problem with the motor has had to be sorted by taking down the diameter of the worm gear, the mesh of the gears was a little too tight causing the motor to jerk in a piston motion but its fixed now. the pickups are wire to the motor and it runs, its occasionally stuttery and it often needs a nudge to get it going but its a start. A short test run video, it can go slower but its less reliable at the moment so its at this speed just to keep it going for the camera Very useful stuff is double-sided copper-clad pcb material. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sir douglas Posted August 25, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 25, 2019 A while back i realized that i needed to replace the coupling rods on Gilgamesh, they were first just nickel sheet but i need to make new ones to match the photo. The detail of this being the round section of the rod in similar fashion as Kerr Stuart. they are cut from 1.5mm brass with a hack saw and the rest is filed down 13 1 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 wow that last post got a lot of likes, thank you everyone. For the last few days ive been looking for something to go on my butchered Atlas and found a good candidate in the 3 Hunslets of 1954 for Ipswich docks BR 11500-2 later renumbered D2950-2. This was chosen because of the large cab which could house the large motor. ive been offered drawings by both Micheal Edge and Dava, which ive made arrangements with the latter to recieve photocopies at Telford this Saturday which would save me going to my local library to print out https://photos.smugmug.com/RAILWAYS/BRITISH-DIESEL-AND-ELECTRIC/PRE-BR/i-PrXNT5V/1/6b1def7e/M/IMG_20170608_0020-M.jpg 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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