N15class Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Looks very neat. I expect you will be pleased when you are located in one place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted May 22, 2016 Author Share Posted May 22, 2016 Looks very neat. I expect you will be pleased when you are located in one place. YES YES YES!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted May 23, 2016 Author Share Posted May 23, 2016 Tonight's job has been adding the valve guides and cylinder covers. I spent a long time on the read valve guides making sure that the nickel silver cast valve rod will slide freely inside. I then realised that the bosses on the guides are considerably larger than the holes in the cylinder block which had to be opened out. No problem at the front but access to the rear was inhibited by the motion bracket so I recommend that if you are building this you open out the holes before fitting the motion bracket. All six castings are quite large and I was worried that soldering them in place might unstick the wrapper. I had attached the wrapper with 60:40 and it held firm while the castings were attached with 145 degree solder. Next up: the conjugated gear. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted May 24, 2016 Author Share Posted May 24, 2016 As promised, next was the conjugated gear. Here are the bits cleaned up: And here sweated together (incorrectly in the case of the main levers) So redone properly here: Here two shots of the assembled gear showing it free to move! And here temporarily fitted. I'll fix it later when I have assembled the other bits: it is too vulnerable otherwise. Motion bracket assembled and tried in place. Next job is the valve gear. I have some Premier Components to use, but having broken the combination lever while trying to bend it to shape (boo hoo) I'll be using a mixture of DA and Premier parts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted May 25, 2016 Author Share Posted May 25, 2016 I have to say that I am really pleased with this evening's progress. I started by forming the union links from the DA set: the pair that together make a link with forked ends. These were then added to the drop link from the cross head and the DA combination lever. The valve stem was also added. All joints are pins and solder. Seen here with the two Premier valve rods, one of which has had teh end filed down ready to add the DA 'fork conversion' piece. The fork was then formed and added to the assembly. I formed the expansion links and then bolted the Premier eccentric rod to them using a 14BA screw and nut. The nut is soldered to the back of expansion link and rotates in the rod. The head has been filed back. At the other end of the rod I have had the bright idea of countersinking the rod and using a countersunk 14BA screw which will be soldered into the crank. I can do this as ether is a lot of meat in milled rod. So tomorrow we see how this lot goes together! It looks like I will be making a start on the body this weekend! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkallan Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 Nice work, David. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted May 26, 2016 Author Share Posted May 26, 2016 Not such good progress today. I started off by completing the cranks, eccentric rod and expansion link assembly. As described before these are assembled with 14BA screws. At the crank end countersunk screws are recessed into the rod and soldered to the crank. The caps were then added. The first went OK. However, I managed to solder solid the second one, so much work was done in disassembly cleaning up and reassembly. I then added the con rods to the crosshead. At this point I realised that: a, the clearance issues between con rod and the front coupling rod boss are worse than I thought, and b, the centre wheel screw is not long enough to mount everything. So having had one minor disaster I am not about to tempt fate with another so I'll come back fresh to this tomorrow. I have ideas on what to do. I hope that the 12BA screw in the centre driver will come out easily. If not I have some more wheels the same size and will remove the balance weights and use new wheels. Ho hum! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted May 27, 2016 Author Share Posted May 27, 2016 Things always seem a lot easier after a night's sleep! I took the wheels off the chassis and much to my relief the Slaters 12BA screws came out easily. I replaced the ones on the leading wheelset with 10BA screws, tapping the wheel accordingly. I also drilled out and tapped the Slater's bush 10BA and reduced its length so that it was marginally longer than the width of the coupling rod (think gnat's do-dahs). I used a 10BA washer inside the coulping rod to give it clearance to the wheel boss and then used the tapped bush wring way round to hold the rod in place. Finally I cut off the excess length of the screw. I removed the existing 12BA screws from the centre wheels and replaced them with longer countersunk brass screws.I used brass as it will be easier to solder the return cranks in place later. On reassembly I now have enough clearance between coupling rod bush and connecting rod. So not looking too bad and running freely. Now for the other side, but I had better shower and go to work first! Edit for typos Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 Have you seen that Markits are now doing machined return cranks, and speedo cranks in 7mm scale for LNER and SR locos? I found a post about it on Facebook yesterday. Might be worth a look. Found it: http://www.markits.com/news.html Stainless steel too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted May 27, 2016 Author Share Posted May 27, 2016 Have you seen that Markits are now doing machined return cranks, and speedo cranks in 7mm scale for LNER and SR locos? I found a post about it on Facebook yesterday. Might be worth a look. Found it: http://www.markits.com/news.html Stainless steel too. Hi Jeff, No I had not seen that. Looks interesting. Are you going to Doncaster next weekend? (I may have your B1 ready ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkallan Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 Hi Jeff, No I had not seen that. Looks interesting. Are you going to Doncaster next weekend? (I may have your B1 ready ) Hi David, These cranks from Markits look good. Shall we get them for Tranquil? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted May 27, 2016 Author Share Posted May 27, 2016 Hi David, These cranks from Markits look good. Shall we get them for Tranquil? Good idea: it will be interesting to see them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted May 28, 2016 Author Share Posted May 28, 2016 Limited time at the bench yesterday, but I did get the valve gear finished (bar linking the conjugated drive). I like the way it is designed to be removable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted May 29, 2016 Author Share Posted May 29, 2016 This morning's session saw the chassis construction finished bar the pick ups, motor and final fixing of the valve gear. Next job is to strip it down, clean off excess solder and flux, followed by a good wash and then priming. I am going to be trying etch black primer for the first time and will do the tender chassis too. Now it is time for a late lunch followed by a spot of house work, after which I will make a start on the body. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted May 29, 2016 Author Share Posted May 29, 2016 So for my third and final posting today, a start has been made on the body: not much done but it took time. The running plate has been added to the valences/jig. I think I have earned my reward today: a roast dinner and a couple of pints of Speckled Hen - at over £7 a pint it is an occasional treat! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkallan Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 Nice work - you deserve the brown fowl!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 SEVEN quid a pint?!???? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano747 Posted May 29, 2016 Share Posted May 29, 2016 SEVEN quid a pint?!???? Not a bad price for the far east??!! Regards, Deano. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Not a bad price for the far east??!! They've been taking lessons from the Scandinavians! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted June 1, 2016 Author Share Posted June 1, 2016 Duly refreshed with a few glasses of the brown fowl, and now nursing a hangover bruised wallet, work has continued. The loco and tender frames were stripped down and cleaned. In the case of the tender the brake rigging was removed. These are now on top of the washing machine outside work surface being sprayed. Nearly complete and photos to follow. I have used the Clostermann black etch primer for the first time and hats off to David Allan for suggesting it to me. It goes on well and leaves a wonderful smooth very matt black surface, so unless somebody can advise otherwise I think I will let it stay that way. The forming of the front section of the footplate was a time consuming business. One of the things i have yet to find here is cook's blowlamp so that I can anneal the brass. I have a cigar lighter but it's not really up to the job. Softer brass would have made the forming easier. Buffer beam and frame extensions were added at this stage. I have started the splashers. I gave up last night when I deformed one. Fortunately it is a centre splasher and will be hidden by the name plate. I will do a little more tonight, but am flying back home tomorrow for the Doncaster show, so there will be no progress for a few days. Come and say hello to me at the Gladiator stand if you get chance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 Just have time for one quick post before going to the airport. Here are the undergubbins after spraying. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 ....One of the things i have yet to find here is cook's blowlamp so that I can anneal the brass..... Maybe the military authorities could lend you one of their flamethrowers for a while? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 Once more the jet lag has been packed away for another day, and work has resumed. Fitting the splashers was not that difficult, but I did have to re-do them. I laminated the sides together and then fixed the tabs on these into the slots on the running plate. The problem was that when I then came to form and fit the tops, I found that the sides were outboard too much. I had to use my newly acquired flame thrower (expensive [£40] cooks torch from emporium - the Thai army was strangely reluctant to offer aid) to remove the sides and then thin the tabs and re-fit. The front platform also required some trimming. I guess that it has been formed slightly oversize to allow for the inevitable variations in the way people will form the running plate curvature. I still have a bit of cleaning up, filling and more cleaning up to do in this area. Once done it will be on with the cab assembly. I also want to return to the chassis this weekend. Now the frames are painted I will be able to fit the pick ups, gearbox and reassemble to make it complete. I may just need to assemble the boiler first just to ensure that the motor orientation is correct. The kit is designed to drive from the rear axle but I may use the middle if possible. No particular reason other than a belief that it ought to be better that way! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 Yesterday was spent tidying up the splasher assemblies - filling and cleaning up as required - and making a start on the cab sides. The cook's torch was brought into use again (how did I manage without it?) to anneal the cab sides which were then bent to shape. I used the half round wire to form the beading outside and in. The other bits and bobs were then added. Such a short post for so much time at the bench! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Do you have your own seats on the plane and parking spots at the airports yet? Nice work anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.