Author Topic: my stuff  (Read 65893 times)

Offline Chazza

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #135 on: June 26, 2018, 08:22:38 AM »
Nice work Dennis!

Looking at your difficulty with clamping pairs for drilling; I usually weld them together in a convenient place with tacks and then cut or grind through the tacks, after drilling or shaping,

Cheers Charlie
S2 Command Recce '59
S2A 109" GS '63
S2A Fire Truck '64

Offline DennisM

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #136 on: May 16, 2020, 06:32:32 PM »
It has been some time since I updated this thread, in short I have made progress but at times 1 step forward 3 backwards LOL, anyway I can report that the tender is 99.9995% complete, it has been soft soldered on all joints etc, it just needs to have to coal floor plate sealed with a silicone type sealer, but not until I'm 100% ready to throw a match into the firebox.
There are still a plethora of small tasks to be attended, I have made many a valve to use in the steam circuits, I have no doubt that I will either reject them or redesign them to suit, just at present I have been working on the cab, it now free stands as of this afternoon (Saturday 16th May 2020)the cab width at the front 'spectacle plate is a 1/64" too wide, my thoughts are bugger it, that's how it will be LOL, anyway between working on this and my 110FFR (electrical issue with alternator) my County 110 leaking hub oil seal, and a very quite Anzac Day, I have no clues as to where time goes, cheers dennis
The loco/tender about 2 weeks ago

from another angle

the spectacle plate

plus 1/64" too wide (0.0156")

the free standing cab



Offline DennisM

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #137 on: May 22, 2021, 07:18:15 PM »
Jump forward a year, lots of plumbing and small items made and fitted etc, I was ready to fire it just a couple of days ago, anyway here are a few images of the process, I had to add a spill return from the axle driven water pump, via a bypass valve return to the tender, the tender is upside
down and bogies removed allowing access to the floor plate

the return pipe lower section before it coupled to the bypass valve

many a silver soldered joint in this project and some ingenuity needed to work out how to get n keep things in perpestive whilst being brazed

Whilst the boiler was off the frame I was able to refit the main steam pick up pipe which is connected to the regulator just below it, I made 2 gaskets
one either side of the slush plate, then refitted the steam dome, complete with it's safety valve set at 95psi using my home made tool



Many a job required the engine to be laid over on it's side, just to make things a bit easier for a blind old sod like me, working out the curves/radius
on some of the pipe work was very taxing as it had to line up with the fittings, no kinks in any of the tubes thankfully, shown here are the pipes that connect water and steam to the injector

Everything on the backhead was made by me with exception of the 'Everlast' blowdown valve at the bottom of the boiler, the pipe work and bends nearly drove me around the bend LOL

I wanted to have the main blowdown valve where it could be accessed quickly if needed, so I made my own and mounted it remotely on the rhs valance plate, it has it's own square headed key which I filed square by hand

A long time ago I had made the firebox grate using brass and mild steel, but after talking with more people it soon became obvious to me that I should have made it from stainless steel, so I ordered a few lengths form the UK and set about making it

having made that and all the other items, I thought about what I would need soon to move the loco n tender from the bench (which is where my Workshop trailer stood in the shed taking up room for 14 years) we made a wooden bench 1.7m long and 900mm tall, so I had to buy a lifter trolley that would go to 900mm it cost $600 from H & F in Sydney, then I needed to make a 5" rail and mount it securely on the trolley table

it just fits, I have to swing the 'dog bone' connector to one side to clear the handles.
Anyway after thinking about lighting it up for the first time, I put myself into 'think before you act' mode, the screw reverser had to be mid way between full forward and reverse, then a screwdriver placed through the wheels to stop it from rolling, a ratchet strap over the top so it didn't topple sideways and a heap of other things,
The day finally came along when I had covered all bases, fingers crossed and I can tell you I was like the proverbial cat trying to pass razor blades, I had cut n split some hardwood sticks and soaked them in kerosene, I also have a 20kg bag of 'Char' which is no longer available and hasn't been for well over 15 years, so the engine was placed on a stand that it sat on for almost 20+ years in the shed, and the tender sat on the new lifter trolley. they were coupled up, tender filled with water (almost 10lts) boiler primed to half the sight glass

sticks placed into the firebox and lit, it took some time before I started noticing anything other than smoke coming from the chimney, I was using my home made blower which was creating a draft up the chimney and pulling air over the fire

all was going well apart from a few minor water leaks

when I noticed that the blowdown valve on the rhs sight glass was dribbling water, so I went to nip it up using a 3/8"AF open ended spanner, as I applied force to the gland nut, it allowed the valve body to turn ever so slightly (even though the body had a locknut up against the boiler backhead)
thus shattering the sight glass, bloody hell, steam and hot water spraying everywhere

**it was trumps for about 30 seconds, I hadn't forseen this type of emergency, but I had a plastic water squirt bottle so I opened the firebox door and
squirted the fire with water with the required result.
That was a 'newby' mistake, since then I have been told never try to adjust anything whilst under pressure, remember the issue and deal with it when the engine is cool, anyway I have ordered some more sight glass, I just have to wait on the snail mail from Bathurst, cheers Dennis


« Last Edit: May 22, 2021, 07:33:28 PM by DennisM »

Offline Chazza

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #138 on: May 23, 2021, 09:25:06 AM »
Well done Dennis! What an achievement to have got this far.

Did you pressure-test the boiler with water before firing it? Don't want a nasty steam explosion,

Cheers Charlie
S2 Command Recce '59
S2A 109" GS '63
S2A Fire Truck '64

Offline Mick

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #139 on: May 23, 2021, 02:09:22 PM »
Simply amazing Dennis,

You never fail to amaze me. Great work that will last forever.

Good on ya mate.

Cheers,

Mick

Offline STDDIVER

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #140 on: May 23, 2021, 03:55:00 PM »
Brilliant work and great commentary too Dennis - a real work of art in every way -   cheers  Frank

Offline DennisM

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #141 on: May 24, 2021, 08:15:18 AM »
Thank you gents for the compliments, it has been a long time coming I'm still on a learning curve with some things, Charlie the boiler was first certified back in 1988, I got the Bi-Centennial number 88 88ND, it was tested to 200psi for 20 minutes, and also way back then the loco was running on compressed air, so if it ran on comp/air with no expansion qualities it should run on steam.
The boiler had to have a test to get back into the club, but seeing that it had a minor modification it was tested again with no issues, no leaks, I now have to make a rack system to mount in the back of my 110 County to transport the engine/tender, once done I can take it to the track for it's 'accumulation test', hopefully I will have any minor water leaks etc nipped before hand, cheers Dennis
« Last Edit: May 24, 2021, 04:12:53 PM by DennisM »

Offline mike_k

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #142 on: May 24, 2021, 06:19:33 PM »
Very impressive Dennis,

As always, great to see your skilled work.

Terrific  to see this up and running, a very long time coming but absolutely worth the wait.

Looking forward to seeing it run on some rails.

Offline Bluebell One-eight

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #143 on: May 31, 2021, 10:07:56 PM »
Top work Dennis, and I think you might have passed the exam on " patience " somewhere along the way!

Offline Philthy

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #144 on: July 14, 2021, 07:23:24 PM »
Glad I came back to your shed to have a look, its been a while. You must be stoked! Think we would all love some links to a video of the sound of it. 

Must be getting a logistical effort to move it around.

Congratulations its a testament to both your skillset and commitment to see this through.

Phil

Offline DennisM

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #145 on: July 17, 2021, 11:36:59 AM »
I will be as nervous as the 'proverbial cat' passing razor blades on it's first run at the track, rest assured I will have someone there to record the first admission of steam into the cylinders and moving off the start point, I'm going to run it on the elevated track mainly because of my lower back, the elevated track offers some relief in the way you sit behind the loco/tender, cheers dennis

Offline DennisM

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #146 on: November 04, 2021, 08:23:25 AM »
Yesterday 3/11/21, what a day for me, I was like a cat on a hot tin roof, I took my loco down to the track for it's first steam up under supervision, I had attended 3 days before (Sunday) just to check that the traverser transition rail would meet n fit my rails in the back of the Land Rover, well it did and it didn't, so after arriving home I made a few adjustments to my rails, and that all worked well yesterday, here is 3235 before the task started

the first task was to prove the 'pressure gauge' so it had to be removed and tested, thankfully it was spot on (made in England) LOL, then refit it and start a fire, I had that many helpers/onlookers etc, all helpful but one thing I found was next time I shall park up at the end of the road, so it's not so far to walk when wanting to do something on the opposite side of the loco.
It took approx. 10 minutes for the fire to get the water warming up, as I had overfilled the boiler, so to help out a drain points were opened and the situation was under control, it wasn't long after that the 3 safety valves were lifting and were being checked by 2 boiler inspectors, all 3 safety valves needed minor adjustment, I had previously set them on my home made tool using air pressure, but heat n steam is a different thing, anyway all good.
The next task was with the blower going flat out, fire very hot, the steam accumulation test was underway, to see how long it takes from the top fitting on the sight glasses to the lower nut and will the safety valves keep the boiler within it's limitations and not exceed the mark, well that went well thankfully, the only issue I had was the pressure hose ( well was supposed to be)on the hand pump connector to the loco, under steam pressure @ 95psi approx., the hose blew out, as pressure from the pump couldn't lift the clack valve on the boiler, the weak point was the hose, it went 'bang' like a .22 rifle shot, scared the living daylights out of me LOL, anyway I had the offer of the use of a riding truck but given that the manual pump now wasn't connected, even though I had the injector and an axle driven water pump, I declined the offer, instead I just moved it up n down over about 45 feet, that was enough excitement for one day, cheers dennis
 link to clips of moving under steam for the first time, it certainly wanted to get going
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMwFwxzKry8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlhoAQ1ULao

Offline Chazza

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #147 on: November 04, 2021, 08:57:17 AM »
Congratulations cobber!

Love the miniature choof-choof sound,

Cheers Charlie
S2 Command Recce '59
S2A 109" GS '63
S2A Fire Truck '64

Offline STDDIVER

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Re: my stuff
« Reply #148 on: November 05, 2021, 02:51:35 PM »
Well done young fella!   What an inspiration!   What's next?  Lunar Land Rover?    All the best mate  Frank