Member postings for FMES

I don't know what you would be doing surface table wise on a lathe, bus you definitely need some form of reference flat for taking measurements, using a height gauge for example.

I was lucky enough to obtain (not going to say 'pick up' a 3' x 2' cast iron table on its own stand - hadn't built the workshop at that time - just the concrete base, literally built everything else around it.

We put it in the middle and its stayed there ever since, no way I'm trying to move it, and I can get all around it for access.

FWIW, I have a cheapy Clarke CL300M for work that is too small for the bigger lathes, mostly small valves and pipe fittings certainly never needed to put it on a surface table.

Regards

Never had a boiler fail to fit its intended purpose yet, then again if you build and test the boiler first, everything is machined to fit.

And you are only talikng a few 'thous' of growth if you test properly.

There is always a difference in sound after testing too - before the metal will sound dull if you gently tap it, afterwards it will 'ring'

Regards

A newly constructed silver soldered boiler usually has the strength integrity of a piece of chocolate until it has been fully work hardened, normally by carrying out the hydraulic test in stages and slowly building up to the required pressure.

Pumping a new boiler up to working pressure in one hit will almost certainly cause deformation in all sorts of places.

Regards

You got your money back if you pressed the right button - I think that was 'B'

Otherwise you pressed 'A' to connect your call

And Lord help you if you were on a 'Party Line'

Regards

Soylent Green?

Lets be practical, in a few years the majority of us will not have personal transport as we have today.

For one thing, most of us couldn't afford to buy an all electric vehicle, andd wouldn't have any way of charging it easily if we could.

then of course there is always this **LINK**

Regards

Edited By FMES on 17/07/2019 08:14:41

Tried here Vic?

Terry, I'm rather surprised that you have had this loco for getting on six years and not had any luck steaming it.

Anyhoo, lets get back to basics. its a big old lump even at 3.5" gauge and the boiler must hold a fair bit of water.

One of my locos holds about 7 litres and on a cold day 20- 30 minutes of firing doesn't always show pressure on the gauge even with a good fire going. As SOD says, it takes considerably more energy to convert hot water into steam rather than to get it to boiling point in the first place.

So as long as all of your tests have been completed properly - safety valve checks etc, then you need to wait quite a bit for the pressure gauge to start to rise even with a good fire going.

At the same time as you are heating the water a lot of expansion is taking place, and any water trapped after the regulator in the superheater for example will find the easiest way out - first easy option - the snifting valves, and this is a common release point on stream up.

Sounds to me that you may not be waiting long enough and dropped the fire before it had got going properly, there are plenty of ways to test boiler pressure indication even without a gauge - gauge blass blowdows, blower, whistle etc, so if none of these are working you get the idea that the boiler is hot but not steaming.

For mine, I normally keep everything shut off during the initial firing with just the electric blower in the funnel, dampers opened, fire door SHUT, - a common mistake that stops the draft being drawn through the grate.

I keep it like this until I see about 20 - 30 psi reading on the gauge before opening the boilers own blower, total time for the bigger engines can take 40 minutes to an hour to get to the point of the safetys lifting.

If you are totally unsure that the pressure gauge is working properly, with a empty boiler connect up some piping to a convenient port - blow down valve is good, and with the valve open feed up 10 - 20 psi of air into the system, this should make everything work (to a fashion, make sure the wheels are chocked first tho because an inadvertant regulator operation even at these pressures can cause everything to set off on its own.

Regards

There is absolutely no need to drill out the guides on any of the BOP engines, they press out easily, with the correct tools, and likewise press back in with the correct tool to the correct depth.

Replacement guides are a couple of thou oversized from standard to allow for any wear caused by the removal operation and give a tight grip on refit.

I would suggest that as the ten bolt heads are fitted with bolts as standard, you consider the use of the stud kit from ARP No 157-4301 which will allow for a better grip onto the gaskets, which should be composites on these engines rather than the metal shim type.

Are you changing the cam? if so don't forget the rocker shaft shim kits for setting the follower pre load.

Regards

Hi Bob, Not specifically answering your question, but a friend of mine built a 31/2" Maisie back in the 1980's, as I recall there were no problems with the running gear, but when I was building the boiler there as degree of difficulty in getting heat for the silver solder to the front of the combustion chamber without melting the vertical water tubes.

In the end we opted for the alternative non- combustion chamber boiler.

Can't think of anything else.

Regards

As traction is affected by weight I would be more tempted to balance the light back end with additional lead.

Just a thought

Regards

Barometers, from the early mercury column to the latest digital, and yes I do have an EPP licence.

Regards

Edited By FMES on 07/06/2019 16:17:23

Having seen Edwards Burrell in the flesh you are going to need some fairly large machinery to complete it.

Regards

I must have been there a couple of days before you alan, took a couple of photos

Cast Iron swarf is a total pain, if left on a machine that has had a water based coolant in use the swarf will fuse together and form a solid lump.

I speak through experience of having two Brigeport R8s written off because the apprentices didn't vacuum out the slideways properly on the knees.

If it gets down into the suds tank you have to chip it out with a chisel / screwdriver. and it bungs up the pump.

Regards

Agree with Bri, and only add to ensure that the writing on the die faces the work.

Regards

Sorry, I'm confused (as usual).

Just logged in to the secure santander website and I see this message on the log in page:

The correct contact number is quoted

What am I missing?

Edited By FMES on 02/06/2019 10:29:40

Heaven

Maurice,

I would just like to say thank you for resolving the same problem I had with My pump.

Regards

Sounds like a duvet day before you do yourself an more damage