Member postings for Redsetter

My only experience of this was with a 5" Pansy with valves below the cylinders. On starting, there was a short delay after opening the regulator until the steam chest pressure increased enough to lift the valves up, and you could usually hear a click when this happened. You could induce this by snapping the regulator open, then backing it off to the starting position. It really wasn't a problem once you knew about it.

If the object of the exercise is just to allow fitting of different chucks, then an easier solution might be to make an adaptor, or a few separate backplates. I had a Zyto branded Flexispeed long ago, and I think the nose thread was 1/2" BSF. If so, no problem getting a tap to start you off.

Andy,

With respect, I think you will find that the Flexispeed is made to Imperial dimensions so you should stick with those, apart from your chosen nose thread.

From your drawing, 12.8mm is a bit more than 1/2", so probably 1/2" bearings. 6.3mm is a bit less than 1/4", so probably 1/4" bore - you need to be a lot more precise than that! And what are you going to do about the worm gear?

If you can find someone to do it, best to just let them have the whole machine and tell them what you want, so that they can fit the spindle to the job rather than trying to rely on a drawing.

And it costs what it costs. It may not be difficult for a skilled person, but it will be time-consuming, so don't expect them to do it for beer money.

£200 odd for the Cowells spindle isn't unreasonable, and an accurately made one-off, starting from scratch, will probably be be more than that.

Sorry if this all sounds a bit negative, but I am not sure you are being realistic. As said- what is the actual problem with the existing spindle?

I think the OP is referring to the design by Martin Evans for a Stanier 2-6-4T, which he named Jubilee.

Edited By Redsetter on 01/09/2023 11:38:57

Another name which comes to mind is Dick Laidlaw-Dickson - not sure if he was ever editor, but certainly involved in the late 1960s.

Slightly off-topic, but in view of LBSC's well-known antipathy to Martin Evans, you have to hand it to Martin for visiting LBSC, and persuading him back into the fold. Considerable tact and diplomacy must have been required - oh, to have been a fly on the wall !

Hollingsworth's book on LBSC indicates that following Maskelyne, c. 1955, the editors were L.B. Howard, then Kenneth Garcke, plus managing editor, L.B Waller.

It would indeed be interesting to know more about the history of the magazine and those involved.

LBSC described an outside Stephenson gear for Tich in ME, vol. 120, 3012, as an alternative to Walschearts and used it on his own engine. I have only ever seen one other example. It would probably suit a Simplex if scaled up, and the double return cranks would be easier to deal with in the larger size.

No disrespect intended to Don Ashton, but he was a perfectionist, and in my humble opinion he was unnecessarily critical of some designs which work quite well in practice.

Have you considered the layout used on LMS 4767 which has a launch link with direct drive?

Also the version used on some "foreign" locos with two outside eccentrics carried on a return crank? Perhaps a bit bulky, but easier to adjust than a double return crank.

Is there any advantage in "link up for forward running" with Stephenson's? It would of course give you more clearance between link and rail level when running forwards, but you need the clearance in reverse as well. 3/4" clearance seems ample. It is usually much less than that in 3 1/2" gauge.

A floating bush has been suggested earlier but I think it is difficult to predict how this would behave. As the assembly heats up the bush will expand, and tend to bind in the housing. To ensure that it floats properly it would have to be quite a loose fit, in which case it may not work well as a bearing.

Is there any reason why the bush cannot be retained in the external housing, with the shaft rotating inside it? It would only need a light press fit, or Loctite. The oil holes could be drilled through after fitting.

Or isn't that complicated enough for you guys?

Stating the obvious perhaps, but the editor of MEW must know the source of the article. Maybe ask nicely?

Can I suggest that a posting on the UK Vintage Radio forum would be worthwhile? They are a very helpful and knowledgeable bunch.

Any air contained in the boiler while raising steam will be blown out when the safety valve opens.

The hole is not too difficult to recover, as has been stated, but the escape wheel is best replaced, and with that amount of wear it is likely that there are other problems elsewhere. It would be worth looking for another Enfield movement in better condition. They were well made, but not intended to last indefinitely, and they are neither rare nor expensive.

Stainless balls are absolutely fine in bronze clack valves and they last indefinitely.

Edited By Redsetter on 20/05/2023 19:09:57

6BA?

A competent person can do that whole job in a four-jaw chuck very easily without any special fixtures.

OP, with due respect, you are only telling us part of the problem.

What are you actually trying to make on the lathe?

Have you considered manual operation? It would just need a crank handle on the end of the leadscrew, and would be far more controllable than an electric drive in its simplest form.

You will also need some way of feeding the tool into the work, and that will normally require another leadscrew.