Member postings for Weary

Roger Froud's electric test boiler is shown running on this page of MECH. Scroll down to Dec. 18th posting (Dunno if you have found it yet). He details construction and controls over a variety of preceding pages.

Terrier060 does similarly in his electric boiler design and construction.

If you cannot find the information that you require then maybe post your enquiry there too (under 'General Chat'  ) and you will get assistance.

Phil

Edited By Weary on 14/08/2023 08:58:02

A couple of the posters on Model Engineering Clearing House have designed, built, and used electric boilers for injector testing. Roger and terrier060 come to mind so maybe worth searching their threads, tho' others have also done-so.

Phil

Trains up to 590 metres total length running on West Coast mainline in section past Milton Keynes.

OO gauge, 4mm to foot: 1 metre (3.28 feet) is modelled at 13.12 mm.

590 meter long train = 7.74 metre long model at OO gauge 4mm to foot scale.

Phil

Edited By Weary on 10/08/2023 21:09:43

Edited By Weary on 10/08/2023 21:12:18

Nigel,

Grizzly, in the US almost certainly sell, or have sold, what is basically the same, or at the least a very similar machine. If you can identify it in their range then you can download their manual from their site.

Phil

Maybe worth getting Stuart Hart's book, 'Making Model Victorian Stationary Engines', which covers three of his designs (including his horizontal mill-engine) with full drawings and construction notes.

Phil

Hello SillyOldDuffer,

to perhaps give you (& others) further food for electrical thought here is a quote from a 1911 newspaper article which mentions the antenna:

"... Close by is the miller's garden in which there are pairs of poles fixed to the tops of trees about 220 feet apart.  The poles are connect with a pair of wires running parallel with each other, and connected with a little wooden shed behind the miller's house."

Source document, bottom of this page, posting dated Jun 12 2023

Must say I am very impressed by your radio based detective work.

Regards,

Phil

Edited By Weary on 19/06/2023 12:45:17

Re: the 'prize' book supposedly awarded in recognition of Mr Moor's model mill engine: "Modern Views of Electricity and Magnetism" by (Sir) Oliver Lodge.

I cannot find the quoted title amongst Sir Oliver Lodge's listed publications. Though this is by no means an exhaustive list. However, my internet search has failed to turn up any book with the full title "Modern Views of Magnetism and Electricity" by Oliver Lodge as quoted in all the sources about Mr A Moore.

I assume that the book referred to is 'Modern Views of Electricity' by Sir Oliver Lodge, published 1889. Last reprinted 1892, and then far more recently, 2021, as a curiosity.

If this is the book referred to then, despite the contents re: storage and generation of electricity perhaps remaining current (pun unintentional!) as basic methods for some years, surely it would have been a little out of date to be awarded as a 'prize' in 1909 or thereabouts, being 20 years old by this time. However, during Mr Moore's youth it may have been useful.

This 'prize book' regularly quoted in the printed sources about Mr Moore's life seems to me to be yet another piece of confusion (and perhaps embellishment) in the detail of his undoubtedly interesting life.

Given Mr Atkin's researches and discoveries that he mentions above which disprove key elements of the oft-recited tale of A Moore's life it is interesting to speculate who had anything to gain by embellishing the story and why they may have done-so.

Phil

Edited By Weary on 18/06/2023 09:47:04

Hello Margaret:

Value:

The current rights to the Clarkson's range of castings and drawings is held by Blackgates Engineering. I don't know how much they are quoting for the castings & drawings, but an enquiry may elicit some information.

The same locomotive, drawn and prepared by a different designer is available from Reeves 2000 as Roedean. You can see that the full set of castings with drawings is approx. £1250.

As to how-much your castings are worth I'm afraid that it is whatever someone is prepared to pay. Generally castings sold-on like this sell at a heavy discount to the original price. Model Engineers love a bargain!

You should also note that Clarkson drawings are generally not highly detailed and, whilst I am not familiar with particular Clarkson design, often need skill in interpreting and making the parts. An ongoing series in the magazine 'Engineering in Miniature' which involves the Schools Class V may stimulate some interest in your castings.

How to sell:

Ebay will let the market decide a value for you, and you can of course have a 'hidden reserve' if you wish. Naturally there are fees involved reducing your return, however you do not have to decide the value.

Otherwise/in addition you can advertise here or on Model Engineering Clearing House. I would always recommend stating a price in adverts placed in website small-ads if you can, rather than asking for 'offers'. In addition, no matter how you sell, I would strongly recommend offering delivery - you simply pass the cost on to the purchaser, but it widens your market so much.

You always have the option of selling to a dealer. They will give you a quote by email. You will receive an absolutely rock-bottom price but it is quick and easy from your point of view simply requiring you to send the castings etc. to them. Station Road Steam is well known, but there are others which a search will find.

I have also sent you a Personal Message. You can access this by looking on the thin green banner near the top of the page and clicking on the second icon from the left. If you have a message it should be 'flashing'.

Regards

Phil

And surely needs drawing to the attention of Model Engineer Magazine's editor so that a clarifying addendum to the original article can be printed?

Phil

Edited By Weary on 23/05/2023 07:20:26

Dave,

As designed Henley is a slide-valve design so the valves should lift off the sliding faces to allow any trapped water to escape and so prevent hydraulic locking. Have you got enough clearance (approx 1/16" as drawn) between the top of the valves and the valve covers allowing them to lift? Is there enough vertical clearance between the bottom of the valve rod slot and the valve rod itself or is that lack of clearance preventing lifting?

Of course if your father converted to piston valves then that facility is lost & you will have to go for drain or cylinder relief valves.

1/16" pin should be fine - you want that pin to shear to prevent any more serious issues. Supposing that you do indeed have slide valves fitted I suggest that you find out why water condensate cannot escape by lifting the valves off the face first.

Regards,

Phil

Not sure how you are air-testing your regulator & am not familiar with this particular design but don't overlook that conventionally when in service the boiler pressure will be forcing the the two surfaces of the disc regulator together.

If, for example, you are testing by applying air pressure to the the outlet then that pressure differential is the opposite to what will happen in service.

There are a couple of owners of Don Young designed locos over on Model Engineering Clearing House, indeed I think that there are a couple of 'Hunslet owners' amongst them. Maybe worth posing your issue there too?

Regards,

Phil

Ebay item No. 284962889566 from Rotagrip ??

(Not 'split' though)

Edited By Weary on 25/04/2023 21:17:34

Re: your 'plug' to cover strap-blemish:

How about drilling all the way through a small size (say 1mm), then drilling the 'plug' size part way through.

This would allow flux to escape down the 'pilot vent' and save re-machining inside the straps? The pilot hole would be invisible once assembled. Additionally I note that your flaw appears to be very close to the strap-edge = watch for drill break-through! Maybe worth using a suitable sized end-mill as a drill?

Regards,

Phil

Pieces of card folded and weighed-down with scrap.

Phil

Very nice build construction 'article' with some excellent transferable 'how-to' tips.

Thanks

Phil

Hi Jason,

Re: Threads:

Yep - of course. More speed = less haste (on my part) & more confusion. I've deleted my post to avoid further confusion.

Apologies all round - don't post often & now you know why not!!

Ta.

Phil

Edited By Weary on 23/02/2023 19:52:16

Deleted post.

Edited By Weary on 23/02/2023 19:37:20

Edited By Weary on 23/02/2023 19:38:01

Edited By Weary on 23/02/2023 19:53:17

Have a look at Small Live Steam Engines Wiki on Fandom.

Each entry indicates whether and where it has been serialised.

Jon Lawes, the curator of the list is a member on here so may spot your posting,

Phil.

Model Engineers' Laser.

Phil

I too have a 35/64" drill. (Amongst many other drills)

I purchased it as I wanted 14mm holes and was offered the 35/64" drill a lot cheaper than 14mm. 35/64" is 0.1mm (0.004"  ) diameter undersize, and in the real world would effectively meet my spec. & do what I wanted. (Yea, yea, I know - I'm an animal!)

However, maybe the answer to your query is something equally prosaic.

Regards, Phil

Edited By Weary on 07/02/2023 08:41:43

Edited By Weary on 07/02/2023 08:44:52