Member postings for duncan webster

I can thoroughly recommend the Australian Model Boiler Code as a design guide. It is very well written, and complies with BS5500 (Unfired fusion welded Pressure Vessels), which is as near as British Standards gets to what we make.

Ignore all the rubbish quoted by 'those who know' about loco fireboxes being banned. Unfortunately I can't remember the e-mail of the chap I got my copy from, and it's no doubt out of date by now.

Thanks guys, we've got some aluminium MIG welding wire and some goo specially formulated for bonding ally busbars. We're going to try ally pop rivets and I've made some ally washers for holding the wires on, so we don't have any dissimilar metals. I'll keep you posted, but wait till we've had a winter before getting too cocky!

Don't fancy solder as it's out in the field and we have plastic sleepers, visions of meled plastic everywhere

We've discovered that we managed to put an out of date version of the code on our website (**LINK**). At least 2 builders have discovered that if you use the code as published, the display only updates once per revolution. This is down to the arcane subject of integer arithmetic. If you're struggling, just change the line which says

int Slots = 90;

to

float Slots = 90;

make sure you get case of characters correct . we will update the website ASAP, in the meantime my apologies for any hair pulling.

If caustic soda doesn't shift it try cellulose thinners.

We're playing about with track circuiting our 5"g raised track. We've got it working on one length, and so we now need to electrically bond several lengths together (continuity across fishplates is very poor). The electrochemical potential between aluminium and copper is more than between ally and steel, so remembering the trouble with old landrover door tops, I imagine using copper wire might be a problem. Anyone got any advice/experience?

definatel;y superheat, friend of mine added effective superheat to his loco and massively reduced his water consumption at a given load, hence could pull a lot more for same water consumption. Water is free, but you have to turnit into steam!

For those components I'd be amazed if bog standard mild steel wasn't strong enough. It worked on my 5"g locos, and hundreds of others. If you want something a bit stronger then EN8, but I can't see that it's necessary

Reply within 5 minutes! This could well be the guy, I'll be contacting him directly.

Thanks

Whenever I visited Harrogate show there was always a guy trying to sell plans and electronics to build a model fairground organ, He seems to have disappeared. Anyone on got contact details, or anywhere else I can get info?

If valve gear is built to LBSC dimensions the maximum cut off is quite small, which can occasionally give rise to difficulty starting. Both KNHarris and Don Young have published modifications to give longer full gear cut-off.

I agree, Australian code is very good, but avoid use of leaded bronze for silver soldered bushes

That's stunning. Less than 12 hours and all you chaps have answered. Thanks to all who have replied. I have all bar 2 of 1968 and 1969 MEs in my attic, so i'll be digging them out tomorrow

Thanks again

Duncan

Does anyone know which issues of Model Enginner serialised the construction of Don Young's Rail Motor. I've tried the online index but failed completely. friend has bought one and it would be nice to have the articles to help in sorting out a couple of problems