Member postings for Martin Cooper

Sorry to hear this, Stephie. Sadly, it's not an uncommon situation. However, there's very probably someone on this forum that can help - either in person or by connecting you with a local model engineering society. Where, roughly, is your father's shed?

I too am building a Fowler miniature, an MJ 3" A7 in my case. I would second the advice from Paul above: don't make anything non-trivial that touches the boiler until you have the boiler.

Now I've just had to google what "dreckly" means, and I think I should add that my progress is distinctly dreckly. I hope you do better!

Martin (daveypaxman on TT)

A fellow Bantam owner here. I've just fitted mine with a VFD after the old phase converter died. I've always been pleased with the lathe; both the Bantam and and I are even happier now the motor has a decent 3-phase feed.

Hello Ian, from a very happy Bantam owner, Cambridge area.

I have some experience with a 5" Midge and a member at our club has a 7 1/4" one. Both are strong locos for their size but I cannot comment on Midge as a build project. Midge was serialised in ME in 1935-37, so I agree with Julian, it's a very old design.

Martin

Brian

I have this issue of ME. There's three pages on the compensating gear. If you PM me your email address, I'll send it to you.

Martin

Yes, I believe the water temperature is critical, along with the layout of the pipe runs. But how cold is cold enough? I don't know the answer to this.

I agree small injectors are fickle things, and mine (3 1/2" loco) doesn't work either. But just a small word of caution - my boiler inspector likes to see two methods of filling the boiler. In my case, there's a good axle pump and a hand pump in one of the side tanks.

When I get some spare time, I intend to take the feed to the injector directly from a tank in the driving trolley.

Martin

No idea, sorry!

Hi Romeo

There is one here: **LINK**. You'll need an account to sign-in and see it though.

Or PM me your email address and I'll send you a copy.

Martin

Bill

Sorry to hear about your tubes moving. I should have mentioned this in my earlier post, but I'm pretty sure I did the tubeplate/firebox inner joint with higher temperature solder. I guess that's not an option for you now. If the tube joints reflowed whilst doing the firehole ring, it may be that you are actually putting too much heat in!

I do have experience of separating unwanted silver solder joints. Cutting the solder joint might damage the tubes, so I suggest localised heating again and having some tool nearby to move the parts further apart once the solder has flowed. Cleaning up the separated tubes afterwards may be tricky too (the copper will be as soft as butter after all that heating/annealing).

Good luck!

Martin

Dunc (and all)

I have put some more photos here. I can't claim it's the best made vertical boiler, but it raises steam and building it was hugely educational.

Good luck with your soldering!

Martin

Hi Dunc

I used a Sievert 2941, which is 7kW. Soldering this boiler was pretty scary. Don't make the same mistake I did, and do it inside (the garage, not the house). Apart from the smoke alarm going off, after a few minutes of 7kW burning away there isn't much oxygen left - even with the garage door open.

You'll need welders gauntlets or something else substantial to protect your hands, and a bucket of water just in case.

As to whether a 3kW burner would do it... well, I am no expert at all. But it did take what seemed like an age to get the boiler up to temperature. So it would take even longer with a 3kW burner. I would play safe and go for a bigger burner.

Here's a photo of my arrangement. The whole job is surrounded by vermiculite bricks and I found an old barbeque to act as a hearth.

I put rings of solder around each tube, and I think I had a length of silver solder in my other hand to touch it up.

I have some more photos if you would like more.

Martin

Depending on your point of view, it's either:

• Yet another bit of EU nonsense law wasting everyone's time and money.
• Providing website users (you and me) with more control over our privacy.

It's all connected with the EU 'E-Privacy' directive. Websites will shortly have to obtain consent before they drop a cookie onto a computer. Cookies have been around for ages, and probably all reasonable websites use them.

Homeworkshop seem to be ahead of the game in implementing this check. The site has probably always used cookies and there's no reason not to allow it to continue using cookies.

Unless you have suddenly become paranoid about privacy of course.

Google for "cookie opt-in" if you want more information.

Martin

This part (a steering chain guide for the traction engine I'm building) is 1/2 x 1/2 x 3/32 mild steel, with a 4.5" inner radius. It's about 5" long and I need two.

I tried bending a piece of angle - but it rapidly became un-flat and un-square. Machining from solid seems like a lot of work.

How would you make this?

Thanks

Martin