Tools needed to build a 3 1/2in gauge Tich

Steven what area are you,as I'm sure a forum member would be willing to give you advice and practical help. I was shown a members workshop and had a good idea what tools are needed.

Bob

The link I posted to the online pdf of Tich articles contains all the information as published so would be an alternative to the book.

Steven, There is a Juliet Build Diary on this Forum with lots of pictures in the builders Album, and some feed back from other members, it may be of interest to you regarding your mention of the Juliet.

See Link

MichaelR

Hi Steven,

What will you do for a running track? All the UK tracks I have seen have the 3.5" track up on pillars so your feet dangle and you can reach the controls without breaking your back.

Tich versus Juliet

I would agree with Duncan - go for Juliet. It's a far better beginners loco than Tich. Tich is very small and not easy to keep in steam, especially the small boiler version. Juliet will pull a couple of people with no problems.

John

Stephen, my thoughts as a builder of a (great!) Tich.

- People will tell you "YES!" or "NO!" but it is totally your choice. Build what you want to build, and you are young so you'll learn skills that will take you through life. Would I build another Tich - yes. (it might be higher on the list than readers here think)

- I started my Tich when I was 14 and living in Southern Ontario, and did not finish it for a while. Teen years, university etc got in the way, but finally finished it when I was living in Europe.

- It has run in The Netherlands (has Dutch boiler certificate), Vancouver Island, tracks in Ontario and Quebec, Winnipeg, and down in the North East of USA. One track was the Waushakum Live Steamers, if you google this, it is quite the track, but after one lap I'd have to stop and empty the grate and smokebox.

- Yes, I fly on airlines with it. So long as it goes through the x-ray machine, no problem. I took the box to the local airport at a quiet time and the security people there were great at helping me, it meant no problems for me or them during a busy time.

- I have some Welsh steam coal. No problem with 2 adults (one quite large) on the flat Winnipeg track. Or two (me and a teenage lady) on the Vancouver Island Model Engineers track.

- saying that, it is a difficult locomotive to fire. If you like challenges (I do!) you might find it a fun challenge.

- I liked that I could run for a bit, then stop. I like talking to people, and model engineers, and those hangers-on are sometimes the most interesting people you can meet.

- I have a large 3-1/2" gauge 2-8-2 that I find quite boring to drive. It needs a big load behind it, but club rules say "no passengers on the elevated track". The Tich wins in terms of "fun".

- Don't use BA threads. Very expensive for us in North America. I now use metric, but UNC/UNF may be more appropriate for you? I started down the metric path when living in Europe, and have stuck with it.

- Oil burner conversion. If you can get your hands on these articles, you may find it interesting, as good coal is hard to get in North America (and, increasingly, everywhere else)

1994, Vol.172, Issue 3966, page 435. Original descriptive article with drawings.

1994, Vol.172, Issue 3970. page 670. Editorial: Clarification as to fuel to be used.

1997, Vol.179, Issue 4047, page 144. Update: blast nozzle increased to 2.9mm diam., pseudo brick arch added (with drawing of arch), importance of lubrication.

- Others have given you ideas on tools. If you are in the USA, (or Canada) you may find Sherline tools to be a good choice. I have a new Sherline lathe and mill.

- My favourite lathe is my old EMCO Compact-8. I do have a large British 11x24 lathe, but it's too big, and rarely gets used (every 5 years or so). The Sherline is new to me, so still getting used to it; it is more capable than I had expected.

- I have mentioned this before, but there is a fellow on modelenginemaker.com called Chris Rueby (username "cruelly", who builds masterpieces with his Sherline equipment. Going through his builds will give you tons of ideas.

- The IBLS web page has recently put up CAD renderings of Tich, including some adjustments found during the CADing. Peek at that if you have a moment.

I've attached a picture of me and a fellow finishing a lap of the Winnipeg track. It was a fun lap - with heavy riding car (with propane tank, car was borrowed) and two medium to heavy lads, I was glad that the track was flat - long but flat - but Tich made it no problems. I think that I was the only run firing with coal that weekend, and I had the smallest locomotive by far. Propane was the fuel of choice there/then. And, yes, there is a Tich at the head end there!

John.

Well you see I quite like both the Tich and the Juliet and I don't mind the challenges the come with either building or firing etc. The major factor that comes into the decision about either building the Tich or Juliet is power. I quite like the idea of having my own small locomotive that can actually pull people, I've read on a couple forums that the Tich can pull up to 3 people maximum. But I've also read that the Juliet can pull up to 8 people. But at the same I find myself leaning towards the Tich, what I'd to ask what is the maximum amount of people a 3 1/2in gauge large boiler Tich can actually pull in comparison with the Juliet on a flat gradient? I'm also considering on building a 5in gauge version of the Tich, does anybody sell castings for a 5in version? Furthermore would a 5in version require a larger lathe/tools? I'd like to apologize if I am asking one too many questions.

Best Regards Steven

Few tracks are dead level and flange friction on curves is a consideration too. I would be sceptical of claims of how many people little engines can pull. My working assumption would be that Tich could pull the driver and Juliet might pull the driver and one or two others. My club track is far from level and it is difficult to get Tich around and keep up steam with just the driver.
what you can build will depend on lathe size, but the first question is what size lathe can you buy/access? A bigger lathe gives you more options but amazing work has been done on small lathes. And of course, big and small are relative terms. To me Myford 7s are small.

There is no such thing as too many questions, especially from a young enthusiast.

GLR Kennions mentioned & linked-to in my earlier posting also supply drawings and castings for the 5" Tich.

In the light of your most-recent 'desirable attributes', I repeat however, that if you have not already done-so perhaps you should consider one of the Kozo Hiraoka designs (Penn' A3, & the perhaps more complex -> Shay, New Shay, Climax, Heisler). The construction books cover 3.5" gauge, 5" gauge and 7.25/7.5" gauge versions of the locomotives which require minimal, if any , castings. A search on youtube will show them running, and there are also some youtube 'construction series' to support the books. Here, for example is a 3.5" gauge A3, Kozo's equivalent to Tich.

Regards,

Phil

Edited By Weary on 08/05/2022 08:45:34

Stephen;

Lots of good info here.

You'll find in the USA that, 5" gauge is pretty non existent, it's 4-3/4" gauge. (there are some 5" in Canada, but not much)

Same with 7-1/4 and 7-1/2, East is 7-1/4, West 7-1/2.

And, the spell checker got me, Chris Rueby is " c r u e b y" without the spaces on modelenginemaker website!

John.

Hi Stephen

Even if none of Kozo Hiraoka's designs do not appeal to you it is well worth investing in a couple of his books, his drawings and instructions are superb, amazing in that english is not his first language. I've not built any of his designs but have used many of his ideas and methods on other loco's. I must say the little Pennsy switcher looks to be a very nice little engine, and he gives instructions on how to fabricate many parts, saving the cost ,and in some cases, difficulty of working with castings. Good luck with your choice, you can have an awful lot of fun with small engines, my Rob Roy is not the best built example in the world and it is a bit worn but can still manage to pull a couple of people round quite happily.

Dave