16mm IDRIS

Alex ... reference GLASS BALLS ... I am never derogatory to anyones ideas ... anything better than my random brain firing I will use ... if it is a good idea then spread the knowledge ... so what can I say about using GLASS balls in a check valve or a water pump ... erm, erm ... did you know our recycling bin for glass is collected on a Thursday ??

KENNIONS or BLACKGATES or REEVES or POLLY sell stainless balls ... as an example, KENNIONS price is only £ 1. 75 for a packet of 5.

It is also possible to use nitrile rubber balls, but they are a bit more expensive.

IDRIS ARTICLE, part 3 in the M.E. magazine ... look at page 745 at the top left of fig. 10 ... there are two dimensions shown of 0. 312 and 0. 165 ... somehow these have been swapped over ... 0. 312 is the larger distance of the two.

Stainless steel balls ordered It's not worth messing about with....
Made a start on the frame bars and Buffer plates. They are coming together nicely.

John Rudd.
This is what I got in a £5.00 1 kg pack of Brass. They sent 2 X 1kg packs. Both are similar. Got a bit of 1.6 mm 1/16" in the 2nd pack, otherwise very similar content.

The slab ( bit of Granite worktop I use for marking out) is about 13" X 13"
Only 1 bit has a mark through the film.

Alex,

looks like you bagged a bargain or two there.....plenty to build Idris with...

Had a bit of time over the weekend and a couple of hours the past few evenings.

Boiler is complete apart from the Glass tube for the water gauge and pressure Gauge elbow.

Drilled the side frames today.
It's all going rather well

I am jealous. I have no spare time. 😢. Keep up the good work.

Brian

Alex ... looking at your photo above ... you seem to have fitted the lubricator on the left of the boiler, not the right hand side ... you seem to have used the rear boiler bush to collect the steam from the boiler ... if it can all be squeezed in this would give you a shorter run of steam pipe to the cylinder ... probably better than mine ... if it does all fit, are you going to take the steam pipe into the rear of the cylinder block instead of the inside edge ??

If it does not fit, were you going to swap the cylinder onto the right hand side of the frames ?? if this is what you were planning make sure the 2 mounting plates are swapped ... the gear train with various bushes would need to be reversed. The check valve would need to be crossed over as well to make it all line up.

Well spotted Martin, you got me looking again and the angled cut on the fire tube also looks to be up the wrong way

Could probably get away with just cutting that vertical.

This is one of those "Oh Bother" moments..... - I'm trying Desperately to work out what I have done here.

It looks like the End Caps and Fire tube has gone in the wrong way around.
There were 2 of us who checked the Drawing when I assembled and soldered the Boiler.
I have carried on and assembled the rest of the boiler without noticing the error. I must have looked at that Drawing 20 Times since I put the boiler together.

The Angle has the point at the Top of the Fire Tube. I spent about 10 Mins aligning it !
Just checked the drawing again and yes, it's upside down as well as Back to front.

If re-making the Boiler is what is needed then I do still have material to do so.

I like to think of my engineering as Unconventional and Unique. This project ( as you can see) is certainly challenging me and my skills.
I'll see how things fit as we progress and I'm sure I can make it all work.

You could possibly plug the two existing bushes with simple screw in plugs and just make two more new ones to solder in and then as I say cut the firetube vertically as there is nothing wrong with teh rest of the boiler.

Wait to see what Martin thinks.

Cut the frame rails to length tonight.
The frame is test assembled and sits square which is good. Need to put the Radius in the ends still.
The 7 and 8 BA fixings are all M3. The clearance holes are 1/8" so there is some slack for adjustment where required.
The wheel Holes are also correct and square to eachother.
Not started the rods or axle bushes yet. That will no doubt be for the weekend.

As for the Boiler - I think I will wait for the drawings and see what I can make work.
I'll cut out the top plate but not solder it together so that I can flip it over if required.

Thank you both for your input, help and comments.

Alex ... I can think of 3 options ... someone else may have a better idea, if so please sing out ... ask 6 people the same question and you could get 6 different answers ... I love experimenting ... how much you want to do I do not know ... "plan A" is to keep your existing boiler and try to squeeze everything onto the left side of the boiler ... "plan B" is to keep the existing boiler and swap the cylinder onto the right hand side of the boiler ... "plan C" is to scrap the old boiler and start again.

The first 2 plans assume the boiler has passed a pressure test ... for "plan B" I forgot to say the water pump also needs moving across its axle `cos it is not central to the frames.

martin

Had a few more hours over the weekend.
Chasis is complete and assembled.
Everything works and the wheels turn with the Coupling rods attached.
1st attempt at the rods failed. I threaded the bars and Bushes for the 2nd attempt.
The solder has as good as hidden the threads

I have an issue with the bottom Frame bars at 1.821 and 7.160 mm fouling the wheel rims.
Holes are drilled 1/8" for M3 Clearence. I can pass 1/8" Rod through but not attach the Rails.
Hmm - have I bought the wrong size wheels ? They are also proud of the Top of the frame.

Things will go quiet for the next few weeks on this one.

Alex .. any chance of a photo please ? ... could you put a ruler adjacent to the wheels .. the overall diameter of the wheels should be 1. 5 inches or about 38 mm ... after that it needs a close check on actual dimensions of everything in the vicinity.

martin

Looks like there should be enough clearance from the drawing sizes, have you got wheels with 38mm tread rather than 38mm over the flanges?

Hi Martin.
I have neither wheels with 38mm tread or Flange....
My Wheels are 42mm Tread !
I bought the wrong wheels. My Mistake.

I will have to put this project down for 2 or so weeks. Will get the correct wheels ordered.

Is there enough metal in them to be able to turn them down yourself?

Edited By JasonB on 26/05/2015 18:39:42

Looking at the wheels, the Centre is hollowed out. There may be enough metal there.
The Bushes look like they are Nylon, Not sure if the nylon would stand the stresses or may melt as it gets hot.

Now I have a paten I may make the wheels myself. It's pretty much a chip making exercise.
If I cut 4 discs I can drill and silver solder the bushes rather then machine from Solid.
Chuck the Bush. Face off. Turn the tread square + .025". Chuck the tread, Face the back then turn the bush to size. Drill the hole.
I can then drop the bush into the Collet chuck (saves marks) and complete the tread and make sure everything is concentric. The silver solder will hardly show
I have 1 1/2" steel and also Iron bar. Never Silver soldered Iron so I guess Steel would be a better bet.

Should not need any form of bush as they don't turn on the axle.

Saw off a bit of 1 1/2" bar and hold in 3-jaw. Face off and reduce dia to form the boss that the grub screws go into.

Turn around and now hold by the boss while you do the rest of the turning to form flange and tyre plus any decorative recess and drill/ream the hole to keep it concentric.

Over to the drill press and do the grub screw holes and any decorative holes.

Hi All

I'm now back from my jaunt around the Med. Should be back in the workshop over the coming days.
Just ordered some cogs. 32 and 48 dp in a range of sizes.
Next CSME night is next week. I'll take em the Boiler and ask them to be gentle with me.....

Still debating the make / buy wheels thing. I have the stock so will probably have a go.
That eccentric certainly looks fun to make. Done a few before in the 4 jaw so not expecting any issues.