Java 0-4-2 O+K De Maas Sugar Mill Locomotive

I want to tell you the story of my new built locomotive. I saw in an auction a Dixie Kit and my interest was turned on.

The idea was to build a sister locomotive to my Java Mallet Compound Locomotive. I searched for an original picture and found one from a sugar mill in the wheel configuration 0-4-2 which is i thought was possible to change from the kit parts. I had nothing more then the picture from the net for the reconstruction. but this was for me enough to make it. And it should be a a good working loco not a scale one. But it should look like an O+K loco.

This was the base idea for my work.

And this were the Dixie parts.

I changed the frame to get the similar shape to the example picture.

But before I had to find a solution for the axle setup and to get the grate out of the frame. This is a look from the downside to the setup. The left box is were the grade come through and this is only possible in straight driving position.

The frame with the cylinder and the wheel setup. The motion work was under reconstruction , because i had no plans so i have to make my own thoughts. But this is one thing i found everytime challenging to make it working. And this what is bringing satisfaction to me.

The boiler at the frame

The additional parts i made by own ,only glas and pressure gauge are purchased parts and the raw material.

will be continued

Werner

Looks like a great start!

She's looking good already! Keep us posted.

Brilliant, I'll be watching your progress avidly.

Bob

Many thanks for your kind replies!

The chimney was a liitle bit tricky. Around the "working" part there was rolled an aluminum sheet metal and the top part in brass is the cover of a water stop cock valve for a floor. This had by chance the right diameter and was originaly covered by a chrome surface which i grinded of with patience. It is very good to collect the old parts for a second honourable life.

The checkvalve is conected to the boiler with an additional tube so it is better serviceable and the important functional point is, the ball is always covered with water and so it is better sealed. Is it mounted direct to the boiler it could be that with the lowest water position in the glas the ball is in steam and then it is not so good sealed and the injector would not work if you need it. With this setup it works perfect. In my Plettenberg i change it to the same layout after i found this effect. And then it worked perfect. Small change in pipe routing but a big change in function and service!

As I ever have done it, i made a cardboard setup to look how will be the proportions. This is for functional models a good idea . So i can study if i can use all cocks by hand ,how i can get the coal shovel in and so on, read the pressure gauge and the waterglas. In this phase it is easy to make a compromise for function. The other point is ,if it is OK you can measure all parts easily and order it. My metal shop deliver than very exact cutted parts and there is only work with the jigsaw for the windows.

By softsoldering the parts, i noticed that i made a mistake as i ordered 1 mm sheet metall. Better would be 1.5 mm,because it has more stiffness. The side part with the water tank has many softsoldering joints with a lot of heat go in and so it began to change its shape. It was warping some how. It cost me some time to bring this back by heating and cooling down at different points. It looks now good and it is hard to see.

What a difference to the cardboard housing. The round edge of the watertank was made by quartering a copper pipe and soldering it in.

With colour it looks much better. Now only the steam pump is missing and the factory signs. It was summer last year and the build on hold.

We made with the street steam friends our steam rallies for one to seven . And we meet in the regulations of the corona laws. In our steam club it was not allowed to drive for a long time.

In the hot summer i started to build the steam pump , when ever i had some time. In the hot summer phase it was nice to go in the basement workshop, it was nice and cool there.

The etched factory signs have been developed with the software incscape after an original sheet i found from the Java Mallet in the Frankfurt Narrow Gauge museum. It is always interesting to make a visit there. For those who can not go there, here is the URL for a virtual visit **LINK**

The plates have been etched 0.15 mm deep and this last about an hour. They are glued with silicone to the side tanks. With tape they are fixed two days till the silicone is hard.

The steam pump was finished in october 2020. The steam control was the last element i had to make. This is the most complicated part and so i reserved time to build it. And I want not to set me under pressure to drive in the loco to the end of the year.

will be updated

Werner

A nice day in march and the first time out on my test track in the garden.

The driver side

similar view as it is to the original

on the turntable

Now the first steaming is possible. The goal was to test all parts and testing some homemade injectors.

In the video there is a small sequence of a home made injector under test . I have made 5 injectors 2 were working the third sometimes the other two failed. But this was a good experience. I found later that i had to adjust my reamers at the two in function and have to ream a little bit more the failed one.

I made a video of my ride in the garden. If the weather is better again i will make another video.

For those who are interested in the Frankfurt Narrow gauge museum here is a video from the Java Mallet i made.

Edited By Werner Schleidt on 07/04/2021 12:31:26

I made some test driving at our local club track. The video takes have been collected by my mobile phone therefore it is a bit shaky.

Till 2.5 minutes it was the first test session .In this session i found that my oil pump deliver to less oil and after some kilometers the regulater shaft was blocked . The investigation showed that i had a to tight fit. The oil pump had not a good machined ball seat. And our track is more like a narrow gauge field track and so the rear axle had not enough spring travel to have agood contact to the rails. I added longer springs and now i have +- 7 mm spring travel and a good support on the track. Additional i found that the teflon piston rings are not so good steam thight. I made new ones from solid teflon bar and slice them with a sharp knife in a 30° angle with an o-ring for static tightness. This was a perfect rework. The coal and water consumption was drasticly reduced and the engine had lot of power to polish the rails if i open the steam regulator to fast. This starts in the video after 3 minutes.

Now it was a fun to drive.

Werner