From MSS to "Ofario"

Lner fan Sam · Post by **Lner fan Sam** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:38 pm

Is ofario fitted with a chuffer? She sounds great! I like your regulator, is it homemade?

laurence703 · Post by **laurence703** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:40 pm

Ofario hasn't got a Chuffer no... that's all Bark and its not even working hard!

The Reg came off another loco but the handle is just a piece of squashed Meccano

Lner fan Sam · Post by **Lner fan Sam** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:49 pm

Did you do any mods to the exhaust pipe laurance to get that chuff?

laurence703 · Post by **laurence703** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:51 pm

Nope... Its just a standard pipe... only thing I've ever done to it was to bend it slightly so it points up the chimney.

DolwyddelanLightRail · Post by **DolwyddelanLightRail** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:59 pm

Lner fan Sam:79383 wrote:Did you do any mods to the exhaust pipe laurance to get that chuff?

The mod that Laurence has done is very simular to Brit....if you see any vids of Brit running you will hear that it has quite a loud and distinctive voice to it. By placing the exhaust to blast directly up the chimney you have effectively created a Blast Pipe, which is what 1:1 scale locos have anyway. It sounds far nicer than any chuff pipe sounds.

Lner fan Sam · Post by **Lner fan Sam** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:15 pm

Nice one there laurance I hope that I can get such a chuff with my loco!

laurence703 · Post by **laurence703** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:22 pm

Cheers

Good luck with your loco! We'll want to see pictures when you get it!

Lner fan Sam · Post by **Lner fan Sam** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:35 pm

Thanks for the tip there James.

I got the kit for Christmas and have started work on it. I have lapped everything that needs to be lapped and I have mounted the port faces to the frames. Last week I started turning some new wheels on a lathe. I will start a there soon but the computer is heavily use by domestic othorities

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:00 pm

Nice one there Laurence I hope that I can get such a chuff with my loco!

In my experience you only get a loud enough chuff from those locos fitted with 'O' ring pistons and it is also dependant on how dry the exhaust steam is. A standard Mamod SL/MSS seems to have too wet an exhaust to get any real chuff sound.

One problem I've found with a straight exhaust pipe is you get most of the condensed steam and oil residue dropped all over the loco. By putting a pipe with a sideways exhaust port a lot of that condensed steam & oil residue can be contained within the chimney/smoke box to be emptied out later. However I have also found that some of my locos do not like such a 5/32" pipe being fitted over the 1/8" exhaust pipe and it affects their running. I have obtained a Summerlands Chuffer and I'm currently looking at how the 1/8" exhaust pipe in my Mamod/MSS/IP Jane's can be fixed in place so that this chuffer is easily moved from loco to loco to loco, etc.

Chris Cairns.

DolwyddelanLightRail · Post by **DolwyddelanLightRail** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:15 pm

Chris Cairns:79395 wrote:
One problem I've found with a straight exhaust pipe is you get most of the condensed steam and oil residue dropped all over the loco.

I have noticed this with Brit, however I think the sound and sight of the steam actually drafting straight up the chimney "chuff by chuff" is something you don't often see in 16mm locos, and something I do like very much so is worth the grime!

laurence703 · Post by **laurence703** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:27 pm

Nothing a bit of cloth over the chimney can't sort when you first get it going... not too bad after that

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:42 pm

Laurence,

It has been great to read through this Topic as it is a classic photo 'essay' of how obtaining a stock Mamod SL/MSS locomotive can lead to the World of Mamodification, with the associated pleasure (or should that be frustration) of tinkering.

So you started with a stock MSS loco & tender, upgraded that with top up valve, higher pressure safety valve, regulator and meths burner. The tender is then replaced by a half cab back & centre buffer couplings. A Gremlin meths burner & RWM steel wheels follows, and now the original boiler is replaced together with 'O' ring pistons and a lubricator.

When one adds that all up a 2nd hand IP Jane with RWM Cab conversion probably comes in cheaper, but it is now more apparent to me that it is the seemingly cheaper starting price plus the anticipation of tinkering that has the more attractive appeal.

I'm sure we have not seen the last instalment of 'Ofario's Mamodification yet.

Not sure how you are going to fix your cylinder covers but it is worthwhile considering that once fitted it becomes harder to get at the cylinders, so delaying fitting them until you are happy with the running in of the current configuration could be beneficial.

It is great to see the camaraderie (is that the right word?) that has developed in the Mamod community on this Forum, in particular the BGRA Mamod contigent, with bits & pieces being swapped about or sold to each other.

Chris Cairns.

Lner fan Sam · Post by **Lner fan Sam** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:50 pm

I have to agree with chris on that score. Looking through threads on the forum you can see many stories of tinkering.

I will hopefully join the butterley crowd this year with my engine. I am really frustrated with my self for not post pics that a have took of the build so far.

laurence703 · Post by **laurence703** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:51 pm

Thanks

I have given the covers some thought and they will be put on top of the running plate and then painted matt black to match the rest. They'll be secured by bolts into threaded holes in the smokebox casting... A job for tomorrow lunch time at work... lol
This way they are quick and easy to remove and replace as necessary.

I totally agree with you... I like that there are so many parts available for these little locos so that people can learn from the simple mamod to the more complex Mamodification... it doesn't just give a powerful loco at the end but a great deal of experience in this scale and gauge.

I tend to find that in this hobby it helps to help people. Its no good trying to go it alone as we all get by with a little help from our friends.

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 10:20 pm

by bolts into threaded holes in the smokebox casting

Be careful with threads cut into Mazak. It does not like repeated screwing in & out (the threads cut on the Mazak cab handrails, or the 6BA threads cut into the drag beam and smoke box casting for holding the chassis frames together). Do not overtighten or they will easily strip.

Chris Cairns.

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 1:49 am

Chris Cairns:79400 wrote: It is great to see the camaraderie (is that the right word?) that has developed in the Mamod community on this Forum, in particular the BGRA Mamod contigent, with bits & pieces being swapped about or sold to each other.

Agreed, with this and the new 16mm Mamod Facebook page, there is an excellent exchange of info, assistance and ideas.

Now is the best time in my nearly 30 years in Mamodry as far as the share of support and info.

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 3:44 am

Spule 4 wrote:the new 16mm Mamod Facebook page

I've seen this being discussed before but it is not readily obvious when you search Facebook - there is no entry for 16mm Mamod.

Could you provide us with a link please? Thank you.

Chris Cairns.

laurence703 · Post by **laurence703** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 4:07 pm

http://www.facebook.com/groups/387493518008459/

That's the link. Myself and James are the Admin

Feel Free to join whenever you like

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 4:11 pm

Thanks Laurence.

It is strange that this Group does not come up when you search for 16mm Mamod. I ended up joining the 16mm garden railway group instead, but found that was not the right one.

Off to join the right one now!

Chris Cairns.

laurence703 · Post by **laurence703** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 4:24 pm

Cylinder covers were fitted today in my lunch break at work...

Here's a photo with some wagons

I'd set the group to closed in case the group gained a few spammers and the like which is why it probably didn't come up.

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From MSS to "Ofario"

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