Clack Valve

freelander · Post by **freelander** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:30 pm

having just purchased an Accucraft Leader i was interesting to read (Garden Rail) that owners have made a Clack valve for their loco, not have the workshop or engineering skills to carry out the task can anyone provide a company who make them or if any kind person would like to offer their services in making one i would be most grateful.

regards freelander

Post by **-steves-** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:57 pm

Dumb question time, why would you need one and what benefit does it have? Do you have full dimensions of the part in question?

freelander · Post by **freelander** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:53 pm

the clacl valve is to replace the Goodall valve which helps to fill the boiler with water, while the engine is still in steam, on the one supplied with the loco the filler bottle has to overcome the reistance of the valve and that of the boiler pressure, which most times prevents fill or the connector pulls out and you end up with the water all over yourself. with the clack valve the resistance is reduced

hope that explains things.

freelander

Post by **-steves-** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:15 pm

Yup, that explains it perfectly thank you

Now, how would one go about getting the instructions and dimensions to make one? I "may" be able to make them, depending on what is involved, I won't know till I see the diagram and dimensions of one

MDLR · Post by **MDLR** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:22 pm

You don't want a bottle - you want a small (50ml) syringe! That will overcome the resistance of the boiler pressure, and as you're pushing DOWN on the loco as you squirt the water into the boiler, you'll have less trouble. Make sure you explain to the pharmacist why you want it, and if possible accept it without the needle - it saves a LOT of hassle!

freelander · Post by **freelander** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:44 pm

thanks Brian, Steves I don't know if you read Garden Rail (No 208) but their is a section with regards to making one of the valves and as I have said I don't have the equipment or Skills to have a go at making one. the only other way as I was hoping was that the gent who wrote the article uses this forum.

freelander

Post by **-steves-** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:56 pm

freelander:63264 wrote:thanks Brian, Steves I don't know if you read Garden Rail (No 208) but their is a section with regards to making one of the valves and as I have said I don't have the equipment or Skills to have a go at making one. the only other way as I was hoping was that the gent who wrote the article uses this forum.

freelander

Nope, can't say I read it, but I do have a mini lathe, mini mill, ME, BA and metric tap and die sets and various other tools to hand, so as long as its not too intricate, I would stand a chance of making it, no promises mind as I have not been making things all that long. To date I have made a new piston for a stationary mamod engine, and made s Stuart 10V from castings and bar stock, most other projects have been to make more tools, lol

If I could get to see it I could let you know..

freelander · Post by **freelander** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:10 pm

Hi Steve, if you give me your e-mail or give me a ring i can send you a print out of the article thats in the garden rail.

freelander

Post by **-steves-** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:13 pm

Well I had a go at one of these today. Unfortunately I did not have the correct M10 die, so I have one on order and will be in the post soon.

Anyway, wrong die aside, I have made a complete clack valve from scratch. It does not need the original cap to be sabotaged and instead uses brass stock for a new cap with the clack valve screwed to it. My knurling tool is not the best, but again that aside I now have a working clack valve which looks ok to me.

Once the new die arrives I will make the correct size cap and complete the clack valve and test it on my Ragleth (same fitting). As long as it works fine then I can knock some of these up if anyone else is interested? Certainly I will do one for myself

Thanks Freelander, hopefully have yours complete very early in the new year, die arrival dependant :D

freelander · Post by **freelander** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 7:58 pm

Hi Steves, that looks the bees knees just the job, speak to you in the new year

Freelander

Post by **-steves-** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:06 pm

Right, well fortunately the new die arrived this morning, good ol RDG Tools

I remade the clack valve and checked all the fittings and all seemed well. It screwed into my Ragleth, and the clack valve when blowing in it seemed to do the job. I steamed up the Raglath and waited. The first few attempts were not good with water being thrown all over the place, after a bit of "adjusting" with tapping the bearing home better, it held steam. A few more adjustments and I managed to top up the water whilst in steam and only a few bits of steam out after I removed the fill pipe. I am not altogether happy with the way a clack valve works as seating brass on to stainless steel with the hit of a hammer, in my testing of this, does not seem the most reliable and consistant methed, with it sometimes getting a fantastic seal and other times it will hiss or leak. I will be fitting one of these to my Ragleth as I am able to do so with little cost, just the cost of the brass and my time.

Freelander, I will happily send you one of these clack valves and you are welcome to try it out and see how you get on with it. FOC of course, its up to you it you decide to keep it or bin it? Private Message me your address and I will post it off to you at some point atfer Xmas

I think the next one I try will be that same as the mamod top up valve, where it uses a small piece of silicon pipe to hold the seal, it just seems a bit more predictable and reliable to me

We shall see

TonyW · Post by **TonyW** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:28 pm

Have you thought of using a neoprene ball instead of a stainless one? They tend to be more tolerant.

-steves-:63657 wrote:I think the next one I try will be that same as the mamod top up valve, where it uses a small piece of silicon pipe to hold the seal, it just seems a bit more predictable and reliable to me

Isn't that the same method that the freelander's original Goodall valve used?

Post by **-steves-** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:53 pm

TonyW:63660 wrote:Have you thought of using a neoprene ball instead of a stainless one? They tend to be more tolerant.

Great idea, I will have a look around and see if I can find one:)

TonyW:63660 wrote:
-steves-:63657 wrote:I think the next one I try will be that same as the mamod top up valve, where it uses a small piece of silicon pipe to hold the seal, it just seems a bit more predictable and reliable to me
Isn't that the same method that the freelander's original Goodall valve used?

Yeah, same thing, but I only have a solid cap for myself at the moment, unless I can get this clack valve working more reliably, so that was more for me to use

Post by **-steves-** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:58 pm

TonyW:63660 wrote:Have you thought of using a neoprene ball instead of a stainless one? They tend to be more tolerant.

I don't suppose anyone knows where I could start looking for one of these? I have tried a generic Google and Ebay, with zero results

TonyW · Post by **TonyW** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:12 pm

At the top of the page ... I meant nitrile, not neoprene - sorry (although they may be the same thing). Not cheap though, and easily lost. Been there, done that....!
http://shop.maidstone-engineering.co.uk ... =3&order=1

Garden Railway Forum

Clack Valve

Clack Valve

Clack Valve

CLACK VALVE

Who is online