Garden Railway Forum

FWLR wrote: ↑Tue Aug 20, 2019 7:09 am Wow Dave, now that is a mightily impressive De Winton. The slow running is really smooth and the whistle is the best I have heard by far.

How long will he run for at that sort of speed...

It can run for over an hour at normal speeds on one boiler fill. The smooth slow running is why I've shifted to big scale locos. That's my gold standard whistle, it's really powerful. I built the loco only using the small Emco Unimat 3 lathe

Still so impressed with you skills Dave. To build that De Winton on your small lathe is just so brilliant...

It's making me want one even more..Anytime next year will do Dave.....

I think it's my greatest achievement Rod

I found the recent posts very interesting so went back to the start and went right through a really interesting thread. You are obviously a skilled engineer and the thread is full of good ideas and useful advice. It is a pity the earlier photos are no longer visible but you can get the gist. I think I might have one of the Eclise saws (I had some stuff from from Marion's late Uncle). Thanks for taking the trouble to post all the info.

Don

Thank you Don!

Here's my early set-up Rod, the motor had died so I used a long twisted belt connected to the original motor pulley held in a bench drill for power - much better than the original! I used this lathe set-up for the first 3 locos

Boring the port piece to solder to the round cylinder tube for the large De Winton

Interesting photo Dave. I assume the stuff fixed to the top of the Face plate is to balance the load. Novel way to power your lathe. Presumably with a small lathe it is a case of light cuts to not overload it.

Don

Thats even more impressive Dave. That little lathe has done a brilliant job for you, with your help of course....

Seriously though. That shows how good an engineer you are, wether you are qualified or not....

DonW wrote: ↑Sun Aug 25, 2019 8:04 am Interesting photo Dave. I assume the stuff fixed to the top of the Face plate is to balance the load. Novel way to power your lathe. Presumably with a small lathe it is a case of light cuts to not overload it.

That's it, Don, it's counterbalancing. It was a successful way to power the lathe with more power - 1/4 hp good speed range and none of the intermittent running that the original motor needed.

FWLR wrote: ↑Sun Aug 25, 2019 9:02 am Thats even more impressive Dave. That little lathe has done a brilliant job for you, with your help of course....

Thank you, Rod!

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As LBSC would say, the loco is on the Erecting Bench!

Some painting has been done with spray can and brush - some old enamel from years ago that now takes an age to dry.

I'm assembling the loco with oil blackened roundhead 8BA screws. Today I oil blackened the chimney so that I wouldn't have to paint it. The finish is pleasing, and the distortion from heating has caused it to fit better

That looks great, chemically blackening shows off rivet detail and plate work far more crisper than when items are painted.

Stunning work Dazza. Everthing is so neat and precise. As Tom says the oil blackening has worked really well.

Don

Finally got the big loco plumbed-in, water and steam leaks sealed, and semi painted. When I saw how clean and nice the smokebox interior was while building I knew I wouldn't coal fire it, so it's gas-fired It needs the suction fan for lighting, and steam blower to keep the fire going in the right direction. The big cylinders need their draincocks

Here we are water pump testing, and successfully pumping water into the boiler

Sorry for the late reply Dave. Not been to good just lately. Love this little loco mate, the whistle is a joy to hear. Wish you lived nearer to me, then I could possibly see it in the flesh so to speak and wonder at the workmanship you put into your loco's...

Thank you Rod. I hope you are doing better now. I'm beavering away on the buffers and couplings at the moment

Hi Dave,
I've just re-read your build thread, and as everyone has said it's a beautiful job. Could you explain the plumbing of the cylinders please? I understand they are double acting and reversible, but how do you keep the exhaust going up the chimney? My tiny brain has tried and failed to work it out. I ask because I have an idea for my first attempt at scratch building a loco with oscillating cylinders.

Best,
Tom

Thanks, Tom!

I hope this picture helps There's the rotary reversing valve which is fed by the steam pipe from the boiler and discharges into the exhaust pipe that goes up the chimney. There are two pipes on each side of the rotary valve feeding to the cylinder port blocks. Each port block has two long drillings that supply the two port holes at each end of the port block. Either top or bottom ports can be steam or exhaust. Looking at the side pipes coming from the rotary valve, the valve connects one of the two sets of pipes to the steam supply and the other to the exhaust. When the lever is moved the other way the steam and exhaust connections are reversed. The steam has to move the pistons before it can travel to exhaust. The valve body has 4 holes, 1 for the steam, 1 for the exhaust, these are the horizontal holes. Then the upper and lower holes are for the pipes to the cylinders. The curved grooves in the rotary part connect the exhaust and steam to alternate cylinder pipes

Ah ha, thanks Dave I see it now. It's a such simple and elegant way of doing it, and didn't Mr Kalashnikov say "simplicity is underrated", or words to that effect. You have inspired me to have a go!

Best,
Tom

I'm a big fan of this picture showing how Mamod did it Tom, it's lovely engineering

Hi Dave,

Sorry to barrage you with more questions. How are the pipes between the rotary valve and the port blocks fitted? Are they a fit, silver soldered or threaded and o ringed in some way?

Best,

Tom

It's fine Tom, it's been really quiet lately. That was the tricky bit, the pipes screw out from the valve housing and are sealed at the port blocks by O-rings

Nicely done Dave!