My version of 'Ellie'

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Tony Bird
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My version of 'Ellie'

Post by Tony Bird » Mon Mar 19, 2018 5:09 pm

Hi,

Like others I have bought Camden's relatively new book Ellie the Steam tram. I like the simplicity of this model locomotive but it is more 7/8" scale rather than the 16 mm scale I usually work in so I have decided to make a similar model albeit a little smaller. I have started with the boiler which I often do when making steam models. I had some 54 mm diameter (2.1/8") which is a little larger than the 50 mm suggested but instead of being 100 mm long it has been reduced to 80 mm long; as this will significantly reduce the boilers water capacity a large steam dome will be fitted. The boiler is fitted with staple shaped heat exchanging pins.
The heat exchanging pins silver soldered into boiler
The heat exchanging pins silver soldered into boiler
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I found part of an old steel shelf to use as a footplate and an old hot water cylinder provided the copper to make a flame guard boiler support.
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At the end of playing today the flame guard almost finished.
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Next I think I will see what wheels I have and make a start on the chassis, I think it will be the Jack shaft version.

Regards Tony.

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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by LNR » Mon Mar 19, 2018 10:26 pm

Very nice copper work Tony, like the heat exchanger part. Looks to be an interesting project.
Grant.

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Tony Bird
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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by Tony Bird » Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:33 pm

Hi,

I went to B&Q and bought some 25 mm x 2 mm steel strip to use as frames. Soldered shouldered nuts the the flame guard to hold it together and found a set of 30 mm wheels that might be IPE products.

Regards Tony.
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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by Big Jim » Tue Mar 20, 2018 6:11 pm

Nice start that Tony, I look forward to seeing the finished job.
If at first you don't succeed, use a bigger hammer!

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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by tom_tom_go » Tue Mar 20, 2018 8:02 pm

You make it look very easy Tony.

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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by Tony Bird » Thu Mar 22, 2018 8:54 am

Hi,

The frame stretchers have been made along with a jig for drilling axle holes in the frames and side rods

Regards Tony.
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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by Tony Bird » Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:29 pm

Hi,

Not a lot of progress on 'Ellie' as it is the beginning of the 'playing' season and I have been preparing our portable layout and stock for it. However I did manage to fit one wooded buffer beam (externally fired boilers make the chassis very hot and I am delicate) which is useful when picking a hot model up. The wheels and axles have been temporarily fitted to work out coupling height and it has been checked against my highest model to work out a maximum chimney height.

Regards Tony.
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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by Tony Bird » Tue Mar 27, 2018 4:00 pm

Hi,

The second buffer beam is finished and fitted and a hole for a ceramic burner has been cut in the footplate by chain drilling and filing. The footplate is temporarily held by wood screws to the buffer beam.

Regards Tony.
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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by Tony Bird » Wed Mar 28, 2018 5:38 pm

Hi,

Just made a start on a ceramic gas burner for Ellie. I sawed some brass strips from a 1/16" brass kick plate from the bottom of a door. This was then saw and filed to sized bent and soldered together. Will be in the acid over night and with luck I will get to play with it again tomorrow.

Regards Tony.
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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by Tony Bird » Thu Mar 29, 2018 5:37 pm

Hi,

Today I got the ceramic burner working. First I positioned the tube in the burner the jet was hand held and the tube moved in and out until the best looking flame was achieved. It usually works out that the tube ends up about its ID from the far side of the burner. Photo 1 is adjusting Photo 2 the best result. The tube was then soldered in place.

The jets in this case a No.3 is soldered to the pipe. Photo 3.

The air holes are started by filing across them then drilling a hole which is open up until the burner looks OK Photos 4&5.

With this burner four holes were needed to get the gas/air mix right Photo 6.

Flame low Photo 7. Flame high Photo 8.

Burner fitted in Chassis Photo 9. Given the low position of the burner the boiler will be lowered to improve the combustion space.

Regards Tony.
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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by philipy » Thu Mar 29, 2018 7:36 pm

Fantastic, Tony, please keep it coming.
Not sure which I envy most, the skill, the workshop or the ability to devote the time to it!
Philip

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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by DG » Fri Mar 30, 2018 7:00 am

Tony

thanks for this post. I am also building an Ellie but sticking to the plan as it is all new to me. Your post is great inspiration and a source of lots of brilliant ideas , thank you.

Dave

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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by FWLR » Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:24 am

philipy wrote: Thu Mar 29, 2018 7:36 pm
Not sure which I envy most, the skill, the workshop or the ability to devote the time to it!
Agree with everything philipy says, words are not enough to express your expertise.

FANTASTIC……. :thumbright:

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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by Tony Bird » Tue Apr 03, 2018 5:57 pm

Hi,

Having finished the ceramic burner not a lot has been done to Ellie. The burner has been fitted to the chassis and the boiler has been lowered by 8 mm to get a better proportioned combustion space. A fire hole/lighting/viewing hole has been drilled in the boiler flame guard and as the model is going to the 16 mm Narrow Gauge Modellers AGM in Peterborough as an exhibit this Saturday the boiler has temporally been attached to the footplate.

Regards Tony.
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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by bambuko » Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:18 pm

Tony Bird wrote: Thu Mar 29, 2018 5:37 pm...The air holes are started by filing across them then drilling a hole which is open up until the burner looks OK ...
Tony, I am puzzled by the particular way you do the air holes :scratch:
Is it because the filing improves performance in some way? or is it just to make hole drilling easier?
Hope you can elaborate, please.

thank you
Chris

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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by Tony Bird » Wed Apr 04, 2018 7:42 am

Hi Chris,

Tony, I am puzzled by the particular way you do the air holes :scratch:
Is it because the filing improves performance in some way? or is it just to make hole drilling easier?
Hope you can elaborate, please.


As you suggest it is to make drilling the hole easier. It is never easy to drill what is quite a large hole through a rod accurately and even more difficult to do it in a thin wall brass tube that has been annealed. Even putting a centre in the tube can flatten it unless it is supported inside, jigs can be made but I have found that filing a half round flat across it makes it easier. The flat is filed so its length is about the same as the hole required sometimes doing this breaks though into the tube if not a small drill held in a pin chuck is used the create a hole. With this hole a small hole the other side of the tube can be drilled because it can be supported outside. With a hole on both sides of the tube it is made larger using a round file or if you have one a brooch. Slowly increasing the size of an air hole on a burner tube can be useful as it allows small adjustments of the gas/air mix. About the largest practical hole in a 1/4" K&S tube is 4 mm.

Regards Tony.

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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by bambuko » Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:17 am

That's cleared it - thank you.
I am following your thread with interest because I want to use similar burner in my loco :thumbright:

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Re: My version of 'Ellie'

Post by FWLR » Thu Apr 05, 2018 8:16 am

Have a great weekend Tony…I’am sure there will be loads of interest and questions to answer.

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