Running in a RH chassis

[tom_tom_go]

Hi,

My Lady Anne chassis kit will be nearly ready for testing soon and I wanted to know if there are any alternatives other than running on air as I do not have a compressor.

Alternatively, does anyone provide this service for newly built chassis kits at a fair price?

Cheers,

Tom

[WVLR]

I used a cheap 12 volt tyre inflator from the local car accessory shop.

[Big Al]

Spare wheel off car and an old foot pump hose to connect on to the tire valve.

[artfull dodger]

The only real reason for the air test is to check valve timing. But I found that one really needs to run on steam to really set the final timing on the valves. I tested mine on air, using my airbrush compressor, but if you have your valves set correctly, equil travel forward and backwards in relation to the little round ports they cover and uncover, then you can run in your chassis on steam once you have the boiler installed. Once I had equil motion with the "D" valves, I drilled and pinned the return cranks. I then reverified my "D" valve travel was equil before sitting the chassis aside while waiting on the boiler kit to arrive. I ran in the chassis on blocks using its own boiler while I waited for the paint to cure on the body. I then assembled and continued the running in process in the garden with a short train in tow. If you have followed Roundhouse's directions, in relation to working out any and all stiff spots or binding in the side rods, then main rod, then valve gear. You should have a fine running chassis. Feel free to PM me if need be, only been about a month since I built my Lady Anne, so its all fresh in my mind still. Cheers Mike

[tom_tom_go]

Thanks for your replies guys.

I just realised while fitting the cylinders last night that I will not be getting the intake and exhaust tees until my boiler arrives in October so I will not be able to run her on air anyway?

Is it a pain in the a*!e to remove the cylinders later on to install the intake and exhaust tees?

Cheers,

Tom

[WVLR]

Your local car accessory shop should stock small bore plastic tube and plastic t pieces for use in windscreen washers, you should be able to lash something up.

[TonyW]

Is it a pain in the a*!e to remove the cylinders later on to install the intake and exhaust tees?

There isn't an exhaust tee. The two long exhaust pipes fitted to the cylinders form the exhaust, and they are not joined. This means that you only need to remove the valve chests to install the intake tee.

[tom_tom_go]

Sorry Tony, should of explained this is for a Riverdale coal fired boiler where there is an exhaust and intake tee:

[TonyW]

Sorry Tony, should of explained this is for a Riverdale coal fired boiler where there is an exhaust and intake tee:

Doh! No, sorry, my mistake ... I should have checked back up the thread.

So yes, you'll need to remove one cylinder to fit the exhaust tee, but there should be no need to remove both.

[tom_tom_go]

Your local car accessory shop should stock small bore plastic tube and plastic t pieces for use in windscreen washers, you should be able to lash something up.

Would this be suitable?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_256267

Or these:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_255228

[LnBmad]

Either of those will work fine. If you have the timing set right you won't need high pressure to get the cylinders working

[WVLR]

Just got in from the workshop where I've been building a new bench
out of B&Q Propeller wood

I second what Matt says. a few psi and all should be fine, you could
always use tie wraps around the joints if you want belt and braces.