Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
- dewintondave
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The boiler has been a real mission. I went for the classic wet everywhere firebox, to have at least built one once. Using one grade of silver braze. Doing all the brazing in low-light to keep an eye on not getting the job overheated on subsequent brazing operations. I had to order-in Sievert's excellent Cyclone burners. These are the only burners that can remain alight in the firebox. I'm using the smaller Cyclone burner for steam testing the boiler at the moment.
Trying out different firehole rings. Went with the smaller one, which still gives a generous opening
Dry-run of the Firebox pieces
Firebox inner, pieces riveted together
Firebox Inner with brazing partially complete, with tubes and tubeplate installed for the next brazing operation
Firebox inner complete, with tubes brazed in
Making bushes for the backhead and trying-out the bought-in "3/16" x 40 tpi plain water gauge" I buy from Macc Models
Starting the hole for the turret / dome bush. Using a holesaw with the pilot drill replaced by solid steel rod. This really helped my flimsy bench drill
Once the above cut had become continuous it stopped cutting, and I was cautious of a dig-in with all that soft copper. I drilled many holes to break-up the cut, and it was a success.
Finished at last without any drama
Hole needs filing to finished size. Before the drilling, I marked-out the finished size and position
Looking through the tubes
This low sited bush will take the blower valve. A small pipe will draw steam from the dome.
Dry-run of firebox inner and backhead in the boiler shell
Foundation-ring pieces. The backhead has already been brazed into the boiler shell
Boiler fully brazed with bushes plugged for testing
My brazing bench in the garage with window boarded and curtained for daytime brazing sessions
Boiler fully immersed in citric acid pickle bucket
Pretty in pink! I love the natural copper colour
Boiler, full of water, in the fridge. I cooled it all down so that only a little heat would be needed to pressure test the boiler. I use the gentle warming method to expand the water. No pumping required! It's proved to be a controversial method.
On the garage workbench, ready for testing. Test gauge (0 to 86 PSI) fitted to blower bush.
I decided to paint the backhead end to cover a multitude of sins! The fumes were so foul, I took my mini oven outside to bake the Engine Block enamel (rated to 500 deg F). My last baking was at 150 deg C, which is a little above the steam temp at 40 PSI
Finished paint
Out on the railway for the sun
Backhead
Trying out different firehole rings. Went with the smaller one, which still gives a generous opening
Dry-run of the Firebox pieces
Firebox inner, pieces riveted together
Firebox Inner with brazing partially complete, with tubes and tubeplate installed for the next brazing operation
Firebox inner complete, with tubes brazed in
Making bushes for the backhead and trying-out the bought-in "3/16" x 40 tpi plain water gauge" I buy from Macc Models
Starting the hole for the turret / dome bush. Using a holesaw with the pilot drill replaced by solid steel rod. This really helped my flimsy bench drill
Once the above cut had become continuous it stopped cutting, and I was cautious of a dig-in with all that soft copper. I drilled many holes to break-up the cut, and it was a success.
Finished at last without any drama
Hole needs filing to finished size. Before the drilling, I marked-out the finished size and position
Looking through the tubes
This low sited bush will take the blower valve. A small pipe will draw steam from the dome.
Dry-run of firebox inner and backhead in the boiler shell
Foundation-ring pieces. The backhead has already been brazed into the boiler shell
Boiler fully brazed with bushes plugged for testing
My brazing bench in the garage with window boarded and curtained for daytime brazing sessions
Boiler fully immersed in citric acid pickle bucket
Pretty in pink! I love the natural copper colour
Boiler, full of water, in the fridge. I cooled it all down so that only a little heat would be needed to pressure test the boiler. I use the gentle warming method to expand the water. No pumping required! It's proved to be a controversial method.
On the garage workbench, ready for testing. Test gauge (0 to 86 PSI) fitted to blower bush.
I decided to paint the backhead end to cover a multitude of sins! The fumes were so foul, I took my mini oven outside to bake the Engine Block enamel (rated to 500 deg F). My last baking was at 150 deg C, which is a little above the steam temp at 40 PSI
Finished paint
Out on the railway for the sun
Backhead
Last edited by dewintondave on Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
Hi Dave, fantastic work as usual. I could feel the tension using the hole saw to cut that dome hole (I would be very ready to reverse the handle on the drill feed). What will be the approx. size of the grate? you've certainly got enough tube area for what appears to be a very short grate. A freshly built boiler always looks great after pickling, and yours is no exception.
I think your "contraversial" boiler test method comes about from some thinking you have to boil the water before any pressure increase, no understanding of basic hydraulics.
Glad your boiler passed its test.
Grant.
I think your "contraversial" boiler test method comes about from some thinking you have to boil the water before any pressure increase, no understanding of basic hydraulics.
Glad your boiler passed its test.
Grant.
- dewintondave
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Thanks Grant. The only support it had was the backhead Sellotaped onLNR:122612 wrote:Hi Dave, fantastic work as usual. I could feel the tension using the hole saw to cut that dome hole (I would be very ready to reverse the handle on the drill feed).
The grate's about 1" x 2.5"
Might as well have an as easy steaming boiler as possible
Last edited by dewintondave on Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
- tom_tom_go
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- dewintondave
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Two weren't enough. I did the math, and wanted something on the upper end of the usual acceptable ratio. It was a while ago now.tom_tom_go:122614 wrote:Thanks for sharing the build with us all so far Dave, you make it look so easy to build!
Can I ask why you have gone for three tubes? Your design is similar to the Riverdale boiler I have which only has two.
Best wishes,
Dave
- dewintondave
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As the test pressure gauge was still attached to the boiler I thought I'd make the safety valve next. It's the ball bearing type, but not a pop-valve.
This is the top of the safety valve, the holes were marked out and centre punched under my bench mounted illuminated magnifying glass, and drilled in the bench drill. The holes are 1.3 mm dia.
Testing the safety valve, using the small Sievert cyclone burner
This is the top of the safety valve, the holes were marked out and centre punched under my bench mounted illuminated magnifying glass, and drilled in the bench drill. The holes are 1.3 mm dia.
Testing the safety valve, using the small Sievert cyclone burner
Last edited by dewintondave on Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
- dewintondave
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Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
I have been slowly plodding along with the construction, it's been a lot of fun though. At the moment I'm pushing for a steam test soon. The chassis is on the workbench, I'm getting it all set right, I love all the fitting. There was too much sideways play in the axles so I added grubscrews to the spacers that sit between the wheels and axle bushes, these allowed me to adjust their position to reduce play. Then I had the bright idea of oil blackening these parts. They came out a lovely shiny black.
This is the part being blackened in the video
Axle spacer fitted with grub screws
Happy New Year
This is the part being blackened in the video
Axle spacer fitted with grub screws
Happy New Year
Last edited by dewintondave on Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
Hi Dave, Happy New year to you too.
Your blackening process is one I've used for things, but never found it very durable. Some actually chipped off. Have you any experience of this?
Grant.
Your blackening process is one I've used for things, but never found it very durable. Some actually chipped off. Have you any experience of this?
Grant.
- tom_tom_go
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- dewintondave
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Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
Hi Grant, I've used it a bit. Look at this image, I made these die holders for my Unimat 3 lathe in about 1990, not sure when I blackened them but maybe when I restarted the hobby in 2005. The smaller has worn because I hand thread with it often. I'd say it was an ideal finish for loco parts with no great thickness and no chipping.
Last edited by dewintondave on Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
- dewintondave
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Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
A while ago I tested the chassis on air power, the first from a football pump, and then from my car tyre. I was so happy with the slow running on the tyre compressed air that I'm speeding towards a steam test
This project is two years old now
This project is two years old now
Last edited by dewintondave on Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
Great slow running Dave, a credit to your fitting work. Bet your dying to get on with the project now.
Re the metal blackening, and not wishing to hijack the thread, but when you used the word blackening
that put me on a different track. As an antique clock collector, I have cause to "blue" many steel items and the colour is really long lasting. Seeing you quench in sump(?) oil I thought you were looking for something different.
Grant.
Re the metal blackening, and not wishing to hijack the thread, but when you used the word blackening
that put me on a different track. As an antique clock collector, I have cause to "blue" many steel items and the colour is really long lasting. Seeing you quench in sump(?) oil I thought you were looking for something different.
Grant.
- dewintondave
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Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
It's really dirty 4-stroke lawnmower sump oil, plenty of missed oil changes, so plenty of carbon.LNR wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2018 3:20 am Re the metal blackening, and not wishing to hijack the thread, but when you used the word blackening
that put me on a different track. As an antique clock collector, I have cause to "blue" many steel items and the colour is really long lasting. Seeing you quench in sump(?) oil I thought you were looking for something different.
Grant.
Last edited by dewintondave on Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
- dewintondave
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Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
Here's a summary of photos filling the gap from Feb '17 until now.
Safety valve with new whistle valve
Whistle valve, and turret for pressure gauge, plus one accessory
Instead of brazing, I Loctited the nipple to the blower pipe
Smokebox sealed
The loco prior to my April UK trip
Smokebox door locking bar
Machining the chassis mounted port blocks
Cylinders and port blocks
Smokebox with mounted reversing block
Machining the reversing valve
Piston assembly
Prototypical openings in buffer beam; I passed the pistons through them
Setting the port openings
Complete reversing valve assembly with steam inlet and exhaust, plus big bucket dead leg lubricator
O-rings in port blocks, small port is steam, large is exhaust, optimized for forward running; we'll see if it makes a difference in real life
Regulator body
Outside on the line with the large regulator handle
Halfway into the blower pipe elbow
Elbow with fittings and blower pipe
Blower pipe fitted to smokebox
Merry Christmas!
Safety valve with new whistle valve
Whistle valve, and turret for pressure gauge, plus one accessory
Instead of brazing, I Loctited the nipple to the blower pipe
Smokebox sealed
The loco prior to my April UK trip
Smokebox door locking bar
Machining the chassis mounted port blocks
Cylinders and port blocks
Smokebox with mounted reversing block
Machining the reversing valve
Piston assembly
Prototypical openings in buffer beam; I passed the pistons through them
Setting the port openings
Complete reversing valve assembly with steam inlet and exhaust, plus big bucket dead leg lubricator
O-rings in port blocks, small port is steam, large is exhaust, optimized for forward running; we'll see if it makes a difference in real life
Regulator body
Outside on the line with the large regulator handle
Halfway into the blower pipe elbow
Elbow with fittings and blower pipe
Blower pipe fitted to smokebox
Merry Christmas!
Last edited by dewintondave on Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
Great little engine. I like the unusual way the cylinders are coupled to the driverods. Looks a bit like a rack railway locomotive.
"En schöne Gruess" from an Alpine railway in Holland.
- tom_tom_go
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Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
Prototypical openings in buffer beam, so that's why there are big holes!
I never knew why, yeah laugh it up.
This engine is lovely and a joy to read about it's creation.
I never knew why, yeah laugh it up.
This engine is lovely and a joy to read about it's creation.
Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
Wow! That's so good. I do admire your engineering skills - and envy them.
Rik
Rik
- dewintondave
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Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
Thank you. It would have complicated things angling the cylinders and all downwards. It's a bit of an oversight too. I was going for attachment at the rear crank pin, but was concerned that I wouldn't get enough "waggle'. Let's see how it looks when I make the footplate.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
- dewintondave
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Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
Thank you Tom. It's just my guess, but the holes are in the right placetom_tom_go wrote: ↑Fri Jan 05, 2018 12:32 pm Prototypical openings in buffer beam, so that's why there are big holes!
I never knew why, yeah laugh it up.
This engine is lovely and a joy to read about it's creation.
It's getting really close to a steam test, with a blowtorch in the firebox!
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
- dewintondave
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Re: Wild Rose ~ Quarry Hunslet
Thank you Rik. I really enjoy it. I just don't seem to lose interest anymore, unlike when I was young. I admire your work too. And, (fingers crossed) I hope this loco gives the slow/smooth performance that you have found lacking in comercial live steam locos
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
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