Author Topic: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale  (Read 10566 times)

Offline kvom

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Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« on: February 24, 2014, 09:10:59 PM »
A number of people asked in my intro thread about the A3 project.  It's finished enough to run, and has been steamed up 3 times.  Here's the latest shop photo:



Still needs the headlamp to be finished/painted/wired, and I need to redo the steam supply line on one of the injectors.  Plus figure out how to see the injector overflow drain, which is blocked from view by the running boards.

Then I need to practice handling the water and fire so as not to lose one or the other after only one time around the yard. 

I'll continue to post here with any updates.

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2014, 10:30:30 PM »
Nice! I remember when you started this.
More pics would be a delight.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Offline kvom

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Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2014, 12:17:53 AM »
Kvom, I have taken the liberty of moving this thread to The Showcase area since it is largely finished. Also the forum is now placing loco builds in the Vehicles & Models sub-forum for works in process or finished engines.

As to the A3...its most impressive!!  Thanks for posting it here on MEM for us to see since some of us don't frequent the other boards as much now.

Bill

Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2014, 12:28:32 AM »
KVOM, that is just beautiful. I can't imagine the amount of time, blood, sweat, and tears that must have gone into that. Next steam up, we need a video. Hey, how bout a tour around the shop, looks like a nice one :ThumbsUp:

Whiskey

Offline kvom

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2014, 03:47:46 AM »
Compared to almost every other scratch built steam loco I've seen in person, mine is the "scruffiest".  The guys who bring their stuff to the track for meets are real artists.

Offline steamer

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2014, 10:02:04 AM »
That looks great KVOM!.....learning the "Balance" just takes time and some burned fingers, but it comes.   One trick to keep in mind that was very helpful when I was learning....pay less attention to where the pressure gage is....and more on where it's going....rising or falling?...    This makes anticipating where it's going and what to do next a lot easier.

A little fuel...often is better  than just about anything else.   If you're burning coal, is it soft or hard coal?....Hard coal takes a  while to get going...soft coal works better in most small steam applications.   You need to pay attention to clinkers, and be prepared to rake to break up the clinkers and clean the fire.

Awesome job!   Hat's off to you man! :ThumbsUp: :praise2:

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline vcutajar

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2014, 12:15:05 PM »
It's gorgeous KVOM.

Vince

Offline kvom

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2016, 12:06:05 AM »
Been a long time since I posted to this thread, the main reason being no progress was made.  In fact, negative progress was made.  When I went to do the annual hydro test in April, 2014, I had a serious leak through the throttle.  After several attempts to fix the throttle design I got a bit tired of the loco.  Took all the piping off and the boiler off the chassis, and it sat in pieces until this past fall.  I came up with a better throttle design, which entailed remaking the steam dome as well.

Last week it had a successful hydro test of the boiler by itself, with no leaks to the throttle, so I'm going to start a reassembly process with the intention of getting it in steam in the next month.  Now waiting on some fitting and parts from PMR and McMaster.

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2016, 12:07:48 AM »
Excellent!  :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:
Very interested in this thread.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2016, 12:50:52 AM »
Glad your got the problem fixed and are working on the A3 again. It really is beautiful!! Sometimes it is good to take a break though just to get motivated again.

Bill

Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #11 on: February 04, 2016, 01:57:21 AM »
Nice looking loco; looking forward to more updates. I guess I missed the thread when it was first posted.

Dave

Offline kvom

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #12 on: February 04, 2016, 09:36:29 PM »
My stainless compression fittings and tube arrived from McMaster. The fittings are longer than I imagined, and a quick fit to the loco revealed a few problems.



The one on the steam port on top would interfere with the petticoat, and on the bottom is a tight fit to the blower nozzle.  The connection to the blower nozzle is close the inside wall of the smokebox and would mean a tight bend on the tubing.

Using various fittings I came up with this:



Seems to fit with no issue, although an elbow at the blower nozzle might be good too.

Offline kvom

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #13 on: February 05, 2016, 10:11:10 PM »
I found and ordered a quantity of SS hex nipples on Amazon that can replace the brass ones used in the prior photo.  No luck looking for a 45 degree with mail and female like the brass one.  I think I can make one with 2 female threads and use a nipple for the male end.  OTOH that 45 degree brass nipple is quite thick, and even if it were to corrode it should be easy to remove/replace.

I am reluctant to modify the SS compression fittings at this time, as they are $20 each.  The steam supply setup seems pretty good as it needs only a short curved piece of tube.  The blower side is more awkward, but there is plenty of room forward in the smokebox to make a fairly wide curve.  I'm not going to finalize it until everything else is set, including the valve piping from the turret.

Speaking of which I'm wanting to use brass pipe for the blower valve connection vs. the copper tube I had before, which I felt was unsightly.  The valve (I believe it is from Locoparts) has a female thread on one side and a male solder connection on the other.  To use threaded pipe on both sides I needed to duplicate the tube end piece that had been soldered on previously.  Fairly easy lathe job starting with some 7/16 brass rod.



Spent the rest of the afternoon setting up the CNC mill to thread the many pieces of 5/16 brass pipe that will be needed.  First attempts will be hooking up the blower valve and the whistle.

Offline kvom

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Re: Kozo A3 locomotive in 1.5" scale
« Reply #14 on: February 12, 2016, 08:38:46 PM »
After much fiddling plus discussion with a very experienced builder, I decided to use brass compression fittings along with the SS tube.



Tube bends were relatively straightforward, and there's no interference with the petticoat.  Then I have basically finished up the redo of the piping.  Other than the turret being replaced, I redid the connections for the blower, whistle, and water glass.



A few minor tasks left before next attempted steam up.

 

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