Building Kozo's New Shay locomotive

[crueby]

Crueby,  been following along quietly and enjoying it all.  I think as fast as you are going,  if you and Jo hook up,  y'all could build a Trans Atlantic railroad  :lolb

E

Tried doing the ramp-jump version, did not quite clear Nantucket....!

[b.lindsey]

As always, nice to see an update on this one.  Love the display base too. Do you have a local track where you can actually run it too?

Bill

[crueby]

Only tracks in this area are larger gauge, but I dont have the tools or space for an engine that size - been out to a club nearby to see and ride the bigger ones though. I am building this mainly as a fun learning project and display piece, but am planning on setting up a small loop to run it occasionally. Way too fun not to. Not to hard to make up some track sections on plywood base - like giant HO set!

[ths]

Love the trestle, great idea. What size bolts have you used? Hugh.

[crueby]

Love the trestle, great idea. What size bolts have you used? Hugh.

The ones in the trestle are 2-56x3/4" hex heads.

[crueby]

Quick update on the trestle display base - got the wash coat on the wood to make it look like old timber, and installed the rail plates and rail. Photos show the completed trestle with the loco so far sitting on it... Still whittling away at the firebox bottom plates - got the blanks for the rest of the pieces templated and cut out, will be file fitting them next. After they are all in and soldered, can start installing the side stay bolts.

[kvom]

One thing I've learned (too late) with models that will run on coal is to make the firedoor rectangular, not round.  Much easier to get a scoop full of coal into a square door.  Won't matter with a display piece or one run infrequently.  Nice work in fabrication.

For display a treadmill that integrates with the trestle so that is can be run on air would be very attractive.

[b.lindsey]

That looks fantastic!!  Lovely work on the trestle, not to mention the engine itself

Bill

[crueby]

One thing I've learned (too late) with models that will run on coal is to make the firedoor rectangular, not round.  Much easier to get a scoop full of coal into a square door.  Won't matter with a display piece or one run infrequently.  Nice work in fabrication.

For display a treadmill that integrates with the trestle so that is can be run on air would be very attractive.

The book has it designed to run on coal, but I am thinking to switch to a gas fired burner. the plans show making a hinged coal grate underneath, would replace that with the burner holder. Good point about the door shape though - had not thought of that!

For running on air on the base, I was planning on making some small screw jack blocks that would raise the wheels just a hair off the rails - the blocks could sit under the truck frames and on the ties underneath.

[ths]

The trestle looks great Chris, together with the engine it makes for a very impressive piece. Hugh.

[crueby]

Another major step done - got the backplate of the boiler soldered on, as well as the front/rear staybolts. As far as I could tell during pickling/washing it off after soldering there are no obvious leaks. I am going to make plugs for the bushing holes and fill it up with water to get a better look, make sure there are no seep spots before continuing.

Still to go on the boiler itself: drill/tap/install the staybolts on the sides of the firebox, then last is to solder in the front plate. After that, should be ready for a static pressure test!     So far so good - the new bigger torch is working out well - the smaller ones never could have done these last few steps. Got lucky on the weather to get out and solder this week - was sunny and warm last two days, tonight the big front of cold air is dropping down out of Canada, will be down below freezing for a while - perfect timing to spend a couple days indoors on the staybolts - been a while since they were made - last photo is a picture of what they look like.

[crueby]

I made up a set up threaded plugs for all the bushing holes, and filled up the boiler with water to check for leaks. Did find a few spots that did not get good solder penetration, and resoldered them. One spot left that is next to where I will be soldering the side staybolts next, so that one will wait and get done then. Got all that done just about the time this afternoon when the cold front moved in - temperature is dropping like a rock in thin water...

Moved indoors, and got a start drilling for the staybolts in the side of the firebox area - got out the handy-dandy mill table extension, and clamped the boiler down with a crossbar. The staybolt holes are drilled through both the inner and outer walls with the size for threading the bolts, and then before moving the table switch to the clearance size and open up the hole just in the outer wall. The head of the staybolt seats on the outside of the boiler, and the bolt threads through the inner wall, and there is also a nut that goes on the inner face of the firebox. After soldering up all the mating surfaces that will give a good belts-and-suspenders connection (not my design, that is how Kozo designed it in the book).

[b.lindsey]

Nice couple of updates there. I like your extended mill table too

Bill

[crueby]

Nice couple of updates there. I like your extended mill table too

Bill

I first made the extension to hold the rotary table farther out to make some large diameter clock gears - has come on handy a number of times since.

[crueby]

Got the rest of the holes drilled and tapped for the side staybolts today. All are screwed into the inner firebox sheet, ready for silver soldering the bolt heads on the outside. After that, the nuts are put on and the inside surfaces soldered. Not today - gonna wait for a slightly warmer day to go out and do that work...

Last two photos - could not resist setting the boiler in the frame and admiring it for a while....