Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine

[crueby]

Doing the ends of the chain links would be like sharpening a saw by hand, very easy to miss one.
Looks great running.
Regards,
Gerald.

Yeah, and here there are four chains, about 36 links each, two sides per link, ...


It reminded me that I have not updated the total part count in a while, the final tally for the entire model is just over, ... drum roll... 3000!   

[crueby]

Ah, always good to look for the bug behind the bug, mantra for the software engineer!

This morning I got the protruding links on the sticky roller chain sanded back to proper length, which made that one run much smoother.

However, it still bothered me how the track just came to a dead stop yesterday, seemed like that was too much reaction for a bad bearing chain. So, I undid the clamp holding the track assembly onto the main axle, and slipped the assembly off to take a better look at the roller chain on the inside edge of the track. Then the cry of 'There's your problem!'!! One of the link pins on the inner chain apparently was not peened over properly, and had slid out, jamming the track sprocket like a stick in a bicycle wheel. It was out just enough to hit the sprocket, and was jamming it intermittantly, explaining how it would be able to run a short distance.
Here is the offending link:

After re-doing that pin, it is running smooth again, so the track was re-mounted on the axle and I'm getting ready for another steam-up after an early lunch. Assuming no new issues, should have a new video up later today...

[Don1966]

Damn Chris still looking great Dog and I am sure what ever bugs left your going to find them. Outstanding workmy friend and you do know ......I..........like......... 


 
Don

[Roger B]

Just catching up on this thread again. You move so fast even with the submarine fun. What a splendid machine      You must be proud 

[crueby]

Thanks guys!


Was planning on test running this afternoon  but too many other things got in the way. Tomorrow...

[b.lindsey]

Still happy you found the root cause Chris. The next steamup should be near perfect!!

Bill

[crueby]

Still happy you found the root cause Chris. The next steamup should be near perfect!!

Bill

Uh oh, you had to say it.   


Hey Murphy, HE said it, go get HIM!!   

[Stuart]

Chris
Now Murphy has been alerted pacify him by giving your shop elf,s a tot of Glenfarclas 105 whisky is full cask strength 140 deg proof , that should make them happy

Great work on a fine model makes me smile when you show it running

Stuart

[crueby]

Stuart, thanks for the save, the shot of whiskey for the elves did the trick. Though, they are arguing with me on whether it is a human-sized shot or an elf-sized shot!!   


I just came in from running the Lombard, need to cool off (it is HOT out there today) and get the videos uploaded, will do that in the next hour or so. It ran very well, the leak fixes are still holding well    and it is getting up to pressure in about 15 minutes from room-temperature start. One thing I did change last night was the tube that ran through the displacement lubricator - it was the smaller size that the burner uses (came that way, it was a store-bought one), and I was wondering if that was restricting the flow of steam too much. So, I made a new lubricator with the larger tube that I used on the rest of the steam lines, which also let me shorten the tube as well. Just blowing air through both showed the difference in flow, and testing on compressed air it had a marked effect.
It did run outside much better, very happy with that result - been a tough few weeks! Listening close to the sound, I think that the timing is off just a little on one side, I want to run it on low pressure air with the drive chains off to check that out. With low pressure, I can turn the crank over by hand and feel when the valves open and close. Might just need a small tweek to the position on one of the eccentrics. It is running well on level and downhill grades, still struggles to come back up my driveway, but that is a fairly steep angle.
The other thing that I want to make is a display base for it, with either some rollers or rubber-faced robot tracks (I have some of those), so that I can show it indoors on compressed air - been putting it off till the rest was done, though if I am going to show it at Cabin Fever (am hoping to finally get back there this year!) then I will need it. Thinking to make the surface of the base look like the iced roadway that it would run on, and display it with the skids in place of the front wheels.

Anyway, excellent results today, and should have the video up this evening! 

 

[b.lindsey]

That's all good news Chris. Looking forward to the latest videos too.

Bill

[crueby]

Okay, here is some footage of the hauler tooling around the driveway today. As I mentioned in the previous post, I think that the valve timing needs a tweak, appears to have a slight stutter on one side causing the pauses now and then, may need an adjustment to the position of one of the eccentrics. However, the boiler is working quite well, and the loose pin on the one chain is solved as well. Very satisfying to see it going after all this time on it! 

Sorry for the jumpy camera work, hard to juggle the camera aim, throttle, steering all at once. This is the longest session of running so far, was out there about 1/2 hour of actual run time, still plenty of fuel and water left. Tomorrow I'll take a look at the timing using compressed air, and also get started on the display base I mentioned.

Got the popcorn ready? Here's the main feature. Hey, you, shop elves, off the chandelier and take your seats!!

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djh0lvjXCj8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djh0lvjXCj8</a>
 

[Ye-Ole Steam Dude]

Super job Chris really get a kick out of watching it run.

Thomas

[b.lindsey]

Beautiful Chris! And nice to see that Murphy didn't show up for the big run too.

Bill

[crueby]

Thanks guys!


Passing thought: this engine has little in the way of a flywheel, the two crank discs are fairly small, and thd spur gear is also. A typical mill engine would have a large flywheel to smooth out the motion  locos would have the large drive wheels to do the same thing. There is room on the crankshaft to put two small flywheels, one either side of the center spur gear, approximately 1.25" diameter by 3/4" wide. Not huge, but a decent amount of weight in brass. They could be made in halves and bolted on around the shaft without removing the eccentrics.
Question: do you guys think it would make much difference in the smoothness and slow speed running?

[Steamer5]

Hi Chris,
 Looking like you are on top of the issues..... even if the elves are still having after effects!

How about putting your camera on a selfie stick & taping it to the radio control unit?

Cheers Kerrin

PS.....now waiting for future video's of you playing in the snow!