CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO

[crueby]

Nice setup - glad you got some welded link chain, not the open link stuff.

...I can now swing the loco from bench to bench and drop it to the floor.
...

I hope you mean 'lower it gently and safely to the floor'!      Once I had taken a 18' sailboat to Mystic Seaport, and the shipyard guys put slings around it and lifted it with a forklift/long boom, and lowered it over the seawall to the river. I started breathing half an hour later... 

[Firebird]

Hi Chris

Yes     'lower it gently and safely to the floor'!

Would be a better way of putting it

Cheers

Rich

[Firebird]

Hi

The adapter for the larger dome has been fitted with a gasket



The links conected and tested

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

The new larger inner dome ready for silver soldering



And after soldering





I have the outer dome casting. It is designed to fit onto the top of the saddle tank which I changed for side tanks. I might be able to extend it and use it



Cheers

Rich

[cnr6400]

Looking great Rich! 

[Kim]

I have finished building an over head gantry which is fitted with a 1 ton chain hoist. I can now swing the loco from bench to bench and drop it to the floor.

Have to agree with Chris here - I read your post and thought, "I could drop it that to the floor with a LOT less effort than you've put into it!  "

Nice work on your new expanded steam dome, Rich!
Kim

[Firebird]

Hi

Thanks cnr6400 and Kim 

Chris mentioned the chain, being welded link. I bought this chain for another job that required good strength chain



Its the 5mm chain thats used

Cheers

Rich

[john mills]

The chain should be a grade of chain rated for  rated for lifting then it is predicted what will happen before it breaks  it should distort quite noticeably be for it will break and it will have a large safety factor. 

[zeeprogrammer]

Awesome looking loco!

Nice gantry! I could use something like that but I suspect my ceiling wouldn't take it.

[Firebird]

Hi

Thanks John and Carl 

Made a gasket for the new dome and got it bolted down



Filled it with water and did a hydraulic test at 100 psi



It held for 15 minutes with no leaks 

Next job was to fit all the fittings. The hydraulic test at 1 1/2 times working pressure, ie 120 psi has to be done with all the fittings except the pressure gauge. Damage to the gauge is possible at 1 1/2 times the working pressure.

The whistle will be mounted under the running board. It needs to lean at a slight angle so that water will drain out. I drilled a small block of brass 3/8'' at a slight angle







Fitted the manifold and screwed in the whistle valve. Made up a couple of pipes to connect the whistle valve to the whistle and the manifold to the blower valve. A temporary blank pipe where the pressure gauge will eventually fit.



The water level gauge is fitted using a 5mm drill to line it up



All the threads have thread seal applied. While I was waiting for the thread seal to cure I made up the front and rear foot plates from stainless steel





Finally the water gauge glass tube was fitted and a drain pipe made



Refill the boiler with water and connect the pump.

Carefully upto 120 psi where it held for 15 minutes with no leaks

 

Somebody buy me a cigar

Cheers

Rich

 

[crueby]

No cigars, but got plenty of popcorn and M&M's I can send!

Congratulations - major milestones down, and looking terrific!   

[Kim]

Congratulations Rich! 
Quite the milestone!
Kim

[cnr6400]

That's a huge achievement Rich! Well done.   

Virtual stogies all around! Did find a ciggy smokin' gif, that will have to do.   

[Admiral_dk]

Great news that you after having redone it several times, it is pressure tight !!!!

Happy to think that this means you can progress with the next drawings and parts 

[Firebird]

Hi

Thanks Admiral, cnr6400, Kim and Chris 

Yes a major milestone and much has been learned along the way which will hopefully make the next one much easier.

There is still much to do but hopefully by the summer I will be 'chuffin' around our track

Cheers

Rich

[Firebird]

Hi

The reversering stand has to have slots cut into it for the latch to engage with. easy enough job with a slitting saw



The problem I had here was to remove the reverser I had to remove the left hand running board. Then the 3 nuts that hold the reverser to the frame. The bolts are inserted from inside the frame which I now couldn't get at with the boiler in
place  . Fortunately I had used ordinary nuts and not the nyloc type so I managed to get them off. I have stuck the bolts in place with some loctite retainer.

2 of the pins are used to hold the spring (not shown on the plans) so I had to make some. They are just about at the limit of eyesight and fumbling digits being only 1/16'' dia.







Finally today got the smokebox door fitted



Cheers

Rich