Author Topic: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO  (Read 174339 times)

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #810 on: April 06, 2019, 08:08:47 PM »
Whoops forgot the video  :old:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFUgZdqSo1M" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFUgZdqSo1M</a>

Cheers

Rich

Online Kim

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #811 on: April 07, 2019, 12:27:35 AM »
Lots of fiddly work there, Rich.
Looks great!
Kim

Offline cnr6400

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #812 on: April 07, 2019, 07:55:49 AM »
That regulator put up a fight but you've got it scared now! Nice job!  :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #813 on: April 13, 2019, 07:28:21 PM »
Hi

Thanks Kim and cnr6400  :ThumbsUp:

Progress is a little slow at the moment. I have to take my grand daughter to school then pick her up after school so I am just doing small jobs that I can leave and go back to another day.

The regulator handle needs some stops set at 60°. Looking through my scrap box I found this brass disc which is the off cut from the smoke box door opening.



In the lathe and drill out the centre then open out with a boring bore.





Mount in the rotary table and drill and countersink 3 holes 3mm



Screw to a bit of scrap wood and cut off



2 holes drilled and countersunk through the back. Make up 2 stainless steel studs drilland tapped M3




Drill and tap the steel backhead M3



<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSL4Cj4EMxw" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSL4Cj4EMxw</a>

Cheers

Rich

« Last Edit: April 13, 2019, 07:31:29 PM by Firebird »

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #814 on: April 13, 2019, 07:45:16 PM »
Hi

A trial assembly of some of the fittings.

The blower valve and the water gauge





The water gauge was firstly lined up with a drill not the glass tube, then the tube dropped in. You can see here that the top fitting is only in a few threads so I am going to make up some adapters with the top one slightly longer than the lower one which should enable me to screw both parts fully in



Cheers

Rich


Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #815 on: April 13, 2019, 08:12:27 PM »
Hi

A bit of video to hopefully explain the difficulty of fitting the pipe from the regulator to the wet head

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

Its not easy to cut threads into soft copper pipe so I have made up threads of bronze and silver soldered them on.

Also the threads at each end are different pitches which is a shame. Had they been the same it might have been possible to screw the pipe into both the wet head and regulator at the same time.





I have cut a slot into the wet head end



And made up a tool so that I can screw it into the regulator









Also a tool to screw the wet head bush in





Cheers

Rich




Offline J.L.

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #816 on: April 13, 2019, 10:07:06 PM »
Hi Rich,

This is absolutely wonderful work. You are as skilled with the camera as you are with the metal.

I'e come upon your work so late.

In awe.

John

Online Kim

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #817 on: April 14, 2019, 06:08:35 AM »
Great work on the switch limit stops and the sight glass.    :popcorn:
And I just love the little tools you've made to assemble your pipe. That hopefully will make the job a breeze!  Or at least easier :)
Kim

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #818 on: April 14, 2019, 07:02:59 PM »
Hi

Thanks john, that is some praise indeed, I'm flattered  :ThumbsUp:

As for the photographs I just use my phone.

Thanks Kim.  :ThumbsUp:

Sometimes special tools just have to be made

Cheers

Rich

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #819 on: April 18, 2019, 07:40:27 PM »
Hi

Another little job that seems to have taken all day.

The snifting valve as shown on the plans has a length of 3/16" pipe silver soldered into it and the other end has a nipple and nut to connect it to the outlet on the wet head.

Mission impossible  :thinking: :headscratch:

I have modified the snifting valve by silver soldering a threaded connection into it. Making up a pipe with nipples and nuts each end was much simpler. There isn't a lot of room working inside the smokebox.

First job was to drilla 3/8" hole in the side of the smokebox



Temporarily fit the wet head with super heater



Fit the smoke box and connect the steam pipe



Make up the snifting valve pipe







Fortunately the chimney isn't riveted to the smokebox so access through the top is possible






Another trial fit



Cheers

Rich

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #820 on: April 18, 2019, 08:21:00 PM »
Hi

Now that the backhead looks a lot neater I have decided to tidy up the front of the firebox

Print out an exact size and then allow a little extra of the firebox and spray glue onto some 1/8" brass plate



Drill a hole in the centre and mount on the rotary table in the mill. Drill a 5mm start hole



Cut





finish the cut in the bandsaw





A trial fit



Some 1/2" x 1/8" brass bar silver soldered on.



Next job is to pull it round and finish the silver soldering

Cheers

Rich



Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #821 on: April 20, 2019, 08:01:12 PM »
Hi

The plans don't show any cladding for the firebox but I'm going to fit some. I'm using thin brass sheet from stock.

Firstly a cardboard template. There is a fair bit of guestimation here. I have to allow for the thickness of the insulation.



Clamped between 2 lengths of angle iron to file the edge straight



Clamped down to a bit of scrap mdf to machine slots. The holes were drilled with a step drill



In my home made rolls to curve it



I'm using M2.5 button head screws to secure it to the steel backhead



After a trial fit I had to cut off the lower edge. It was too tight a fit between the frames



Cheers

Rich

Online Kim

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #822 on: April 21, 2019, 01:06:23 AM »
That's quite nice looking, Rich!
You mentioned something about insulation.  Is there some between the cladding and the boiler that I didn't see?  Or is that 'eventual insulation' rather than 'current insulation.'
Kim

Offline scc

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #823 on: April 21, 2019, 10:34:28 AM »
Good work on a lovely loco. I'm following quietly, If I ever get around to building a loco it will be one of these or a quarry Hunslet.(as near as you can get to a traction engine on rails ::))      Terry

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #824 on: April 25, 2019, 08:48:54 PM »
Hi

Thanks Kim and Terry

Yes there is some insulation material between the brass cladding and the boiler. I'll take a photo of it when I can
find it :thinking: :headscratch: :old:

Not much to report so far this week just a little work on the firebox cladding





Cheers

Rich

 

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