Steam Fire Pumper 1869

[Flyboy Jim]

My.......... you have been busy John!  Well done. 

Makes me think that I should finish some of the models that I've started and never finished. 

Jim

[Admiral_dk]

Those models are truly stunningly beautiful John 

.... and nice to see you post a new build here 

[zeeprogrammer]

Very happy to see another one of your threads.

Great save on the boiler ring. Neat idea on how you did it. 

[J.L.]

Thanks fellows.

Quite a bit of time has been spent correcting the boiler's cast cap ring. Its centre hole was not concentric to its rim. This was not good because it locates the chimney flange that fits into it. (photo 2). The chminey would look significantly off-center.

So the ring had to be filed quite a bit to bring it to center. In Photo One, you will see a wood rasp! Believe it or not, it took this tool and a metal vice to flle off the thick sides of the hole. I was surprised that a wood rasp would work so well, but this white metal was soft. I tried fitting the ring in the lathe, but things were so off, it just was not worth risking damaging the part with cutting tools.

However, I am not complaining about the Britannia castings. Yes the first part - the frame was badly bent out of shape and this ring needed significant work, but there are hundreds of little cast parts that seem to be quite well cast.

I admire Ken Foran for making every one of them from scratch.

Here is an example (Photo Four); a little manifold petcock to be mounted in the bottom of the steam box.

[J.L.]

The boiler cap ring has to seat itself with its lower edge sitting flat onto a recess in the top ring. If it doesn't, the cap ring looks crooked. Therefore, its edges had to be milled to accomplish this.

[Bobsmodels]

John

You have really been busy, looks like an outlet I had not thought of for the not so distant future when downsizing hits me.  I see how this is like many "machined" kits, it is a work in progress.  I noticed in the instructions no mention of a lathe or mill for construction.   

Over my 45 years of model building I have had many castings that required "fixing" to get them to the point of actually making them useful.  Just like the frame in your first post.  In some cases I just looked at it and called the supplier, who in most cases, sent out casting that was cast as intended - some responded with too bad for you, fix it everyone else does.     

Looking forward to following your journey on this one.

Thanks

Bob

[J.L.]

Thank you Bob for your comments.

Yes, downsizing is something a lot of us on this site have to consider. The model enginrering craft is definitely prevalent to our generation. I have been very lucky to still have my health.  I have survived two heart attacks, non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer and now a stable brain tumour. I wish to live as long as I can in my home, but must be realsitic as I look to the future.

The news of Dave's daughter's reocurring cancer gave me pause. My thoughts are with him and his family.

It puts seeing all my heavy machinery leaving the shop into perspective.

You are right about castings. You have to have your eyes open when you order kits with cast parts these days. Mind you, some companies are very good.

John

[tghs]

looking great,,Model Trailways kits seem to be well done.. I did get the horse drawn hearse kit and the castings look very good,, after some reading reviews and looking at the white metal parts thinking of taking a few minutes to make replacement axles out of steel and brass,, front and rear are the same and fairly simple..

[J.L.]

Thanks. Enjoy your build.

Intended basically for air brush work, these little alligator clips mounted on bamboo dowels really grip small parts well if they can be gripped without interfering with the paint job. They are available online.

The long dowels keep your hands a good distance if you are spraying the part.

This model has a high number of such items. When painted, the dowel handles can be clamped in a vice or set down into a hole in a stand.

[mklotz]

Yes, alligator clips glued to bamboo cooking skewers are great for holding parts while painting.  Some folks glue magnets to the skewers so they can stick them to metal objects but a wooden block with a bunch of 1/8" holes works as well and is simpler.

For more delicate parts where the conventional alligator spring and toothed jaws can leave marks, there are micro clips with perfectly flat, miniature jaws...

https://www.amazon.com/Corpco-Toothless-Alligator-Copper-Microscopic/dp/B07SD9MGG7/ref=pd_sbs_469_t_2/137-0790995-9841221?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07SD9MGG7&pd_rd_r=d8eb5362-9cda-4afc-b791-9ad43b8c173b&pd_rd_w=OvlqN&pd_rd_wg=iUiSd&pf_rd_p=5cfcfe89-300f-47d2-b1ad-a4e27203a02a&pf_rd_r=SR3DMXY4YK7591Z95HDA&psc=1&refRID=SR3DMXY4YK7591Z95HDA

[J.L.]

Good option for smooth, delicate surfaces Marv, but if you are gripping a projecting lug that is going to be glued into a hole, leaving grip marks is not a concern. As a matter of fact, you want an aggressive strong grip to avoid surprises while painting.

Thanks for the link.

John

[cnr6400]

John, re bamboo stick / clips keeping fingers away from spray paint - you make it sound like painted fingers are a bad thing!     

[J.L.]

Well, speaking of painting, here is the frame of the engine being spray painted red in the paint booth.

I am finding the primer + paint combination quite handy for regular white metal painting.  However, I still use an auto etch metal primer before painting any brass part.

[tghs]

the scale saw horses are a nice touch as for horses breyer classic series are 1/12th scale if you are planning on doing a complete rig,,

[wagnmkr]

Looking good John ... sorry I can't get a peak in person, but the time will come.

Cheers

Tom