Author Topic: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)  (Read 464581 times)

Offline crueby

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4080 on: June 02, 2024, 10:27:29 PM »
I'd vote for getting the higher temp wire first, if only because my shop elves voted the other way...   :zap:

Imagine trying to get the melted wire out of the fine tube. And having to remake the fine tube since it wouldn't come out... Not to mention melting the battery holder when the batteries got shorted...

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4081 on: June 02, 2024, 10:41:11 PM »
Yeah...  That's a good point, Chris.

On the other hand, I'm not sure how much run time this engine will really see.  Actually, I am sure.  It will probably be on the order of 20 minutes of runtime for life.  I do plan to fire it up once, but I have no plans to run it much after that.  It's going to sit proudly on my trophy shelf!

Plus, if the wire gets that hot, how hot will the battery holder get?  I have no solution to this. I'm kinda leaning toward saving the $40+ that it would cost me for the wire (plus shipping) and just use what I've got.

The jury's still out though...

Kim

Offline crueby

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4082 on: June 02, 2024, 10:50:19 PM »
If the wire insulation  melts and the wire shorts, the battery will get hot till either it drains or the wire core melts away.


Even if it only runs once, if it melts the wire then you wont be able to turn on the lights when its on display. Add up what you've  invested in time and materials  in this model, the special wire cost is in the noise.


My 2 cents...

Offline crueby

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4083 on: June 02, 2024, 10:54:28 PM »
Oh, and its not just this model. Aren't you  going to build the rest of the locomotives in  Kozos books?    :stickpoke:




Kim?   Hello?  Uh, oh, he ran out of the room screaming!   :Jester:

Offline crueby

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4084 on: June 02, 2024, 11:03:30 PM »

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4085 on: June 03, 2024, 01:37:11 AM »
Good points, Chris.

True, it's only $15 for one spool.  But I want red and black, so it's $30.  And McMaster does NOT have inexpensive shipping, so I added another $10.  That's where the $40 came from.  But maybe it's worth it anyway...   :thinking:

Kim

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4086 on: June 03, 2024, 01:38:15 AM »
As for the rest of Kozo's engines, well, I'd love to build them!  But I'm ready to do something different for a while, so my next engine might be a ways out!  :Lol:

Kim

Offline AdeV

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4087 on: June 03, 2024, 05:42:23 PM »
I'd recommend silicone insulated wire. Not only is it much higher temperature stable than PVC, it's also considerably more flexible - handy when you're trying to stuff it through a narrow bendy tube! Not sure about your locale, but you can pick Chinesium stuff up on Amazon in a multitude of colours and pretty small gauges for not a lot.
Cheers,
Ade
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I'm just a poor old man. I have no time for law-breakers. My legs are grey. My ears are gnarled. My eyes are old and bent.

Offline AdeV

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4088 on: June 03, 2024, 05:47:43 PM »
If the wire insulation  melts and the wire shorts, the battery will get hot till either it drains or the wire core melts away.

Even if it only runs once, if it melts the wire then you wont be able to turn on the lights when its on display. Add up what you've  invested in time and materials  in this model, the special wire cost is in the noise.


One option would be to leave the wiring out for the run, then install it when it goes on the shelf...

But I suspect we're all hoping Kim doesn't do that!
Cheers,
Ade
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I'm just a poor old man. I have no time for law-breakers. My legs are grey. My ears are gnarled. My eyes are old and bent.

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4089 on: June 03, 2024, 06:43:14 PM »
Well, I thought about it some, and slept on it, and have come around.  Bowed to peer pressure?  No, Just made a good decision with excellent input from you all!

And just so you know, shipping from McMaster for 20 feet of wire is not $10, as I predicted.   It is $20!  That's a dollar per foot!  Yikes!

Well, it's done, and it will be here by June 10th. Plenty of time.  I won't be wiring things up till after I've finished the plumbing and painted everything.  So that'll be a few months still.

But I am getting close!  (He keeps saying that, doesn't he?  :Lol:)
Kim

Offline cnr6400

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4090 on: June 03, 2024, 07:56:00 PM »
If I divide the shipping cost by the distance from McMaster Carr to my house, it reduces the cost per shipping distance unit to a lower number, so I feel better. Might work for you too Kim.  :Lol:

Even better when you fill your car or truck and get a big total number owing. Divide it by the average number of engine revolutions you get for the full tank. Makes it seem like a bargain.... :Lol:
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4091 on: June 03, 2024, 10:42:29 PM »
I'll give that a try!  :ROFL:

Kim

Offline Kim

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4092 on: June 04, 2024, 10:12:02 PM »
Chapter 33.1 – Check  Valves

Today I’m starting on the Water Piping.  There are two water inputs into the boiler; one from the hand pump in the tender, and one from the axle pump. So the first thing Kozo has you do is to make the two check valves that protect those two water inputs.

These check valves are a little more complicated than some, in that they have a built-in vent valve.  Kozo states that these vent valves have three purposes: 1) to allow you to bleed air from the lines, 2) to allow you to see if the pumps are pumping water, 3) to see if the check valves are leaking from the boiler.  Interesting!  This guy thinks of everything!

There are several little parts that need to be made for the check valve body. These parts will be silver soldered to the main body.

I started with the nipple that will connect to the water inlet stud on the boiler. It was made from 1/4" round brass. It is not complex on its own but involves two different angles in the profile.  One at 30o to mate with the union nut, and one at 45o  to mate with the boiler inlet stud. I turned the whole thing with a 1/16” Warner grooving tool and set the compound to 30 (actually 60) and 45 for the two angled cuts.


Then drilled it through with a #44 drill and parted it off.


The next little part is the seat for the vent valve.  It was made from 5/32” hex brass.  I started by drilling and tapping #4-40 for the valve stem.


Then shaped it, and parted it off.


Finally, I made the union nuts from 3/8” hex brass.


Here’s my day's work, six little parts for two check valves.


Next will be the main body to solder these parts onto.

Kim

Offline crueby

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4093 on: June 04, 2024, 11:28:32 PM »
N8ce pile of fiddly little parts!   :popcorn: :popcorn:

Offline cnr6400

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Re: Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)
« Reply #4094 on: June 05, 2024, 01:02:09 AM »
 :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: Fittings Fest 2024 begins!  :Lol:
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

 

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