Finishing off a 5" Gauge Simplex Loco

[sbwhart]

Kjelle:- I went through the changeover in the Uk from imperial to metric system in my early 20is, so I'm fairly fluent in both systems, in fact I use to use my fluency to bamboozle and young graduate who got up my nose by simply swapping from one to the other and back again by the time I was finished they didn't know if they were punched or bored.

 

Any way on the Loco front I made a jig to correct the crank throw it just a simple mandrel a good fit on the wheel bores then I just off set to the correct throw, locked everything up on the mill and then passed an end mill down through the bore I used an end mill so that it would follow its own path and not try and follow the existing hole. My first attempt I tried to correct just the outliers with a 8.5mm end mill, but this didn't work I was taking to fine skim off It needed a bigger end mill, so I decided to stop pussy footing about open them up 3/8" and do all the wheels.



It cam out great slipped a 3/8 bar into the crank hole and the holes for the axles all line up perfect.



Just need to pick up a length of 7/16" sliver steel to make new crank pins tomorrow.

Stew   

[Stilldrillin]

Nicely done Stew! 

Coming across this type of job. I often wonder if the original machinist has pop marked 'em out, individually. 
Then drilled, on the bench drill...... 

David D

[sbwhart]

Nicely done Stew! 

Coming across this type of job. I often wonder if the original machinist has pop marked 'em out, individually. 
Then drilled, on the bench drill...... 

David D

Yes I think that was the case also, from what I've found he was either in a big hurry or he just didn't understand about square-ness, alignment, geometry of parts and how things work together.

But what really annoyed me was my own stupidity for not checking out the throw sooner I must have spent getting on for three weeks trying to get the coupling rods to function, I just assumed that no one would have got them wrong to me it so obvious that it is important to get them all the same, and it not difficult to do its in all the books:- I think I'm on top of it now though.

Stew

[sbwhart]

 


Well assembled the wheels into the frame with the coupling rods and they turn over a dream 2000% better.

I'm one happy bunny.

Stew

[Stilldrillin]

Happy bunnies is good......... 

David D

[sbwhart]

Well I've not been idle this last months I've been doing battle with getting it running, its been mainly a mater of supreme patience and determination not to give up, not much to show in terms of pictures I've had to go through a big learning curve, making many mistakes on the way but slowly learning, and yes she's a RUNNER, not quite clockwork there are still things that need fixing and tuning but she runs

 

 

Stew

[NickG]

Nice 1 Stew, well done for persevering, it is infinitely better! Gone from being a shoddily made loco to a very well engineered one now.

[Stilldrillin]

Looking very healthy now, Stew! 

David D

[awemawson]

  Excellent Stew - your persistence has paid off big time. You must feel really good about that 

[tom osselton]

Good job!

[vtsteam]

Very smooth!  You must be happy with all the work you put into that formerly unhappy rig. The care shows! 

[sbwhart]

Thanks Guys

Its been a bit of a struggle to say the least, I think the hardest part has been trying to follow on from someone else you make the assumption that parts have been made right because you know you would have made it correct, one thing I have learnt is to check that every thing is correct otherwise you run into great difficulties.

Not sure what to do now, I've started to get a bit jaded with this project, I think I need to give it a rest and do something else so I think I will put it to one side for a bit and do something else:- Probably another engine build I have a couple drawn up 

Stew 

[Stilldrillin]

I think I need to give it a rest and do something else so I think I will put it to one side for a bit and do something else:- Probably another engine build I have a couple drawn up.
Stew

Wouldn't blame you Stew!

At least, when you return you can rely on the previous workmanship........ 

David D

[Steam Geek]

I have recently started to strip an 060 tank engine to refurbish, and reading the ever growing list of challenges you faced I am now questioning my sanity.

I do like your projects, they have some very interesting techniques and have certainly helped me expand my ( limited ) machine capabilities.

Keep omn posting - please!

[sbwhart]

I have recently started to strip an 060 tank engine to refurbish, and reading the ever growing list of challenges you faced I am now questioning my sanity.

I do like your projects, they have some very interesting techniques and have certainly helped me expand my ( limited ) machine capabilities.

Keep omn posting - please!

Thanks for your interest and kind comments Steam Geek.

I've stalled some what with the loco project but hope to pick it up again shortly mainly consolidating what I have already done, I,d really like to get it in steam next year.

Why not post some pics of your loco.

Stew

[krv3000]

well dun

[sbwhart]

I've not been idle since completed my cutter grinder project I've got my loco project going again, one reason it went under the bench was even tough I'd got it running I was far from happy with the result it was very lumpy and uneven what with all the problems I'd had correcting the original builders mistakes I was beginning to despair that it would ever run well, that and I was in need of doing something else as I was beginning to suffer from Project Despondency.

So I've painted some more parts that needed painting, case hardened all the linkages that needed it and polished them up fettled some of the tight spots out, fettled some of the sloppy bits out, replaced all the cap screws with nuts and bolts with spring washer or nylocs:- its amazing how many thing come lose on a model loco, and took some time to get the valve events spot on,

And it know runs like a little sewing machine that Mr Singer would be proud of.

     

Make sure you have the sound on so you can hear the nice even beat.

I'm now starting off on new ground plumbing in the boiler I've no idea how to do this so it will be very much a trial and error experience.

Stew

[Stilldrillin]

That's really sweet Stew! 

All, (most of?), buggerations sorted now. You're in charge of your own build.   

Good luck! 

David D

[chipenter]

I know how you feel I have been rebuilding a Minx that was in a simillar condition , failed a steem test last week leaks in the smoke box and injecter wouldn't work , the inspector was going on about a perfect vacume in the smoke box or it wont steam .

[sbwhart]

Thanks Dave

Chip

Getting a vacuum in the smoke box is one of my next concerns the door and dart is rubish fit but I was advised to make the door hing a lose fit so that it finds  its own level also the smoke box has s lap joint just wher the steam pipe and the blast pipe pass through so it will be  difficult to make a seal.

Stew

[chipenter]

This one has had a replacement boiler that is a bit shorter , so the smoke box was moved back a quarter of a inch four 1\8 holes made a big diference , and blast and feed pipes holes elonggated filled every thing with silicon rubber sealer , replaced the injector and it steamed a lot freer this morning , should pass now I hope .

[RadRod67]

Nothing to add but very interesting build, thanks for sharing Stew.

[sbwhart]

By popular request here's an update on my Simplex project.

I've been slowly plodding away at it mainly reworking parts to my own satisfaction though over the last month I haven't had much shop time due to family commitments holidays and get togethers  etc.

I've been concentrating on getting the smoke box up to scratch, the one supplies was fabricated from steel this is OK in itself but, this one had been lashed together and it would be far from vacuum proof which is a critical requirement for a smoke box if it is to function correct and give a good draft to the grate. So I decided to salvage what I could from the old one and make new where I couldn't the front ring was a GM casting so that could be reused, and I ordered a new smoke box tube from Blackgates and I drop luck with the rear ring as I had a slice of brass that was just the right size.



Machine it up using my big four jaw for a tight fit on the boiler



This is what I had to show for my efforts

A rear ring



And a pile of swarfe



The front and back ring were silver soldered into the tube, and the assembly set up on the spin indexer and the hole for the chimney bored in.



Index 180 and drill the holes for the blast pipe and the steam inlet



I then made and soldered into the smoke box the adaptor for the chimney (no pics)

The chimney sadle itself needed tidying up as it was left as cast so it fitted where it touched, this required the sadle being skimmed up with a fly cutter set at the same diameter as the smoke box tube.



Next up were the blast pipe and the inlet connections these were just made as T connections as I'm a bit of a smooth flow type of guy I wanted to make the pipes with a gradual bend.

So I got some pipe with a bend that was about right from the scrap yard, and some elbows from B and Q and cut them to make Y connection along with some screwed bushes.





And silver soldered them together, this is what they look like fitted in place



And here's what things are looking like the moment wit the boiler set up.



I had the boiler pressure tested to 1 1/2 times working pressure just to make sure everything is OK before I go and spend to much time on plumbing it in, I'm please to sy everything was Ok which it should be as it came with a boiler certificate.

I've still got more work to do on the smoke box it needs drilling to match its saddle and the sinfter valve and blower needs plumbing as will as the wet header.

I'll slowly work from front to back plumbing things in as I go

Stew

 

[tom osselton]

It has come along way I'm glad you didn't keep it benched!

[Stilldrillin]

Looking good, progressing nicely Stew! 

Well done, on the Y connectors........   

David D