An O.S. Porter Journey

Where users can chronicle their builds. Start one thread and continue to add on to it.

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mikeyg
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Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:31 pm
Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by mikeyg »

Now that we have the cylinder covers done, let’s get back to the rest of the running gear. (I think some of the pictures are out of sequence as I was fitting things together while dealing with the cylinders but no matter) At this point we’re installing the axles, axle pump, and eccentric straps as one would expect. Cylinders came on and off a few times for various reasons as will the pony truck because I can’t seem to follow directions all of the time…

Much of this is simple assembly. We start with finding the part, finding the associated hardware and simply following directions. The instructions in the kit are generally very good. I’ve found a few issues of misidentification or missing info but for the most part they are easy to follow.

One item I found however was a lack of information regarding cross drilling of the lifting arms and other components of the valve gear. The imagery and instruction in the prints were not clear so I stared at things for a while before acting on what I thought it should look like. The lifting arm for the gear, the reversing arm on the side and one side of the rocker arms are all drilled and pinned at a specific point in the process. (See part number VG-35 with associated “spring pin” in the photo) Sequence is important for a few pieces because valve timing is next and pinning them too soon is a problem. You’ll note that the lifting arm in the third image has a set screw only at this point but the first picture shows the reversing lever pinning work. You’ll also see the small split bushing inside the collet for the metric lifting shaft. I’m too cheap to buy a metric collet when I have a perfectly good 5C in hand. But I end up buying a few metric drills as needed so I guess I’m not that cheap.
Attachments
Instructions for "spring" pin
Instructions for "spring" pin
Cheap metric collet
Cheap metric collet
Johnson
Johnson
Gear
Gear
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mikeyg
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:31 pm
Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by mikeyg »

Oops…diversion therapy. Let’s paint the tender wheels while I have the vinyl machine running at work. The tender trucks are also deburred and painted and seem nice enough that I will likely use them. And at this point I can’t resist setting the boiler on the frame to see how it all looks. That boiler is gorgeous! But the tender frame is a little odd.
Attachments
Primed and ready
Primed and ready
Tender truck
Tender truck
Mockup
Mockup
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mikeyg
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:31 pm
Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by mikeyg »

Last one for today...

Back to the engine frame, we flip it upside down to assist with preliminary adjustments. What a pain! But we console ourselves by recognizing that we’re not slogging through the process of machining all of these parts.

Then, when the frame, gear and cylinders are ready, we begin final valve adjustment at the valves and rockers. The steam chests are bolted down (but not sealed on the bottom) and all pieces are visible and accessible. And, we have a plan…in English with a Japanese filter which I find difficult to interpret.

The graphical approach seems to work for me best. I look at the pictures and decided what to do as I find following the written instructions just a little confusing. Once I understood the intent things went along quickly. For reference…the little arrows are not dimension specific but rather meaning “longer” or “shorter”. Really a rather odd representation but I figured it out.
Attachments
Upside down
Upside down
Ready for timing
Ready for timing
Longer or shorter?
Longer or shorter?
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Bill Shields
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Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by Bill Shields »

propane bottle on the back seat is where we started...eventually built a 'tank car' that carried the propane. have fun with it
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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mikeyg
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Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:31 pm
Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by mikeyg »

Back at it now with a few more posts...

A nice feature of the kit is the two service fittings which they provide. One is for filling the boiler with water, and the other attaches to the steam pipe for running the chassis on air. I modified the air fitting for non-metric use.

Then...the air test. I have a video but I haven't figured out how best o link it. But it ran beautifully on air! It was very smooth with equal cadence in forward and reverse. I varied air pressure down to at least as low as 5 psi and even that worked well. Success! Now we’ll pin the lifting arm and rockers for good measure.

Now let’s mock it up further to see how things look.
Attachments
Fittings
Fittings
Mock up 1
Mock up 1
Mock up 2
Mock up 2
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mikeyg
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Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by mikeyg »

Here we go with being weird again…

I love Porters in general and have very strong interest in the 0-4-0 tank engines which are so common. But for some reason this Porter doesn’t do it for me. The more I look at the V&T engine, the more I like the appearance that Baldwin presented. And having no specific interest in or affinity for the Japanese engines, I see an opportunity to make a change.

The general appearance of the chassis is fine. It has the mogul wheel configuration and the wheelbase isn’t too far off from standard Baldwin work. Even the driver pattern reminds me of the original Consolidation pattern from the 1870’s so I think I’m on solid ground for an aesthetic Baldwin conversion. But what needs to change?

Well, the domes are way too small for this engine and the diamond stack doesn’t match the wood burning Baldwin so I’m seeing these as prime candidates for replacement. Add to that the headlight and I begin to think this is relatively easy. But sitting on the bench for several weeks it seems to scream for additional work. The more I look at it, the running board is way too high and the cab is a little wonky as well. But the deal breaker for me was the smokebox door. It doesn’t match anything I’ve seen, Porter or not so I guess I’m running myself into a larger project.

First step is the Pony truck suspension which in prototype style pokes its head up from the front deck. I’m going to fake it in with a non-working item. The actual truck is sprung under the frame and no need to mess with that. I’m trying to keep the mechanics of the locomotive unchanged. Why mess with near perfection?

No pictures of the process, but I drilled out a brass rod, then “threaded” it with a sharp narrow point in about 7 or 8 threads per inch. Only I went all the way through, creating a “square” spring which looks correct. I go with a 4-40 drill/tap for the frame and deck, add some 4-40 all-thread and a little base fitting and we look like a suspension item.
Attachments
Cut off spring
Cut off spring
Bendy now
Bendy now
Front deck 1
Front deck 1
Front deck 2
Front deck 2
Front deck final
Front deck final
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mikeyg
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Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:31 pm
Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by mikeyg »

Back again...I'm actually several weeks ahead on actual progress.

So, what do I do with the smokebox door? The kit piece is very odd with a set of cast straps across and a rounded profile which doesn’t match anything in my memory. Out of curiosity, I looked through my old Porter catalog and find nothing similar there. And it doesn’t match the images I have of extant 7100 engines in Japan so I’m not sure what they were thinking. Maybe one of the scrapped engines had a homemade one? Looking closer at the smokebox front behind the door, I see some casting imperfections which bother me too. Oh well…here we go replacing the whole thing.

I’m in love with the Glenbrook so we choose that as our model. A Baldwin narrow gauge engine is always a good choice!
Attachments
Baldwin comparison
Baldwin comparison
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mikeyg
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Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:31 pm
Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by mikeyg »

We find a piece of scrap CRS of about 4” diameter and go to town. It’s ugly to machine this stuff but after a few cutting tool swaps it seems to be coming out pretty well. The back piece comes first of course. After parting it off we flip it around (not shown) and grab it from the inside using the extended (for now) flange which will be shortened later for insertion into the smokebox proper. I’ll hold off on the back piece hinges until I get the door figured out.
Attachments
Parting off
Parting off
Blank
Blank
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mikeyg
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Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:31 pm
Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by mikeyg »

Now back to ugly CRS land for the door which is much harder. I print a side view of a Baldwin from the some old prints and play with dimensions until it seems right. I mark some diameters on a piece and start carving. When someone asks how we make a locomotive, we might say “start with a piece of metal and cut away everything that doesn’t look like a locomotive” and it would largely be true. I two-hand this by eye which is my poor man’s version of CNC.

I’ve left a nub on the end for grabbing it with the three jaw chuck on the dividing head. I plan on cutting the bolt lands from the back side and silver soldering some little pieces in there. I’ll do the same for the hinges. It looks pretty good but still needs some finessing with the abrasive cloth and it will be shot blasted later too which will texture it significantly.

I'll divert to a wooden tender frame next week...
Attachments
Door in progress
Door in progress
Together but unfinished
Together but unfinished
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JBodenmann
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Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2003 1:37 pm
Location: Tehachapi, California

Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
I am really liking what Mike is doing with the Porter-Baldwin build. Cut away everything that doesn't look like a locomotive...now that sounds familiar :D .
Jack
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Love4Steam
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Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 7:38 pm
Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by Love4Steam »

Looking great! Should we clean off a spot on the mantle yet? :lol: I love your attention to detail!
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mikeyg
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:31 pm
Location: Garden Grove, CA

Re: An O.S. Porter Journey

Post by mikeyg »

Now for more diversion therapy. This is where I divert to other sub-projects while I wait for materials, inspiration or both. Or sometimes I just take a break and work on the house. In this case I’m waiting for some more CRS for the hinges and bolt lands. The smokebox door goes on the back burner.

I’ve been looking at the tender frame for a while now and had already decided to replace it with something better. Never mind that the kit pieces are robustly built, go together easily and are perfectly serviceable…this never enters our minds. All we know is that it looks like what it is…pieces of metal folded over and chunked together with a nice paint job and a tender tank on top. I still figure I’ll keep the trucks as they look ok and roll very easily.
I’m thinking that a wood frame might work. We’re not sitting on these little things and the water tank isn’t much more than a few pounds so weight isn’t a problem. I love working with beech wood and I’m beginning to think that I can make a frame much like Jack did in 1/8” scale for that American. I begin to sketch it up and then this comes along…

I was visiting good friend Rich Carlstedt up in Wisconsin and he gives me the Weissenborn book from I think 1870. Looking inside, there is a stunning set of drawings for a Baldwin mogul including three pages of tender prints which are AWESOME! They have loads of detail including a drawing of a wooden frame and full suspension information. Now I have some inspiration to do something a little more special!

Scanning and printing in scale comes first. Fortunately, I have that capability at work along with a large plotter for printing drawings. Once the prints are at home I can begin cutting wood. Out comes a chunk of 4/4 beech, we whack a piece off and begin ripping it on the table saw.

It’s nice having original Baldwin prints in scale! I can lay the wood on top and check dimensions as I go along.
Attachments
We're going with wood!
We're going with wood!
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