The Home Machinist!

I decided to use 1144 stressproof on the Mikados I am building.

Dale

Hmm- The valve I pulled apart to clean I did lap in with 400 Clover lapping compound. After inspecting the blowdown ring I lapped in the ring to the check lightly to make sure the faces were parallel. Probably overkill as there is some play in the threads of the blowdown ring to the body. I will try...

To Tom, The info you attached is quite helpful. To all others interested in the topic: I am on the road again, but brought the valves along as I knew I had 120 lb air available. I completely disassembled and cleaned according to Superscale instructions the problem valve to the extent that I lost the...

I took it apart. Found a sliver of teflon at end of dental pick in pick. But I find it interesting that there is a shiny place in the barrel for lack of a better term. Any suggestions on cleaning? Thinking vinegar. Maybe a brass gun brush. But that is the same hardness. Certainly not steel. I would ...

Any insight or thoughts on disassembly? Do I need to back out the screw on the side? What is that doing? Looks like it is supposed to engage the toothed disk. Is there a split between the hex and the body? Is that where it unscrews?

See red arrows in attached pdf.

Thanks,

Dale

First fire in the loco for me. Valve was closed. Opened at 100 lbs. Has not closed since.

I got my first safety to lift at 100 lbs. But as the boiler pressure dropped, it would not close. My pressure went all the way to zero. Removed it today and tried it on air. Would not close. I know to set, air and steam are different. I think this is a Mercer. Found the shipping box with other safet...

After all my confusion and question, got my first fire in the loco. And the PM Research valve fit perfectly. (The clean unpainted one on top of the water column.)

Thanks for the help.

Hi Bill,

No, the OD is 5/16. I think I have it sorted out. We will see when the PM Research valve shows up.

Dale

I guess I should have said 1/16 stainless pipe. As pipe and tube are two different ODs. However, since I un-threaded the valve from the end of the brass 1/16 pipe, I will either make a new bonnet or install a PM Research that is on the way. So replacement 1/16 pipe is not needed right now. But I hav...

Took a file to it. Pipe dope. Unscrewed the valve. The pipe is brass. I thought brass for steam service was frowned upon. Mcmaster only has a couple nipple lengths in brass. And they do not say steam under usueage category. They do not have any 1/16 stainless. Where does one procure 1/16 stainless? ...

Hi all, While I have worked on full size steam locos, this new to me RR Supply logging 2-8-2 brings up a lot of questions. I was doing an air pressure test to check my dome lid I had taken off to repair a leaking gasket. I did a boiler wash, so I had the blow downs and other washout plugs out. Going...