Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

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Pipescs
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Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by Pipescs »

Worked on the mold for the ELESCO feed water heater but burned out fairly quickly tonight.

Made the mold but when I pulled the pattern I realized I had inserted the upper half keyed one eighty out. Try again in the morning when I am fresh. May try to run the furnace if I feel up to speed.

This is the mold with the pattern removed. Notice the core prints on the end.
DSC_0771.jpg
This is the sand core in place that will cause the part to be hollow when the bronze is poured in.
DSC_0769.jpg
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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steamin10
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Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by steamin10 »

Um, are you using dollar store talcum powder for your separation / parting dust? You need only to slick the patterns with it, and not the cope/drag line. It will make no diference to the close-up or pour and shakout. It does make a HUGE diference on pulling the molds from the patterns, making for better edges that dont crumble off because of sticking. Very low relief angles can be achieved, when the pattern is properly slicked and pulled squarely. Some patterns are more easily pulled pattern board up, and rolled to mate with the drag.

Your pouring is impressive and you have passed the kindergarden stage, and are doing well learning the ropes. It is obvious you have mastered some of the basics. I commend you.
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
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Fender
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Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by Fender »

Dave,
With the oil-bonded sand Charlie is using, parting powder will keep the sand in the cope and drag from sticking and tearing out . The alternative method is to uae newspaper between the two halves.

Charlie,
I have made the same mistake on the patterns being off by 180. So I started putting the pins in a non-symetrical positions, so it will be obvious when it is assembled wrong.
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
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Pipescs
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Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by Pipescs »

I put a big arrow on this one and will try your idea on the next one for sure.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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Harold_V
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Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by Harold_V »

Fender wrote:I have made the same mistake on the patterns being off by 180. So I started putting the pins in a non-symetrical positions, so it will be obvious when it is assembled wrong.
I had a policy of placing dowel pins randomly (when building tooling) to avoid the chance that items could be assembled improperly. Surprising how many will do things wrong when the possibility exists.

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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Pipescs
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Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by Pipescs »

One thing about Forums

In a place where so many talented people show their work, I beleive you should show also your really big screw ups.

This so people behind you will not make the same mistakes.

After figuring out the pin issue and making good marks to ensure I did not put the pattern together wrong I turned around and made the same mistake when putting the cope back on the drag. After cutting in vents and rizers I put the cope on one eighty out. As stupid as I feel, it can be traced to going to fast and trying to get the job done in too little time.

this is the results.
DSC_0807.jpg
DSC_0809.jpg
Oh well, at least the furnace ran well and all went exactly as I wanted it until I broke out the part. It actually looks good except being mis aligned.
DSC_0801.jpg
I have desided to paint the ends of my flask green on one end and red on the other to help me skip this mistake next time. I will band saw this up and throw it back in the pot.

After I get home next month will try again

Off to a wedding.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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Fender
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Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by Fender »

Charlie,
If I may make an additional suggestion: besides painting the ends of the flasks green and red, also put some type of identification on them, such as flask#1, #2, etc. That way you won't get the copes and drags mismatched. The distance between the locating pins on the halves may not be exactly the same on all of them, so they need to stay as matched pairs.
Keep up the great work!
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
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steamin10
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Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by steamin10 »

Heh! I use commercial founding flasks that are bent steel. So a spritz of white paint down the pile ID's the one end, and they are all the same. So matching painted ends is all I have to do. The pattern boards are aligned.
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
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Pipescs
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Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by Pipescs »

Success at last.

I don't work too much on the Pacific right now as I am pursuing my other dream of a running engine in two years.

I did get a nice day today on the furnace making a part for the Baldwin 2-4-4 and as I had enough sand to make two molds up I went ahead and made up another mold for the ELESCO Preheater Body.

This time I managed to keep the mold in the right orientation and it all came together.
DSC_1177.jpg
The mold requires a large core and gives the casting a quarter inch thick wall thickness.
DSC_1179.jpg
I will be packing up the pattern, and core box to send off to David Bortz who sells the end caps and other parts for the ELESCO unit. Any one wishing to purchase one of the castings can get them thru him eventually.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
kvom
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Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by kvom »

I was in DC this week and visited 1401 in the American History Museum. Beautiful loco to model.
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Pipescs
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Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by Pipescs »

I am in Nashville today but will be back up in DC next month for a while. Hoping to get by to keep up my motivation. Getting ready to do a casting session for a few more parts.

Also I received a pair of Dave Sclavi's Water Glass that will end up on the boiler.

I seriously need to finish up the Rust Bucket and get back to this.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
JohnMiller
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Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:08 am

Re: Southern Railways PS-4 Pacific

Post by JohnMiller »

I see the last post to this thread was 8 years ago. Is there anyone still out there willing to offer input as I start collecting construction/build info on this loco?
I've built and operate a 1.6" Allen Mogul, but the Ps-4 is still on my dwindling bucket list!
Thanks for any help you might offer!
John Miller
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