I Don't Know Why I Ever Got Involved...
Moderator: Harold_V
Re: I Don't Know Why I Ever Got Involved...
As you all know, the grate bars have to be a rattle (very loose) fit in the firebox and that is how I made them. Also, they were made in four discrete sections so the grates could be installed and removed through the fire door. But therein lies a problem.
Whenever I was working on the boiler, tilting it up or sideways as needed, the grate bars would shift, pile up on one another or fall out. For a long time I would fiddle away and put them back in place until I got fed up with that and left them out completely.
But now, as everything was going back together again, this old problem emerged once more. The existing fire door on this boiler is quite small, so small in fact one cannot get one's fingers into the firebox. Finally, I got fed up enough and said enough is enough, I want a simple solution to this problem.
Hence the popsicle stick solution. Not to say that it wasn't fiddly also.
The ends of the popsicle stick were gradually belt sanded away until I could insert the popsicle stick through the fire door and rotate it with the tools shown in the first photo so that it jammed crosswise in the firebox while putting a downward pressure on all of the grate bar sections to keep them in place no matter how I tilted or rotated the boiler.
End of story - simple, crude and fiddly but effective.
Whenever I was working on the boiler, tilting it up or sideways as needed, the grate bars would shift, pile up on one another or fall out. For a long time I would fiddle away and put them back in place until I got fed up with that and left them out completely.
But now, as everything was going back together again, this old problem emerged once more. The existing fire door on this boiler is quite small, so small in fact one cannot get one's fingers into the firebox. Finally, I got fed up enough and said enough is enough, I want a simple solution to this problem.
Hence the popsicle stick solution. Not to say that it wasn't fiddly also.
The ends of the popsicle stick were gradually belt sanded away until I could insert the popsicle stick through the fire door and rotate it with the tools shown in the first photo so that it jammed crosswise in the firebox while putting a downward pressure on all of the grate bar sections to keep them in place no matter how I tilted or rotated the boiler.
End of story - simple, crude and fiddly but effective.
- Bill Shields
- Posts: 10605
- Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
- Location: 39.367, -75.765
- Contact:
Re: I Don't Know Why I Ever Got Involved...
there is no such thing a a fire door that is too big.....
been there on the popsicle stick...but used something metal as i am too klutzy to make it last from wood...
been there on the popsicle stick...but used something metal as i am too klutzy to make it last from wood...
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
Re: I Don't Know Why I Ever Got Involved...
Some photos of the tear down and reassembly of the locomotive engine.
The tear down revealed some missing fasteners on the chassis of the engine which were replaced. The teardown and re-assembly revealed just how precisely these components had been made originally and as a result I did a bit of easing on some of the components to be better able to assemble and disassemble them again in the future. Even so, this engine comes apart and goes back together again one way only which, again, I had to learn the hard way after putting in hours and hours of fiddling.
The tear down revealed some missing fasteners on the chassis of the engine which were replaced. The teardown and re-assembly revealed just how precisely these components had been made originally and as a result I did a bit of easing on some of the components to be better able to assemble and disassemble them again in the future. Even so, this engine comes apart and goes back together again one way only which, again, I had to learn the hard way after putting in hours and hours of fiddling.
Re: I Don't Know Why I Ever Got Involved...
I finally positioned the reverser so I can operate it with my fingers and, as well, not burn my fingers on the boiler backhead. It is all very, very tight here.
This necessitated a new wider cab floor than was originally installed. Also, I have to offset the cab end of the reach rod as the reverser and the reach rod are offset from one another.
This necessitated a new wider cab floor than was originally installed. Also, I have to offset the cab end of the reach rod as the reverser and the reach rod are offset from one another.
- Bill Shields
- Posts: 10605
- Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
- Location: 39.367, -75.765
- Contact:
Re: I Don't Know Why I Ever Got Involved...
Need an extension bar...or smaller asbestos hands
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
Re: I Don't Know Why I Ever Got Involved...
The latch locking spring and a partially made longer arm latch which turned out I didn't need.
Re: I Don't Know Why I Ever Got Involved...
Some work on the reversing rod.
As the reverser had been moved further away from the boiler backhead for reasons stated previously, I had to make a small extension piece on the offset end of the reverser rod to match the new reverser position.
Also, there was a drilled hole in the long tab in the middle of the reversing rod which matches a similar hole on a mounting bracket located on the footplate of the engine. When setting the reversing rod in place I discovered, to my delight, that this drilled hole (when a pin was inserted) set the neutral position for the reverser. So, someone had already figured out how to do this! Half the problems I was anticipating were now solved.
The only issues which now remained was how to determine the full forward and the full reverse notch positions on the curved sector piece of the reverser and how far up on the reverse lever the reversor rod attachment point needed to be to fulfil these conditions.
As the reverser had been moved further away from the boiler backhead for reasons stated previously, I had to make a small extension piece on the offset end of the reverser rod to match the new reverser position.
Also, there was a drilled hole in the long tab in the middle of the reversing rod which matches a similar hole on a mounting bracket located on the footplate of the engine. When setting the reversing rod in place I discovered, to my delight, that this drilled hole (when a pin was inserted) set the neutral position for the reverser. So, someone had already figured out how to do this! Half the problems I was anticipating were now solved.
The only issues which now remained was how to determine the full forward and the full reverse notch positions on the curved sector piece of the reverser and how far up on the reverse lever the reversor rod attachment point needed to be to fulfil these conditions.
Re: I Don't Know Why I Ever Got Involved...
A further photo showing what I was just trying to explain.
The photo shows the reversing arm vertical with the die block in the middle of the curved expansion link (on both sides) with the reversing rod pin set in place. The pin, in this case, sets the neutral (vertical) notch position on the reverser itself.
The photo shows the reversing arm vertical with the die block in the middle of the curved expansion link (on both sides) with the reversing rod pin set in place. The pin, in this case, sets the neutral (vertical) notch position on the reverser itself.
Re: I Don't Know Why I Ever Got Involved...
Milling the mid gear notch in the reverser. All the reverser notches are only 1/16" wide and 3/32" deep - really small.
In this, I am following the instructions given by LBSC for his "Speedy" locomotive a 5" gauge 0-6-0. I happen to have this book which contains detailed instructions on how this type of reverser is to be set up.
But first, I had to make a simple fixture plate which allows the notches to be milled truly radially which is what is required. The fixture plate must first be centered and the first photo shows how this was done. LBSC says to first set the reverser lever vertical and this marks out the location for the mid gear notch.
The second photo shows the actual mid gear notch milling setup. Note all of the clamps used. I learned two things doing this.
The quadrant plate and the curved sector piece must be milled together without the spacers to ensure maximum rigidity. And everything must be clamped very securely as shown. Don't ask me how I know this. That is why you see the two scrap curved sector pieces in the last photo.
In this, I am following the instructions given by LBSC for his "Speedy" locomotive a 5" gauge 0-6-0. I happen to have this book which contains detailed instructions on how this type of reverser is to be set up.
But first, I had to make a simple fixture plate which allows the notches to be milled truly radially which is what is required. The fixture plate must first be centered and the first photo shows how this was done. LBSC says to first set the reverser lever vertical and this marks out the location for the mid gear notch.
The second photo shows the actual mid gear notch milling setup. Note all of the clamps used. I learned two things doing this.
The quadrant plate and the curved sector piece must be milled together without the spacers to ensure maximum rigidity. And everything must be clamped very securely as shown. Don't ask me how I know this. That is why you see the two scrap curved sector pieces in the last photo.