Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[pettyofficernick]

Good Morning Cal,that is an interesting looking coupling you have there, I may try one on my next project If I can get hold of one.....
Regards,
Nick.

[muleears]

Good Morning Cal,that is an interesting looking coupling you have there, I may try one on my next project If I can get hold of one.....
Regards,
Nick.

Nick, I'm sure they will ship over to you.  In the US they have lightning fast shipping and the costs are reasonable too.  Just use the link in the previous post and look around.  They have over 400K products and I have used many in my hobby.  For instance, I bought the wrenches I needed to build the 8M engine and the lagging and high temp adhesive for my boiler.  If they don't ship overseas, I will.  Just tell me what you want and I'll fix you up!

[Circlip]

Make sure that when fitting this type of coupling, that the shaft protrudes no further than the end of the metal furrel that it's clamped in. In photo 2 & 3 Of reply #123, the RH shaft should be level with the tapered end and not poking through it.

  Regards  Ian.

[southsteyne2]

 )H all I have a friend that has one of these engines been running now for approx 6 months no problems very impressive performance considering he uses the small pm research boiler kit, by the way has anyone experience building a yarrow boiler as I would like to build one and wondered about holding all the pipes together before soldering and any other tips would be most helpful
Cheers
John

[pettyofficernick]

)H all I have a friend that has one of these engines been running now for approx 6 months no problems very impressive performance considering he uses the small pm research boiler kit, by the way has anyone experience building a yarrow boiler as I would like to build one and wondered about holding all the pipes together before soldering and any other tips would be most helpful
Cheers
John

There was a serialized build of a yarrow boiler in Model Engineer magazine about 3 or 4 years ago, have a look at their website and you should find what you are looking for.
Regards,
Nick.

[muleears]

Make sure that when fitting this type of coupling, that the shaft protrudes no further than the end of the metal furrel that it's clamped in. In photo 2 & 3 Of reply #123, the RH shaft should be level with the tapered end and not poking through it.

  Regards  Ian.

Thanks for the good advice Ian.  I would have thought you could sneak a little of the shaft into the coupling, but I suppose that may compromise the action of the coupling.  I still plan to use the two Meccano wheel setup Nick used but this one arrived first so I thought I would stick it in the boat and let you all see it.  It appears quite robust, I doubt it would ever break or wear out.

On a side note (hijacking my own thread here), can someone tell me how to operate a lubricator?  I understand how they work, condensing steam displacing the oil and all, I just need an explanation of when/how often to fill it and how to set the knobs on the thing.  How much is too much?  How long should one filling last?  What is the knob with the black rubber ring around it for?  Mine doesn't want to move, should it?

[muleears]

Cal....I have seen these engines in a maroon color and a dark green & they look fine, however it is hard to beat gloss black & gold hightlights as you have displayed  ..... especially if you combine the same scheme for your boiler, gas tank & de-oiler etc ....Derek

It does look pretty good, even if I say so myself!  The boiler ends were painted with simple hi temp paint in gloss black.  The engine however is a different story.  That was a bit of an experiment.  I had some leftover POR-15 which is a powreful rust treatment primarily used in auto restoration where existing rust needs to be arrested and covered.  I had used it on the air cleaner of my 67 Benz 250S (which is now gone  ).  It withstands very high temperatures and dries to a very hard very glossy finish.  It is a three step process to apply.  First the item must be degreased, then etched with a solution supplied with the paint then painted all at once as it dries relatively quickly.  I expect this finish to never fade, although they recommend a clear coat if it is to spend a lot of time in direct sunlight.  If anyone is interseted you can google POR-15 or I can send you a link.

[pettyofficernick]

Hi Cal, fill the lubricator at the start of a run, when you top up gas, boiler etc, drain the condensate from the lubricator at the same time either with the drain cock at the bottom or with a syringe through the top where you fill it if it is awkward to gain access to the drain. 1 1/2 turns in the needle valve works fine for me ( the screw with the black rubber ring round it, and yes, it should move) Knowing when to fill the lubricator will become clear when you start to run the engine , just keep an eye on the oil level until you know how long it lasts. I usually get about 3 x 1/2 hour runs from one filling. Gas, water and oil consumption will become apparent once you get used to running the engine.
Regards,
Nick.

[muleears]

Hi Cal, to connect your boiler stop valve to the T on the engine, you will need an adapter, from PMR to suit the thread in the T on one side and 1/4 x 40 on the other, ( Ask PMR, that's where I got mine from), 2 x 1/4 x 40 pipe nuts and 2 x 5/32 pipe ferrules. follow the links for examples of what you are looking for.

http://www.steamfittings.co.uk/asp/d-no.asp?ProductID=99&Process=


http://www.steamfittings.co.uk/asp/d-no.asp?ProductID=101&Process=1

 Bend your copper pipe to suit and slip a nut over each end ( make sure they are the right way round ) then silver solder a ferrule on to each end of the pipe and you are done. The chap at PMR knows Maccsteam boilers, so he will probably have everything you need, it's worth a phone call. It is a bit tricky trying to explain as your American fittings are slightly different to ours. I will take some pictures tomorrow to make things a bit clearer.
Regards,
Nick.

Nick,

I think I'll order the parts I need from the gentleman at Steamfittings, he seems to have what I need.  But won't I still need a die to thread my pipes so I can utilize the T's and elbows I have?  the ones I have are from PMR and apparently threaded 3/16-40 (correct?).  So won't I need a die to thread 3/16-40?  I'm so confused   

Cal

[pettyofficernick]

Hi Cal, PMR sell 3/16 brass pipe in varying lengths from about !/2 inch up to about 6 inches in length, threaded both ends to suit his fittings, I have just got some from hid UK distributor. I usually bend copper pipe to suit my installation and solder the appropriate fittings on the end. Copper pipe is best silver soldered rather than threaded. PMR also sell a 3/16 x 40 MTP die but it seems quite expensive. I will post some photos later on this eve.
Regards,
Nick

[muleears]

I've started putting sanding sealer on parts of the cabin.  I had the bright idea ( ) of painting on the sealer while the parts are still in the sheets.  Anyone have any thoughts on this?  I thought it would make it easier and protect the edges and corners at the same time.  I'm using SIG sanding sealer and I have to thin it A LOT to get it thin enough to do what I expect.  Do you all use a tack rag or how do you remove the sanding dust before you put on the next coat of sealer?  Or do you just wipe it down and go?  For the cabin parts, do you seal both sides, interior and exterior?  I'm tempted to just seal the exterior parts as most of the interior won't be seen.  I plan on painting most of the cabin, not leaving it natural.

Nick, I found a tap and die set on Ebay for $21 shipped.  Now I have my 3/16-40 (on the way at least) .  Now to just order those parts from PMR...

Just out of curiosity, approximately how many RPM's will my 8M be running to produce scale speed?  I forget the exact number but I have a very high pitch steam prop from PropShop.  I'm gonna take a wild guess and say no more than 150....

Thanks to all as usual!

Respectfully,
Cal

[muleears]

Hi Cal,The threads on your boiler are 1/4 x 40 tpi These are ME (Model Engineer) threads. The pipe work threads on your PMR engine are in MPT ( Modelers Pipe Thread ) they are the same as the UK ME threads but are slightly tapered so your PMR fittings will have this thread. They do sell adapters, so assuming you have the same basic setup as my PMR engine, you will need an adapter to connect 1/4 x 40 ME to 3/16 MPT and some 1/4 x 40 ME nuts and nipples for 5/32 pipe. If you have trouble getting 1/4 x 40 ME pipe fittings, I have included a link to the chap I get mine from. Here.s a photo of the way my engine is set up.
Give me a shout if you have any problems and I will do my best to advise,
Regards,
Nick

http://www.steamfittings.co.uk/asp/index.asp




Nick,

What thread is the mounting lugs on the bottom of the boiler and gas tank?

[pettyofficernick]

Hello Cal, good idea sealing the parts whilst still in the sheets, try not to get any sealer/paint where you will be applying glue as you will not get a good strong join otherwise. A set of taps and dies are a good buy, and they will last you a lifetime if taken care of. I am not sure of the RPM, I have never actually measured it, I think there is a calculation that can be done but that is one for the mathematicians amongst us.Bit of a sad day today, my old dog, Monty had to be put to sleep, he was 15 and had cancer, the old "xxxxx" soldiered on for a few months but I couldn't let him go on.
Anyway, the boat will soon be done and I am awaiting the finished job with baited breath. Winter is nearly upon us here in the UK and I will soon be starting my new project, an African Queen with a TRV 1 to power it, it will keep me busy 'till the spring.
Best wishes,
Nick.

[pettyofficernick]

Hi cal, the mounting screws should be 4ba, if you have any trouble getting them in the US, I have loads and I will send you some, let me know.
Regards,
Nick.

[muleears]

Hi cal, the mounting screws should be 4ba, if you have any trouble getting them in the US, I have loads and I will send you some, let me know.
Regards,
Nick.

Thanks for the offer Nick, but I found some on Ebay.  Seems I can find anything on Ebay!

I have started nailing the the brass on the rudder.  I drilled a pilot hole first but some of my nails meet the ones on the other side so I'm having to make some adjustments.  I cut a couple shorter then painted them with poly to hold them in.  I figure I'll do one side at a time.

Good to hear about the African Queen, we always need something to keep us busy!

[pettyofficernick]

Hi Cal, I cut all the nails for the rudder to about 1/8" If you do it into a plastic bag they won't fly all over the place, just put the nail in the cutters, and do the actual cut inside the plastic bag. You will end up with a bag of short nails of just the right size.
Regards,
Nick.

[ooyah/2]

Hello Cal, good idea sealing the parts whilst still in the sheets, try not to get any sealer/paint where you will be applying glue as you will not get a good strong join otherwise. A set of taps and dies are a good buy, and they will last you a lifetime if taken care of. I am not sure of the RPM, I have never actually measured it, I think there is a calculation that can be done but that is one for the mathematicians amongst us.Bit of a sad day today, my old dog, Monty had to be put to sleep, he was 15 and had cancer, the old "xxxxx" soldiered on for a few months but I couldn't let him go on.
Anyway, the boat will soon be done and I am awaiting the finished job with baited breath. Winter is nearly upon us here in the UK and I will soon be starting my new project, an African Queen with a TRV 1 to power it, it will keep me busy 'till the spring.
Best wishes,
Nick.

Hi Nick,
Sorry to hear about your dog, it's sad when you have to make a decision to have an old friend put down, I have never had to do it but lost a West Highland terrier to a car accident a number of years ago and it was like a death in the family, just keep busy.

George.

[muleears]

My rudder so far...  I've only installed two of the three brass straps.  I couldn't find the material that came with the kit (If you saw my work area you'd know why) so I had to buy some strip brass at the LHS.  It has taken me A LOT longer to do this than I expected.  First strap (bottom one) probably took over an hour in total, the second one less than 30 minutes.  Eventually all these bits and pieces will come together and I'll have a boat!

[pettyofficernick]

Hi Cal, looking good. Your workspace cannot be any worse than mine.....

[muleears]

You're right! That is pretty "busy".  Mine at the moment is one half of the kitchen table!




Oh, don't ask why I have .22 cal. pellets and a lantern on the table!

[pettyofficernick]

Rabbiting?

[muleears]

Nick,  I have a question(s) about your 8M and the adjustment thereof.  I built mine from a kit, did you?  The reason I'm asking is I can't seem to get mine to run on air from my airbrush compressor.  Actually I've never tried to run it on anything before.  I wanted to test it because mine seems quite stiff and I was wondering if I have the adjustments set too tight.  The 'adjustments' I'm referring to are the two sets of nuts on each cylinder.  One holds the head against the upright thing (where the steam comes from) and the other appears to adjust the angle of this same part.  Mine is so stiff that it takes some effort to turn it over by hand.  I would expect it being new to be somewhat stiff but I think this is excessive.  Can you turn yours over by turning the crankshaft from the front with your bare fingers?  I cannot.  I fear I have it binding somewhere.  I have adjusted it so the connecting rods don't appear to bind, either on one another or the flywheel.  I have oil in it.  Where else should I look?  Or is it possible I'm not applying enough pressure with the compressor?  Should I hook it up to the boiler from the Alexandra?  It is no where near as free as the Krick twin on the Alexandra.  I can turn it via the flywheel, but it is stiff.  Where do I go from here?   I will take it apart and test it at each step to see if I can locate where the problem is.  Your input, and anyone else's, is greatly valued and appreciated.

Cal

[muleears]

Update.  I took it part way apart, I took both head/piston/conrod assemblies off.  Both conrods/pistons move freely within their respective heads.  The crankshaft spins freely. I reassembled it loosely and now when air is applied it tries to turn over and occasionally will do one revolution with a nudge.  I am not sure how tight (or loose) the nuts holding the heads to the uprights should be.  I also am not sure how tight the screws that hold the throttle plate on should be either nor do I know how many PSI this little compressor produces.  I'll keep fiddling and reporting any progress.  Input is welcome!

[pettyofficernick]

Good evening Cal,I cant turn my engine over from the shaft end by hand either, However, it runs well on steam at about 30 PSI. The nuts at the top of the standards are for for making fine adjustments to the alignment of the cylinder in relation to the crank pin, ie. the bore in the big end should be at 90 degrees to the crank pin. The nuts that hold the cylinder on to the standard on which the cylinder pivots needs to be tight enough to prevent leakage of steam but not so tight as to cause excessive binding. Again, the screws that hold the regulator securing plate in position needs to be tight enough to prevent steam leakage, but still easy enough for the servo to operate. It will loosten up after a couple of hours running, just make sure you keep the lubricator full of oil if running on steam and keep the bearings well oiled while it is running in.One last thing, make suer the piston assemblies are not touching the cylinder heads or the bottom cylinder covers. The way to adjust this id detailed in the instructions. Make all your adjustments a tiny bit at a time untill it feels right. Although it is not recommend, I ran mine on steam from the start as I don't have a compressor, and I didn't have any problems, just take it easy, and try to avoid full throttle, take the speed up in gentle steps and it will soon be ticking over nicely.
Regards,
Nick.

[muleears]

Well, I've gotten it going!  As you suggested I started with everything quite loose and tightened a little at a time until it now will run at about 150rpm (I guess, it's a little too fast for me to count).  I put a couple drops of steam oil in the hole where the steam line connects for added safety.  I have no idea what psi the little compressor puts out but the motor will only run when near full throttle.  I have no idea what rpm these run at with 40 psi steam, do you?  What I'm asking is, is 150 rpm its top speed?  I guess when I have time I should steam up the Alexandra and connect the 8M and see what happens.  If I can I'll make a video of it running in my hand.  But that will have to wait for tomorrow, 4am comes early and I've things to do before I retire for the day.  Thank you for the help as always Nick.