oldravendale
Western Thunderer
In true Dave Sharp fashion he was on the phone last night to discuss the valve rod. If only all businesses were as customer-centric, and I don't mean just in the model railway business!
He's advised that the valve rod should be 3/32" steel. Interestingly the piston rods are 2mm steel which makes the valve rods a bigger section, as I suspected. Anyway, the valve rod guides are certainly oversize for the 2mm rod and pretty well an interference fit for 3/32" so that's the road we'll follow for now. If it starts to irritate me I'll consider sleeving the guides and fitting a smaller diameter rod.
Dave also advised that there is a cast rod in the brass fittings. He's substituted steel rod in the kit as it looks better, which it does, and also because the dimensions in terms of roundness (if that's a word) are less accurate in a casting. However the cast rod will give me the opportunity to check the dimensions as designed.
I'm hoping to get in to the workshop again today. If so there'll be more to follow.
Brian
He's advised that the valve rod should be 3/32" steel. Interestingly the piston rods are 2mm steel which makes the valve rods a bigger section, as I suspected. Anyway, the valve rod guides are certainly oversize for the 2mm rod and pretty well an interference fit for 3/32" so that's the road we'll follow for now. If it starts to irritate me I'll consider sleeving the guides and fitting a smaller diameter rod.
Dave also advised that there is a cast rod in the brass fittings. He's substituted steel rod in the kit as it looks better, which it does, and also because the dimensions in terms of roundness (if that's a word) are less accurate in a casting. However the cast rod will give me the opportunity to check the dimensions as designed.
I'm hoping to get in to the workshop again today. If so there'll be more to follow.
Brian