SimonD’s workbench

[simond]

On which topic, we now have a cab and firebox. The pressed metal bit that Warren supplies for the firebox front does nicely form the curved shoulders, but has to be butt-joined onto the wrapper. A strap inside is obviously required. The pressed bit does not get overlapped by the wrapper, and nowhere does it suggest what one should do. At least I know now.

I hope a thin boiler band will sufficiently disguise the joint, though a bit of leading with low-melt may also be required



similarly the vertical alignment of cab side sheets and front required some jiggery-pokery, singed fingers and the occasional rude word.

But this bit now looks pretty much how I‘d expected, and seems to fit ok. I need to add the upstand rain strip at the rear of the roof.

Conversely, the two stamped circular formers for the smokebox and the short parallel part of the boiler barrel do get overlapped and it does say so, though not how one should achieve the correct protrusion. I can manage that. But the barrel is too long in the circumference direction….

And will need a strap, as will the conical part.


Challenging to know what to fix…

I shall have to make a former for the firebox end of the cone, otherwise it’ll be gnashing teeth and naughty words again.

 

[Phil O]

Thanks Phil, I know that, but I don’t know what the plate at the front of the tender, on which the loose end of the fall plate rests, is called. In the photo above, it’s the one with the “U” shaped cut out to clear the water scoop handle. They’re fitted on some kind of sheet metal brackets to raise the plate to match the loco footplate.


I think it's called the coal plate.

 

[Phil O]

On which topic, we now have a cab and firebox. The pressed metal bit that Warren supplies for the firebox front does nicely form the curved shoulders, but has to be butt-joined onto the wrapper. A strap inside is obviously required. The pressed bit does not get overlapped by the wrapper, and nowhere does it suggest what one should do. At least I know now.

I hope a thin boiler band will sufficiently disguise the joint, though a bit of leading with low-melt may also be required

View attachment 258802

similarly the vertical alignment of cab side sheets and front required some jiggery-pokery, singed fingers and the occasional rude word.

But this bit now looks pretty much how I‘d expected, and seems to fit ok. I need to add the upstand rain strip at the rear of the roof.

Conversely, the two stamped circular formers for the smokebox and the short parallel part of the boiler barrel do get overlapped and it does say so, though not how one should achieve the correct protrusion. I can manage that. But the barrel is too long in the circumference direction….

View attachment 258797And will need a strap, as will the conical part.
View attachment 258798

Challenging to know what to fix…

I shall have to make a former for the firebox end of the cone, otherwise it’ll be gnashing teeth and naughty words again.

Simon,

Can you use a couple of suitable jubilee clips, to hold it closed, you then have the options of scribing a line and then cutting off the excess for a butt joint or soldering it up as a lap joint.

 

[neaston]

Fingerboard clamps are very good as well

Fingerboard strap clamp

A lightweight and high strength re-useable plastic strap clamp with a moulded U shape grip that fits securely to the back of the neck.

beareandson.co.uk

Nick

 

[simond]

I fretsawed one millimetre off one side of the smokebox wrapper, at the cost of one blade, and about 10 minutes, it’s difficult to hold in a position to cut it, and of course, it’s quite flexible. I used the Proxxon with a disc to take the millimetre off the other side. Took less than a minute…

Soldering it was quite easy, I used an elastic band, and a twist of wire to bring the edges together and soldered the strap across the join.

I have not yet fixed the ends in, nor sorted out the conical part, but it sits in place.

 

[Dave Holt]

Nice work so far. The joint between tapered boiler and firebox front looks callenging. Good luck with that.
Dave.

 

[simond]

Thanks Dave. It does look to be a dreadful fit in that photo. I hope it’s a result of balancing the cone on a 10BA nut spinner…

I have a scale drawing (GWRJ) so I know how fat the fat end should be, and that it is perpendicular to the bottom of the boiler, which extends horizontally from the smokebox saddle. So we have some datum points from which to work. I shall fretsaw a suitable former, allowing a hole into which the speaker can be installed, thus using the conical part of the boiler as a sound box.

I suspect little progress will be made before the weekend, as a business trip beckons.

cheers
Simon

 

[Alan]

To Kettering?

 

[simond]

not initially..

EDIT - see “photos from otherwhere” thread for Riga, Latvia. A new experience. Standing on sea-ice.

 

[simond]

@Dave Holt may be right.

Left side, looks difficult.



Right side looks better.



Smokebox soldered up, and a rolled former fitted between first ring of boiler and cone.

I fretted out a ring of 1.6 brass for the back of the cone. The cone is not yet soldered. I fear I may have to reduce the ring diameter a tad, the OD over the casings should be 5’9”, 40.25mm, and it’s measuring between 40.2 and 40.3, and the lower “horizon” looks horizontal, which I’m pleased about, but it’s not mating nicely with the front of the firebox.

Let‘s see what tomorrow brings.

 

[cctransuk]

The LHS looks to have a vertical 'sag' in the cast firebox interface.

I would be looking to fill this - low melt solder or filler; the cone itself looks fine.

John Isherwood.

 

[simond]

Thanks John, I’ve not yet arrived at an understanding. Might need to fix footplate, cab, etc to chassis to eliminate other gaps and stuff, and to ensure that when it is fixed together, it doesn’t pull the footplate out of flat & level.

cheers
Simon

 

[Dave Holt]

Also, on the LHS, the smokebox doesn't appear to be seated in the saddle as well as it is on the RHS. I'd certainly do a bit more measuring and checking before cutting metal. I tend to agree that the gap between the firebox wrapper and the back of the boiler cone looks quite parallel, so perhaps it is the cast transition piece that's throwing things off a bit?
Dave.

 

[simond]

Thanks Dave,

The curved front of the firebox is a stamping, not a casting. See the very top picture on this page.

It looks like a cast W/M bit because it was tinned all over.

Hopefully with a bit of poking and prodding, it’ll all get sorted this evening.

cheers
Simon

 

[Dave Holt]

If it's still loose, it might be worth laying face (boiler side) down on a flat surface just to check it is completely flat all round?
Dave.

 

[simond]

yes, can do that. I do hope I have not built in an angle across the front of the firebox because otherwise the cab and firebox sit well on the footplate.

Cab and firebox are screwed together - I might do the same with the boiler. Easier to paint if nothing else.

cheers
Simon

 

[Dave Holt]

I'd definately look to see why the smokebox seats down on the saddle better on the REH than LHS before adjusting the back end of the boiler or firebox. I've had a couple of locos where I've not managed to get the cab front square to the foot plate or dead vertical - it's hard to check if the bit of the footplate under the cab is absolutely parallel to the main run. I'm sure you'll beat this into submission.
Dave.

 

[simond]

Thanks Dave,

the saddle is a lovely casting, but I do want to know it‘s symmetrical! I only noticed the gap on it last night when taking the photos.

Following my post dinner coffee, the “beating into shape” will commence shortly.

cheers
Simon

 

[simond]

And the first step. The boiler and firebox are very near symmetrical, as is the saddle.

The front of the firebox is not perfectly perpendicular vertically or horizontally to the centre line, but it’s out by the thickness of a piece of paper, “good enough for government work”

The cone appears to be a very little bit too long at the bottom, meaning the smoke box is kicked up slightly from the saddle, but at least it’s in the middle!



I reckon a smidgen removed from the cone at the bottom at the rear and we’ll be there.

I have to solder it up first which might be a challenge

 

[RichardG]

Simon, the former at the front of the smokebox looks taller than it is wide. It would be worth laying a steel rule across it.