Well it's been a while since the last update, so I wanted to drop in and put something up at least. Between, work bands and social life, it's all getting a bit intense! So what's new? .... Well not a lot really! Things are still moving along, but time being on the slim side not as much has happened as I would like! Pug however has had some more love and new bits!
Seen's as Mr F has the frames still I've been working on the boiler as the paint work is mostly Done, There is a new steam T that needs finish tapping, and the gauge glass is being looked into, I've decide to scrap the original idea so sent the gauge glass and fittings back, more design work is needed to get it right but the basic principle is to make a new block that screws into the bottom glass fitting on the boiler. Pushing the bottom fitting out to the left, meaning we get an angled glass which is more proto-typical, also we gain glass length and gain more space for the firebox door mods. So that's my side of the work recently, doesn't sound a lot i know but it's all I've had time for and trying to work out all the ins an outs of moving fittings an planning the back head is no easy task.
Elsewhere in the world,
The frames show a bit more progress. There is wheels, Ok only 3 of them but still that's a step forward, valves are machined and rods bored, pistons are on their way with rings to suit, so it's all starting to look like an engine again, and from what I hear it's all looking rather promising! With any luck and a bit of work, I'm expecting the frames back my way in a few weeks, by that point we should be running on air so I'll try and get a video done of that and post a link.
Well now that's pug news out the way I'll move on.
For the last few weeks it's all been about pug, as much as I want to see it back in steam and doing a bit of heavy haulage I'm also aware too much of a pug thing is never a good idea! So I thought i would share with you something a tad different,
On one of the "social" visits, I saw a friend of mine ... So what you ask? Well...
Ever heard of "Steam Traction World"?
Well I'm assuming you have but for those who haven't, basically it's the aftermath of Modelworks, they realized that railway engines were hard to make and changed into more ....... Simple items, like traction engines! Well my friend has got (be it still in kit form) a 2"Burrell. As I went for a social, I dropped in to see the beast under way, and well found a lot less than I expected by now!
I think all the bodging was far more than he expected and "lost steam" (all the bad puns here!). I had a dig around in the boxes of parts and pulled out all sorts of bits, Eventually I left after discussions over the "best way to get things done"... Taking with me a box of parts. Willing to lend a hand, I took the smoke box and perch bracket assembly to sort out, leaving him with the front and back wheels and various other bits to get a move on with.
Later on that evening
I got home and sat down a the table, being fairly late there was no time for workshop antics for pug so I decided to get stuck in, I opened up the box, spread all the bits out an looked at the instructions, "well this has winsons written all over it!" was my first reaction! First I waded thought the half-assed instructions complete with bad grammar and spelling mistakes (for a dyslexic it must have been bad if i picked up on it!) and duly found all the bits, after a few "test fits" I came to the conclusion, "I need a workshop!" so I boxed it all up and took it to work.
In between setting and programming and running my machine I spent my day armed with files, sanding disks and the like. It took almost half a day in a full workshop to get the parts de-burred and cleaned and then a lunchtime in a sand blaster to finish them off. The first bit was the front axle, which I had to take an angle grinder to, to get the machining miss-match out, then moved onto the smoke box All the holes and every part needed de-burring and sorting. Having got that done and fitted the door ring, i re-drilled the holes so they line up, and bolted them together. First major error I came up against was one of the door ring bolts cross the hinge bolt counter bore but not much can be done without a large amount of machining, so I made the best I could with what i had. I progressed onto the door, the riveting went well and so, quickly the door was put together and added to the assembly. The next few hours was spent bulls***ing the chimney base casting, aparenty its too difficult for them to center the casting before machining! It was all over the place and a weird shape, so back to the sanding machine and then sand blaster to make it look more like the right shape. After that I bolted it all together and cleaned the name plates to check it all went together correctly. It was fairly straight forward till I went home. At home I unbolted it all and went for the "foliac paste" they send with the kit, a weird substance that works as a "sealant". So I put some around the door ring and bolted that back in, and then move to the chimney base."the bolts will de-form slightly and will require a bit of a tap to get them in"
Says the instructions...... Not a chance!!! Try "beat the living hell out of them" would be more accurate!!! Being copper bolts no easy feat! But 10 mins giving them some tender but firm clouts they went in, but I'm not happy with them, as the casting isn't straight to the bolt hole they looks slightly wonky, but I'm sure some paint and a touch of filler will make it all better!
I probily should have taken some More Pictures as I was doing the work but I was too "head in what I was doing" so I only have some of the complete unit. Maby next time I'll be a little more on the ball!!!
Well I shall stop taking up your precious time with my inane scribbling and let you get back to your own lives and dramas!
Rock n' roll!!!!
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