Best laid plans.... And all that

Well so. I know this is late, I did this for the simple reason that I had been told something exciting was arriving! And rather than push out another blog about how not much has happened because blah blah blah.... I would wait and get a decent blog done,

Well the big day arrived, and I went off to collect the fun and well.... Some what disappointing.... The new bits that arrived wasn't what I was expecting... I was expecting a new big lump of copper that's all boilerish! But this is what arrived instead 

A crank shaft with some bearings... And some eccentrics. .... Not really what I call exciting! 

Anyone who knows me, will say that I've said always that I was fairly pleased by the quality of work turned out was at a good standard. But after the bitter disappointment of no boiler I'm somewhat disappointed. In general I've been focused on the bunker assembly, but now I'm looking at the horn plates again. And well this was something I was avoiding... Because there is some errors. And not small ones. First is an error in the second shaft. The end cap does not long up with the shaft tube.... At all.. 

Not even close!!! And as they are countersunk bolts. Not easy to move them. I did e-mail them with pictures and a description of the problem... And nothing .... At all, not really happy about that one, also,,, the crank shaft bearing doesn't fit into the bearing housing.... And it's gotta be a good inline fit, so now I need to work out what part is wrong to re-machine the bits to suit the poorly turned crank, so I need to try and get the crank into the grinder at work as well.... So yea .... Don't really like this turn of events. 

Ill see what I can get done. And with luck.... It may work out ok.... Maybe!!! 

Better late than never???

Well ... It may be a little later than usual but there was a thought here.... 

Mostly my life has revolved round some crappy job at work that well and truly "blows horse trumpet!" So not a lot has been done. Mostly I feel like I've been just tinkering rather than anything useful, but hay! Everyone's allowed to procrastinate from time to time! 

So this is late due to the lack of something to write about....I guess that's what all this was about at any rate!

But fear not! Out of procrastination I achieved  something!! (Shocking I know!) and it's in the order of this little block of brass now bolted to the cab,

This was before I have it some pipe work but .... Any ideas? .... Ill let you ponder on that and I may come back to it later.... If your lucky! (And for those with keen eyes. No it's not there on the full size ones), it just was a good place to put it, it's only a rough draft at the moment so we shall see what comes of it and I may make a prettier one later

So moving on other things..... Ermmm..... Now you see my problem! But no fear the old mans come to the rescue and has done me some more wood work!

 

I now have a trailer with decking, ... Or at least the start of it! It's got 6mm ply on top that will be stained/ varnished and had around 5 bearers in the frame under it to support it so that should have some strength to it! Also the front end of the trailer now has a seating place! 

 

Also me roof now has some rib detail, which is nice, it breaks up the large expanse of flat roof so a bit if a paint up and clean up and that's all done!

Other things.... Ermmm ... The Burrell is still on the bench.  But no new pictures, I've almost finished the tender. Needs some tinkering and son fettling to make it pretty and then it's off to the paint shop, same with the horn plates and smokebox , so that will be soon! Apparently I'm to expect the boiler in the new year, so I wanna get it all painted and ready for assembly when that arrives! 

So that's about it! Nothing exciting but things none the less!!! 

Till next time

Laters! 

P.s. that brass block is..........??

Keep calm and fire up the fowler!

.... Just some thing that a friend sent me the other day that made me smile (it didn't have anything to do with steam engines apparently, it was football related?!?!?) either way ... A good motto!  

The fowler is sat in its place in the kitchen and has been for a a while now, full of anti freeze to clean/ de-scale and protect the boiler over winter, so hopefully next. Year when she pokes her head out again she should be clean and free of muck, dirt, scale, rust and all those bad things. The Foden will get the same treatment as soon as I've stopped playing with it, testing and all that!

So work continues (unfortunately!) .... Monday and Tuesday I was on a corse so I didn't get chance to do much, but I did end up with a free weekend working on engines so things have moved on, 

The Burrell is getting a lot of attention and now some paint! First thing to get the treatment is the cylinder block, it's 99% complete so I decided to cover it up so it don't rust or end up looking shabby, I also painted and riveted on the makers place and I have to say.... I'm realy pleased with how it turned out!

It's moments like this that remind me why I do this, that happy moment where you look at something you have achieved and think, "yea I like that, that's just how I wanted it" . The rest of the Burrell is still at home waiting for finishing / painting so more will follow shortly,

Other things I have got on with is a small piece of plate-work.

( I hate plate work! Out of all the jobs it's the worst, my cutting/shapeing skills are limited. So give me something to machine fine, ill get it done, give me sheet metal to make guards and it comes out a little meat fisted!) 

So "not the prettiest thing I made yesterday" 

But it works, all I need is a handle/lock and I have a gear guard inspection hatch, one more thing off the to-do list!

As I mentioned the weekend was free to work on the beasts so we got down to business....

Out came the angle grinder and the welder to make a effort on the trailer for the foden.... The damn thing keeps getting bigger!!! The trailer from swan neck to wheel set is 7foot long! First thing was to get the wheel set system sorted, old low-loaders would stop, jack the trailer up, remove the wheels and install a ramp And things would come off the back, so we had to make some fittings to remove and attach the wheels. Mostly box section that slides inside the other to attach them and give the rear set some stability, 

Once we clamped it up, and got it all square the electric glue gun came out and stuck it all together! Also we had to cut off the spring mounts and re-weld them on square to the trailer as they were all over the place! 

So before long the trailer was one solid piece ( it won't be for long , it's gunna get cut in half to make it easier to transport!) so Ovcorse it was time to get the engine out and take some pictures.... I mean..... Test fit the trailer to make sure it was in the right place! 

That should give you some idea of just how big it's got! It's enormous! ( just enough room to get a 2" fowler on the back!!! ) 

So now it's in one piece, the trailer was stripped and painting started! 

Now just need to deck it out and make the seat arrangement! 

So that's a lot of work done over the weekend, and this is Probily getting boring so ill let you all get back to your lives! 

Wheel of morality, turn turn turn, tell us the lesson that we must learn,.......

"If you have nothin nice to say.. Say it through the form of interpretive dance!"

......... Good night everybody!

And the madness continues!

Well..... You wouldn't want it any other way! 

So another week has rolled on.  And to be fair I'm having issues trying to organise my mind this week, so apologies if this comes out a little.... All over the place! Having a gig Thursday things have been a little practice orientated!

So... What's been going on? ... Well... 

Friday saw a bit of steam testing. 5 odd miles on the road and the new pump is a definable improvement! Also the new gauge glass protector works! No broken glasses!  Bonus!

So yea, apart from that as I mentioned before.... The Burrell has returned! I've been pushing on with it all, working through the back log of kits. So because I haven't really planned this out i think the best thing is a picture montage!!!! (enter the rocky theme ..... Or at least a less copy-right'd thing)

Here go's from when I left off!

So tender is coming along! I need too get it all sealed up, and now it's temporarily bolted onto the horn plates, I can test all the bolt holes, I got a whole load of other bits to play with, firebox door. Ash pan. Cladding. And some other random bits! All I need now is a boiler to start getting it all put together! 

Well That's enough for now!

Ill try and keep more tabs on what I'm doing and try and get all this in some form of order for the next one. At the moment I feel like I'm just ramming pictures up for the sake of it which ain't cool!

Anyways, keep rocking!

Taste the Wednesday!

Not literally! ....well if you insist! 

It's been an odd week! Well kinda, you know how it goes! First off I haven't got lazy!

Things are still being done, but there is loads happening, first off the Fodens pump is done, I finally got the chance to jump on the lathe and make a new packing gland, so that's sorted and bolted together, and the gauge glass protector is done :D 

All glassed up and is now looking pretty in place protecting yet another gauge glass!

Other things that has been going on is dads been working in the new rear mud gaurds and all that kinda fun stuff whilst I turn my attentions to something different for a short while....

Enter the Burrell again! Yes my friend has pretty much thrown in the towel with it. So I have picked up the mantle and the first job was the bunker. So I picked up the slightly rusty half built tank and started slogging on.

2 days and this is the slightly pleasuring result 

Start day 1

 

End day 1

Day 2

And the end of day 2

So after shot blasting and cleaning I've put a coat of primer on it to keep the steel clean. Still a load more work to be done but it's a rather nice start! So look out for more of this. To come!

Well it's now almost 1am so I should really sleep now! Time to sleep!

Laters

I can see clearly now.....

I have windows! .... Bet ya. Didn't see that coming huh?! Things are moving on. And works being done!

I think I shifted this cold/ chest infection rubbish in under a week! So feeling full of the joys of life and all that, the Fodens getting some much needed love this week, fist up as I've said ... I have windows. The old mans been putting in work!! And the outcome is satisfying! He's been on a bender to get these windows done and I've just finished the additions to jack the cab up and inch so it's now the right height ! 

 

The difference it's made is massive, it looks so much better that little bit higher, so now the cabs coming together nicely and it looks proper, it's starting to feel less open plan and more like the dark closed in environment I got used to with the full size sentinel timber tractor I used to play with,

My efforts have turned toward the mechanicals again, fist up was a bit of plate work

The start of the gear guards and chain covers which is a pleasuring sight! (No more skinned knuckles trying to change gear on the run!!!!) 

Today's project is the pump, the little thing barely keeps the water level constant on the run, so first plan is to up the bore, if that ain't enough, up the stroke as well! So I took the pump off and took it to work 

I've gone form a 9.5 mm Dia ram to a 12mm ram ( the biggest thing I can get in there without risking Breaking through the walls of the pump,)

According to the maths, with a 10 mm stroke. ( as a good approximation of what I'm getting) the old ram was taking a volume of 708mm3, the 12mm dia gives 1130m3 which means I'm getting 59% increase in water space in the pump system, so that's a damn good start!!! I'm aiming for the pump being man enough to go from an empty glass Tina full glass in around. 2 mins on a moderate crank speed, that way it shouldn't cool the boiler water to quick but defiantly make keeping up with the boilers usage on a run adequately, I may even look into a feed water Pre heater. If I could think of somewhere to take the pump pipe to Pre heat it!! Suggestions maybe?... Anyone?? Hello ??? .... Ok Maybe I'll think about that one! Anyway, back to the grind I go whilst planning the new pump gland and the work on the ram to fix it to the eccentric rod,

Happy Monday!!!!

Gahhhhhh!!!

Well. It's been a few busy weeks, 

Mostly my time has been decided between work and the band, there has been a lot of practice to get up to a level where we can go out and gig, and as we have a gig coming up we have been on the case somewhat solidly over the last few weeks,

Apart from that I've succumbed to some random cold/flu thing (thanks james!) which is really bugging me!! it hasn't stopped me yet but I have this nasty feeling its going to hit me like a truck later on, but until then ill keep on doing what I do! 

The Foden had a trip out on Sunday, up to Swindon for. Steam and chips, and it's now 100% officially sorted, I have both boiler certificates, steam and hydraulic, with Minimal fuss ( apart from a crafty re-machining of the safety valves a few days before!) 

so after all the hard work and tests I was a day of steaming involving a road run to the pub......or 2!!!!

A few things have popped up as issues to sort, number 1... I desperately need to put a surround over the water gauge, having just put a new one in ( having managed to hit the old one with an Allen key or something whilst trying to sort a different issue,) I broke the new one too trying to put a cup down inside the cab.... Fail!!!! 

Second on the list is the pump. Although I am fairly happy it "works" but it's not enough you can't fill the boiler with it, it's more of a .... "It stops the water level dropping quite as fast" kinda thing so there will be some work to be done to get a bit more flow going through that! 

The third major thing is the blast pipe / fire grate, the grate we recon has too many bars in it, so not enough room for air to get up and through, also the blast pipe we recon is too big so it's not really barking hard enough to draw the fire that well, you can sturr it up and it steams well but you need to get in there poke it around and sturr it up fairly hard before it will go properly!  So some work to be done there! 

As a side project with it all is the lights! I'm keen on having proper lights on this beast and not being much of an electronics type person, ( all I know about electric is its all black magic and witchery!!!)  ill need to learn a few things so the plan is to have the lights set up to a switch and a battery, easy, head light/ tail lights, cab lights and canopy lights ( just for fun).. I'm also gunna run a dynamo from the crank to help keep the battery charged so I went and got this 

Wind up led torch! This will from the basics of my system, I have a battery (Be it small for what I want ), some lights which I can ignore and wire in my own lights for other things, and most important is the dynamo, first thing is to strip the guts out of this and mount the dynamo on the engine and run a belt off

The crank, throw a fire at the engine and see what kinda of output power I get I guess! 

If any electrical wizards out there read this and fancy getting in touch with some helpful advice, please do! I'm a little out of my depth with this electronics stuff! 

Rock n'roll and all that jazz! ... Or funk. Which ever floats your boat!!!

Laters! 

Getting Lazy

well ...... not really!

ive just decided to go a diffrent way with this blog thing,... 

The foden ran but was a little more miserable out in the pouring rain on Sunday. On the way to the pub for the annual Pub run i ended up towing a 2" Clayton that had died, as much as i would like to say it went well, things were a little more like climbing a mounting rather than a up hill struggle, but after some tinkering time at the pub i stormed back leaving the Clayton to enjoy its ride home in the following van,

and apparently i was clocked on the way back at 10MPH +  now ... that's not bad really! im well pleased with that! just need to tinker with some valve timings and draughting to get it to steam like a witch!

the cold damp weather did highlight the need to do the steam seal under the cylinder block though so that was the first job on the list, unfortunately... whilst doing all this, i managed to put a Allen key through my gauge glass so .... :( bad times! need to order some 5mm glass and whilst im at it, a new blow down valve because i really cant be bothered to make my own when i can buy one for £10 odd.. and it will take me way more than an hour to make one so its not really worth my time, 

As i said this is going a different way so..........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkXxSVSeTyk 

here's a link to a youtube video i made on the Foden re-build, a quaint little montage of some of the work and then a quick video of its first steaming, i would have liked to do more but i ran out of time, also ill get some proper video when i have a new water gauge and have tinkered some more!

Laters!

Success happens when you least expect it!

Ok so maybe I did have the Foden running by the end of the week, one thing led to another and it went a little crazy but I got to a stage where I could have it plugged in and running on air to play with valve events and all that lark! 

Since then it's was a little bit of a push to get it together, and come the next weekend it was piped up and ready to go

So in true fashion a shake- down run was. Organised, a mere 1.5mile round trip from my friends place to Winchester cathedral and back, there just happened to be a fair in the grounds and a 3" traction engine running a model bailer making miniature bails of hay! 

We started off at my friends house. Tentatively lit a fire and tinkered with it as it warmed up, a few minor leaks to sort out but nothing major to worry about mostly fittings and a cylinder block bolt, but nothing I wasn't expecting!  steam happened and we started to test things, pump, injector and hand pump all worked so that was the first major concern sorted then we moved Into will it go?.... Well... It did! And it went well..... so well infact the first major failure happened! I took off round the car park to see how it handled in medium gear and it seemed to be more than happy with a fair amount of grunt, after that I decided to give top a go! So I changed up on the run and instantly it took off! Hurtling across the car park at a good jogging pace! Fantastic I thought! As my mates other half was scrabbling to find her phone to video the occasion. Then she suddenly started making noises and wavering her arms around. ... Better stop I thought as it seemed like she was panicking fairly well..... When I turned round to see the commotion... Someone may have forgotten to lock the fire grate in... And it may have...... Shaken out .... A bit..... And maybe left a trail of fire behind me on the tarmac !!!! Apparently it looked somewhat spectacular!! 

Well with that human error put right and a new fire laid a short run was in order. The local pub being no more than about. 2 mins away was the first stop, and all went well. Back to the van to re-coal and water for the long road ahead and we set off! 

Wel did encounter a few minor technical problems en-route. A few bolts coming undone and the most annoying was one of the rods that attach the front axle to the boiler to steady the front axle fell off and broke, but with some on-site bodging we carried on regardless! And after a fairly good run we arrived at the cathedral in style, steam and smoke high in the air and the valves just feathering as we entered the grass area with the other traction engine was sat in a little fenced area. So we parked up next to them.

Now you would have thought that it would be a nice thing to do as talk of steam engines and engineering would be rife....... But no. These group of people were some of the most sour faced, unpleasant and rude F***wits I've ever had the misfortune to meet, the old woman's first question was did I have a boiler certificate and then went off on a tirade of stuff about how much water I had in my boiler and the injector didn't pick up cleanly and dribbled a bit which was apparently unacceptable to her, so after a short stop to give the engine some attention and check over we left in the same grand style we entered and headed home, the return journey was particularly uneventful apart from loosening the bolt which attaches the pump sprocket to the crank shaft.. So all in all... A good day! 

Having just looked at how much I've written I think I'll leave this here, I apologise for the small essay!! But as I couldn't film the entire event I thought I would fill you all in on the more interesting details! 

There will be a couple of short videos to come from the moments I managed to capture that I shall link up as soon as I've done it! 

But for now. Peace out!

Well bugger!

Ok so. This week I wanted to get this engine running on air. I really shouldn't put these kinds of dead lines on myself ... It NEVER works out!! Damn them!...

So the issues I ran into is I need to weld a plate into the cylinder block, to make life easy for future hydraulic tests. So I can blank off the regulator/ cylinder block from the boiler. But ... I can't get it welded till next week.... Ass!!!!! 

Well so other things been going on! 

Started painting things!  The boiler/smokebox is having a new coat of hight temp black satin, the smokebox door is being filled and painted.... So that's at least something, 

The tank is also something that's been on the bench, ... It's been cleaned and de-rusted, and had a coat of varnish on the inside!... May seem a little random, but..... I figured... It's waterproof which will keep the water and air off the steel work, plus a new drain bung and a few other bits, 

Frames starting to look good! 

Anyways that's about it, pece!

Well it's all getting a little bit exciting!

If your into that kinda thing!! 

It's been interesting looking at the stats from this ere blog, the biggest hit is from America of all places!!  So to everyone who does read this..... Hi!!! And thanks for sitting through endless pages of drivel in the vague hope of finding something interesting!

Anyways, less drivel and more interesting things!! 

The week has seen excitement! I'm getting somewhat keen for all this, the cylinder block is complete, apart from valve covers (which need to be off to set it up) and the high pressure piston cap, mostly because I haven't had it with me to bolt on! But I'm really pleased with the result! The block realy is a work of art! 

All that's left is 2 new valve stem seals as the old ones are off centre and just wrong! And a quick once over with some gasket paper,

So now that's done, and the crank, the boiler was next and so I plugged it all up and gave it a Pre-test test! And I'm over the moon, 2 drippy fittings but that's it!

So all that's left now is an official test and I can get this lot back together!

I've left the painting of the frames up to the old man, he seems keen to get on with something so that's being done so hopefully in a few weeks that will be ready for the boiler/engine plant, as I hope that by the end of next week there may be a video of the re-birthing chuff! At least on air anyway! 

Things did slow somewhat due to the wedding which was hilarious, (weddings normally are when your dressed as a pirate! ) but back to the front and work will commence! 

 

Once I run out of excuses to be a pirate!  Yah harrrrr!!!!!!!!

The aforementioned "hump day"

Hahahahahahah!!! Hump day! 

Right now I've done that, I'll start by saying, don't expect this to make sense, it's one of "Those days" I'm afraid! One of those days I make as much sense as a inflatable dart board,

However music is keeping me partially grounded so things aren't all that bad. This week I've been on a drive to do these rods. Pain in the ass job! But gotta be done, straight forward cut/ weld/ machine job... Yea .... Right!!!! It's taken many hours to do all this! Luckily I have some time at work whilst these big castings are machined!! 

 So after some machining they start to take shape. The holes in the back are just for the radius to make them look all smart and tidy!

 The next 2 up on the mill, one in the fixture being machined to length,

 

Job one complete! Make them the right length!!!! Now to tidy up! 

 

All 4 now just waiting to be drilled so I can bolt em to the straps! 

Weather ill get much more done this week I don't know. Mums wedding is coming up on Friday so weather ill get much more done remains to be seen. 

What's next, well once I can get all this together I could get the block and bits back up on top of the boiler... But I don't really want to do that right now, I'm planning to plug the boiler up without the block up on top, so It can be tested so that's the next issue to work on, plugging up all the holes to get this thing through a hydraulic test.... 225 psi should be interesting!!!!!!!

.... Have faith! ( or at least that what I keep telling myself!) 

Rock n' roll!!!