OneGuyFromBarlick

I have ordered some replacement bearings anyway. Small bearings 6mm or 1/4inch bore can be used in my next engine. They are about £8 for 10.

Today I didn’t go to the railway track at Springfield Park, it was too cold and after the excitement of running the Santa special last week, most club members were elsewhere. So I finished the bearing holders and did a trial assembly to check fits and alignment. 6299427C-3F57-401F-9030-8C5657783BBF....

So here is my centre camera. It is a simple computer webcam, not an expensive one, mounted on an arbor to fit in the tailstock. I have an old computer in the workshop to display the image. The camera can be focussed down to about 1/2inch so you get a much magnified image on the screen. Rotating the ...

I also did a bit on the bearing blocks. 27091FF3-20B1-4FD8-842D-A16570F3DE1F.jpeg These will hold the ball bearings supplied with the castings. After cleaning up with file and abrasive paper I set them up in the 4 jaw on the lathe centering them with the center camera, a webcam mounted in the tail s...

I am pleased to report that it isn’t too small. The outer casing is just under 4inches across. The fixing holes are only 3mm though.

I have made a start on the castings for a 6 pole generator. It should give a reasonable output at lower revs and better suit a small steam engine than a 2 pole machine which needs to run at a couple of thousand rpm. Today I tried the main housing on the base. The aluminium castings have been cleaned...

That is the best way to think about it Stanley. I always say that the day I stop learning will be when they nail the lid on my coffin! Or do they screwthe lids on? I’ve never noticed screw heads on a coffin.

Yes, making an adaptor is the solution. I just thought it worth asking first. This would have originally come with a set of adaptors in a nice box but have obviously long since parted company. On gas bottles left hand threads are used to ensure only the correct fittings are used but here, I suspect,...

I have been investigating the Vulcan gauge tester that you kindly gave me Stanley. It would be very useful to check gauges when carrying out steam tests on models. The connection on it is 1/2inch bsp male, so far so good, however it is a left hand thread. Before I look at making an adaptor does anyo...

Sue and I have a bottle of Bonza, Australian shiraz cabernet from Laithwaites to drink tonight. Well just half a bottle because we each had a glass out of it on Friday.

IMG_1023.MP4 At first glance it looks as if you are making a wood sleeved cylinder, Stanley. I love the thought even if I am being silly🤪. We steam tested the Duchess today and I am glad to say that 2 years on the bench has seen a good result, she passed without problems. Even though it was getting...

Good, I hope that means larger thread sizes as well

I always thought that money was for spending, Stanley. Is a no.9 larger than a 10?

Here is an interesting page that came up on Facebook
http://www.stuartturnersteam.com/Marine ... Va5XI4ci1o

Not sure if you will be able to see it but it was so good I thought it was worth a try.

Stanley, I’m sure that I could solder those parts up but getting the shaft straight would be a different matter entirely. I would normally leave the main shaft as one through piece to guarantee straightness and cut it at the webs after soldering.

I quite understand Stanley, castings and materials have become very expensive. Keith is currently working on a 2inch scale showmans engine. He was telling me that he is making the rear wheel hubs from bar stock due to the price of the castings from Reeves. The Stuart ones he is offering free to anyo...

Hello Stanley, one of my model engineer friends, Keith Sharpe, has these Stuart castings spare and wondered if they would be any use to you. The flywheel is 3inch diameter. Keith is not sure which engine they are for, the 10H or a larger model

What are the screw sizes Stanley? The 10 series of engines seem to be all odd number BA sizes. I always thought that it was because the design had been scaled down from another engine so 5 and 7 BA were the nearest scaled from the original. On the 10 series there is no doubt that those sizes ‘look’ ...

It is when I get to hand tools that I really miss not doing a proper apprenticeship. I did work with a number of ‘old farts’ who were only too pleased to show me how things were done if I asked. It would cost me a beer or a stores chit for 2 new files, one for my tool box and one for the ad hoc tutor.

I looked at the junction between locomotive and tender on the 3 1/2” gauge Duchess that I am rebuilding. It came in partly dismantled from the workshop of a deceased friend. A search of the box of bits revealed no drag beam or pins. The drawings from Clarksons gave no details of what the loco to ten...

Sounds like Stuarts have been reading your blog, Stanley.

Just what we like to see, start them early

Now you mention it Stanley, I remember an issue with the valve rod. Mine had a tendency to come out of the blind hole at the end of the valve chest and jam. There wasn’t enough length to simply unscrew it a bit so I think I also made another.

I will certainly agree with you on those nuts below the cylinder front face. A very tight space where I had to slacken off all the other nuts just to slide the bottom nut into place.

Coming along nicely there, Stanley. I like your modification to the location for the eccentric. Just a though, when you come to put the holes in that blued cladding for the cylinder, I followed the drawing but it didn’t line up which is why mine is now made out of brass. Are you fitting drain cocks?...