7mm Dikitriki's Dark side: A WD 2-8-0

[Dikitriki]

Hi Len

If I have read your question correctly, the answer is I don't.

The reversing arms have to be tightened such that they don't move - they are held by the tightened 12BA bolt through the tube. I move them to the correct position by trial and error, where the radius rod moves smoothly without any binding.

Yours

Richard

 

[Dikitriki]

The final piece of the jigsaw is the union link. I reassembled the valve gear, and determined a slight adjustment was necessary - the hole on the drop link was enlarged upwards, and that on the combination lever downwards, just enough to shift the orientation slightly. The union link was soldered to the combination lever, and I took a photo (driver's side) to compare my valve gear with that which came off....



The light is awful and so is the pic, but the improvement is clear. Now to attach the union link to the drop link and reassemble, and that's the valve gear finished. If the light is better tomorrow, I shall inflict a final, installed, pic on you.

I have ordered a sound chip, and once I am sure the valve gear runs freely, I shall instal the new motor, rework the pickups and test play trains.

Richard

 

[Simon]

Brilliant, will put some real "Northern Soul" into the thing (sorry, blame the radio)

Simon

 

[Dikitriki]

Hi

Finished valve gear photos, one of the valve gear, one of the complete chassis as it stands at the moment....





I now discover that the front bogie is in the wrong place and that the model can never have been run round any normal sort of curves, and that there is too much sideplay slop between the bogie pivot pin and the slot in the frame. I also think the injector needs a bit more work. I can see that I'm getting perilously close to stripping the frames and starting again....but that is not for this interim rebuild....probably.

I'm trying to get cab details sorted as that in the kit bears very little resemblance in any respect to the real thing.

Cheers

Richard

 

[Rob Pulham]

Thanks Richard, I now know how all the bit's for the 8F/06 should go together......

 

[Dikitriki]

Hi

A bit on the body today. I was demonstrating at the Wolverhampton show over the weekend, and took Lady G along to work on the cab. I managed to get a reasonable amount done. The Gladiator kit has 2 huge 'boxes' either side of the backhead, which means truly massive cut-outs in the backhead to accommodate them. Unfortunately I didn't take any before pics, but it is awful. So, to minimise the cut outs in the backhead, I needed to make proper splashers and smaller boxes.

It's all trial and error as I am working with the holes I have, and I'm trying to avoid damage to the exterior paintwork while cleaning loads of superglue off the cab interior. Not really much fun that, but get it cleaned up I did, and the splashers and boxes fabricated, thus able to demonstrate the use of a piercing saw, how to replace blades, use of a guillotine, blowtorching pieces apart, and the requirement for asbestos fingers, as well as soldering in a confined space





And while I had the model out, a couple of pics of the current state of play. I have repainted the cab sides and renumbered it for Lady G, and started to clean up the splasher and boiler where the previous plate was - more gobs of superglue . Fortunately, the superglue was well attached to the green, so on the boiler, I was able to get it down to primer. The splasher tops should be black anyway so no great issue there.





On thing I am stuck on is the shape and size of the bracket on the drivers side for the reversing handle (the mechanism is on the outside of the cab). Anyone have any ideas? [Edit - sloppy wording. It's the size and shape of the reversing casing I'm after. The cover is on the outside of the cab]

Richard

 

[Dikitriki]

Hi

My efforts this week, when I have had time, have centred on finding out what the reversing mechanism looked like. I think I've mostly cracked it, but there is some doubt about one aspect.

First photo - Gladiator's reverser body and handle that sat atop a rectangular brass box. Miles out, not even close.



Now my interpretation.....









I have cut and shut some Laurie Griffin castings and the handwheel is from Hobbyhorse Developments.

The problem is the lever and clutch on the top back of the reverser. It's definitely on the Claughton, but on the 2 drawings I have on the cab interior of a Patriot there appears to be a lever of some sort, but it is far from clear.

2 questions. First, does anyone know the function of this lever on a Claughton (it goes to some sort of valve in the smokebox) and second, and more important, was it on the original Patriots?

Help.......

Cheers

Richard

 

[Dog Star]

First, does anyone know the function of this lever on a Claughton... ?

This is a question for Philip Millard... either ask on the 7mm Yahoo Group or speak to the man at the Reading Trade Show (he runs the bring and buy).

regards, Graham

 

[7mmMick]

Valve in the smoke box? I would suggest the blower, usually near the driver and could be that ? In any case very nice work indeed Richard and well worth the effort, the beauty is in the detail,

ATB Mick

 

[Rob Pulham]

Well Richard, whether it's right or wrong (and I appreciate that you would like it right) that is a superb bit of modelling!

 

[Ressaldar]

miniature engineering at its best - yet again - well done that man.

cheers

Mike

 

[mickoo]

Well you have found more info than me in regards to original Patriot cabs!

Looked through all my stuff and found nothing that would be of any help I'm afraid.

Regards

 

[Dikitriki]

Crikey - 6 months plus since my last workbench entry. It shows how busy I have been with Heyside.

1F ready for final weathering.....



Er..... no. I was just not happy with the running. There's only 2 running states. Perfect or not good enough, and this was - only just - in the 'not good enough' camp. The reason is that the loco was started some 15 plus years ago, and the chassis was built rigid. It's fitted with a stay alive but just occasionally and momentarily, the sound goes off, and the wheels get dirty too quickly. The chassis is true and square, but I know, in my heart of hearts it should be sprung for optimum pick up purposes.

So, I have today to rebuild and repaint the chassis ready for final tests tomorrow morning. I'm going to do a quick and dirty springing on the centre axle, and I thought I would share what may be a disastrous day with you

Richard

 

[Dikitriki]

OK, not going according to plan so far....My OTT light bulb went. So I had to find and fit the spare bulb; at least I had one. I couldn't dismantle the rear coupling rods as the screw through the wheel was rotating rather than the retaining nut coming off.

On the plus side, I have managed to get the centre axle out, the brake gear was clip on anyway (phew) and the driving wheel springs are cast brass, so they will come off with a microflame. It would have been a little more tricky had they been white metal.

Current state of play before a strong coffee....



I shall mask off the motor/chip/speaker to avoid any swarf getting somewhere it shouldn't.

I have to get the centre bearing out, and the spring off. I'm not sure yet whether I shall put hornguides on, or just use the chassis frames as hornguides. probably the latter as it means less heat required.

Richard

 

[Dikitriki]

Well, that went well

The driving wheel spring and bearing came out without any damage to surrounding paintwork. OK, the spring will need stripping, but I was expecting that....



Coffee to finish while I ponder the next stage....

 

[7mmMick]

Hi Richard,

Is the coffee a form of anaesthetic before she goes under for the major op. it'll be interesting to see how you go throughout the day. A couple hours in surgery should give this little 1f a new lease of life, she'll be like a different engine fingers crossed ill be say in the waiting room ready for the good news afterwards

ATB Mick

PS Always liked the half cab on these little machines

 

[Dikitriki]

I've decided that I shall have to use proper hornguides and hornblocks - the hole for the original bearing was just too wide for me to cut slots in the sideframes just to use hornblocks only. I'm using the Meteor hornblock sets....



On the right is what comes in the pack - cast horn guides, machined hornblocks and 2 springs.

On the left is what I end up with. The guides are cleaned up, including straightening out, and the top lug is drilled and tapped 12BA. The hornblocks have the circular bearing extension removed, but carefully as I shall use them as spacers on the outside of the frames. There simply isn't enough room to leave them in place with the RG7 gearbox I'm using. You need to ensure that the blocks are a nice sliding fit in the guides, which menas just a little bit of tidying up in practice. I have also checked that the axle is a free fit in the bearings.

Now to cut the chassis......I'm going in.......

 

[Dikitriki]

Moving on.

I've masked off the important gubbins, marked the frames for the cut out, and using a piercing saw for the verticals and a cutting disk in a minidrill for the horizontals, made the cuts. This is without any cleaning up.....



I've now filed the cut outs square and scraped off the paint on the inside of the frames where the hornguides will be soldered in place.



Now to solder the guides in place, and hope nothing drops off.

Richard

 

[Steph Dale]

Richard,
This might be a spectacularly daft question, but if you can't get the rods off how are you going to align the hornblocks?
Incidentally, I'm a bit perplexed about the problems you've found with the keep alive; Lenz, Zimo or ESU flavour?
Steph

 

[7mmMick]

Progress at a pace I like the use of the Meteor Models Hornblocks as I have a lorry load in stock and will be interested to what you think of them. So far so good........