Kit 17 belly tank

Have spent the last two weekends putting together the belly tank. I followed Brian's and Robs tips thanks for the detailed build report Brian, very useful especially the straightening of the plates and getting the edges at right angles.

Have got all four main panels together and started to put on one of the end plates late this afternoon. I was very impressed as virtually all the holes lined up and the tank was square. STW have done an excellent job with this design . However, my early excitement evaporated when I tried to tighten up the first few rivet nuts, even using a quarter inch drive mini socket ratchet I have struggled to do up just one edge in two hours, just seven edges more to go! I was getting a bit quicker towards the end so hopefully a new skill has been discovered on how to flex my wrists in directions they were never meant too!

Ian

Snipe nose pliers to hold the outside of the rivet. Ratchet with gimble neck and finally about 10 hours chasing nuts or going nuts. your choice. It is not a fast process. Welder would be quicker but not authentic.

Hi Lynn,

Thanks for the reply I used a pair of mole grips on the rivet head freed up one hand, however, I do not have a gimbal for my socket set but that does sound like a useful addition , and would help once you have located the correct nut inside the tank.

Ian

Broke the tip of my index finger two weeks ago so today was the second afternoon spent on the Betty tank. Took me most of the day to finish putting in all the rivets, surprising how long they take to fit.

Also got coat of primer on the out side of the tank, need to seal the last two joints and fit the end plates, then treat the access covers before final painting (hopefully wed / thurs).

Glad I dont have many more rivets to fit......until the tender at least.

I'll second Ian's comments and also thanks to Brian has gone together like a dream, even with a broken finger. You don't know how much you use it till you can't.

Hi Rob,

Broken finger, ouch! Especially when trying to build the belly tank. The rivets in the main body of the tank I found not much of a problem as at least I could see where the nuts were. It is putting all the rivets into the end plates that is providing a challenge which from your post looks like you still have this to do.

I am thinking of putting the access cover bolts as suggested for the showmans, ie put them in from the inside. My reason is that I can seal the bolts into the tank and then I only have a seal around the access plate to resolve, has anyone come up with a seal for the access panel apart from using a liquid one. My current thought is to use a rubber U section I have used this on the edge of alloy stone guards on the Cobra, to cover up the sharp edge. Not sure if it will provide a water tight seal but will give it a try. I got mine from Europa at. https://www.europaspares.com/137/TRIM/RUBBER_SEALS.html there is also a company called Woolies that provide a wide range of edge trims. http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/c-14-rubber.aspx

Ian

Hi Ian

For the inspection covers I put a bead of rubber round the hole. Stretched a sheet of cling film over and put the covers on with the washers between the 2 plates to give a stand off. Got a nice fully fitted gasket now

Yep still got the end plates to refix, I just hope everything is still square. Will be interested in how you get on with the seals. I am planning to use a sheet of rubber and making a gasket as I did with the bowser cover which seems to have worked quite well.

i used instant gasket. blue gel that sets in 15 mins.. you can still removes the plates after but seems to provide a good water tight seal on testing my belly tank full of water.

Many thanks for the ideas on the various sealing methods, not sure which one I will now use but certainly give me some alternatives to think about.

Have now got the right side end plate all bolted up, just the left hand one to do. This does not fit quite so well as the other one but will need only a slight run through each hole with a drill bit to ensure the rivet bolts slip through.

Ian

Can I ask what the general view is when fitting the toolbox to the belly tank. Should it be fitted directly to the tank, or should there be a small gap between the two.

Im thinking of putting a couple of large washers or O rings between the two but wonder what others view is.

This being the case I'll probably fill the centre hole position in the belly tank as the water, if any, from the tool box will drain through the gap.

tight down.

Thanks Lynn.

Eventually got the two end plates on as stated earlier the first one RH side fitted with virtually perfect alignment of the holes. The LH needed a bit of persuasion with one edge needing every hole to be run throu with a drill bit. I fitted the long rivets through each corner finger tight first, then an extra one next hole to it and pulled that one tight this helped to shape the chamfer, then tightened the corner one. Same method as Rob. Fitting the rivets along the edges was a struggle to begin with, but found working with the edge in the top left corner seemed to help me get the socket ratchet working. So placed the belly tank on two wooden blocks and kept flipping the tank to get the bit being worked on in the top left. Two hours for the first edge, the remaining 7 done in less than 5 hours.

Last night poured in the remaining tank sealer and spent an hour rotating the tank to ensure all the edges got another coat of POR15. The only leaks were from the new edge plates plus coming out of the access hatch hole when I flipped it over. It really does get everywhere, plastic glove split and I ended up with sealant inside the glove now have a silver hand!

Any thoughts on how to seal the filler spout to the tank, liquid gasket ? I still have a small amount of POR15 left which I thought I might use. But would be unhappy if it seaped out on to the paint. Had thought about silicone bath sealer but that has acetic acid in it, which would not be great against the iron even if well painted.

Ian

Hi Rob

My toolbox if flat down and I put a small run of instant gasket round under the edge to make sure moisture does not get under it.
Also the insta-gasket stops it rattling and vibrating as these engines will when travelling.

Water filler spout. Again thin skin of gasket gloop before painting. Looks tickityboo.

Does any one know how many gallons/litres belly tank holds as I need to buy por 15 tank sealer .

I think about 40 litres for the Showmans.

Thanks Rob

The road loco one is smaller approx 2cm narrower.

Ian

I'm on the third belly tank now and have found that nearly all the rivet holes line up pretty good. One thing I do find useful is a 3" - 4" masonry nail that has been ground down slightly to ease the rivet holes into line.
I know what everyone means with the end plates, a lot slower than the top & bottom! I put the nut on the end of my finger, line it up with the hole from underneath & then catch the thread by twiddling the rivet around with my fingers. When the thread is caught I hold the head of the rivet with a pair of bent nose pliers & use a 1/4 drive socket inside the tank. The key to getting the socket on the right nut is to work methodically around the edge so you can see the socket through the adjacent hole & then guess the last bit.
The reason I'm doing all three together is that the POR15 doesn't keep once opened & I intend doing all the insides together.

I have to say that I've found building the tenders & belly tanks the most satisfying part of the build! I just love all those rivets! I would guess that of the two tanks so far built I have had to drill out about forty holes, so out of 800 rivets that's pretty good going on the part of STW
Photo's to follow.