Fitting Hornplates.

The instructions that come with the Hornplates kit advise you to take the assembly apart to fit to the boiler. I have watched the ChrisX build on youtube and he fits them with everything, except the rear spec plate, bolted together.
Have other builders managed to do it this way or do they normally need to be fitted individually and then the axle and 2nd shaft tubes bolted in. I have completed all my kits received and am trying to finish off painting any parts that I can to save time later. Thanks in advance.
Tony

Hi Tony
In a word "yes" I put the horn plates together with the axle and second shaft bolted up along with both spectacle plates.
I had the steam head and associated valves so could put them on the rear spec plate.
Bolting the steam head on is the reason for leaving the rear plate out as the bottom 2 holes are covered once fitted to the boiler.
I did have an issue around the blowdown valve because the bush in the boiler held the right hand plate away from the boiler.
The fix was to put a big chamfer on the inside of that hole in the horn plate.
I don't suggest you do this until you have your boiler but leave the right hand side fasteners loose just in case.

Simon C

Hi Tony,

on Pied Piper I had assembled hornplates and axles to test the fit but installed them separately as I was not sure if I could put the assembly on in one go. Worked good, so it‘s up to you.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Elwood

There are a few tips and photos in the thread that I started about the Hornplates, but basically I left one side tightened up and slightly loosened the bolts on the other side and it went on fine. However , until you measure the distance from the alignment tool to the back of the cylinder cover, you don’t want to tighten it all too much. Mine was out by a few mm so the hornplates were on and off a dozen times while I elongated the holes, to get the right distance - Then (as Simon C says) you will have an issue with the bush on the bottom right-hand corner of the hornplate.

Thank you all for the replies. I will go for tightening up all one side and leave right slack. I will chamfer the drain bush hole in advance as it seems it's a common measure. I must admit Milford I missed your thread on the Hornplates, although I have read every other one of yours. It is very informative, thanks.

Its possible that the drain bush hole will need more than a chamfer - depending on your measurement for the crankshaft which will determine whether the hornplates need to move back or forwards.

OK thanks.