belly tank construction

Hi Peeps,

Having started on the belly tank today I have found that the holes line up surprisingly well and i've only had to drill a few.

Although the instructions suggest you fit the sides and then the ends I have found to make it easier to fit the tiny nuts that you start as follows.

Start by fitting the side that has the hornplate brackets on to the top sheet. The top sheet been the part that you need to countersink.
The reason behind this is when it comes to tightening the nuts up you can get to them easily as the internal brackets will get in the way should you try fitting them from the side.

when you fit the other side the internal brackets will not be in the way so you can get to them easier.

The use of sash clamps is a must.. I've found that i can fit three nuts/bolts at a time using the clamp to squeeze the plates together as well as gripping the nut heads.

The photos might make it more clear.

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Nick

Bloody Hell someones keen..... I opened it up read the blurb quick looked at all those holes and put it all back in the box till I can feel like it . However I am in the middle of building a 65 note MIDI controlled street organ and have just given up paid employment to run my own business so there are a couple of other things on my mind right now.

Still I have managed to finally spray all the outstanding bits in the last week in a paint from the local suppliers which I have been assured can withstand 600c. They also said it was satin but it has come out well and truly gloss so I have included the hornplates too. Cant decide now wether to paint or powder coat this one due to the sealing etc.

i work 4on 5off shift patterns so when im off i build.. Among other things.

works quite well enabling me to keep on top of the build.

i've completed built/painted/lined the front end now
completed the tender
1/2 way painted the hornplates

i sometimes find myself sitting there staring at the bits thinking what a lovely machine it's going to be.

i salute the STW team even if there is the odd hickup the kits are brilliantly designed and thought out and the customer service is always spot on.

Nick

looking god nick, I'd be interested to see the sealing process

PS: thanks for the good comments, do you want a cheque or gift vouchers ??

I have to say, I did exactly what it says on the tin and had no problems at all. No sash cramps required, only had to drill about 12 holes max in total to line up everything. If it was slightly out I only did up the nuts loosely and then put a small screwdriver in the holes to pull it in the required direction and bingo! Jobs a good un and all finished now bar sealing and painting.

A lovely kit - mines the RL but i couldn't resist the stars from the Showmans and they really are the dogs dangly bits.

Well done Steve/Dean/Craig et al.

cheers

Rick

Rick, good to here you had no problems.

I wasn't suggesting the instructions were wrong just seemed easier to leave one of the long sides till last so i wasn't trying to tighten small nuts through a hand sized hole.

I also plane to seal the tank all the way up to the side I have left off. This way I can guarantee all is sealed with Isoflex before I put the final side on.

This will just leave a thin strip to be sealed after the side is fitted.


Nick

Finished the belly tank tonight and those 480 tiny nuts certainly do your fingers in....

Sealed the tank with Isoflex and will take a few pics tomorrow to show you all my progress..

How are you all getting on ?

Hi Nick,
I finished the tank and sealed it with the Frost product - (por 15 fuel tank sealer) not a pleasant job! last weekend.

POR15 creeps into absolutely everywhere and I ended up with masking tape on all the corners to keep it all in.

I left the ends off and painted them separately. I blocked off all the holes with making tape on the tank first then found I had to drill the tape out when the sealer had dried.

For good measure I then painted over all the joints, nuts and bolts when the first coat had dried.

Sanded the complete tank off last night and etch primed the whole lot ready to complete the job this weekend -Wife/kids permitting.

Roll on the rear wheels !

cheers

Rick

Hi Rick

Looks as if you and me are in the identical position. I intend to paint the belly tank tonight.

I ended up having to paint the triangular brackets inside the tank by hand as trying to get the POR 15 to go where I wanted it to go wasn,t on, it had a mind of its own. Brought back memories of when I was a kid and tried to get them balls all in the holes on them hand held toys.

Moral for anyone else paint/seal the triangular gussets before you put the end plates with the rivet bolts on .

Mike

Hi Mike,
I know exactly what you mean.....!!! I just rolled the tank and thought about how long It would take that "sludge" to drain down onto the plates. I pretty much managed to cover it all. About four of the rivet bolt shanks on the top curved setion didn't get coated and ditto on one of the angled internal plates which I then hand painted over.

Tis a tad fiddly! I've still got some of it on my wrists now a week after! Still if it sticks that well, we should be safe in the knowlegde etc etc.....

cheers

Rick

Hi Rick

Recon we should create a club......"The Silver Wrist Club".

Sticks like S... to a blanket.

Mike

As mentioned I chose to construct mine slightly differently so I could paint on the isoflex easily.

The two photos show the box shape I created that I then painted successfully with liquid rubber only leaving the front plate to coat once it was fitted. This meant I could guarantee all of the inside bits especially the triangle struts inside were fully
Coated.

Ive never used por15 but I'm guessing from the comments that like isoflex, get it on yor skin and only petrol
Shifts it. If it dries then all you can do is wait for I to wear off.

I managed to split one of my latex gloves and have it under my fingernails. Looks like I haven't washed for a while!!



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Hi Nick,
Yeah seems like whichever way you go it's a messy job - just been on your site to see your build - looks really really good - your lining is A1.

R u going to Dorset ?

cheers

Rick

Sadly my friend I won't be at Dorset.
I work crazy hours and it's one of the few weekends I have off ad believe I or not traction engines aren't the highest priority for my wife....

Thanks for the comments on the lining. I'm brush painting the whole engine which at times has been really frustrating as it's slow but the paint goes on thick which should
Last. I can only thank craftmaster for producing such good paint which pulls out flat lovely.

I'm building in a summer house so spraying was out of the question.
Too messy an not enough room for a booth.

I know what you mean about the paint - I'm using Craftmaster too and it really is good.

I've sprayed mine in the garage, I built a spray booth inside but it really doesn't help much as I have no way of exhausting the dirty air. I've ended up spraying outside when the weather has been good and I was surprised how much better it is.

Fortunately for me my kids love steam engines even at 2 and 4 years old so my wife comes along for the ride so to speak!

The quality of the kits has been brillian, and when this one is finished I've already got the word out to my wife I'm going to do a Foden and she's gone along with it! Fantastic.

I was so impressed when I saw the stars that I got them as extras on the ends of the belly tank. I know it's not strictly to prototype, but hey... it's my engine and i'll play with it it as much as I like!!

it would be good to see the rolling chassis at Dorset. If STW keep up the quality they have so far, it will be far and away the best and most accurate on the field I am sure. I've no reason to doubt they won't either, despite some people's comments. One comment to me was there was no way they could maintain the quality.....watch this space.

cheers

Rick

Rickster wrote:. One comment to me was there was no way they could maintain the quality.....watch this space.

Rick

why would we suddenly have a drop in quality ???

I think because there is a degree of envy and unfortunatly the stigma of the earlier incarnations. I had to defend the companies honor at a recent meet where someone was asking about my engine and I was extolling the virtues of the kit build and that there are a number of models he sould choose from and he was very keen. A fellow engine owner then spouted on about what a bunch of crooks MW are etc and how he had bought and made his entire engine himself and he wasnt an engineer. I pointed out that some of us dont want to spend 8-10 years making an engine neither do we want to learn how to use a mill or lathe, also that now the PSSR regs mean that everyone must use a CE marked boiler so you would have to buy in a commercially made one. Also that the castings and raw mats are much more evpensive than when he made his.

Didnt get anywhere I might add he was adamant but the guy I was talking to thought he was a knob too!!!

However I am still 110% convinced that when the engine rolls out of the back of the trailer at the first few meets it will stop people dead, so roll on 2012.

but STW are not modelworks and the biggest change is that the people "ultimately" in charge of model works only saw pound signs and would not listen to the workforce when it came to sorting out the problems.

these are the same people who were prepared to let the workforce continue working in the last month when they knew there was little hope of them being paid.
it was only the actions of "some" of the senior staff that allowed us to get any money at all.

when it came to the end of the month at modelworks, the its went out regardless of quality. we dont do that anymore. we delay the kit or sent it out minus the substandard or late parts. not ideal at the time but the best thing all round in the long run.

Hi Craig,
Sorry I didn't mean it to come out that way - I meant the proof of the pudding will be in the eating and I am convinced all doubters will be proven wrong. No names no pack drill.

I am so looking forward to when the engine is finished jto show em all they were wrong.

cheers

Rick

oh yeah, i wasn't having a go at you, its just that "some" of the people at modelworks worked really hard to do the best they could under the circumstances.

Rickster wrote:Hi Nick,
Yeah seems like whichever way you go it's a messy job - just been on your site to see your build - looks really really good - your lining is A1.

R u going to Dorset ?

cheers

Rick

Contrary to my reply to the above re Dorset.

I'm planning to come down for Saturday and sleep in the car over night coming home early Sunday morning. Bit of a last minute decision as plans have changed and will involve sharing the back of the car with two Ridgebacks but at least i'll be warm... and very safe.

if anyone fancies meeting up sometime on Saturday (PM) me and i'll send you my mobile number.

Cheers
Nick

You might be safe but who's going to protect the dog's??

Craig,

I totally agree with what you have said , I dont believe the previous owners of MW were in it for customers satisfaction or pride of what was made, however having met Steve and seen the Hornsby I know he and the rest of you feel differently. After all you all rely on the product paying your wages where as other owners may have had many more means of income etc. I am pround to be making the new engine and will really push to get people to change their minds, sadly some will always be closed though.

Looking forward to seeing the rolling chassis at GDSF and also plannig to be there on the Saturday... 2pm it is then.

Kev.