Lynn Robinson. Showman Scenic

Hi All

Since fettling with the crank going in and out. Just spotted. The Off side main bearing side. The oil hole in the bronze is in the centre of the bearing but the top plate with the oil bucket the hole is off-set hence the 2 holes do not line up.

It is no problem to redrill. Has anyone else got this. Just a heads up.

Hi Lynn,

Yes on the main bearing mine is dead centre but the cap is not, had also been mentioned somewhere verbally (possibly Dorset) so I knew about this but as you say an easy fix just needing a drill.

For reference, Dean my pistons "bottom out" on the back stroke i.e. toward the gland end thus needing the crosshead to be undone.

Been a painting today (23 deg C outside!!!) so should have a nice red crank and black weighshaft to go in shortly, also did the back piece of cleading as it cant be fitted once all the motion is in place so starting to look good too!!!

Kev.

By the way.

Still to check that the piston does not hit anything on the HP dead back position/ bottom dead centre yet or with piston covers in place for top dead centre.

Hi All

From EXPERIENCE the following tail.



Working on the crossheads tonight I though as Kev has done. Remove the pistons to allow the crosshead, conrod and bigends free movement to get the guide rails sorted. Upon removing the LP piston all was going well until "thunk" the piston stops its progress out of the bore. The inner piston ring has rotated and as a result lodged itself in the steam passage.

O' dear I say to myself. How am I going to get this sorted. After using some feeler gauges I determine the ring has dropped at the upper zone of the steam passage. Now how to move it. Feelers are no good as there is no gap between the ring and bore face. Now if I remember Steve stated that the 4 engineering studs penetrate in to the steam passage. Now then!
Upon investigation I find a allen key fitted in to the steam passage, there is enough room to turn the key round using the short leg in the stud hole. Using a pair of mole grips on the allen key I was able to put enough force on to the piston ring to then pop the piston out.

IT WORKED

SO I thought I would share this experience in case it happens to others.

Well done Lynn, not an easy situation to get out of............. sounds like this latest kit is quite challenging, as there are so many "things" to get right before all the nuts & bolts are done up tight!!..................... My kit still ain't arrived!!! Probably sitting in a depot just round the corner from you in Inverness!!
Tony

Do you know what it is?






Now a collection of close ups.















Sister managed to get me in the picture.

Hey Lynn, looks like you have found a scale driver although he looks more like 6" scale than 4"

Maybe you should do the 6" wagon but be quick as he will grow out of it eventually.

He should just fit under the canopy on your showmans engine next year!!!!



Brian

Some new outdoor pictures.

The motions


Inspection time




All round pictures









Back to bed

looking great, fair play to ya

He fits quite well

Love the pics .

Regards,

Brian M

The paper stiffed between the boiler and the belly tank is to stop the washer magnet that seams to exist there!

Every time you drop a washer it goes in the gap even when you are 5ft away working on something with nothing to do with the engine. and the engine is a bit heavy to turn upside down to shake it out again. No I am not taking the steering and belly tank off again to get it!.

I think by the time these engines are finally built every engine will actually been built at least twice.

I know mine will have been. Build the parts to check the fit, remove to paint then fit again.

Ready. Every thing in primer.







Waiting for the primer to dry so take a picture of the new tools

Tap & Die set


And every drill from 1mm to 10mm by 0.1mm incriments. You never know when you need a 6.3mm drill!










Still to remove the masking tape but I think looking good.

Hi All

Just though I would put a couple of pics up.

Stearing gear




And the big subject at the moment the Crank and crossheads.






Still to polish the oil pots up so not put them on yet.

Crank is slightly notchy and quite stiff so still need work. It appears to be the big ends causing the problem.

Might be worth checking the edge of the inside of the big ends, I found the paint had got in and just made the bearing tight. Deft use of the end of a scapel and stanley blade took off the paint and freed it all up.

Hi

Yes already been there but need to do a bit more. Bit cold tonight had some snow today.

Hi All

Well after much inspecting, prodding, adjusting, head scratching and cups of tea. The weighshaft assemblies are all back off. After much searching for stiffness at bottom dead centre I find the weighshaft casting needs to go down by about 1mm on the HP side as when you insert the valve shaft there is a very small notch upwards. It is not easily seen by look alone but with a rule applied it does move. Also when I unscrewed the HP piston from the crosshead the crosshead gently slid all the way down the slide to the piston shaft. There are no shims below the guide rail so can not adjust out that way.

Need to buy a new grinder as the last ones gearbox exploded and the pressurized smoke escaped. Strangely enough the grinder then stopped working. Bosh grinders are very good. It lasted 17 years of Landrover usage, stone and concrete cutting. Even run over once by a defender 90.

Hi All

Got my new metric grinder. Some of my attachments will not fit the M14 but everything else that goes on the hub does.

Great success today. Done some grinding of the underside of the weighshaft. Took about 1mm at the HP side fading down to nill half way between the top bolts and the bolts on the LP side. Everthing lines up and no binding. Can turn the crank by hand on both ends. Still slight stiffness but no notching at all. Crossheads glide smoothly with no binding.

My resulting shums.
LP side.
Front lower 1 main + 1 bean tin.
Front Upper 1 main.
Had to file the top slide slot to allow slight sideways shift to the left.

Rear lower Nil
Rear top 1 main + 1/2 main (ground down.)

HP
Front Lower 1 main
Front top 1 main + 2x bean tin.
Again slight file to the slot to allow a slight sideways shift to the left.


Rear lower Nil
Rear top 1 main.


I can slip a sliver of Guinness tin between the crossheads and slides. So overall tolerance is good. Not too close for heat expansion and lubrication.

I know not scientific measurements but easier to follow.

Now to polish up the brass oil pots.

Hi All

Well the motion as mentioned above is now easy moving but slightly stiff. Got the garage tidied up ready for the next kit. All the spares are now in the on box and the resulting empty boxes are all out for recycle.

I am keeping the hard packing from the con-rod kit as it is good for holding things in the vice without hurting it.

Oil pots polished up and assembled with high strength thread lock.






Nickle plated ashpan brackets. As repeated removal of the R clips would scratch paint.

Well since we are working to 1/3 scale. I could not really have duck boards on the engine.

So I have went with Duckling boards instead.

Father helping to oil them.

Just a couple of pictures to keep you all going









Only one main problem.
This rod has fractured.


Images are as is from the box.

Hi Lynn, is it just me or are some of your images not displaying correctly in your last couple of posts? Maybe you've maxed out your photobucket bandwidth, if the stats are true this thread has been viewed over 12,000 times!

Dan wrote:Hi Lynn, is it just me or are some of your images not displaying correctly in your last couple of posts? Maybe you've maxed out your photobucket bandwidth, if the stats are true this thread has been viewed over 12,000 times!

I get the same problem at work, which is down to some sites being blocked. When at home or on the phone all can be seen ok. Wonder if you have the same problem.

Hmm, don't think it's that. I'm on my phone at home. Those pics are still not there. All the way back to the nickel plated ash pan bracket (although that did show up earlier).