Lynn Robinson. Showman Scenic

Hi All

Well got out to the workshop today and had a bit of fiddling with the latest kits. Found 2 problems.

1st problem being the sight glass. The glass appears to be about 1" too long. When it is fully in the lower fitting it sticks out the top of the top fitting well over 1/2".





2nd problem. Crank shaft 2nd gear and 2nd shaft 1st gear. 2nd gear will not engage as when I slide the gear over. The flange catches on the top of the 2nd shaft 1st gear cog. It is only a very small fraction but it is consistent around the total circumferance of the gear cog. Unless STW say otherwise I may just spin the crank 2nd gear in the wood lathe and file a bit off to allow clearance. I checked first gear mesh and that appears fine. Both gears rotate well without binding. So it does appear to be the 2nd gear(Crank).





And a close up crop.

Will these problems be sorted for those of us that havnt had these kits yet?

im hoping so

not sure how these problems are occuring,surely the control model should highlight any issues before full production goes ahead.


Kev

Hi Lynn,
STW obviously sent the sight glass tubes out over length................ I decided what length was needed, then carefully using the corner of grinding wheel on my bench grinder, simply ground round the circumferance at desired point & snaped off the unwanted length!
My gears are not quite touching as yours are, but are V close, so I might mount it in the lathe & take the smallest amount off.
The gears are quite fiddly to set up, probably because they are so heavy. I have got it all about right except my third (top) gear is very stiff to engage, because they are so close together, ie, the teeth are meshing deeply!!! If that makes sence?
I bet it's cold in your garage this morning!!
Regards,
Tony

Yes Tony very cold about -5.

The gear meshing is very good and deep and I think it is litterally the addition of 2 very tight engineering tolerances that have compounded to produce the interference. It is extreamly small.

Be careful when grinding glass as I have read the dust is not good for you,I think it needs to be kept down with water.

Anyone know if there is truth behind this?

Kev

to answer both these points...

yes we did notice the clearance issue on the gear and actually they all went back up on the lathe to be reduced. i'm not sure why some are still fouling (maybe we didn't take enough off) but the one fitted on the control model works fine.

i believe the glass is sent out over size and you are supposed to trim it to length.

Having trimmed sight glass before the advice given to me was to use a fine triangular or othe rsharp edge file. File round the circumference at desired point. Wet with a bit of spit?? then with each side on one hand a sharp snap action. Worked when I did it.

Kev.

Kevster wrote:Will these problems be sorted for those of us that havnt had these kits yet?

im hoping so

not sure how these problems are occuring,surely the control model should highlight any issues before full production goes ahead.


Kev

Hi Kev,

As Craig said the control model has been put together & it did highlight a slight interference issue which we believed we sorted. Please remember nothing is totally fool proof. The control model is there to try one or two pieces at random from the batch. Additional to this we have other procedures in place so the guys who run the machines have their work inspected & are responsible for checking it themselves. Even as the parts are being checked the packers are visually inspecting parts just to make sure they look ok. Even with all this in place something will occasionally slip through as we don't have the time to fit every item to the control model. This tends to be worse on items we buy in. We check each part as it arrives & then fit a number of the parts to the control model. We do not have the time to fit every part so assume that if 10% fit without a problem & they've been inspected then the chances are the rest will.

The downside to this is that sometimes the control model has been put together as sweet as a nut but there's still an issue occur.

Hopefully this doesn't read defensively as that's not how mean it to come across. I'm just trying to explain how even when the control model has been built the odd hic cup can happen.

I'll get an update for you on Monday about next lit of kits. No flywheel arrived yet but we do have a contingency plan to stop any delays.

All the best

Dean

Thanks for the reply Dean,
I am sure it will all work out ok, I must admit any issues that arise you deal with very quickly, maybe Lynn was the unlucky one and got the one that
didnt fit.
I was just asking if the kits that had not been sent out yet might be checked if there was a known error before despatch,thus saving postage if a part needs to be returned and then sent back again.

thanks

Kev

Success! After blunting a file and switching to a grinder I have managed to reduce the the girth of the Crank 2nd gear flange to allow it rotation without fouling 1st gear cog.

Not having a large metal lathe I used the wood lathe to hold the gear and rotate it while filing and then grinding.

I removed 0.44mm

not much metal needed to be removed then Lynn so thats a good thing.

Kev

Removed the Dynamo casting and Exciter platform to the Dinning room table to allow to warm up today for painting the lining tomorrow.

What I thought was just a lingering Cold has turned out to be Sinusitis. No playing with electric toys or heavy activity.

Sounds nasty as you have been suffering with it for so long. Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.

Yes get well soon Lynn,

Kev

Lynn

Sorry to hear your still not well, you need to take a week off work - and that means when at home too. I know how hard that is working from my home office.

Get well soon but take it easy, give us all time to catch up

Brian

get well soon - miss the regular photos and up-dates

Hi All

Actually able to see today without my head exploding. Done a little bit of painting since the theme at the moment is lining out.
Not a huge amount but some.











Does anyone have pictures of the dynamo on some real life engines as I have no experience or pictures of the convention for lining out.

I do hope the paint isn't making your sinusitis worse, make sure You take it easy.

I assume you saw the ones for ex-mayor that Dean took?....not sure how you embed from photo bucket but here are the links

https://2img.net/h/i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/craigwash/work/ex%20mayor/ExMayor120.jpg

https://2img.net/h/i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/craigwash/work/ex%20mayor/ExMayor189.jpg

https://2img.net/h/i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/craigwash/work/ex%20mayor/ExMayor109.jpg

For anyone who has not found the link to all the images here is a reminder..
https://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/craigwash/work/ex%20mayor/

One or two other examples from the archive.....click for larger images and when open just click on the magnifying glass


IMG_9393 by Robert R&N, on Flickr


IMG_9397 by Robert R&N, on Flickr


IMG_0556 by Robert R&N, on Flickr.


Peter Pan by Robert R&N, on Flickr


IMG_0727 by Robert R&N, on Flickr


1 gen by Robert R&N, on Flickr

Hope they help, I'll check GFA Gilber's book for you tomorrow.

Hi Lynn,
I must admit that your lining is far more "to scale" than mine & looks better for it, especially on the exciter platform, which looks really good!!
Tell me, is the blue lining tape you've used for the curves low tack & did you cut it so thin or did you purchase it like that?
Might help me to stop lifting paint!!
Regards,
Tony

Hi Lynn,
Thought these might help........ I think the generator is the same type as ours!!! (Ex Mayor).

Bloody marvalous paint job (*&%$£!!):-


















Regards,
Tony

Tony King wrote:Hi Lynn,
I must admit that your lining is far more "to scale" than mine & looks better for it, especially on the exciter platform, which looks really good!!
Tell me, is the blue lining tape you've used for the curves low tack & did you cut it so thin or did you purchase it like that?
Might help me to stop lifting paint!!
Regards,
Tony

I get it from Pinstripping UK. It is the Scotch Plastic tape part No 471 1/8" x 36 yd. It is low tack and very flexable.

Thank you both Tony and Rob for the picture linkes.

Well started on liningout the Dynamo or very heavy counter balance.

Taping out.


Notice the mistake.


Try again!




Cut the tape round the corner. This tape does go well.




Yellow done now. Waiting till this evening to do the red. Head not working too well today yet.

Done the red now.



Bit raggy but I will touch that up.








Tools of the trade.




Still got a fair bit of painting to do yet but that will be another night.

Lynn, for a lady, I'm totally impressed with your dinning room table.............. Being used for what it should be............ a work station....................... Just needs a few beer cans & half a chinese meal & hay presto , PERFECTION!!! (Ha Ha!!). (Don't get me started on the oven!!)
Seriously though, dispite your not feeling well, you're fighting your way back into the lead again...... Well done!!
I wonder if any other Showman's builders are at the same stage as us? Seems very little news on the forum from them!! Perhaps our efforts are so good ( )that we've scared them away!!! (Only joking here, before I get my head bitten off!!)
Could do with some more pictures from you RL lot too!!
Regards,
Tony