Presedential Candidate??

Craig dont worry about the chimney it can be put in the base ring wrongly so the rivets dont line up If one reads the manual and studies the components it all becomes clear

Hi Kev

Looks splendid.

Regarding wheels rubbing the belly tank, I think you will be able to limit the steering travel once the steering chain is on. There should be an extra chain between the steering chain ends that you can set for maximum lock. Failing that, a couple of sets of fairlead rollers on the front of the tank will stop it.



Brian

Been to the miniature rally at Amberley Working Museum this past weekend. STW were very well represented there by my count 7 engines including mine all the others in fine steam and doing a great job. The event has lost a few visitors and exhibitors due to it clashing with the Goodwood revival (bloody old cars!!) and Bedford and inclement weather. Enjoyed the two days though and the organ behaved perfectly and it was great to finally hear all the tunes one after another. Lots of positive comments on all fronts. Below is a video of it, finishing on a very nice 6" devonshire SCC. I have another video of the parade I will post up to.

Steve and Dean if you are considering where to go next judging by the comments on the two half size engines the Devonshire SCC and the 8hp SC either of those wouldnt be a bad choice. I certainly think you would have some takers especially if you got the price right. The market seems to be very good for them.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fEWcmT0K_48" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Been to the miniature rally at Amberley Working Museum this past weekend. STW were very well represented there by my count 7 engines including mine all the others in fine steam and doing a great job. The event has lost a few visitors and exhibitors due to it clashing with the Goodwood revival (bloody old cars!!) and Bedford and inclement weather. Enjoyed the two days though and the organ behaved perfectly and it was great to finally hear all the tunes one after another. Lots of positive comments on all fronts. Below is a video of it, finishing on a very nice 6" devonshire SCC. I have another video of the parade I will post up to.

Steve and Dean if you are considering where to go next judging by the comments on the two half size engines the Devonshire SCC and the 8hp SC either of those wouldnt be a bad choice. I certainly think you would have some takers especially if you got the price right. The market seems to be very good for them.

https://youtu.be/fEWcmT0K_48

master yoda would be proud!!!

ps ill second the devonshire engine...always fancied a miniature one

Spent part of today assembling. I realised last week that once the motion goes on certainly when it is permantantly fitted there are some bits that need to be painted so the last week has seen some paint activity and toady it went back together to test fit. I can only speak for my own construction but as the title suggests I seem to have a bit of luck on my side as I have encountered no issues with the fitting of the weighshaft, con rods, slides or crossheads and have throughly enjoyed seeing the components reciprocating as they should. Those eagle eyed will spot that the cleading is also being lined as again I have realised that the motion will make this just that bit more challenging, I expect to drop the other bits to the powder coaters this week to enable it all to be finished up but probably stored otherwise its asking to have a spanner dropped on it!!!









Also managed to sort out a few bits that have been outstanding such as a tight fit on the ashpan, sorting out the brakes etc. Need to go through the bolts on the shelf now so I know that everything is in its place. I feel I can see the light just glinting at the end of the tunnel today!!

I noticed you have painted the pulley in the centre of the crank. Are you not having the Governor belt attached?

I will have govenor but they werent in use for road driving just when under static load as far as I understand it. I couldnt be bothered to mask it off is also the real answer and the belt will wear it away after a few turns. If not I can always scrape it off!!!

As I am currently fitting my crankshaft I noticed on the photos that the LH crank bearing halves are 90 degrees to where they are intended to be. There are two oil holes in the split between the two halves. Have you redrilled the two holes into the middle of the top half as fitted on your photo? From last night's experience it would certainly make sense to fit them this way for ease of assembly - more skin of knuckles

Goodness people do study these things closely!!!! That is simply to make the continual removal and refitting of the crank as easy as poss. If you look real hard on the other side the small third section of the bearing isnt in either. When it all goes in for the last time they will be aligned as ness. The front spec plate is also off at the mo to make it easy as with the lack of piston rings too. When I know we are approaching the final final assembly it will be correctly done but lets make l the fitting as easy as we can eh!!

Oh my word, looking at the pics, I never noticed the front spec plate was off until I read your thread. I need new glasses

Nice Job on the build!

All the best,

Brian

Brian M wrote:Oh my word, looking at the pics, I never noticed the front spec plate was off until I read your thread. I need new glasses

I never though I would here you say you need glasses, your collection is always full when I have seen you

highpressure wrote:Goodness people do study these things closely!!!!

I had not spotted the other bits either, just the LH side. I had initially fitted the RH one withouth the filler piece too. Word of warning, I had the hornplates set allowing the setting bar to rotate nicely. I fit the bearings properly last night to find the LH bearing is to far back once the RH is clamped up so I will need to twist the left hornplate a little around the axle casting to get it lined up better. It is a pig to fit the crankshaft with one person as the slightest amount of movement more on one end can easily jam up the bearings when sliding into the housing.

Looking good though, cant wait to get the next kit myself - cylinder accessories, twiddly bits.

Have recieved a really nice set of name plates from Jo been thinking about how to mount them. On some full size I have seen them mounted on a wooden plaque so went to see my guy who cuts the wood for the pipes I make and asked them if they could make me a little wooden back plate. This is what they have made, I am now going to use a couple of small brass wood screws to attach them to the back plates and then look at the engine once altogether and decide on wether they go on the side covers or under the cylinder.

Looking good, I had not thought about wood backed ones - you will now have to keep 'em varnished too.

It does feel good to get your nameplates though, feels like your engine then. I finished Blackbeard's now so will put them on my thread later.

ooo Kev I wonder who made those plates they do look good

i'm so glad they are all ok for you and they look great mounted up on the wood and i'm sure will look even better when pics are taken of them in there rightfull place on the engine... well done and keep up the good work in building it.

same to all the other builders keep it up they are looking great and to STW your kits are great.. i'll be posting some pictures of my 2" Burrell thats still not finished yet!! I'm getting there!! house decorating and name plates are taking over now though..

Jo

Got to the platers today and picked up all the nickel plated bits. I asked them about polishing the eccentric rods and they had a polisher two doors up who sorted them out and did an outstanding job. The photos dont do them justice and they charged me £50 for the lot! Best bits is I can just put it together now and dont have to worry about it getting surface rust by the spring. The rods on the other burrell were always looking a little grubby due to surface rust appearign despite being coated with oil most of the time and certainly if it had been left for a few weeks between outings. The worst culprits were the water tap rod and bush both of which I have done this time.

Hopefully now I will get it all back together and can get some some photos of it. Whats the general opinion about having to take the crank out again or the pistons out, I want to put things like the rings in once and suspect that we can put this stuff together now, I cant see that the next kits contain any more motion parts????

Hi kev you will have put gloves on so you don't get finger prints all over all that shiney new plating. Have to say they look very nice was that £50 for polishing or plating

That was £50 for all of it, polishing and plating. Not sure if the polishers owed them a favour but I dont mind!!!

So here it is then, nearly all the bits, in one place, at the same time. I have to say that I have always thought The President to be a very attractive engine and I cant adequately put into words the pleasure I get from looking at this. I spent an hour just studying it in the sun this morning and feeling very satisfied withthe overall outcome.

I know its been said before but THANK YOU, Steve, Dean, Craig and all the others who have made this possible. Looking at the engine I find it hard to beleive it is mine. When I bought my very first 3" maxitrak in '07 I did my first rally at near Reading and bumped into a DCC owner there and stood and looked in awe at it and never imagined that I would be in a position to actually have one myself so this really has made a nice end to an otherwise shit year. I will certainly continue to sing your praises at every opportunity in the coming summers and hopefully once these engines get out there you will get more orders for them, I would be very surprised if you didnt get a large number of enquiries once people see the outcome.











I do intend to line out the bowser, and fit the tyres!!! Also before anyone picks me up on it there are a number of pieces which were assembled just to finger tight with components missing just for the photo call, as expected they will be correctly assembled before a fire is laid. There are still a few cosmetic bits to sort out as well but I needed to get these pictures up to help balance out the RL guys!!!!

A happy christmas to all fellow builders of every model and lets hope next year is a good steaming year and we meet up at rallies all over the country.

Craig, you might want to think about allocating a date for the first STW owners rally!!! We'll all be waiting to descend on STW towers you know....

Where is my shades. Had to turn the monitor brightness down to see the pictures better.

Looking stunning.

I also fully agree. We need a STW rally and get as many of these machines together. Gauging by the reaction from the 2 rallies I have attended there should be some interest.

It looks absolutely stunning, the colours work really wel together. I look forward to seeing it on the rally field for many years to come.

Dont really do cameras!! I just have a relatively old kodak compact which seems to vary its performance depending on its mood. Couldnt afford a good SLR anyway and dont really think I can justify its expense vs use. Having said that I agree that the pictures dont do the finish justice, in the flesh it really is jaw dropping as I think they all are.

I absolutely agree with everyone else, a SUPERB JOB you have done there. Totally stunning & will turn heads where ever it goes.
I, like you, find myself just staring at these engines coming together, in almost disbelief at how good they look & how lucky I am to be owning one.......... Happy days!!!
Keep up the good work!!
Regards,
Tony