HELP to wash something and drill some holes... - Steam Loco Interlude

[@martyncozens5654]

Hi William. Congratulations on your marriage, and it's great that your back making your vid's I must say I really do enjoy them. Re the spacers in the frames, yes it would work, but I think I would fit something into the main horn guides to make sure they are perfectly in line to, a couple of close fitting bars of steel would be good.

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

Hello William, Good to see you back on our screens... I nearly emailed to check all was okay as you were on the missing list... Take care. Paul,,

[@CroFittings]

Good to see you back and was great to have you come visit. Funny seeing your own loco/workshop on someone else's video! The bar idea is great, bigger the better as larger surface area gives you a better chance of getting it all square. I'd make sure you assemble it all with reference to a surface table to keep it all flat and then get each stretcher in as you go before taking it apart again. Buffer beams and all. Good luck.

[@williamsworkshopuk]

I know this was some time ago, but I did read and appreciate this at the time!

[@jameslaurencesmith7537]

i think if the chassis is twisted .. when the weight of a full boiler is fitted on top.. all will be ok regards laurence

[@georgeclements2742]

I know what you mean about putting things off for fear of making mistakes. I have finally plucked up the courage to change the drive belt on my Super 7 after years of procrastination. Strangely, I had no trouble with the main spindle - which was worrying me - but the clutch was a real pain in the nether regions: I had to try three different circlip pliers remove the clutch shaft, due to very tight space, and I lost count of the number of Woodruff keys I lost during reassembly. The motor was off the lathe, and a hard task to refit single handed, and I then found that the previous owner must have been running the lathe with the switch in reverse for forward and vice-versa. I think that it's all sorted now and just need to check lubrication and grind up some tools. I've bought an oil gun like the one you showed in an earlier video, but I gather from other KZbin videos that there is still likely to be leakage. We shall see. Best wishes, and good luck with your degreasing and drilling.

[@williamsworkshopuk]

I finally stopped putting this off, George! :)

[@MattChiversWorkshop]

Good to have you back sir. I was about to do a video for an appeal for any information on your whereabouts. Now we find you’ve been gallivanting with Sir Adam Cro at his workshop, looking at all those lovely steam engines and fittings he has! 🙀🙀😂. I think your suggestion for set up bars seems a sensible one to me. Oh and get a DRO on that mill, you won’t know how you coped without it 😉. All the best, Matt

[@CroFittings]

Matt, always welcome to visit - happy to have visitors it stops me doing DIY. And yes, DRO on all of it! When I got it on the Myford it changed everything I now need to do the VMC.

[@MattChiversWorkshop]

@@CroFittings I will definitely, at some point, take you up on that visit offer! And I’ll bring the filming gear too. I’ve DRO on my Bridgeport which has been a game changer, the Harrison Lathe I need to instal it once I find a reasonable price y axis slimline scale, standard ones just won’t fit, think that will be a game changer on the lathe too. All the best, Matt

[@williamsworkshopuk]

Do you think at some point in the future (not yet, I've not yet finished wearing this hair shirt) you might be able to help me fit a DRO to the Centec?

[@martinbeard199]

If you haven’t already, check out mr Crispins channel. He is building a B1, and has done a brilliant series on it-you really will learn a lot from it.

[@GardenTractorBoy]

We use acetone for parts like that and only use degreaser to breakdown large amounts of oil and grease. We would take exactly the same approuch you are planning but that does not mean it is right :-) I think the only difference is we would use square not round stock so it is easier to reference against the frame

[@williamsworkshopuk]

Thanks matey, sorry for not replying sooner!

[@fitztheviking]

my 2c, either vinegar, the cheap white stuff or screwfix degreaser. its cheap and very good.

[@tedisakoolkat]

In regards to trying to get the frames exactly square and Parallel with each other before transfer punching the holes to be drilled on the spacer, I am in the EXACT same boat as you on my build and it is a head scratcher. I’ve thought about making a (more or less) large square block milled to the size of the axle boxes and slipping that in the pedestal jaws to insure the frames are parallel. Not sure if that would ensure there’s no twist and it might be overkill haha. I look forward to seeing what you come up with

[@williamsworkshopuk]

Hi there I think this was going to be my plan too (large square faux axleboxes) - in my latest video I think I figured it out.

[@tedisakoolkat]

@@williamsworkshopuk look forward to seeing it!

[@williamsworkshopuk]

@@tedisakoolkat the video is already live!

[@masterpiecesinminiature8299]

Hi William, the bar spacer idea does sound reasonable to me, but as one of your other comentor's suggested, check out the Mr Crispin B1 build. Nice to see the humble comment of shying away from the workshop due to indecision and self doubt, you are not alone on that one, I also find other things to do to put off the day of reckoning. The Evaporust product appears to be amazing in the video, is it really good stuff ? Keep up the good work and videos. Best Wishes Andy G.

[@williamsworkshopuk]

Evaporust is amazing stuff, so far I've not had any problems at all with it. You need to make sure the parts are very clean though, otherwise you end up with gunk on the surface of the liquid.

[@masterpiecesinminiature8299]

@@williamsworkshopuk thanks for the feedback William, I have just ordered a rust eating product and I will see how that goes. Might have some video uploaded soon on why I have ordered it Cheers. Andy G.

[@BensWorkshop]

Personally I would use something like brake or carburettor cleaner for blasting off the oil, or meths all of which I keep, though I am not sure about residue. In the ordering up stock, I can do steel bar at 50p a KG, as you know, and the advantage of bar being that you can square easily in the lathe or I can do Aluminium for £2.5 a KG and you will probably need less in weight. I can pick up some that looked like 2x1" tomorrow if that helps.

[@williamsworkshopuk]

Hi Ben - I'm pretty sure that I'm going to leave the Stuart 10v in raw iron for now - but if I were to paint it, would you recommend meths and rags to clean all the oil off prior to painting? I've got etching primer so was going to give it some of that and then over the top in red/green enamel.

[@BensWorkshop]

@@williamsworkshopuk If you have meths, that would work. You can also use brake cleaner which is very good at getting oil off.

[@markshomeengineering5243]

William - as Nike would say: Just Do It :-) Perfection is not required and I would not go with your suggestion of machining some bar for temporary spacers, not becuase it won't work (it should) but because it's just not necessary. If you're confident the frames have been drilled together then you're most of the way there. Good luck!

[@williamsworkshopuk]

Hi Mark, thank you - I think this is about as good as it's going to get. I'm still a bit nervous about the next steps - truing up the horn guides while the frame is assembled, etc. but just needs to be done!

[@jimmynswgr]

To be honest I haven’t watched your other videos, however, if you frame plates aren’t completely straight, and the holes are not in exactly the same place on the other side your face off and round spacer idea may not work. If your holes are exactly the same, it should. I would suggest, clamping a straight edge to frame plates to ensure straightness from front buffers to drag beam to ensure you have flat and parallel frames. I like the idea of machined spacers. In the past, I have done front spacer drilled and tapped by means of holding to frames by angled plate and then then done drag beam to opposite frame plate in the same manner. These spacers were machined to be exact distance between frames. Then get some stock to go inside your horns and check that you have it square to frame plates, in several spots and clamp and drill through frames to spacers from other side. Also, if frames have a datum edge, I would also suggest setting up on either a surface plate or sheet of glass, a milling table will also work. I hope that makes sense. It isn’t hard, it just requires double checking all the way along. At the end of the day you want the horns for axleboxes to line up square and spaced. That is very important. If all else fails and you get it together and it is parallel, but horns aren’t square to frame faces, bolt it to the milling table and true it up on the mill, ensuring the frame on one side is parallel to the table and mill across at right angles. Don’t have to take much off, then make axleboxes to suit. I hope that helps.

[@williamsworkshopuk]

Thank you so much for this advice, I think as per my latest video i've cracked it?

[@jimmynswgr]

@@williamsworkshopuk It looks like you might have. Have you measured from keep edge to keep edge with a pair of verniers or trammels? Then compare each side. That is a good test.

[@jameslaurencesmith7537]

william ...laurence here..... i have noticed your centec makes an horrific noise ! i sure you have a bath for all the lower gears my centec is basically the same as yours. mine being a number 2 .and yours being number 2 b..mine being belt driven.. and almost silent.!.!.... but it works and thats all that matters.. if the neighbours complain. blame it on the aircraft ..[ !a tip] put thicker oil in the gearbox bath ..or lap all the teeth on the gears the latter will keep you busy for a week or so but the difference will be pleasing to the ear ! oh!on the main column/ to the left you have a slot that goes down to the base and your knee goes up and down in front of it you need to fabricate a clamp that secures the table to said slot making a ridgid structure both ridgid and loose at the twist of a lever..! keep up the intriguing work dont ever let it get you down .your the boss ! regards laurence

[@williamsworkshopuk]

The oil in the gearbox was changed just before I got the mill, the dipstick suggests everything is fine in there, but you’re probably right!!!