The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum

tmuir · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 2:19 pm Post subject: Bowman Loco burner help needed

I've started to repair my Bowman loco burner and I've noticed a hole that I dont think should be there.
I've got a photo but photobucket isnt working so I cant upload it.
On the underside of the fuel tank part there is a bump and right in the middle of it is a ball shape.
Right in the middle of that ball shape is a small hole that would be just big enough to pass a pin through.
Before I close the hole off can someone check there burner and see if it is there also.
Thanks.
Will upload photo if I can log into photobucket.
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tmuir · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 2:51 pm Post subject:

Photobucket is working again here is the pic showing the hole.
I think it is caused by corrosion as the fuel tank is tinplate.

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tmuir · Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 2:50 pm Post subject:

Have repaired the hole.
W&D the steel back until it was shiney.
Tinned it all.
Anealled and then domed a small piece of brass to the shape of burner.
Tinned the brass and soldered inplace and over the top of the brass.
It should never leak from that hole now.

Have fitted a new tube to the fuel tank now just need to cut the wick holders, I'm going to silver solder brass sheet to the bottom of each wick holder to guarentee it wont fall off then drill the wick tubes for the 1/8 pipe to pass through and then cut or drill (Havent decided which way yet) holes in the 1/8 pipe to deliver metho to the wick holders and plug end of 1/8 pipe with brass rod I bought for it.

If only my locos would arrive.......
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Mamodman123 · Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 2:56 pm Post subject:

tmuir · Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 3:11 pm Post subject:

Yes still waiting.
I know my mother in law has them but not sure if she has had a chance to post them on to me yet.

I plan on adding 6 wicks but will also be making 3 covers so I can light between 3 and 6 wicks.
Will be copying size and positions from photos provided by Mooseman and Roly in this link.
http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about2169.html

I also know what makes the clanking noise when you tilt the burner now.
Had to open up fuel tank to fit new pipe, should of taken a photo but will try and explain it.
Inside the tank is a steel rod about 2 to 3cm long with a steel ball on each end, one about 10mm diameter and one about 5mm diameter.
The bigger ball is free to move and is what makes the clanging noise when the burner is tilted and sits at rest in ball shaped grove you can see in my photo above.

The next part is tricky to describe.
Imagine a tube with an inside diameter about 1 to 2mm larger than smaller ball, now solder a brass plug in one end with a 1/8 inch hole in it to take pipe that goes out to wick holders.
Now slide the smaller ball inside tube and round the end of the tube over until it is a smooth fit around the small ball but leave a gap of about 2 to 3mm betwen ball and plug so the ball can slide forward and allow meths to pass by it.
If you turn the tank upside down or on its side the larger steel ball swings across and pulls small one back against rounded end of tube sealing off the pipe to the wicks.
This will make it much harder for meths to leak out the filler hole as no air can come in via wick tube.

What this all means is if the loco derails and falls on its side less meths can spill out and meths is cut off to the lit wicks meaning they would go out fairly soon after a derail.

Hope that made sense.

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Mamodman123 · Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 3:20 pm Post subject:

I see Tony! Very clever from Bowman! Although judging by one of the pictures in that thread it doesn't work too well?

I can't wait to see these two locos you've bought! I saw a few at STIA they were really really impressive and one guy had about 8 coaches (not sure if they were bowman) holding it on the track! But it still fell off a couple of times

Great stuff¬!
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Steve_S · Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 8:18 pm Post subject:

It sounds good Tony. Its interesting about the meths cutoff device. I didn't realise they were so complicated... good thinking from Bowman.

SPOKESMAN · Guest

The mechanisam sounds ingenious . . .

Mamodman123 · Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 9:42 pm Post subject:

oldstuff · Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 3:07 am Post subject:

Good call, Tony. So, before this, we didn't know Bowman loco burners had
this anti-spill device?
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Steve_S · Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:17 am Post subject:

tmuir · Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:28 am Post subject:

tmuir · Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:44 am Post subject:

Can someone measure how tall the wick holders are on a Bowman 234 burner as I want to cut them tonight and get them ready to have the bottom silver soldered on them but don't know how long to make the tubes?
Thanks
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Mamodman123 · Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:45 am Post subject:

I can definately see how it works now Tony! Although it would still burn for a while longer wouldn't it? Very clever design

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tmuir · Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 1:32 pm Post subject:

It would burn until all meths in the tube is used up but the main plus is it would make it much harder for the meths to spill out the breathing hole if you turn it upside down as the air could not rush in from the wicks.
To get what I mean fill a coke bottle with water and turn it upside down and watch the water come out in gulps. Now fill it up again and get a bendy straw and put it in the coke bottle and bendthe top of straw to the side and turn it up side down. As soon as the end of the straw comes out of the water in the coke bottle the water will just rush out.
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