The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum

tarbyonline · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 12:15 am Post subject: Help with TE1A and cleaning up!

Hello everybody. Not 100% sure if this is the right place to post this so apologies if i got it wrong! I bought myself a TE1a about 14 years ago (I was 9!) back when i didn't really appreciate the beauty of the model (i was fascinated by the technical side tho). Unfortunately its been sitting in a white carrier bag for about 10 years after it caught fire due to someone trying to run it on firelighters!!!!! It got all sooted up and of course the soot and the oil mixed to make a right mess. Add 10 years of corrosion in a carrier bag (the whistle washers have even perished) and it wasn't a pretty sight. Im trying to clean up what i can but a lot of paint has flaked off at the back and the metal has started to rust (though i have got the worst of with brasso!). What would be the best way to protect it from rusting again (want to keep paint original if possible). To give you an idea of the heat damage caused I have had to replace the plastic in the sightglass as this had melted black and no amount of cleaning will make it transparent again (flames actually reached the canopy such was the intensity of the fire)! The worst part seems to be the wheels which have gone black in parts and are even white in some areas (perhaps from the bag). No amount of rubbing with brasso (and even a brillo pad!) seems to be bringing them up. Anybody got any tips! Also, there is no screw on the flywheel (which is slightly loose) but the appears to be a hole. On closer inspection it would seem that this is a really small alan screw - could this be correct (if it helps the model was bought about 1992). If so i need to get me some alan keys!

Thanks in advance

Steven

(PS will post pics when i get my camera charged!)

Mamodman123 · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 12:24 am Post subject:

If paint is burnt off or slightly burnt then it may come off with a bit of t-cut or car polish!

If you mean the actual outer edge of the wheels use some very fine wet and dry paper then polish with brasso!

The best way to prevent rust is to use rust remedy,depends how far the paint is gone....

I'm guessing those firelighters made one hell of a mess

The flywheel should be a tight fit or have a brass slot headed screw!
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tarbyonline · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 12:28 am Post subject:

Its down to the bare metal in parts around the firebox opening! Looks like a new flywheel then but i cant get it off! Gonna try taking the wheels of, using the wet and dry then buffing them with the dremel and brasso. Forgot to mention, the bottom of the boiler is very heavily sooted up (which i would imagine will affect heating) - what the best way to get rid of this?Thanks

tmuir · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 12:31 am Post subject:

Hard to say without seeing any pictures.
Some flywheels were just friction fit and can work loose and if they do a drop of loctite fixes them but other had a retaining screw.
If yours has a screw try doing it up as the engine wont run properly if it is loose.

If your engine is still covered in soot I've found engine degreaser will shift a lot of soot.

If it was involved in a big fire you might want to check the rubber seals on the safety valve hasn't melted.

You can remove the wheels to clean it better.
The hub caps just push onto the axle.
To take them off grip one in a vice or pair of pliers and grip the other with a pair of plyers and gently wiggle them off.
If you are unlucky you may break the hub cap but as they only cost a few cents (pennies) it doent really matter.

Look forward to the pictures.
Tony
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Mamodman123 · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 12:33 am Post subject:

SPOKESMAN · Guest

Tarby - get some pictures posted, its eeasier to assess what needs to be done then mate.

Welcome to the forum!

Mike

MooseMan · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 7:59 am Post subject:

Steven,

I'll add my voice to the general call for pictures, but in the meantime you can set about restoring your metalwork by sanding it down with fine wet & dry paper....start with 600 grade and finish with 1000, that should get any deposits off your wheels but not scratch them.....with a bit of effort you can get them to a mirror shine. The white stuff is zinc that has leeched out of the alloy - a common problem with engines that are put away wet or dirty.

With the rust, get down to bare metal as far as you can, and treat the rest with a proprietary rust proofer. It is possible to replace the chrome firebox cowl if you need to, but this is somewhat involved as it requires drilling out and replacing a number of rivets. To keep bare metal from rusting again, wipe it down with the ultimate engineering tool: the oily rag!

Hope this helps - welcome to the forum!

Odilon
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MTA · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 9:39 am Post subject:

Steven,
Do as the others have said. But here's my advice on after care:
I find that WD40 is best for a nice sheen on the paintwork, although I wouldn't use it in the firebox in case you set the paintwork alight

Brasso wadding is better than brasso liquid on steam toys for metal work. Just ip a piece off, scrub away until a black liquid forms, which shows you've shoved a bit of dirt, then wipe off with a suitable bit of rag

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tarbyonline · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 10:38 am Post subject:

Cheers for the help guys. All the seals, washers and such seem ok apart from the ones on the whistle which have fallen apart now after a couple of runs. Have PM'd barry1946 to see if he still has some for sale so hopefully will get that sorted soon. Got mast of the soot of with lots of soap, water, a brillo pad (lightly), and lots of elbow grease. Surprisingly she already looks like a different engine! Will get some wet and dry when the shops open again an get to work on the wheels. Gonna put some pics up later. Just gonna get some breakfast and such first (can't do anything on an empty stomach!). Thanks again for your help!

mc_mc · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 10:57 am Post subject:

Mamodman123 · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 11:01 am Post subject:

tmuir · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 11:06 am Post subject:

I was just looking for Bary's post as I need some washers but cant seem to find it.
Can someone remind me where it is or provide a link.
Thanks
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Mamodman123 · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 11:08 am Post subject:

tmuir · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 11:18 am Post subject:

tarbyonline · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 5:53 pm Post subject: pics

OK, here is some pics in the present state now that ive got most of the grime off (much better than a couple of days ago).

Top down view from side. Note the black hole on the flywheel which appears to be an alan screw. I never remember there being a brass screw there

Shot from front with canopy on

Picture of the staining on bottom of canopy. Any way to get rid of this

As you can see, shes not in bad nick now with the firebox, wheels, fwd/rev lever and whistle arm being the main corrosion points. Wheels are coming off (prob tomorrow) so i can get the rest of the soot of the chrome so will get to give them a good soak and clean!

By the way, does anybody know where i can get a spare thumbscrew for the canopy as mine is missing. Even a pack of spare screws would be handy!