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Sandman · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:33 pm Post subject: Mersey 52-R

Managed to get an hour in the workshop today at last.

I took the 52-R out for a test firing before I start to clean it up.

I checked all the obvious places for any weakness and found nothing untoward, so I lubricated all the moving surfaces with my new steam oil.

The burner needed new wicks which my old mop head provided, and soon it was time to try her out.

As it got up to pressure there was a bit of steam leakage from the forward /reverse valve, but nothing drastic.

I waited till the safety valve was lifting, and gave the flywheel a touch.

Off she went like a scalded cat. I was amazed that a machine this old performed so well with no mods at all.

It ran beautifully in forward and reverse.

Then disaster.

I thought I'd checked everything, but I didn't know that the driving dog on the driving wheel was just screwed in.

Off it came and the piston shot out in a cloud of steam.

I honestly thought there was no chance of finding the driving spindle as it is tiny.

I found the piston right away and I couldn't believe my luck. The spindle was lying right next to it.

I'm going to screw it back in with a little loctite to make sure it stays put next time.

I plan on re-steaming it tomorrow and posting a vid.

Here is a pic to remind you of the engine at the start.

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tmuir · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:40 pm Post subject:

Glad you found all the parts.
So it wasn't just me that rocketed parts into the unknown.
Today I went to buff the flywheel for my Scorpion Horizontal but it still had its grub screw in it so I went to my workbench to unscrew it but as my bench was a bit untidy I cleaned it up first. Now can you guess what I did next? Yep thats right just picked up the flywheel and walked outside and started to buff it without removing the screw.
About half way through buffing I saw this thing fly out and hit me in the shoulder and as I watched it sail over the railing on my balcony into the gravel 2 meters below I realised it was the grub screw.

Searched but couldn't find it but I soon discovered much to my surprise that Meccano grub screws are the same thread size so all was ok.

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A nice example of an Australian made Scorpion Donkey Engine

bessytractor · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:42 pm Post subject:

so the crankpins screwed in? Wow thats quite surprising, I mean its not like theres a lot of thickness on the crank wheel. The engine looks very good, I want to get a Mersey eventually.

Sandman · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:45 pm Post subject:

IndianaRog · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject:

Sandy,

Delightful story til you got to the part about the dog and piston going orbital!!! Can't tell you how many times I'm on my knees in the cobwebs beneath my workbench looking for the latest bit I have dropped.

Glad you found it...and yes, Loctite is a good idea!

Rog
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steamgranny · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:55 pm Post subject:

Ha! Reminds of identical incident with my Latimer L5

Never thought crank pins were just screwed in

Also had similar, amazing luck finding mine & it's now firmly super-glued in (no Loctite to hand).
That's a beautiful Mersey & once you have one, you just yearn for more

SillyBilly · Guest

Lucky!

barry1946 · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 10:56 pm Post subject: Re: Mersey 52-R

barry1946 · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 10:56 pm Post subject:

Very nice looking engine by the way!
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Cranko · Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:02 am Post subject:

Nice engine , glad it is complete again

John Chapman · Guest

Cracking engine Sandy, glad it survived its little adventure.