The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum

CCairns · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:57 am Post subject: SE1A Restoration

You may recall this collection of bits from this topic ( http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about5534.html&highlight= ). Sorry my camera is not good for close-ups.

So I went about dismantling the bits to see what I had to do. The chimney had been pulled from the boiler and bent, boiler was badly dented around chimney area and solder, and probably araldite, used to cover up the dented area. Threads for water level plug stripped on boiler endcap. Steam pipe pulled from cylinder plate, and cylinder plate pulled from engine frame. Boiler strap rivetted to baseplate, and an additional nut and bolt holding firebox to baseplate. 2 Engine frame rivets replaced by larger nut and bolt. So I cleaned up the cylinder plate, de-rivetted the engine frame, freed up crankshaft, pulley, etc. and bolted complete assembly to baseplate.

Next I removed the araldite and solder from boiler to leave this.

Using Mamodman's guide to removing boiler endcaps, I removed the endcap, and soldered from the inside, a repair boss from Model Enthusiasts ( http://www.modelenthusiasts.com/p...ductid=296&cat=927&page=4 ) and sanded this flush on the outside of the endcap.

Following the example of other forum members I cut a circular piece of wood to help knock out the dents in the boiler. Whilst this will not win any engineering awards the resulting boiler is now steam tight. Instead of using a rivet to re-attach the chimney, I used a trick I have done succesfully with a loco boiler, and soldered a 6BA bolt to the boiler. This allows the chimney to be removed as it will need repainting in red (currently black).

Both the steam and exhaust pipes were too long, so these were shortened, and resoldered to cylinder plate. Engine now completely re-assembled and initial steam test showed a slight leak from the endcap. I had been using plumbers solder which is a bit thick, and did not flow easily around the endcap. This has now been re-soldered succesfully.

Although not obvious in the photos (sorry no video at present), here is the engine in steam driving a lineshaft.

In the initial posting this had been identified as a 1977 SE1A on the basis of the solid fuel burner and water level plug. However the solid fuel burner is an SP burner, complete with shield, which does not fit this baseplate. There is a cut-out in the baseplate with wings, and this fits a vapourising meths burner (as seen in the last photo above). So this could be an earlier model than previously advised.

When I have sorted out my painting skills, and got a workbench set-up in the garage, this will be repainted in due course, together with a replacement transfer already sourced from Mamodman.

Chris Cairns.

barry1946 · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:39 am Post subject:

Excellent job!
_________________
Official Washer Supplier to the Forum!
I can also supply repro SEL SVs and WLPs, Mamod 1/4" & 3/8" SV Restoration Kits.

Sandman · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:49 am Post subject:

Great job Chris.

A real resurrection.

The future paint job will make it complete.

Well done.
_________________
Ouch! Where's the burn cream

Did someone mention Bowman?

Andy · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:52 am Post subject:

well done looking really nice the a new paint job should make it look really prim and proper

Stitch · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:05 am Post subject:

Outstanding repair job mate. That boiler is a real credit

Graham-Jilly · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:29 am Post subject:

another one brought back from the scrapheap
well done mate

_________________

http://www.freewebs.com/aclr

tmuir · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:53 am Post subject:

Nice one.
I've used that bolt trick before to on my SP4 to replace the riverts that hold it to the firebox.

I wonder how long that had been sitting around brokrn until you fixed it.
_________________
http://www.freewebs.com/ozsteam/index.htm
http://members.iinet.net.au/~tmuir1/

A nice example of an Australian made Scorpion Donkey Engine

Mamodman123 · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:11 pm Post subject:

Wow great job Chris!

When the chimneys work loose or are damaged it can be a real pain to fix thats for sure!

Another engine saved

_________________
Solid Fuel tablets explode

You could get a nice flatbase for that

www.mamodsteam.tk

johnreid · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:14 pm Post subject:

I can see where the chimney is the weak spot on those. THose are fun little engines to run.
_________________
Your life is an occasion...Rise to it

Spokey · Newbie Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 77

Great job - my kind of transformation - always satisfying to get a junker running again - be great when the base is done - use some brass 4BA screws for the flywheel mounting bracket rather than rivets

Spokey

rangerssteamtoys · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:35 pm Post subject:

WOW, thats amazing. From hardly nothing to something beautiful. Just need to paint the base dont you?
_________________
Best Regards, Ranger Moore

SillyBilly · Guest

A superb job, you wouldn't know the boiler was ever that bad!

Steve_S · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:40 pm Post subject:

An excellent job Chris... that one's certainly been brought back from the brink!

CCairns · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:51 pm Post subject: SE1A Restoration

Thanks for all the kind comments.

The engine frame is currently attached to the baseplate using 6BA bolts and nuts. I am still trying to source some of the proper eyelets that were used by Mamod for this purpose.

Here's a basic video of it in action, that I made with Windows Movie Maker.

The creaking noise about halfway through is my naff tripod, and not the engine. Hopefully shows how well the engine runs after applying a little steam oil direct to the piston - in Bowman fashion.

Chris Cairns.

rangerssteamtoys · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:55 pm Post subject:

Nice video, I love it when you put oil in the cylinder ant it took off. I did that all the time, just fun to do. Nice work

_________________
Best Regards, Ranger Moore