shaygetz
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Hello from yet another new guy......and this time, I am the new guy. I'm am a 47 year old, happily married father of a 6 year old boy and 11 year old girl. I've been in model trains now for many years. I've always had an itch for at least one working steam engine to tinker with, a wish fulfilled two years ago when I purchased this Mamod TE1a off of Ebay for $75.
It has never been fired and, as you can see, is in excellent condition. I now wish to run it and have purchased the necessary fuel, steam oil and drive band. For safety's sake I also purchased a new safety valve, feeling that it was a wise thing to do on an engine whose age is unknown.
I'm looking for a more detailed How-to on firing this engine up. The folks at Mamod were very helpful but, alas, the instructions sent were written with the assumption that I was someone who knew what I was doing. Any help will be greatly appreciated, my children will be delighted and I won't look like this poor chap...  
I hope to stop by often as I see plenty of tinkering that is right up my alley.
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Kritika
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A big welcome to the Forum from the South of England.
I like that TE1a a lot. 
I am sure someone from the forum has a scan or copy of some simple steaming instructions they can send you.
You will like it here, lets see a video of that beauty when you get it running.
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Les Marsh
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The tractor looks really smart on it's base. Hope you enjoy steaming it.
 from Bournemouth
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James
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Welcome to the Forums mate! 
How to steam the engine?
Well:-
1) Oil the piston/cylinder and all moving parts well. Unscrew the safety valve and take it out
2) Boil up some water in a kettle (or you can use cold water)
3) Get either a small funnel or syringe and fill the boiler with the water through the safety valve hole. If it has a sight glass in the back of the boiler, on the firebox, it needs to be filled to where the 2 sides meet the closest together. If it has a plug, unscrew it and fill it until water comes out and then screw it back in. Screw the SV back in aswell
4) Fill the burner with either meths or solid fuel (depending on type)
5) Light the burner
6) Put the burner under the boiler, in the firebox
7) Wait a few minutes for it to build up steam
 Spin the flywheel and off it should go! If it doesn't, just wait a while for it to build up pressure!
Hope this helps!
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johnreid
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I love that base for your engine.
Welcome to the forum.
What State do you live in? I am in Indiana, near Cincinnati Ohio.
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Mamodman123
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These should be of use
Welcome to the forums
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shaygetz
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Thanks you for the welcome, gentlemen. The base came with it in the sale, I haven't seen another like it. It wasn't even in the picture in the original Ebay post. It has a strong steel magnet under the firebox that holds everything in place quite well.
Thank you, James and Mamodman, for those instructions. I assumed that the plug was used to tell water level but playing with steam under pressure makes me want to be sure that I'm walking in the right direction. A video will be forthcoming once she's fired up.
John, I live in Northwest Florida.
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Mamodman123
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No problem!
Look forward to the video
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IndianaRog
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Bob, another welcome from Indiana...glad to have you on board. I really love that customized wooden display base, that is unlike anything I have seen before for display.
You are amongst plenty of folks who can get you and your Te1A up and going...we all had a first firing!!!
If no one else mentioned it...use distilled water only, helps avoid liming inside boiler and clouding of sight glass. Walmart around here sells it for 67 cents a gallon!!!
cheers,
Roger
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Manxman
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Welcome Shaygetz. Nothing to add but hope you enjoy running the Traction Engine. I
agree they do look good but they are even better when under steam.
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barry1946
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from Bonnie Scotland!
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shaygetz
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Thank you gentleman. Appreciate the head's up on distilled water, Rodger.
The base at one time had an engraved plate on it...you can see the evidence of it in the top picture.
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Steve_S
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Welcome to the forum! That's a very nice engine you have there, and it should run very well. Let us know how you get on!
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erikl
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Welcome from the Netherlands!
That's alovly engine you have there! and I too like that wooden plate you have for it.
Good luck with the first steaming of it! make sure you don't do it on a nice carpet, because it might spit some water and oil around.
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bessytractor
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welcome to the forum
my number one engine of choice is Bessy the TE1A, its only failed me once, and a quick overhaul chronicled here had it going again.
Hope you get a lot of fun out of your engine!
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tmuir
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Hi and welcome from Australia.
Rog has already mentioned to use distilled water but what he didn't mention is don't use deionised water which is quiet often sold next to the distilled water. It uses a different process to remove the impurities from the water and can over a long period of time remove the zinc in the brass and cause your boiler to develop leaks. We are not talking over night but over a period of many years it will.
Toy steam engines seam to last just about for ever as long as they are treated right, many of us have engines coming up on 100 years old that we still run and as long as we look after them they should still be running in another 100 years.
Oh and like everyone else has said, I like the base too.
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johnreid
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"Spring Water" which is sold around here instead of Distilled is nothing but Tap Water so avoid it too.
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Wallace
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That's a very nice TE1a.
Welcome to the forums
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TRAPPERKEEPER
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Welcome from Texas 
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Nick
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from MN!
Fire it up & Steam it! They are fun and easy.
You should post some pics of just the base as I am very interested in making one as I am sure many others would be too.
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shaygetz
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Thank you all again for the warm welcome. I appreciate the cautions on the water as I live in an area with a high mineral aquifer. I do feel blessed that I purchased a good "first strike" from what I have seen of the comments. Like my model trains, it's not fit to spend its life staring down at the world from a display case...it's meant to be run and tomorrow I plan to fire it up. I do find it odd that all the You Tube videos of it in operation have most of them running without the canopy.
| ncseverson wrote: |
You should post some pics of just the base as I am very interested in making one as I am sure many others would be too. |
I was in fact, quite fascinated by the response to the base as I had assumed it was sold with the tractor or some special edition form of it. Though bummed up a bit, the finish is fairly top notch for even the best home craftsman, very nice, even sheen to it and the wells for the wheels are very precise---it sits exactly centered side to side and front to back---pretty amazing for a homemade plate if it is one. As I pointed out earlier, there is evidence of some sort of name plate on the one side. Here are some pictures of it...
You can see on the bottom there is even provision for wall hanging  both vertically and horizontally The magnet is powerful and does hold but I won't test it beyond that  Its dimensions are 12 3/4" x 8 1/8", the wheel wells are 5/8" and 7/8". With all that, I guess I'll be holding onto it a bit tighter now.
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Nick
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About the canopies, they look very nice, but you will find it very difficult to get at the engine while it is running (things like oiling).
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CCairns
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Hi Bob, and Welcome to the Forum.
There will now be a market on this Forum for these custom built display boards, a very nice piece of woodwork which displays your model excellently. A very nice addition.
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Les Marsh
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I run mine without the canopy as I find it gets in the way and you cannot see everything working.
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Sandman
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A big Scottish welcome to the forum.
Lovely TE there.
Lots of fun with that one.
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paul_c
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Welcome to the Forum, I use rainwater, it is cheap !
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MooseMan
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Hi, welcome! You'll love running your TE, they're tremendous fun. Look forward to the video!
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Bingoswestry
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Great TE1A ... love it !!
Welcome from (not so) sunny Shropshire ... 
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shaygetz
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Thank you for the welcome, gentlemen.
I was going to fire it today but found it a bit too cold and blustery, I'll try again tomorrow. With that in mind, I want to make sure my fire pan is right.
I've never seen this particular type and wanted to know if it was to be used with pellets or if it was a type of spirits burner. It is original to the model as I purchased it---maybe it was super-insulated to protect the wood base while the tractor ran on it?
Thank you all so much for your kind words, patience and help thus far.
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Les Marsh
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It is a meths/spirit burner, or whatever the equivalent is in the States. You simply fill it up, light it and put it back in the engine.
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CCairns
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That is what is referred to as a Vapourising Burner, and is designed to be filled with Methylated Spirits (United Kingdom) or Denatured Alcohol (United States).
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johnreid
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I think those are the best. You need to go to Home Depot and buy some Denatured Alcohol in the paint department. Denatured Alcohol is the American version of what they are calling METHS here. I wish that I had another burner just like that.
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Griffin
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Welcome to the forum.
A lovely example of a TE1a you have there, and a great display board.
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shaygetz
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Great, thanks, I'm glad I waited 'til tomorrow. I couldn't imagine the damage I'd have done burning Esbit on that. Looks like I had some serious beginner's luck with both the price, the base AND a spirits burner. A video will be forth coming as soon as I get some denatured alcohol.
Thank you for the welcome, Griffin.
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IndianaRog
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Bob, denatured alcohol can be found at Lowes Home Improvement stores, ACE hardware and Walmart. Quarts and Gallons!!
Vastly superior fuel if you have the burner to take it.
cheers,
Roger
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shaygetz
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Thanks, Roger. Is it safe to burn inside?
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johnreid
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I use it indoors and there is hardly any odor at all. Common sense has to be used as there is a flame involved. I do not see any problems in your case.
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mc_mc
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May I add my welcome too!
Looks like a nice engine you've got there. The ones with the overflow screw and that meths burner are much better than the modern ones with the sight glass (actually made of plastic) and solid fuel burner. And that custom base is something special.
I'll add a few pointers on running for you...
Give the boiler a few rinses with boiling water before the first time you use it just to wash out anything that might be in there, you don't want to clog one of the steam tubes.
Make sure the safety valve isn't stuck before you run it, just press up on the spring and the top should move upwards. Depending on how it's been stored the washers and o-ring may of perished a bit, you'll see when you fire it up, it will leak a lot of steam and the engine won't run very well if they're not up to scratch. But it's normal to see some seepage.
Maybe run it outside stationary until you get used to it, then attach the drive band and run it indoors. It's best to run it on tiles or vinyl as it will drip a bit of oily water from the cylinder. don't ruin the wife's best carpet
If you refill the burner make sure you refill the boiler with water too and you can't go far wrong.
Don't let the children touch it when running as it will get rather hot, even the reversing lever gets hot, using a bit of leather to handle the engine is a good idea.
It's normal for the first few runs to not be very good on a new engine, things need running in to get it up to full performance. Just give the cylinder and piston plenty of oil and it will wear itself in.
Happy steaming!
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shaygetz
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Thank you...being the son of a fireman should make me all the more dangerous now
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shaygetz
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I am much indebted to you MC for your added tips. I am afraid I am guilty of the "just put it on the tracks and run it" when it comes to teaching newcomers about model trains. I appreciate the warning about washing the boiler...wouldn't want my little ones to see me fall to my knees sobbing like a schoolgirl now, would we?
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Mister Occlusion
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G'day
Nice model, and that base is first class.
Those burners are made to be pretty forgiving. Just don't absolutely flood it with alcohol to the point where it pools on top.
The fuel expands as it heats up, and there is always a risk of an overfilled burner spilling over the sides.
It will also take a few minutes for the burner to heat up to where the flame is at its peak. Just be mindful that the flames can often wrap up around the boiler and come past the shield on top, which could mean toasted fingers if you grab for the whistle.
I wear lightweight leather gauntlets myself (don't tell James, but they're sheep skin...). Thin enough that I don't lose dexterity, and thick enough that I can handle the hot stuff and get plenty of warning before a burn happens.
They look cool besides
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Nick
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Would esbit have wrecked the burner? I know that sometimes when I have used it, it leaves a wax residue that runs out the burner. I am guessing it would plug up the burner screen.
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shaygetz
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Thanks for the heads up, Mr. Occlusion. I have a good set in the shop to use. I was wondering just how fired up the little booger can get---those gloves in your avatar no doubt say it all.
I'm still intrigued by the response to the base. I truly believed it was a factory original sold with it for display purposes. Whoever made it had cutters that matched the diameter of each wheel front and rear. I'd love to know what the plaque originally said...maybe it was a presentation piece for a steam club, the base having been made by a trophy/plaque company, there is no evidence of the tractor having ever been fired.
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Nick
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I do love the gloves with the black fingertips, but I don't see the need for them, besides looking cool!
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tmuir
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| ncseverson wrote: | | I do love the gloves with the black fingertips, but I don't see the need for them, besides looking cool! |
Wait until you get a Meths fired Mamod Se3 then you might want some gloves.
I don't have as impressive goves as Mr O but with the old meths fred Se3 the flames can actually wrap around the boiler and engulf the regulator lever and if you are running it outside you can hardly see the blue flame but you sure feel it when you go to adjust the speed.
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Nick
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My fingertips can stand up to a lot of heat, as I have burned the feeling out of them already, but I don't think they could stand what you describe.
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Les Marsh
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| tmuir wrote: | | ncseverson wrote: | | I do love the gloves with the black fingertips, but I don't see the need for them, besides looking cool! |
Wait until you get a Meths fired Mamod Se3 then you might want some gloves.
I don't have as impressive gloves as Mr O but with the old meths fired Se3 the flames can actually wrap around the boiler and engulf the regulator lever and if you are running it outside you can hardly see the blue flame but you sure feel it when you go to adjust the speed. |
Thats why I prefer meths burners to electric. It's all part of the fun watching the flames as well as the engine and making sure you don't burn yourself.
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toxx
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... welcome from Austria, mate! I really like the base for your TE. Looks great!
Good to have you with us
Says Tom
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Mister Occlusion
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Those gloves in the picture look much worse for wear now, several months later..
For the S.E.3. I either use pliers to manipulate the throttle or wear my heavy arc welder gauntlets, as these thin ones offer no real protection from that flaming beast
I fired my new one yesterday and almost melted the new O-ring out of the safety valve.
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Les Marsh
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| Mister Occlusion wrote: | Those gloves in the picture look much worse for wear now, several months later..
For the S.E.3. I either use pliers to manipulate the throttle or wear my heavy arc welder gauntlets, as these thin ones offer no real protection from that flaming beast
I fired my new one yesterday and almost melted the new O-ring out of the safety valve. |
The fun of fire.
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Nick
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It's even more fun when you throw some old esbit in your solid fuel burner. Upon lighting the stuff crackles and pops. Any time water drips from the boiler or shoots out the exhaust, it hits the fire and an orange flame flares up. There are also lines of smoke coming out the firebox as very tiny pieces of esbit fly out.
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Andy
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welcome to the forum
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Cranko
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Welcome to the forum from new zealand
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