| Archive for The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum The Original Unofficial Toy Steam Forum Established 2006 The biggest, most popular steam forum around! Accept NO imitations! We have a growing community of regular posting members who chat about all aspects of toy and model steam. |
| mc_mc |
Mamod Whistles (not very good?)Hi I've got two mamod mobile engines with whistles now and both give more of a white noise steam hiss than a 'tonal' whistle. Ok I'm not expecting a full size steam engine http://www.6060.org/sounds/whistst.wav blast of sound, but a least something slightly 'musical' would be good.What sort of noise do other people get? To be honest they seem to be more a pressure relief valve than anything else (at least on my two engines). 
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| Mamodman123 |
They can get "scaled up" inside and block the sound. Some are ear piercing others just releave pressure  A complete lottery I guess.
Try soaking them in vinegar and see what happens 
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| SPOKESMAN |
If the steam is dry, depending on how far the whistle is open you should get a very high pitched tone - both have a similar tone - thats the turned brass type and sprung type, some of the earlier SE2 types and prewar types may be a bit different.
Very interesting point to raise! |
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| mc_mc |
Sorry, can you explain the concept of dry steam please?
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| SPOKESMAN |
If yours is not sound is not clear enough - check for scale or flakes of solder - if the whistle is sounded very early in a run, they may blow water . . . ! 
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| SPOKESMAN |
THE TURNED BRASS TYPE ARE MY FAVOURITES.
The can get very hot!! but if kept clear of muck make a very good clean high pitched tone, you can experiment with the opening to vary the tone! Watch those fingers though - use a cloth and not a tool! 
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| SPOKESMAN |
When they get in this state- they need a little blowing through!
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| Mamodman123 |
Just remove the scale from inside in vinegar or something similar! It should then clear up and you'll get a nice high pitched tone from it 
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| SPOKESMAN |
I have one on my SE4, and is a lot more reliable than the screw in type.
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| mc_mc |
[quote="Mamodman123"]
I've got brown malt vinegar, distilled white vinegar or balsamic vinegar. Which is best? |
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| SPOKESMAN |
Less water droplets in it! they always work better towards the end of a run, when the water level is lower in the boiler! |
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| Mamodman123 |
[quote="mc_mc"]
White vinegar could be good! People use it to clean limescale off bathroom tiles and taps etc. I personally use the stuff that goes on your chips . Just give it a soaking for an hour or 2 and see what happens . It will probably turn pink and will require a bit of brasso after
Let us know how you get on
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| SPOKESMAN |
These early SE2 whistles work, but are not so reliable - the empty tube above the steam outlet tend to come loose or even get broken off. The longer arm lever is good though.
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| James |
Early whistles are better.
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| Roly Williams |
Wet steam is steam that has started to condense and has water droplets in it. This starts to happen imediately it leaves the boiler. Dry steam is 100% gas, no liquid water, usually created by superheating the steam slightly above boiling point after it leaves the boiler. Theoretically, you can never get truly dry steam in a whistle mounted directly on the boiler. However, after a while when everythings heated up, you can get not-very-wet steam. I hope that answers your query. |
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| SPOKESMAN |
This turned brass whistle on a '61 SR1 shows the quality of the turned parts as well as the lock nutted handle shaft and pressure spring.
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| yosa |
Look at the quality then guys, it's enough to make you weep. 
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| SPOKESMAN |
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| Wallace |
I get varied results with my whistles.
I have noticed using them near the end of the run is best, and they usually don't spit water out. When you use a whistle, you are reducing the boiler pressure, in turn lowering the boiling point of water inside. When this happens, the water may boil a little more violently, which is why you get the water spitting out. |
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| yosa |
I mean to say, it's enough to make you weep that we don't get that level of material or craftsmanship anymore. 
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| James |
Aye me-at. Tis int it. | ||||
| Mamodman123 |
Its a shame, but at least we can keep buying the older models
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| mc_mc |
Okay I have had a go at cleaning my whistle this morning.
First a few before pictures: Front view: 
Back view: 
Disassembled: 
So I then soaked the two main brass pieces in white distilled vinegar for two hours. There was not much visible effect on the pieces, they didn't seem to go bright pink at all (which I was pleased about!). Now the after picture: 
So I put it back together and steamed up my new steam roller (just newly purchased from MamodMan): 
Tried the whistle: 
And got a very nice shrill tone and not just a white noise hiss (it sounds much better in real life than on the video). So the vinegar soaking certainly did the trick. (Not that I doubted anyone!). Thanks for help (again) guys.
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| SPOKESMAN |
Much better!! The bolts are always tricky to clean! Nice example!! | ||||
| mc_mc |
I dropped them on the carpet and almost lost them at least three times! |
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| SPOKESMAN |
Aye we've all done that!!
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| Mamodman123 |
Now thats better! I can imagine the sound it makes to human ears These whistles must be just scaled up inside!
I have to say that SR1 is a very smooth runner  It was running well even with the whistle open
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| mc_mc |
Yes I'm very pleased with it. Thanks! |
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| SPOKESMAN |
Another half hour of polishing will sort those bolts!!
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| mc_mc |
I have to admit to not yet even attempting to cosmetically clean anything on any of my engines yet. (apart from the whistle which was for operational reasons). It's a bit like my car... |
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| SPOKESMAN |
No pain, no gain mate!!
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| Dauntless |
looks great mate well worth remembering that whistle & vinegar trick too!
and you used the white vinegar too, I'll have to remember that! |