| 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. |
| Reid |
rollabout cabinet for toy steam: video road test on pg 3Used but sound rollabout cabinet perfect size for my impending D21!Storage drawer underneath the top (not shown) Anyway, the pale wood is without grain or character. I'm painting it. First the top. Found I liked this dark blue Duplicolor acrylic enamel's colour. Just sprayed, I'm sitting ten feet away, breathing toluol fumes as I type. 
Q: How would you do the rest of it? Would you agree that black would be the colour? I am leaning strongly toward painting the rest of it in low gloss black. Yes? |
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| Reid |
extraneous post cleared | ||
| Wallace |
Looks like a handy setup there Reid.
I like the idea of Black for the rest of it. 
If there was another colour instead of black, I would say Red |
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| Reid |
Hi Wallace, yeah, OK, I am pretty sure it will be black.
The D21's red would get robbed of its striking effect if I make the cabinet red. Otherwise I would enjoy a deep dark red. The ease of spray can painting and the speed at which acrylic enamels dry, means I can always, easily refresh or change the colour scheme. For a small-scale hobbyist I think this rollabout is gonna serve well! Thanks for your vote mate. BLACK Any serious dissenters out there? Speak up now or forever hold your spray can at bay! 
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| MooseMan |
No dissent here - that'll look the business with a D21 on top. Maybe you could gear the engine right down, sling it up to the castors on the trolley and ride it around the yard
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| Reid |
Yes indeed! That may be the best reason for getting the bigger engine.
That would be quite fun to at the least, teach it to waltz slow in a circle, like a self-powered lazy susan turntable with the blind staggers. I will need Meccano instruction ...and gears! --- Did try the black. Looks great on the body, yes! Cheap old regular Krylon in semi-dull black, easy and quick to renew when it mars. And if later I want to change the top colour--to a deep red perhaps instead of the blue, that acrylic enamel is good, tough stuff and pretty fast to dry. I will finish it off tomorrow and get my new D21 ordered. Even if I get it from "WillyGoat" ( the lowest published price in the USA so far) and IF it were to have a nasty fatal flaw (unlikely), Gil, I can return it at no expense to myself. I hope, however, to buy it from Doug at Ministeam if he can match the WillyGoat price. |
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| Graham-Jilly |
Looks great but i would just varnish it 
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| Reid |
Ha ha, there's an old saying that sticks:
You can varnish it; you can paint it. You can even hang it on the wall. But if you start with a piece of s--- You finish with a piece of s--- (sums my efforts nicely) I've always thought brown a nice colour in its own right
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| johnreid |
Not Yellow? | ||
| James |
That looks great Reid, I agree about the black bit! | ||
| Mister Occlusion |
Remember to plan ahead and colour co-ordinate with not just the D21, but the dozen other engines that you will probably have before the year (2008) is out
And black hides oil very well. And gloss is easier to clean. And make sure it doesn't melt in the presence of alcohol
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| Reid |
It looks grand, thanks for the IDEA. Mark, the rest of the cabinet is going with Krylon regular lacquer. I doubt it is at all alcohol resistant. In fact, it ain't. But I can re-do that later if I find I'm slopping the cabinet proper. Main thing is that the top is in a paint that is indeed alcohol resistant once it has aged a bit. I'm so excited I could about.... uh oh... just peed my pants.
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| Wallace |
Sounds good Reid
The paint bit that is
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| Reid |
"Wallace Has His Way" (he suggested red) 
Have glued all the joints of this cam-lock construction hardwood cabinet, making a new upper shelf (the black panel), of half inch pine ply, inset 1/4" to keep things from falling off when rolling it over rough surfaces. The new top shelf is glued and bradded in for added stiffness to the structure, as will be the new bottom panel, also unitized to the cabinet. The top is solid lumber which is a nice touch for such an inexpensive unit as this was. The old shelves were flimsy, though: veneer faced particle board, so they are gone now. (waiting for epoxy to cure now before installing the new bottom panel and the one adjustable shelf) Then it gets sanded down a bit at the glued joints and Krylon'd dull black all over except for the top. This will keep the top as the visual center of the unit. Maybe have a picture of the unit finished off tomorrow night. Am rather colourblind and so this red is probably way off the actual red. The actual red is Duplicolor's acrylic enamel named Cherry Red. It's like a bright, rich, perfect red to my eyes. But it needs to be seen in daylight to look proper. It's six AM here and still dark so this is just an interim photo. |
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| IndianaRog |
Reid, it looks great...just need to populate it with a few steam engines and your HOG. | ||
| Reid |
small victories over "what am I to do mental blockades" do cheer me. Thanks Roger for the boost. Yes, you can now imagine the remainder of the cabinet in the black, and a nice D21's black and red atop it all, uh, for a family picture, the upcoming NOS Weeden workshop toys sitting on that black panel, and in the hog will fit into the portrait somewhere. I think I will like this because I can play with the toys in one safe spot, put 'em away when done, throw a cloth over the whole thing if I'm doing dusty work in the shop here. It should be practical and it should hold a fair amount of steam toys. Will be getting some neodymium magnets and a scrap of sheet metal, cover that with craft felt of some suitable colour like black, and with the magnets stuck to the underside of, say, the Weeden workshop toys, they can be placed and positioned as desired, without screws or mar or bother, for flexible set ups. (am designing in my pumpkin head again, seee?) Tonight it goes black! I'll put the Hog atop for an inaugural picture. 
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| toxx |
... that looks super, Reid! And I like the colours ... I hope you get your D21 soon. Look what my pal did to his D21:
Not bad, eh? I especially like the transmission and the lamps. The small pressure gauge is also pretty darn neat ... |
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| Reid |
...and miles to go before I sleep, miles to go... Tell your friend he has just caused me to get lost in the woods. That's amazing! Wow! I am going to study those pictures for a bit, like for an hour! Time to blow them up for the details. Thank you Tom! |
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| toxx |
... I knew you'd like them! What I also like a zillion is the neat wooden handle on the water pump. In the meantime, my pal has replaced the dynamo (it's the new, plastic one by Wilesco, but painted black with gold trimmings) with the old-fashioned one from the 50ies, which has a bakelite housing, is larger and has a small sign reading '2-4 Volts'.
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| Reid |
I can do that! I can make a handle for my water pump! That, and not a whole lot more. Tell him, though, that my powers will only increase! O'im going to make a burner like no-one has ever seen before. It's top secret for now! I can't even tell you that I'm going to make a burner like no-one has seen before, ha ha! What a great talent he has. I enjoy this all very much! |
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| IndianaRog |
Tom, that is a pretty amazing piece of work...especially the two tiered tranmission...fits in there like the inerds of a swiss watch. Any chance of filming a video of your friends D21 and sharing here?
Furthermore...get your friend onto this forum!!! Rog |
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| Nick |
There's only one problem with the stand. It's going to be too small for your collection. | ||
| Minor1PJG |
The stand looks really good now - just have the wait for postie to deliver now.
Tom, that engine set up is fantastic. I need to look at it again for longer to appreciate it ALL
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| johnreid |
well,  Reid thinks he is only going to own one engine
However the Weeden is already showing the error on his thinking. Maybe the Cart is for operation and not display and storage. I participate in a Guitar forum that has adopted a Motto, Unum Non Satis ( one is not enough ) and I think that applies here too. |
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| Reid |
Aha, you are Wrong John Silver today
The "cart" is a rectangle and it has many cubic inches of storage space. I made the new bottom panel integral to the -bottom- of the cabinet. I re-made the drawer, not seen in the previous pictures. It will hold small tools and supplies. This thing will hold a good supply of models and stuff, enough, for I Am Not A Collector
--- The drawer is trick: it's invisible when closed The cabinet, with all the framework now glued and cam-locked, and with the top and bottom (black) panels integrated with glue and fasteners; and with the thin side panels clear-caulked into their grooves (you know how these knock-down things go together), It's really strong and solid and rattle free when moving it about. Only the red painted top is removable, retaining the simple cam locks alone. This way I can always sub another top for special purposes: such as a round top for turntable work (for say a video project, to turn the round around, rather than move the camera). Pictures later in a moment though it is not quite finished yet. Darned wet day here, polyurethane caulk slow to dry clear in this cool dampness. Then to fit the interior shelf, and finish the Krylon painting when the air is drier than at present. |
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| johnreid |
Now where did Reid hide that Drawer ( its invisible )
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| Reid |
-drawer front-ends need Krylon yet; I had to rasp the ends to fit.
-the white smear in the drawer and in the cabinet is clear-drying urethane caulk, yet to dry-through 
flash and such greys the black. It's dull black in normal light including daylight. That's just the cover-coat and it is a bit blushed due to the damp. It gets a light sanding and then another go-over. 
 My digicam does not do red very well at all. It's blood red, cherry.
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| toxx |
... that looks great, Reid!
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| Reid |
Thanks Tom. I think it would be ideal for an apartment dweller, which I will be one of these days.
How convenient to be able to roll the thing to whatever room or space where the toys will be used? And good here now cos I can roll it outdoors. Everything should be on wheels Crabfu would agree on that point.
That black upper shelf, half-inch pine plywood now, with safety recess, would hold several small to average sized engines. The cabinet interior can hold a bunch more stuff, all the toys and such. What made this a good candidate for conversion was its all-hardwood frame construction, and it's a good, clear, hard wood. It's a product of Thailand, if I recall. Got it about five years ago at the local Target store, flat pack, as all these things are nowadays. |
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| Reid |
yes, it is! and so is your image link!
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| IndianaRog |
Reid, your rolling cart/table is coming together nicely. One small mod I would recommend...add a "lip" around the top red part...just a bit of trim on all four sides to give a 1/4 inch lip...helps prevent engines vibrating off. | ||
| Wilescoman_123 |
Looks spot on mate ,whens the engine coming ? | ||
| Reid |
I desire to keep the present top smooth edged cos I think it will photograph better this way. I can always make another top to swap in for general rough usage, and that as such would def. be lipped. |
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| Reid |
edit to remove the detailed explanation. |
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| James |
That looks great Reid!!
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| Reid |
James, thanks! I'm uploading a two minute video demo of the cabinet's road worthiness. For now, a still:
=It's only roughed in at this point =Video in an hour |
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| Reid |
Red topped rollabout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKvQSEfk2OE recorded one hour ago |
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| Sandman |
Great job Reid.
I liked the way the engines stayed rock steady, even when being wheeled across cobbles. Good ideas mate. |
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| Reid |
Thanks Sandman. In truth I could only make them move by my pushing the cart at full walking speed across the rough brick.
The ride is a lot rougher than the video showed. Then they literally tossed in the air (a bit). Then I fell asleep, as I can only sleep in short spans of time. Tom's dog is ill today as you know. I had a dream about lost dogs and dogs lost, and so I think about silly little hobby projects of mine that don't really change a thing about reality. These are our escapes from real worries of all kinds of things. Next dream I suppose, cos I'm in cabinet mode now, see (jk) I'll be riding this cabinet down curving mountain roads in Monaco when suddenly, horror: the caster brakes fail!
And you know why that's really bad? Well, the goddam steering isn't any good either. 
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| Andy |
a top job reid | ||
| Reid |
I thank you for popping in. You're a good guy all round. R |
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| IndianaRog |
Reid...wow, that turned out quite nice. I have to admit that the red top looks grand as a backdrop...Wallace does have good ideas once in awhile
Question on your HOG mounted to the trophy base...how did you suspend the little meths tank?? I see something projecting from the side of the base, but can't quite figure how tank is attached??? Just so you know you are having an influence on other's buying habits...I just won a cheap? $24 USD Wilesco color wheel off eBay...I became entranced watching yours!!! Now I see Mr. O spotted another color wheel with the start price of $15 USD...though it will likely go higher. I have made note that a rubber band is the ideal driving belt for the lightweight HOG. Again, a grand job on the COS........."Cabinet of Steam". Cheers, Rog |
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| Wallace |
Nice job Reid 
Looks great |
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| Nick |
I fixed it:
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| Reid |
ROTFL, That's tremendously funny---and so damn near the truth.
Thank you for the art! "Bing, banged, bunged" (That's me) |
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| Reid |
The trophy base is a standard item from Jon-Ko Products of San Diego. It cost $12. As such, it came with two pre-drilled holes for bolting on a badge they presume that the thing will get. I took advantage of one of the two ugly holes. A bit of brass channel is glued to the lamp, crimped a bit for fit and friction. No refinement, but it works. The font is extra long, of course. Easy to change the glass font. 
Telescoping square brass tube, one fixed into that through-hole, and the inner tube affixed to the lamp, would offer a better set-up. ---- Glad you got your color wheel, you and Mark too. I still enjoy mine a lot. It's really hard to ruin it, ha ha! After all, I am the mucker in miami.
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| Reid |
brought forward. I deserved this:
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| IndianaRog |
Gee Reid, that gal assembling engines is using a table/cart identical to yours AND the floor of the place looks just like the stone in your driveway.
What are the chances of that
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| Reid |
It's all in the plan, Roger.
My employees (see more in the background) assemble defective, leaky, wobbly-flywheeled Wilescos for a living. Martha there--I hired her away from a strip club where she worked diligently scraping gum from the carpet and tabletop bottoms. Martha does the final non-QC checks. Then she puts the goods on my new inspection table where I give a last test them to make sure all are bad. Next I send the engines to Germany for ultimate resale back to USA swine... I mean, to discerning customers. It rained yesterday and the day before; mostly outdoors. This was all to the good because with our working outside, the precipitation saved our having to fill leaky boilers manually. ----
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| IndianaRog |
Reid, you are in a class of your own...keep smiling, and next time, maybe a Jensen should be in your crosshairs for acquisition...at least we can put a face to a name of the four folks and Steve who run America's oldest and nicest steam engine factory. | ||
| Reid |
Maybe a Jensen is in my future?
That would be nice. First I'll plumb the possibilities of Willy D two one. -It's gonna get an entirely new concept of meths burner, which I expect will, when perfected, exceed performance of most present types of burners in thermal efficiency, fuel economy and low emissions of odours or fumes. It will also offer the option of uninterrupted sessions, with its external fuel tank. I predict-big---so as to put performance pressure on myself. --- -Also I will investigate true condensing action as an optional way to run, by which is gained greater power at high speeds in particular, and greater fuel economy, and higher effective boiler pressure without increasing boiler pressure, per se. I may be punching a couple of large portholes in the D21's firebox, up high, for access to the top of my burner's fonts. I don't mind slicing and dicing this new Wilesco. I need to get a few things out of my system using it as a test sled. Otherwise I'd be mauling a Jensen! We wouldn't want that to happen, not by the hands of this beginner. I will have a Jensen some day, most likely. With your guidance and Steve's guidance, it will be a good one too! Thanks, always, Roger. Reid |
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| Nick |
Do you have any recent updates/modifications for your cabinet? | ||
| Nick |
Reid, if you were to make more wheels, a modification on your cabinet could be a hook to hang them from.
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| steamyman |
nice job, Reid. | ||
| CCairns |
Just found this posting.
That is a very nice portable display for your engines, and I like your attention to detail, like sealing in all the joints with silicone. Look forward to seeing your engine being proudly displayed and steamed on the top in due course. |
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| Nick |
I don't think the forum has seen a finished photo of the cabinet yet. | ||
| johnreid |
It was in the long dental floss video. | ||
| Nick |
Yea, but I want official pictures of just the cabinet, closeups.
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