| Archive for The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum The Original Unofficial Toy Steam Forum Established 2006 The biggest, most popular global 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. |
| Stilldrillin |
SE3 Saga......I bought an early SE3, fitted with a later boiler, during the summer.Not completely happy with it`s condition, I rebuilt the engine in my usual manner. Fitting bushes at main bearings, big ends, & cylinder pivots. One cylinder had a deep (screwdriver?) gouge in it`s bore! 
I replaced this with a spare, which turned out to be +.004" above standard! Doesn`t sound much, but it`s a long way in engineering terms...... Wonder what that was about? 
Having sorted the engine, I then arranged an arrangement with a Gentleman, living in Wales, who swapped boilers for me... Thank you Mooseman! 
The engine finally arrived home 3 days ago, & tested very tight, but all ok. These are pics of yesterday afternoon`s steamshed session....... 
That transfer looked beautiful, until someone fired it...... 
Freeing off nicely. Very happy! 
Video + mutterings...... 
Right at the end of the session....... (If you`ve seen this vid in Michael`s "SE3 Soldered Joint" posting...... Ignore it). If not, 
Oh my!
Here we go again!
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| Sandman |
OOooh, nasty David.
It was running great as well mate. A bit of a mystery as to the cause though, as nothing stands out.
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| Wallace |
That's a great looking engine David  What a pity about the decal. Those type always seem to be more prone to heat damage than the others.
I've never had my SE3 apart. I imagined the steam pipe actually goes into the throttle fitting, at least a little. But on that it looks like it was level with the top
The steam pipe must have been under some tension for it too have moved so far. I had a similar happening on 2 engines at the manifold end. It was my fault, I had pulled them apart and put a bit of load on the lines when re-assembling. Now I try and bend the pipework so everything sits neat and in line, and any screws/straps are only there to hold it stable, rather than under load. Best of luck with it Nice pics too
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| TE1DRIVER |
ooh crumbs, hope you get it sorted David! | ||
| MooseMan |
Bugger!
I really don't understand that - the steam pipe was a good mm in the valve (as far as it would go) when I soldered that! Maybe swapping the firebox twice did for it......
Want me to have another go at it David? |
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| Nick |
Check out the color on that pipe (just above the firebox), it's really getting some heat.
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| Nick |
Maybe you could spray some of this on the joint while running it. 
http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about22632.html&highlight=fitter |
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| Stilldrillin |
No thanks mate..... I can cope from here....... I fitted a heat deflecting washer to the triple. After the same problem, twice........ 
And it ran almost non stop for 4 hours at Lincoln..... 
(Look at the colour of the steam feed pipe, lower left)..... I`m thinking of plumbing without superheated section, in future. |
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| Michael |
I also soldered the steam outlet on my SE3 and as I remember it went in quite deep. I have had no trouble from this joint but as you mention the colour of the pipe affected by heat the outlet pipe beyond the supper heater before it goes into the “T”: connector goes a lovely blue purple colour. The kind you like to see on a motorcycle exhaust and this is the pipe de solders on me.
Cheers Mick |
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| Stilldrillin |
I`m going to experiment with a shorter burner. Or a shield over the inner end of the standard burner. Positioned so not to heat the superheater piping.
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| johnreid |
I dilute my Meths, maybe I am lucky I do
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| Les |
That's a bugger, have you thought of using a higher melting point soft solder?? | ||
| Michael |
Les, I used electrical 60/40 solder twice and then had non lead plumbing solder sent out from Hong Kong (to Bangkok) as you cannot get it here but still have the same result.
Back to the drawing board. Mick |
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| Ross |
Thats a pain 
looks as if your getting there though Ross |
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| Stilldrillin |
Back up & running again!
I hate the fibre washer under the regulator. Mine always come loose after a few firings. So, I made a 1mm thick brass washer (spacer?), & assembled with Golden Hermatite on the threads. We`ll see......
I heated the steampipe red hot to anneal it, then teased it into a better curve, & deeper penetration into the bore of the regulator. I have also brassoed the regulator taper fit, & drilled the bore out to 2mm dia. 
The whistle & overflow leak a little, so will be seen to today, maybe!
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| whistleman |
Ah! Back in business! 
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| Les |
That's good news David. 
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| Sandman |
Good to hear you're back on track David. | ||
| Dr. Rog |
Proper job
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| TE1DRIVER |
Excellent another one saved! |