The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum

RocDoc · Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:37 pm Post subject:

Now you mention it Les ... of course it is ... well spotted.

Pete

Les · Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:40 pm Post subject:

It sounds as if the boiler has been repaired before but it's wrongly done, the stay should go from the hole below the level plug to the corresponding hole the other end of the boiler. You will need to take out the one in there and move it.
_________________
Les - Nolo Servile Capistrum

www.freewebs.com/lesmarsh

Steve_S · Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:52 pm Post subject:

Yes, sounds like somebody has done a dodgy repair. I have a tiny light bulb on the end of a wire that I can insert into safety valve or whistle holes to let me see what's going on inside a boiler. An LED would do instead of a bulb. It's a very handy thing to make. Its surprising how often that bottom part of the SV is found rattling around in Bowman boilers. I think I've had three like that. You're lucky that the overflow plug was in there.... never had that!

RocDoc · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:48 am Post subject:

Another day ... another development. Mooseman suggested that I should find something long and thin, slip it in and wiggle it about a bit ... and then perhaps use a screwdriver to see if the rod is just rusted into place.

I used a screwdriver, gave it a little wiggle and guess what ... out it came. Check out the photo. The rod is the bit across the boiler.

It wasn't a stay rod extending across the boiler as I originally thought (wish I had Steve's mini lights as I'm sure they would have helped). It's a rod about 6cm long that has been soldered into the collar for the level plug. When I wiggled it from the inside of the boiler, it must have cracked the solder.

I now have a clean level plug (the rusty one whch I found in the boiler) and a collar. If the one on the rod is rodgered, I have a spare on the old 135 boiler.

Phew ... bit of a relief as I don't have to crack the boiler open.

This is what I like about restoring engines. These old engines have such an interesting history. I wonder what happened ... did someone put the plug into the boiler as a joke and the owner had to do this sort of repair ... I guess we'll never know.

Pete

Steve_S · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:51 am Post subject:

Aha! Thats great Pete.

Sandman · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:16 am Post subject:

Looking good Pete.

Have you made up your mind on how to tackle the boiler stay problem??
_________________
http://www.freewebs.com/sandmansteamshack/index.htm

http://www.youtube.com/user/Steamsandy

Les · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 10:43 am Post subject:

That's good news.

_________________
Les - Nolo Servile Capistrum

www.freewebs.com/lesmarsh

MooseMan · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:03 pm Post subject:

madeinenglang · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:31 pm Post subject:

RocDoc · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:15 pm Post subject:

Some good news ... some bad ... and a question.

Good news first ... I've successfully removed the level plug collar from the old 135 boiler. It fits the 101 ... just got to clean it, flux and solder in place.

Bad news ... I had real problems trying to remove the steam pipe from the union bit that joins onto the engine. I thought I was unscrewing the nut when in reality I was twisting the steam pipe ... I tried to twist it back into shape when ... snap ... the bugger split. I need a new steam pipe.

Question ... what do you make of this? This is the state of the paint work on the base. Not the best photo but you can see the cracking of the darker paint. I think this is a new paint job because this colour 'runs' through the holes along the edge. There is a lighter, mid green colour in the cracks and where some of the darker paint has come off. I think this could be the original paint as the underside of the base is in this colour. I wonder if it is possible to remove this second coat of paint without damaging the first ... or should I strip it down and give it a new paint job.

Hey ho ...

Pete

Sandman · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:53 pm Post subject:

I think the only course of action here is a complete strip to the bare metal and a full repaint Pete.

It will be all the better for it mate.

_________________
http://www.freewebs.com/sandmansteamshack/index.htm

http://www.youtube.com/user/Steamsandy

MooseMan · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 10:59 pm Post subject:

Yes, I don't think the paint can be salvaged - but if at all possible, try and preserve the decal.
_________________
Nid wy’n gofyn bywyd moethus,
Aur y byd na’i berlau mân:
Gofyn wyf am galon hapus,
Calon onest, calon lân.

RocDoc · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:22 pm Post subject:

I know the suggestion was to strip the base back to the bare metal but I thought I'd try to remove the varnish(?) first, just to see if I could get rid of the surface crud.

So ... with a bit of Nitromorse, some clean cloth ... water ... coffee ... cake ... I've ended up with a rather green coloured base. I think the green is orginal paint work. There are at least two coats, a lighter green under coat and a darker green top coat. I even managed to remove most of the crud from the decal. It's not perfect but it is miles better then it was before. At least you can see it now.

This is a huge improvement on the previous condition. Big question is ... what to do now?

Cheers

Pete

johnreid · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject:

Wow I cant believe my eyes, the other photo looked like all of the green was gone.
_________________
Non Impedite Raditioni Cogitationis

RocDoc · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:09 pm Post subject:

Hi John,

Yeah ... does look totally different. The green was buried beneath a layer of dark brown crud ... it was very satisfying when the crud started to come off with the help of some Nitromors and very fine grade wire wool.

Pete