The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum

wyvern · Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 8:47 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure exactly what graphite yarn is made of, I think they are synthetic or glass fibres which are impregnated with graphite. I first came to hear about them when discussing worn cylinders on my bowman 234 with a chap at markie models (tony pearce designs) whose phone number is 01329842559. He recommended wrapping carbon string/graphite yarn around the grooves in the piston to inprove the sealing instead of bying new ones. He said if I sent him £5.00 he would send me a small bag of the stuff(diameter 1.5mm length about 1m). Sure enough it worked! The string can be separated into strands so you can make it pretty thin and also tends to bind to itself when you wrap it around something. Although you'll have the cylinder walls to hold it against the piston. Incidentally you could use a reamer to improve the bore although that would mean increasing the hole size slightly.

Good luck

syrtismajor · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:29 pm Post subject:

OMG! An update!
Just to proove that I am actually doing work on this

So far I have obtained some better brass (the last stuff was as hard as steel), some copper tubing, brass sheet, brass rod, solder and flux.
The cylinder will now be made out of brass dowel that will be drilled out to the required bore. Specs shall be:
Bore: 9.5mm - stroke: 14mm - Pressure 25Psi.
Rough calculations show that this should give 121.80 Newtons force per stroke over the regular TE1a 51.80 Newtons per stroke (all approx and probably wrong).
I will get round to doing the cylinder, but I can't be bothered to buy a drill just yet and have to borrow someone elses who is always using it (how inconsiderate

)
Anyway, this is what I have done:
The valve block is complete other than location and fixing holes,

The left hand image is the port face that leads to the cylinder. The right image is the feed (centre hole) and exhaust (outer holes) face.

I have also done my first ever piece of soldering!

This is for the steam feed pipe that will exit the boiler from behind the safety valve, enter a regulator and lubricator at the rear of the firebox, then through a superheater, out through the front of the firebox under the boiler, then back up through the boiler and into the valve block like so: *gasps for air after such a long sentance*

Make sense?
Hope it does

I really want to get the cylinder done asap to proove that I can do this (more to myself than anyone else). But will be delayed now as I am moving house over the next month.... all fun....

My next easy job though is to solder two thin brass bands around the boiler to create shiny coaching lines. I'll paint the boiler heatproof black, then polish off the bands, then paint the black bits a deep blue leaving about 2mm of black next to the raised brass bands, I think that makes sense too. . . . .

Am also going to make a small steam dome. This will be between the sv and the firebox. The pipe will exit from the side of the dome and pass over the exhaust holes on the firebox and into a regulator.
Gah! This all sounds so complex! I honestly know what I am doing! (maybe)

Anyway, it will all make sense when I do it and take some piccies!

*wanders off into the void while laughing maniacally*
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Mamodman123 · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:33 pm Post subject:

Alway a good read!

The project seems to be steaming along nicely. Looks like you will get a pretty good increase in power with the new cylinder

It looks like you know what you are doing

which is always good!

Really looking forward to the next update! should be fantastic once it's finished

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wyvern · Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:49 am Post subject:

Glad to see the update, Unfortunately things that are worth doing often take a bit of time. Pretty impressed so far. It'll be great when it bursts into life on its first steaming

and you'll be able to say - I made that!

Iam probably going to uprate my Goliath engine to 25 psi when I modify it, and I reckon with the right gearing it might be able to pull me along! I imagine you're going to use the IP engineering safety valve.

syrtismajor · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:58 pm Post subject:

Gah!
I hate moving! Well I am now settled in a new place (with a possible area to run Sir Rillian) and able to carry on with this project. Been off for about two weeks moving stuff across etc, and started to have withdrawal symptoms!

Right, to proove that I am not mad and that I can turn brass without a lathe, I decided to make the steam dome that will sit between the sv and the firebox. I would love to have shown off by making the cylinder, but I still need the drill to ream out the bore, so this little dome is all I can do for now...

That little thing is 8mm X 8mm with a 4mm hole up the middle and will fit into a 6mm hole that will be drilled into the boiler. The steam pipe will exit from under the boiler and go through the firebox, through the regulator, the lubricator and back through the firebox,,, hopefully.
Anyway, hopefully this will show that I am in fact not a looney

The lubricator is under construction as well as the regulator, the next main job is to solder the pipes in place...

There is a light at the end of the tunnel! (or is it my bedroom carpet on fire? I'm sure I turned that blowtorch off...)
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Worrying the populace since '82'

IndianaRog · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 6:17 pm Post subject:

Hey Syrtismajor, glad your move is behind you and you are back online with the forum. Pretty good brass turning there on that Steam Dome!!!

cheers,
Rog
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Mamodman123 · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject:

Very neat job there!

A very good idea to have a steam dome! I take it, it will be a practacle use?
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Solid Fuel tablets explode

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Mamodman123 · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject:

That's pretty damn good!

A lot of people seem to be using drills to lathe things out, and that is very nicely made indeed!

Really starting to take some steps now, can't wait to see iyt

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Solid Fuel tablets explode

You could get a nice flatbase for that

www.mamodsteam.tk

syrtismajor · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:22 pm Post subject:

Mamodman123 · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:23 pm Post subject:

rangerssteamtoys · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:35 pm Post subject:

Its not that hard to do what your doing, seems pretty simple, I am also doing a little project, I could tell ya what I'm doing but then I would have to kill ya, I got friends in places

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Best Regards, Ranger Moore

Mamodman123 · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:36 pm Post subject:

rangerssteamtoys · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:38 pm Post subject:

Yeah true, didnt mean it badly. Your doing a good job anyone want to know what my project is? I wont kill ya either, hows that for a deal

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Best Regards, Ranger Moore

syrtismajor · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:52 pm Post subject:

rangerssteamtoys · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:01 pm Post subject: