Re: Ruby Mods

[VR Bass]

In re Kevin's comments on rolling boiler jackets:

If you use really thin sheet, you can just hold it in place with boiler bands.  I 
used .020" or .025", and that required rolling in the slip roll.  I think .005" or 
maybe .010" shim stock would be fine, since mine really feels much thicker 
than necessary.  (You may have to make longer boiler bands, however, 
depending on the thickness of your lagging.)  

You can also roll brass sheet fairly successfully around a long round shape 
like the wood dowel Kevin mentioned, or a length of PVC plumbing pipe.  
Remember that the jacket doesn't have to fit snugly around the boiler; the 
bands will pull it down tight.

Lagging can be cork, paper, wood, whatever thin stuff you have that doesn't 
transmit heat as well as copper.  By the way, strictly speaking the lagging is 
only the insulation around the boiler, which is covered by a metal jacket.  You 
can have a jacket without lagging, but lagging without a jacket looks pretty 
strange, except for those really early locos that used wood slats for lagging.

I'm eager to see your Ruby, Kevin!

-vance- 

Re: Rubber Ruby

[VR Bass]

>   How do I keep from de-soldering everything else in the close proximity of
> where I'm attempting to solder?

It's very, very difficult.  In particular, I wouldn't even try anything close to the 
front tube sheet (the wall between the front of the boiler and the back of the 
smokebox).  You really don't want to desolder anything there.  Silver solder is 
very tight stuff, once it's hardened, but you're going to have to apply a LOT of 
heat to get anything to stick to a boiler (copper is an incredibly efficient heat 
sink) so it's risky.  If you knew what kind of silver solder they used, you could 
use a lower-temp solder, but the only way to find out is the Hard Way.

I only use mechanical connections in situations like that.  You can silver 
solder a screw onto the bottom of the bell stand and run a nut onto it from the 
inside of the smokebox and it should stay put (use two nuts if in doubt).

My builder's plates are held on by rivets (brass escutcheon pins), the 
headlight bracket by 00-90 bolts and nuts.

-vance- 

Ruby Mods

[Kevin Strong]

I've found the easiest thing to do is to just lag the boiler. Solder or
screw everything to the lagging, then slip that over the boiler. You
don't have to endanger anything on the locomotive, and you get a lagged
boiler, which improves the looks dramatically, also. The trick is
rolling the lagging. If you have a slip roller, then it's pretty easy.
Otherwise, its time to use some yankee ingenuity. I had built a slip
roller at one point in time, but it was very poor construction, and I
was able to roll one semi-boiler jacket with it. (It was for a pot
boiler, and only covered the top of the boiler.) Needless to say, I'm
open to suggestions, myself. My current thinking is to saw a small slit
onto a piece of dowel, and bend a flange along the edge of the .015"
sheet. If I insert this flange in the slot, it would hold the sheet in
place while I rolled it around the dowel. I haven't tried this yet, but
that's what this weekend's for. (Okay, that and football.)

All this to say, the easiest way to avoid melting your boiler is to make
it so you never have to get heat anywhere near it. Personally, I hate
soldering. It's a black art. (As evidenced by the number of things I've
turned black.) Give me a _sharp_ drill and a box of 0-80 screws. (and
any other metal than the Ruby's boiler)

Later,

K 

Re: Rubber Ruby

[Trent Dowler]

Hello Everyone,

  My 100 questions for the night:
  How do I keep from de-soldering everything else in the close proximity of
where I'm attempting to solder? Specifically, how can I solder a bell cradle
onto the boiler, very near the front tube sheet or other boiler components? As
long as I don't disturb the solder joint of the other boiler parts, will it
survive the possible heating to the solders melting point? Do I use a lower
melting point solder than the silver solder that is typically used for boilers
so not to de-solder the other boiler joints? If so, how low a melting point can
I safely go without the embarrassment of parts falling off my boiler once it's
to temp?
  I've wanted to add items to my Ruby's boiler a couple of times, but always
decided that it was better left alone. (OK, I was too chicken to try.)
  Any input would be appreciated.

Later,
Trent

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

> I am having a terrible time
> trying to solder parts onto the my Ruby smokebox (bell, builder plates etc.)
 

Re: Kew Bridge Exhibition, London,November 2000

[Shyvers, Steve]

Art,

Thank you very much for posting the photos.  Can you tell me the use of the
long pole that rests in the brackets on top of the boilers of the Darjeeling
"A" tank and "B" tank?  

Also it apears that the "B" tank locos have water tanks beneath the
cylinders, which would be yet another water tank variation of the type that
Sam Evans has been discussing.  Or maybe those tanks on the "B" tank locos
serve a different purpose.

I hope that there will be a report on Iver's performance in the Diamondhead
weight lifting contest.  The mirror-reversed "CE" mark intrigued me until I
realized that it was on an upside down label and attached to R/C gear.

Thank you again for the photos.

Steve Shyvers
 

Re: Kew Bridge Exhibition, London,November 2000

[Geoff Spenceley]

Sir Art,

Great--thanks--why didn't they have the Kew exhibition when I lived in
Richmond in the '30s--or did they??

I want the last two in my  hobby room!!

The other pics and the quote below shows how wise all of us "steamers" are!!

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy 2001 Harvest Festival!!

"There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what
you want; and after that, to enjoy it.  Only the wisest of
mankind achieve the second"
--Logan Pearsall Smith

Geoff.



 

Re: Kew Bridge Exhibition, London,November 2000

[Carl H. Malone O.D.]

Subject: Kew Bridge Exhibition, London,November 2000


> Have posted some pix of a visit yesterday to this show. Only very
selective
> coverage I'm afraid, but I hope you enjoy.


Art,

Great photos! Thanks for sharing!

Carl

Carl  Malone
Algerita Botanical Railway
San Angelo, Tx
 

Kew Bridge Exhibition, London,November 2000

[ArtwalkJ98]

 Have posted some pix of a visit yesterday to this show. Only very selective 
coverage I'm afraid, but I hope you enjoy.
As you will see, liked the 32mil gauge Indian Mountain Railway. Also some new 
products on show such as very nice David Bailey Shay & new loco - their first 
-from Cheddar/Bruce Engineering.
The latter was intriguing in having a single flue boiler with cross tubes but 
fired by a small ~3/4" diam vertically mounted ceramic at end of tube - 
instead of usual poker.
Individuals & locos mentioned will all be at Diamondhead in Januuary.

Art Walker
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=44305&a=10050105">Click 
here: PhotoPoint (Album Owner Mode) - Free, easy photo sharing and photo 
gallery  

Re: Tanks

[Sam Evans]

To illustrate the types of tank under discussion, some pictures have been
posted at