I decided I would have to get the brakes completed and not wait for the boiler. This means making the
footplate first. The drawing is quite precise, so I started.
The right hand foot plate has 6 holes in it, 3 of which are 5/8" diameter and no indication as to their use.
It took me a while to work out what they were for, but I haven't drilled them all yet, just the ones I'm
sure of. The footplates look quite reasonable in primer from the top, but underneath they are supported
by a framework of angle which is tack welded in place, and it looks very crude. I suppose I could have
used blind rivets which would have been much neater. Much of the area is taken up by the side tanks and
again the drawing doesn't show how they are attached to the footplates.
Note the nut showing where the
reverser handle pivots; right in the middle of the footplate and no, I haven't made a mistake.
To find the position of the
cross brake shaft will depend upon the brake column position. It would be quite easy if vertical, but the
column is at an angle. This means I have to wait for the casting to come; it is not easy to fabricate
this particular one.
When I fitted the footplate it was obvious that it should be fixed to the rear buffer
beams, but since this was already riveted to the rear angle plate, it meant removing some rivets! Easily
done with a flap wheel in the angle grinder. However, there was no way I could replace the rivets with new
ones. I made up a form tool and using 5mm setscrews, I turned the heads to look like rivets. A washer
under the nuts and they tighten OK. The top ones are just visible in the second photo at the bottom.
I have been thinking about the ash pan. Again the components are there but no assembly drawing so I don't
know where the lever system for the damper is operated from. None of the drawings mentions a grate or even
fixing points for one. It looks as if there are holes in the steel boiler foundation ring for this purpose,
but again, no mention as to what the bushes are for. There is no indication that they are on both sides
either.
The bottom of the ash pan is designed to drop from a front hinge to allow the ashes to drop, but the pulling
centre bar for the brake system is straight down the middle and so fouls the action. On top of this,
all the ash falls over the bar. I'm going to alter this to allow the pan bottom and more importantly the
grate, to fall straight through. I also don't think such massive bars are necessary. This will save me
from having to drill 5/8 holes in the frames. I shall have to make the levers again though as I'll be
using smaller diameter shafts. Needless to say, the drawings do not show the ashpan mounting holes or
indeed, how it is mounted!
The casting for the brake handle arrived. It was quite reasonable being
cast in aluminium, but because it is set at angle it proved a challenge to mount in the lathe for turning.
More of a challenge still,
was the mounting to hold it in position for drilling and reaming the sizes at
the handle end.
There is a bronze thrust bush fitted inside. Following the drawing, I found that the rear
fixing bolt through the angle on the rear buffer beam did not have enough clearance for a nut! So, I've made do
by tapping a thread in the angle instead. I'm sure this will be adequate as there is also a supporting boss
at the top to the cab rail. At the moment it is still in primer paint. (Car cellulose).
I've had to fit
this so that I can work out the length and position of the levers as well as the cross shaft position for
drilling the frame.
I completed the lever system.
I'm reasonably happy with it, but I think I
should have allowed more of a 90 degree angle on the primary hinge as it is in its extreme position when
the brakes are on. To do this would mean that I would have to make two new bent arm levers with increased
length. Getting both sides to pull evenly was a bit of a fiddle, as the locking screw had to fit into a dint
in the bar, as it might slip if the brake was over tightened. The brakes are in the off position in the photo. Note the hole
in the frame. This is for the release pin in the ashpan to allow the floor to drop. Needless to say it is
in the wrong position because the drawing didn't take into account half the diameter of the pin! The holes
for the ashpan supporting bolts are also missing. This means I have to drill them in situ. So much easier
when the frames are first cut.
The ashpan construction is a bit crude as it's welded 1/8" sheet.
As it happened I had some wide strip but joined two bits for the base. I'm not too bothered by its
appearance as it's underneath and not seen and it's pointless painting it as the first firing burns it off.
The bottom has been made to drop when the pin is pulled and now that I have changed the braking system,
it falls straight through. The rear end has a damper fitted. The mounting holes in the side would have
been better drilled using the frame holes as markers instead of the other way round which is what I did!
The hole on the reverser side should have gone through the join of the reverser bracket. Another drawing
error. I removed one of the reverser bracket support bolts which screws into the frame and put in a longer
one. I drilled a hole in the ashpan to suit and the extended bolt does both jobs. I used spacers to
centralize the ashpan and was going to use nuts on the inside to lock everything tight, but, it would probably
have meant removing the boiler to get at the nuts if at any time I needed to take out the ashpan. As it is,
it is simple to undo the four bolts and it will fall out. It's a tight fit at the moment. Whether it will
loosen after firing doesn't matter,as it can't fall out.
Although it's only the middle of the month, I'm going to finish this month's entry now. A holiday is coming
up and I have rashly said I will build a doll's house for a granddaughter! I have also had the news that it
will be 3 months before my boiler will be ready. That is, if it is on time.