Thanks for the video Tom. I'm sorry to hear about your friend at the club. I hope you wife managed to enjoy her birthday. Good job on the loco! The more I learn about these engines the more stuff I realise I don't know.
Hi Tom always enjoy your vidios, although I don't have the experience you have I do get the general idea that disc in the tube regulators are quite often a source of problems. What I tried on my Speedy which does have a disc in the tube rugulator was to replace the standard bronze disc seat with the ceramic seats from a sink tap (not a bath tap they are larger). You an buy the ceramic seats as replacements on the internet you don't need to buy the whole tap. Might be something you could try but it does depend on whether you have the room to install the ceramic discs, it is important to ensure that the ceramic seats are supported to prevent any possible deflection.
I spent days lapping mine on a B1 Same sort of regulator but without the bush into the smokebox. That bush now exists because no matter what I tried, I couldn't get things to remotely seal (of course you don't know where the leak is coming from, regulator or where it comes through the boiler, an apparent O ring system wasn't doing it) if that makes sense. Misalignment is the word you're looking for. And I need to follow your example and let some Steamseal dry before putting it under pressure (apparently).
Nice job so far. its gutting when you loose a part and then the moment you de-bur the replacement bit someone has put it on the back of the cross slide hiding in plain sight behind the compound!
Your modification to date would appear to adequately deal with the non concentricity/misalignment. Have you considered lapping the valve and portface? Also, is there an adequate ‘land’ between the holes in the valve and portface when the regulator handle is in the closed position?
Yes, I had lapped the faces, I think it’s just too far out of alignment, unfortunately it’s not something that’s visible when in place to know. And the holes in the disc do completely close, there’s quite a lot of movement on the regulator handle before the valve starts to open any more than the leak. I’ll have a bit more of a think and have another go.
Gooping something up with silicon is never a good fix esp with steam. Truly a total rebuild of the valve is in order. I see at least one guy suggested lapping the face. I would check both sealing surfaces against a flat surface. It’s amazing how much warpage you can get on a part you just machined “flat”. If I had the option I think the valve should ride on a pin on the dry pipe and use some form of universal joint on the lever end.
I had lapped the faces after the first assembly, the combination of bits I did has made a considerable improvement, however not quite perfect, I believe it is better than it has ever been, however the superheater leak will convince me to have another go while that’s out. Yes, I believe that the disc being a part of the steam pipe end would have been a better idea in the first instance, however this is where we are now. I will have another go over the next few days.
Very informative Tom. Keep up the great videos. 👍
Thanks for the video Tom. I'm sorry to hear about your friend at the club. I hope you wife managed to enjoy her birthday. Good job on the loco! The more I learn about these engines the more stuff I realise I don't know.
What a clever chap you are, always a pleasure to watch these videos. 🙂
Hi Tom always enjoy your vidios, although I don't have the experience you have I do get the general idea that disc in the tube regulators are quite often a source of problems. What I tried on my Speedy which does have a disc in the tube rugulator was to replace the standard bronze disc seat with the ceramic seats from a sink tap (not a bath tap they are larger). You an buy the ceramic seats as replacements on the internet you don't need to buy the whole tap. Might be something you could try but it does depend on whether you have the room to install the ceramic discs, it is important to ensure that the ceramic seats are supported to prevent any possible deflection.
I spent days lapping mine on a B1
Same sort of regulator but without the bush into the smokebox. That bush now exists because no matter what I tried, I couldn't get things to remotely seal (of course you don't know where the leak is coming from, regulator or where it comes through the boiler, an apparent O ring system wasn't doing it) if that makes sense.
Misalignment is the word you're looking for. And I need to follow your example and let some Steamseal dry before putting it under pressure (apparently).
Nice job so far. its gutting when you loose a part and then the moment you de-bur the replacement bit someone has put it on the back of the cross slide hiding in plain sight behind the compound!
Your modification to date would appear to adequately deal with the non concentricity/misalignment. Have you considered lapping the valve and portface? Also, is there an adequate ‘land’ between the holes in the valve and portface when the regulator handle is in the closed position?
Yes, I had lapped the faces, I think it’s just too far out of alignment, unfortunately it’s not something that’s visible when in place to know. And the holes in the disc do completely close, there’s quite a lot of movement on the regulator handle before the valve starts to open any more than the leak. I’ll have a bit more of a think and have another go.
Hi Tom, interesting video, do you ever put a lead in on the round ports?
I probably would if I was building from scratch, if I’d thought about it, it may have been worth changing the port shapes to give a steadier opening.
Gooping something up with silicon is never a good fix esp with steam.
Truly a total rebuild of the valve is in order. I see at least one guy suggested lapping the face. I would check both sealing surfaces against a flat surface. It’s amazing how much warpage you can get on a part you just machined “flat”.
If I had the option I think the valve should ride on a pin on the dry pipe and use some form of universal joint on the lever end.
I had lapped the faces after the first assembly, the combination of bits I did has made a considerable improvement, however not quite perfect, I believe it is better than it has ever been, however the superheater leak will convince me to have another go while that’s out.
Yes, I believe that the disc being a part of the steam pipe end would have been a better idea in the first instance, however this is where we are now. I will have another go over the next few days.