Nick Jr
Brakeman
Posts:62
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 | | 09/21/2008 2:14 AM |
| I assembled a Lumber Jack kit and am very happy with the results, the little gem gets better every time it is run. My only concern is the sight glass. It is so narrow that the surface tension doesn't let the water level drop or gets air bound. Is there something I can do to remedy this without contaminating the boiler water??
Nick Jr | | | |
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Curmudge
Beavering away far from anyone else of consequence who's fooling with these things
Brakeman
Posts:32
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| | 09/21/2008 10:52 AM |
| Nick,
On some locomotives the water gauge is little more than a passing nod to a working gauge, " . . real locos had them so our model has one," never mind it can't be relied upon to indicate actual water level. The LumberJack appears to have been given a bit more than just a passing nod at a gauge but the basic cause of the problem remains, a thin'ish glass tube. The only cure for the water gauge misbehavior you've described, and which we all experience now and again, is a larger glass tube.
What strikes me immediately about the LumberJack is it appears a clever boy could alter the gauge to accept a larger glass by reworking the glands. The glass looks to be maybe a 3.5mm to 5mm diameter and going to a 7mm or 8mm glass would greatly improve things. This would require the use of a small lathe and perhaps a bit of soldering, but if one was really really clever one might get by without the lathe.
C. | | | |
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Nick Jr
Brakeman
Posts:62
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| | 09/22/2008 11:31 AM |
| | Carmudg, thank you for your reply. I was described as a 'Clever Lad' by my 8th grade teacher, but certainly not since. Guess I will just keep an eye on the time rather than the sight glass. Nick Jr. | | | |
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Curmudge
Beavering away far from anyone else of consequence who's fooling with these things
Brakeman
Posts:32
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| | 09/22/2008 12:29 PM |
| Well, when the opportunity presents itself it wouldn't hurt to dismantle the gauge and run a copper wire or pipe cleaner through the fittings it to make sure the passages aren't obstructed.
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grumpfuttock
Denmark
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Posts:16
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| | 09/22/2008 12:54 PM |
| Nick,
I don't know if you have a Regner water top up valve fitted to your Lumber Jack. I have recently fitted one to mine, and I discovered that the banjo & bolt from the water filler can be screwed into the top of the water gauge after removing the threaded plug. I have an extra filler valve on order, and when it arrives I plan to cut the pipe between the banjo and the filler valve, and solder a globe valve to the pipe that comes from the banjo,and then screw the banjo to the top of the water gauge, so that I can blow down (well up in this case) the water guauge to get rid of any trapped air. Martin of Martins Models Regners (dealer in the UK) also says that the Regner filler system can be fitted to the top of the water gauge instead of on the bush in the side of the boiler, so it seems that the banjo bolts thread is short enough not to damage the water gauge glass. I am a bit wary of how the gauge glass would take sudden rushes of cold water, so I decided to use the globe valve as mentioned, and keep the top up system attached to the side of the boiler. I am waiting for the parts to arrive, so unfortunately I cannot report on how well it works :-(
I fitted a valve on the top of the water gauge on another of my loco's (a Cheddar Models Hercules), which had problems with air locks, especially when I pumped water into the boiler, and it clears the gauge wonderfully. | |
John. | |
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rodblakeman
1st Class Member
UK
Brakeman
Posts:83
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| | 09/22/2008 1:59 PM |
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John,
A number of the Regner models have the water filler banjo fitted to the boiler manifold by the top of the sight glass, this fills the boiler through the sight glass and helps give a clearer reading. I have not seen any problems with the cold water in the sight glass. | |
Rod.
SA 475
http://cslr.co.uk/Southdown2005.htm
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grumpfuttock
Denmark
Brakeman
Posts:16
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| | 09/26/2008 7:15 AM |
| Thanks Rod, I have been a bit worried about the long term effect of rapid cooling, as the glass must come under a fair bit of stress as well as being stressed by the steam pressure and heat, and wondered if over time it would be affected. I remember my mother pouring cold water over a thick toughened glass dish that was resistent to fairly high temperatures, after numerous cold showers it finally shattered violently. | |
John. | |
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