< Boiler Cleadings 3 >
For time-saving purposes, I outsourced the laser cutting of various bracket parts, including the air compressor support, donkey pump support, and others.
Temporary assembly of the air compressor support and the donkey pump support. The smaller one is the donkey pump support. They are temporarily assembled with M1.7 screws and joined with silver solder. The curved plates on the back are the parts that will be screwed onto the boiler cleading, and they were made by bending a steel plate using a three-roll bender.
The photo shows the air reservoir hangers. The right side shows individual parts, while the left side displays the assembled state. The edge at the top supports the running board.
Other running board supports are attached to the air compressor support and the donkey pump support, each crafted by bending laser-cut parts.
When attaching the running board supports, I used an old dresser top as a surface plate to ensure height alignment. However, due to unevenness, I corrected it by using a digital level, as shown in the photo, which can measure up to 0.1 degrees. On the right, a smartphone app is used as a level. While it is somewhat accurate, its lack of uprightness makes it challenging to use.
I attached the air compressor support and the donkey pump support to the boiler cleading first, followed by the running board supports. Using a height gauge, I set the position to match the running board height, temporarily fixed it with instant adhesive, disassembled, clamped, and then drilled the fixation holes.
Similarly, the air reservoir hanger's height was set using a height gauge. It was then disassembled, fixation holes were drilled into the boiler cleading, and secured with screws and nuts. In the right photo, a C-clamp couldn't reach the mounting position, so a pair of flat steel bars was used as a clamp.
The high position in the center of the photo shows the sand box supports, assembled and mounted like the other brackets. The position is according to the design dimensions. To its left (behind) is the donkey pump support, with running board supports attached on both sides.
The handrail knobs are mass-produced using the technique introduced during the smokebox door work. There are three different lengths, decreasing in height toward the rear according to the boiler cleadings' taper. The right photo shows a jig being used to drill cross holes.
When inserting the boiler cleadings into the boiler, some fixed nuts of the handrail knobs and the aluminum rings interfered, so part of the aluminum rings was cut away to clear.
The handrail knobs are attached to the smokebox and boiler cleadings, then the handrails are threaded through. The handrails are made of 4mm dia. silver steel bars, and it is confirmed to be straight by viewing it from the front.
On the right front end of the boiler, there is a bush for the check valve. Since it is a distance to the boiler cleading, an extension bush, as shown in the photo, is used. The following outlines the fabrication process.
The check valve is flange-connected, requiring holes drilled in a circular pattern. As usual, I moved the three-jaw chuck to the milling table mid-turning, calculated the XY coordinates for drilling, and then returned it to the lathe to complete the remaining turning operations.
The finished extension bush and lock nut. The extension bush is screwed partway into the original bush, aligned with the mounting hole angle, and secured with the lock nut.
A hole must be opened in the boiler cleading following the bush's position. First, a smaller hole is drilled into the cleading. A threaded brass rod is then screwed into the original bush and passed through the cleading. Using the rod as a reference, a hole template is pasted, and the hole is enlarged along the template.
The final step shows the installed boiler cleading with the finished hole. The extension bush slightly protrudes through the hole, ready for the check valve installation. The recess in the bush's center is an O-ring pocket.