Building Kozo's New Shay locomotive

[SilverSanJuan]

Nice pictures and videos. Those are some big beasties! Would love to get down there someday.

Todd

 

[crueby]

Okay, time to get caught up a bit - between a vacation week and time spent helping out with an illness of a relative, been away from the shop for a while. I got the rest of the parts done on the feedwater pump, which at last posting had the main parts blocked out and ready for soldering together. First photo shows the parts soldered up - you can see that the base plate extends out from the center body, that was to hold it all together for soldering.

The next shot shows how the base was milled back to final dimensions, same width as the center body column.

Then, with the body held in the lathe chuck, the column was drilled and bored for the pump plunger, then the column was cut off to length back at the chuck end.

Last parts to make were the top cap and valve assembly for the bottom. The bottom assembly was drilled/tapped and shaped on the lathe,

then taken over to the mill to cut in the hex portion. You can see that there are two hex parts - the bottom one will become the retaining nut. after the rest is parted off.

After the hex was done and the nut tapped, the other end of the valve was drilled/bored on the lathe.

Then a photo of both the lube pump and the feedwater pumps all put together. Little more cleaning up, a coat of paint, and they will be ready to install.

Also got a start on the hand pump, which will be used to do the static test on the boiler later, and also will be mounted inside the tender to use in filling the boiler before use - it will not show in the final model without raising the tender lid, so it will not be fancy - just a larger version of the axle feedwater pump. Got the first couple parts blocked out and ready for soldering up....

Should be getting back in the shop more regular next week, I hope.

 

[SilverSanJuan]

Very nice! I'm picking up a lot from your techniques. Thanks for sharing.

Todd

 

[crueby]

Okay, finally getting back in the shop again on a regular basis (minus time today for a canoe trip - weather this week has been amazing for this time of year).

Got the main body for the manual feedwater pump (used for boiler refill during use, plus will be used for static pressure testing) done. Started with the main pieces I showed last time,

and silver soldered them together. Took a lot of heat for the crossbar through the rectangular body, lot of mass there to warm up. The baseplate will be attached later after machining, since it would not clear the chuck jaws.

With the bottom of the pump crossbar held in the chuck, the top end was bored for the valve seat, and the end tapped for the cap. Slow speeds used since it was so off balance.

Then, the bottom end was trimmed to length, and the top end held in the chuck to drill/tap the bottom end. Little tricky with the plate sticking out, had to make sure nothing got in its way.

Last lathe sequence was to chuck the rectangular body for drilling/counterboring the body. This hole will take the pump shaft itself.

The hole was bored out for the o-ring retainer (made next time).

The rectangular body could now be cut to length and milled off square.

The completed pump body, ready to solder on the baseplate. Next time I'll be making the top/bottom caps and the pump shaft/handle assemblies. After that, on to the boiler. (gulp!)

 

[radial1951]

I've been lurking for some time, but I just have to say what a great thread this is with excellent detail photos. I recently got Kozo's magnificent book, yet it's good to see different photos and your perspective on the construction. Also your take on the machining and building setups add much interest. Keep up the good work.

Regards, RossG.

 

[crueby]

I've been lurking for some time, but I just have to say what a great thread this is with excellent detail photos. I recently got Kozo's magnificent book, yet it's good to see different photos and your perspective on the construction. Also your take on the machining and building setups add much interest. Keep up the good work.

Regards, RossG.

Thanks Ross, I am learning a lot doing this project, and as you have noted in a few places I do things a little different than Kozo to accommodate my different tools.

 

[swst]

Please advise whether the length units of your drawing and machine tools are Metric or Imperial, it is because your measure equipment is metric shown on your last photo.

 

[crueby]

Please advise whether the length units of your drawing and machine tools are Metric or Imperial, it is because your measure equipment is metric shown on your last photo.

Actually its a mix - Kozo's books give everything as metric in his plans, but my materials, drills, taps/dies, calipers, and handwheels are all in inches. I am converting his measurements as I go, keeping a calculator next to his book. I am picking the nearest size for screws and drills, but the changes are pretty small from his drawings since there is usually an alternate within a few thousandths. The ruler in my pictures is metric one side, inch on the other.

It does take a little looking ahead in places and some note taking, but it has not been a problem. All the lathe/mill work I just convert mm to decimal inches, and machine to that measurement.

 

[swst]

Thank you for your reply regarding my question.
I think your steam locomotive drawing to be suitable for me, because all of my machine equipment and toolings are the metric unit.
Please advise me where can be able to purchase the steam locomotive drawing like yours in metric unit.
Thanks!

 

[petertha]

Hi crueby. Maybe I missed it in your earlier posts, but what is your silver solder weapons of choice - solder type, flux, heating torch? Different recipe for brass parts vs steel? I noticed between the just-soldered brass pictures & finished parts pictures, the copper color (heat/flux?) discoloration is gone & its all uniform brassy looking again, is that a special liquid cleaning solution, or just mechanical finishing like paper/polish?

 

[crueby]

Thank you for your reply regarding my question.
I think your steam locomotive drawing to be suitable for me, because all of my machine equipment and toolings are the metric unit.
Please advise me where can be able to purchase the steam locomotive drawing like yours in metric unit.
Thanks!

Hi,

I am building from Kozo Haroaka's book, Building The New Shay. I highly recommend it, full of great tips plus the plans are very detailed. You can purchase it directly from the publishers at:
https://secure.villagepress.com/store/items/list/group/124

They sell at the list price, which is better than most sources I have found. Even though it is still in print (as are all Kozo's books) other stores are pricing them like rare books at several times the price! In the UK, I think Camden Miniatures also carries it. Villiage press also has a bundle price to buy all 5 of his build books, if you are going to build the whole fleet!

Chris

 

[crueby]

Hi crueby. Maybe I missed it in your earlier posts, but what is your silver solder weapons of choice - solder type, flux, heating torch? Different recipe for brass parts vs steel? I noticed between the just-soldered brass pictures & finished parts pictures, the copper color (heat/flux?) discoloration is gone & its all uniform brassy looking again, is that a special liquid cleaning solution, or just mechanical finishing like paper/polish?

This is the first project I've done with silver soldering, so glad to hear the more recent ones look better! Still learning on every joint, it has not been as hard as I feared. I am using a MAPP-gas torch for heating - have two, one has a smaller tip and does not heat enough for larger/thicker parts, but is good for small stuff. The other one is a Bernzomatic head (screws onto the tank, no hose) with one of thier 'swirl' ends, it has about a 3/8 or 1/2" opening, and is the one I use most - can dial it down for small parts, or up to heat thick stock. I picked up a set of fire bricks (replacement ones for wood stoves) from Home Depot - use a layer for the base and two more upright to set parts on so I can heat from underneath. For solder flux, I am using Harris Stay-silv white flux, works very well, can add water if it starts to dry out from having the bottle open (has brush in the lid, but I use a small artist brush to put in small amounts on joints). For solder, cadmium free wire solder - picked up a coil of it at a jewelry supply place. It is a small diameter wire, 20 guage. Got it at:
http://www.rings-things.com/
Also got a bag of the Sparex acid pickle mix, mixed it up in a gallon PTFE large-mouth screw-lid container to make it easy to dip in, I usually hang pieces on brass wire to soak. After soaking, use a brass wire brush under running water to scrape off the last residue and brighten things up again. You can tell where the flux was, it does discolor it a little, especially if you get it too hot. The wire brush or a scouring pad are good to polish it back up again.
Think thats all the bits - aside from tweazers to place small lengths of the solder, and a small pick to push them back in place if the flux bubbles up at first and moves them. Kozo gives great instructions in his books on silver soldering - that is how I am learning it (you pro welders out there have nothing to fear from me taking jobs from you!)

 

[crueby]

Small update - got the arms/links made for the manual feed pump. They are just bar stock, slotted/drilled to fit together. The handle is removable, has a slot at the end and a sleeve that slides on (held with loctite). Just have to make the cap and inlet...

 

[radial1951]

Hi,

I am building from Kozo Haroaka's book, Building The New Shay. I highly recommend it, full of great tips plus the plans are very detailed. You can purchase it directly from the publishers at:
https://secure.villagepress.com/store/items/list/group/124

They sell at the list price, which is better than most sources I have found. Even though it is still in print (as are all Kozo's books) other stores are pricing them like rare books at several times the price! In the UK, I think Camden Miniatures also carries it. Villiage press also has a bundle price to buy all 5 of his build books, if you are going to build the whole fleet!

Chris

*

FWIW I got my copy from Karens Books at US$45.95 discount price. They post anywhere in the world no problem, the latest edition is in a fitted cardboard box, very safe. Here's the link :

http://www.karensbooks.com/store/pr...archBy=TitleSKU&keywords=new+shay&Go=+SEARCH+

Regards, RossG
radial1951
_____________

 

[Herbiev]

I love this post. Thanks for sharing.

 

[swst]

Hi,

I am building from Kozo Haroaka's book, Building The New Shay. I highly recommend it, full of great tips plus the plans are very detailed. You can purchase it directly from the publishers at:
https://secure.villagepress.com/store/items/list/group/124
They sell at the list price, which is better than most sources I have found. Even though it is still in print (as are all Kozo's books) other stores are pricing them like rare books at several times the price! In the UK, I think Camden Miniatures also carries it. Villiage press also has a bundle price to buy all 5 of his build books, if you are going to build the whole fleet!
Chris

crueby
Thank you very much for your publishers website.Thm:
As well as thanks Ross's information of Karen's Books.

Sunny

 

[crueby]

Got the last couple little parts done on the pumps, picture below of them. Just a little paint, and the axle pumps can go on the trucks.

Start of the boiler is next finally - first step (going by Kozo's sequences) is to make up a whole bunch of fittings that go through the shell of the boiler - alignment studs, staybolts, water inlets, steam outlets, guage studs, etc. All will be turned down from bronze round bar (going to have to find a compartmented box or bunch of bags so I can label them all, they will look pretty simaler, and there are a lot of them). I have not worked with bronze much before, yet one more thing learned on this build!

 

[crueby]

Got started making all the bushings/etc for the boiler from phospor bronze - turns no problem, but threading it is tricky. Seems to push around a touch, sort of like cartridge brass does. For tapping, having to clear chips a whole lot more often than brass or it clogs and jams. For outside threasds having to turn the lead edge down a bit more than usual to get enough of a bite and turning the body down a little more, ther die seems to push up the peaks a bit so it winds up full height again. Weird stuff. Kozo says not to use any cutting oil, assume that is to eliminate oil in solder joints? Seems like it could be cleaned off, unless bronze is porous? Anyone have tips for working phos bronze?

 

[SilverSanJuan]

Not really any tips. But, I found that bronze chips up more than brass. I can get good curls from brass, but the bronze is a bit harder and chips off. so, I end up taking lighter cuts on bronze.

Your pumps look great!

Todd

 

[crueby]

First few 'boiler bits' in the done box - from left to right they are an alignment stud used to fit the smoke stack flange, two water inlet fittings, a stud for the bell assembly, and a stud for the generator assembly. All of these will be soldered into the outer boiler shell.

Second pic is another few parts, the first blower pipe end on the left in front of the pipe itself (other end next up on the lathe), and two smokebox studs, which will mount on the front of the boiler and take the mounting screws from the smokebox assembly.

Not much to look at yet really, just the start on a lot of the fiddly-bits that hold the boiler and its add-ons. Few more larger through-fittings to make, then will start mass production on the boiler staybolts/nuts (24 of one type, 11 of another).