Brian’s 1″ Minnie Traction Engine

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Yep the 60/40 tin lead solder paint is what you want, don't confuse it with silver solder paste.

Make sure you clean the spokes really well afterwards as the flux is quite corrosive.

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Thanks Jason for the reply, good job i asked.

The original hubs where made from SAE660, i have found some PB102 which i could use for the covers, any idea if these two materials would solder ok ?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Should not be a problem

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Will give it a try, Thankyou

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Hello.

Managed to get a little time today to turn up the off side inner plate but think i have a very slight discrepancy between to face which is in contact with the wheel hub and the 7/16 bore.

does anyone know of a material i can use as a 7/16 shaft to align the hub and the plate whilst i solder the two together.

Thanks in advance

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Aluminium should not stick to the soft solder

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Hello all.

Fast approaching the completion of the rear wheels and so would like to thank everyone for your help so far, without this I would be lost.

I would like to turn my attention to the boiler, can anyone recommend any books that would be helpful for me to read?

Thanks

Brian

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Hello all..

About to solder these hubs together, anyone any tips of making sure everything is clean ?

Will rub the parts down with maybe a scotch pad, should i be using any cleaning solution ?

Thanks

Brian

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

As long as the metal is bright to the eye and not dripping in oil then the flux should do the rest. A bit of meths or thinners never does any harm though.

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Thanks Jason.

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Quick update on the wheels, all soldered up and progressing well.

Jason did warn me about corrosion but since soldering these I seem to be battling the rust.

Might just be a coincidence.

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Looking good, now for the fun job of riviting in the spokes!

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Posted by JasonB on 03/03/2015 07:19:01:

Looking good, now for the fun job of riviting in the spokes!

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

I am guessing that riveting the spokes is not going to be the simplest of jobs !

might it be worth while using copper rivets ?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Definately need to use copper as anything harder will need a lot more force to close and you will distort the aluminium Tee around the rivit.

If you make the little dolly to hold the rivit like it shows in the book that will get you into the back of the rivit, depending on where you buy your rivit snaps you may need to thin the end down.

If you have not formed snap head rivits before then drill some holes in a bit of scrap and have a practice before you do the wheels. I think that i swhy most people start with teh front end as the single Tee makes it easier to do those rims.

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Thanks the the advise, will order some copper rivets I think.

[CotswoldsPhilParticipant @cotswoldsphil]

Hi Brian,

This is the dolly made many years ago when riveting Minnie's rear wheels. I also used a hollow punch to settle things down before trying to close the rivet.

Getting the length of the rivet is important for a correctly formed head, a little experimentation as Jason suggests will pay dividends. I made a little shear tool to crop the rivets to length once the correct length had been determined. (there are quite a few to cut!) I tried side cutters but then the rivets tend to fall over to one side.The length will vary depending on how good a fit the rivet is in the hole, first it will expand to fill the hole and then start to form a head.

The dolly can also be used on the smoke-box ring, when you get there, by repositioning the snap, that's what the slot is for at the other end.

Regards

Phil

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Thanks Phil, going to have a break from the rims for a bit ( wimp )…

Going to make a start on the boiler..so..here we go again..

Seem to be having real problems with rust/staining.

only last night I wrapped all the pieces up in rag after spraying with wd40 checked tonight and some rust staining again.

Workshop does not have any rust problems normally, machines and tools are all fine.

So tonight have dipped in oil and wrapped in paper towel…anyone got any ideas?

Edited By Brian Abbott on 09/03/2015 21:59:08

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Hello all, quick update on my rust issue..

Whenever i store parts i soak them in WD40,

could it be the solder from when i did the hubs is still leaching acid, this then gets washed around the wheel by all the WD40 giving me a rust problem ?

Anyway, based on this i cleaned the wheels again, the lightly wiped them over with an oily rag, and for the past week or so no rust..

just an idea.

[CotswoldsPhilParticipant @cotswoldsphil]

Hi Brian,

So that you know you are not alone…

After soldering, my wheels leached flux from the Bakers Solder Paste at the root of the spokes for a long time. I think this is why I have avoided painting for so long.

If I was doing it again, I would use slow set epoxy resin, I think I mentioned this in an earlier post.

I'm sure someone here will be able to advise what method to use to remove the flux.

This is what mine looks like after some 30 years…

Regards

Phil

Edited By CotswoldsPhil on 19/03/2015 11:27:03

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Look pretty good after 30 years, thought about giving them a light sand blast, (have an old blast cabinet at work) then a coat of etch primer to seal but would the rust pass through the paint, I don't know.

All a little sole destroying when you spend so much time on something just to see the rust start.

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Minnie boiler advice please.

Hello all, after some more help,

Working through making all the bits for the boiler, is calls for the water gauge to be tapped 7/32×40 in both the soldered bush and the manifold, am I correct in saying I that I have to turn up 2 spacers to connect the gauge to the boiler? And if so what size should these be tapped for the gauge as 7/32 do not seem common,

thanks for any help

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I made my gauge and the top & bottom fittings are 7/32×40.

Can't see why you could not use an off the shelf 1/4×40 gauge and make up a couple of extensions 1/4 one end and 7/32 male the other from a bit of hex stock

[Brian AbbottParticipant @brianabbott67793]

Thanks Jason.

Do you know of any websites / you tube videos showing how these parts work when in steam ?

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