Kombrink's American

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Berkman
Posts: 679
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 7:55 pm

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by Berkman »

Any ball valve should work. Just run a control rod with handle up through the top of the tender.
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makinsmoke
Posts: 2260
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 12:56 pm
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by makinsmoke »

The Allen tender valve works well.

Locoparts sells a similar design ready to run.
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Pipescs
Posts: 2194
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by Pipescs »

Will call Allen Models a little later today
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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makinsmoke
Posts: 2260
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 12:56 pm
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by makinsmoke »

Hello Charlie,
My bad, as you probably found out.

Steve does not sell completed tender water valves but the drawings for them are included in the Allen prints. Everything is pretty much machined from stock.

Locoparts sells a tender water valve that looks very close to the Allen design. I don't know if it is done to actual prints. Jeff can tell you.

It mounts to the bottom of the tender with the fitting through the bottom sheet. The actuating rod can be made to fit whatever height you need.

Take care,
Brian
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makinsmoke
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Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 12:56 pm
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by makinsmoke »

Here's the Locoparts valve.

The disc handle is easily replaced with whatever
handle meets your fancy:

http://www.locoparts.biz/watervalve2.jpg
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Pipescs
Posts: 2194
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by Pipescs »

Taking a moment to update the thread.

The English injector was a waste of time. I had a number of people at Mid-South tinker with it and we could not get any kind of consistency in starting it above 60 psi

So I order the small one form Eccentric Engineer.
DSC_5252.jpg

It was an easy swap with the English one and worked right out of the box. It has been to the track twice now having picked up every time I needed it.

I was even able to use it while running and for a 220 pound gorilla balancing on a LE American this is something.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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Pipescs
Posts: 2194
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by Pipescs »

Latest project on the American is a set of brakes. I have yet to see an LE American with brakes and I do not want to cut the engine up to add them. So I have made a stand alone brake car to pull behind it. It can hook into any train as there are no hook ups to it.

It was ready to test this weekend at Mid South but work got in the way.

The car was made from bartered trucks and the same construction method as the caboose. Took about four weeks to build out of wood scraps in the shop.

The brakes are air being activated by a solenoid hooked to a two channel receiver. The car is controlled using a key fob that will be Velcro to the tender by the hand pump. As it is a work in progress this may be hid in a small wooden box in the cab.

Original plan was to have a 12 volt compressor feeding air to a set of old CO2 Paint Ball bottles with an auto cut off. But at the last minute I am trying a charged CO2 bottle with a step down Regulator. The regulator has an adjustment from 0 to 30 PSI. At 30 the wheels lock up and slide.

Connie at Miracle Graphics is making me up the masks for a company that existed in my home town until 1969. A make believe car to pull behind a make believe engine.
IMG_3252.jpg
IMG_3327.jpg
IMG_3334.jpg
IMG_3336.jpg
IMG_3354.jpg
IMG_3348.jpg
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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Pipescs
Posts: 2194
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by Pipescs »

Just a few more details on the Brake Car.

I ended up using the dab it paint method with the stencils from Connie Miracle.
DSC_5342.jpg
DSC_5336.jpg
I am continuing to improve on the American this winter adding cylinder cocks.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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Pipescs
Posts: 2194
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by Pipescs »

Last night the American passed its 40 year Hydrotest at two times the working pressure. Something to be said for Copper Boilers. Knowing Larry as I did, it was probably the third one it ever had.

In the process of oiling it up and blowing out all the water I also ran it up on blocks to test the pumps. It is running much smoother with the new rod bearings

This last years rebuilds concentrated on the injector and Cylinder Cock installation. Replacement of the piping for the pumps. and the addition of the brake and whistle car.


This next year I hope to add the hand rails along the sides of the boiler, put the light back in working order, and put a steam bell ringer on it.

Wishing everyone out there a Happy and Safe New Years.
IMG_3112.jpg
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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JBodenmann
Posts: 3855
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2003 1:37 pm
Location: Tehachapi, California

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
Nice job on the box car. The lumber doors in the ends is a very cool touch.
Jack
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Pipescs
Posts: 2194
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by Pipescs »

Hoping to get it out on the track this spring to see how it works. I am mounting the key fob on the deck of the tender next to the pump handle where I can reach it. It will be a new experience to have the ability to stop when I need to.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
User avatar
Pipescs
Posts: 2194
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Kombrink's American

Post by Pipescs »

Another item to test out this season was a set of cylinder cocks. I am hoping this will put an end to me getting covered with hot water and oil out of the stack when I pull out of the firing bay for the first run of the day.

These came from Blackgates engineering in England. They are the smallest I could locate.
IMG_0519.jpg
IMG_3483.jpg
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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