Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

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rkcarguy
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Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by rkcarguy »

Some of the epoxy paint products are really tough. Sherwin Williams Macropoxy 646 is rated for 10 years of salt water exposure for example, with correct surface prep. If you are draining the tank after use though, probably no need for any finish.
They make anodes that thread into female NPT fittings, so if you have a pipe threaded drain plug or unused fitting anywhere on the tank you can just thread one of those in there.
Pontiacguy1
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Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by Pontiacguy1 »

That's just what I was going to say. Make sure that you have a method for completely draining the tank after every run, and then you shouldn't have too much of a problem. I've started putting a low-spot in the middle of the tank, and then making and soldering a fitting on the bottom side of the tank under that spot so that I can put a drain valve in it. For a tank like yours, one right in the very middle should do it.

RedKote gas tank sealer!! That stuff works great. Just paint it on the inside of the tank, especially at the seams. Hope this helps.
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by Greg_Lewis »

There are tank coatings that are specifically designed for this purpose. When the directions are followed they should work just fine. There are some that are FAA approved for aircraft. If they're good enough for that, they should be good enough for us.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
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Soot n' Cinders
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Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by Soot n' Cinders »

Sorry for the late response, I've been busy with school and work, and then spending my free time up at the railroad playing with the shay.
Im going to leave the tank unlined, it spends most of its life empty so I dont see there being issues. Ive heard other stories of liners failing and the moisture trapped behind eating the tank up. Cant happen if theres no liner!

Some of the fun I've been having has been loading the shay up and seeing what it'll drag. Most load I've had so far was 4 Mountain Car T cars, our club Trainworks GP9 with the hydraulic bypass open, a caboose, two flats with riders, and an electric locomotive going up a 1.75% grade.
-Tristan

Projects
-2.5" scale Class A 20 Ton Shay

Steam Siphon: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/leavitt ... tive-works
Pontiacguy1
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Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by Pontiacguy1 »

It sounds great! Looks like it performs well. Congrats.
Soot n' Cinders
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Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by Soot n' Cinders »

Pontiacguy1 wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2019 8:33 am It sounds great! Looks like it performs well. Congrats.
Thanks! I’m quite please with her! Only thing that showed up after that run was I need to shim the crankshaft between the out webs and carrier bearings. Evidently when working like that, the lateral forces are strong enough to push the eccentrics and the universal joint connections out. I had no idea the lateral forces would be strong enough to overcome 3 dog point set screws, but it did. So I’ll make 2 washers to put on the crankshaft so that force will get transferred to the inner side of the carrier bearings from the web and take that stress off of the eccentrics.
-Tristan

Projects
-2.5" scale Class A 20 Ton Shay

Steam Siphon: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/leavitt ... tive-works
Berkman
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Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by Berkman »

It really sounds good! So what's going to be your next big project? 2.5 scale Class B climax.... ?
Soot n' Cinders
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Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by Soot n' Cinders »

Berkman wrote: Tue Apr 02, 2019 8:30 pm It really sounds good! So what's going to be your next big project? 2.5 scale Class B climax.... ?
Ha! I need to get some cars built to pull first, and Im not even done with the shay yet! Need to quit playing with it long enough to get it home and do some more work on it
-Tristan

Projects
-2.5" scale Class A 20 Ton Shay

Steam Siphon: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/leavitt ... tive-works
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Wonderful accomplishment! Really enjoyed watching the video. Now get back to work. Ahaha
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rkcarguy
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Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by rkcarguy »

Looks like it's a strong puller and it sounds sweet!
The embers are really eating up those wood planks...
Soot n' Cinders
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Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by Soot n' Cinders »

Glenn Brooks wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 6:43 pm Wonderful accomplishment! Really enjoyed watching the video. Now get back to work. Ahaha
Oh I am! Materials to finish the tank and get it ready for paint should be here thursday, so I brought the tank home so I can get it finished.
rkcarguy wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2019 1:11 pm Looks like it's a strong puller and it sounds sweet!
The embers are really eating up those wood planks...
She is very powerful! Having to keep the loads on her fairly light though, the boiler is still breaking in I think and the mill scale flaking off and introducing oil into the boiler is making her foam some still. Just did a boilerwash today and removed all kinds of crud, so the next time I light a fire in her she should perform better.
And the wood decking looks bad but its just soot and grime. Hard to keep water from coming up with stack when starting out with a cold exhaust line and that water leaves a greasy residue of steam oil and soot behind.
-Tristan

Projects
-2.5" scale Class A 20 Ton Shay

Steam Siphon: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/leavitt ... tive-works
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Building the 2.5" Scale Shay

Post by rkcarguy »

Oh ok, good to hear it's just splatter from the stuff coming out the stack.
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