Fellow Live Steamers,
I am doing some work on my smoke box to boiler connection and am concerned about getting the smoke box aligned rotationally with the rest of the engine. Not being one to eyeball it, can anyone recommend any ways to get alignment BEFORE I start drilling holes that mount the two up?
JP
Boiler to Smoke box alignment
- johnpenn74
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Boiler to Smoke box alignment
John Pennington
Logging meets that actually move logs
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2 Mich-Cal Shays
Allen 4-4-0 Narrow Gauge Conversion
Two Reading A5a Camelback 0-4-0
USRA 0-6-0
Clishay
4 Western Wheeled Scraper NG Dump Cars
N&W 4-8-2
ICM 2-10-2
4 Modern Stake Cars
L&N Caboose
4 Big Four Conversion Gondolas
Like I'm actually gonna build all this stuff
Logging meets that actually move logs
Project
2 Mich-Cal Shays
Allen 4-4-0 Narrow Gauge Conversion
Two Reading A5a Camelback 0-4-0
USRA 0-6-0
Clishay
4 Western Wheeled Scraper NG Dump Cars
N&W 4-8-2
ICM 2-10-2
4 Modern Stake Cars
L&N Caboose
4 Big Four Conversion Gondolas
Like I'm actually gonna build all this stuff
Re: Boiler to Smoke box alignment
If the smoke box is already drilled for the smoke stack and the blast tube, these should be exactly on opposite sides of the smoke box. If they are not drilled, they should be done at this time. The center lines for the blast tube and smoke stack can be extended to one end on the smoke box. These center lines can also be extended to the very front edge of the smoke box. The smoke box can be placed in the saddle and rotated until the two extended lines on the front edge can be lined up using a square on the locomotive frame. No need to eyeball anything.
David
David
- Bill Shields
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Re: Boiler to Smoke box alignment
I set it all up on the milling table.
Granted, this is a 48" limit (for me), but it works.
For larger locos, you can always set everything up on the frame or make a simple fixture on the floor to be used to spot holes.
Ever see how the did it on full size locos at Baldwin?
Granted, this is a 48" limit (for me), but it works.
For larger locos, you can always set everything up on the frame or make a simple fixture on the floor to be used to spot holes.
Ever see how the did it on full size locos at Baldwin?
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
Re: Boiler to Smoke box alignment
Which holes, if any, have already been drilled?
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga, TN
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Re: Boiler to Smoke box alignment
I leveled up the loco frame with machinist level. Set the smoke box on the saddle with was drilled. Leveled the smoke stack. Gave it a good eyeballing and transfered the saddle hole pattern to the smoke box.
Rob
Rob
Re: Boiler to Smoke box alignment
They riveted on a new course for the smokebox.Bill Shields wrote:[snip]
Ever see how they did it on full size locos at Baldwin?
Or used an extended forward boiler course that was the smokebox. (Climax and Heisler did this.)
I had the joy of replacing a rotted Climax smokebox, in 1982. We welded the new rolled section onto the front course of the boiler, without disturbing the original rivets.
Our models are SO much easier...
~RN