The Home Machinist!

Looks like the waxes were shot using rubber molds. Rubber molds are great for some things, but if you want to maintain quality, accuracy and consistency one needs to use Aluminium or equivalent hard molds to shoot waxes. The manufacturer is trying to save time and money but the quality will suffer.

Short Line Tom wrote:

BClemens wrote:Problem I'm finding is that these were already saved as a BMP file so they are pixelated already - so would need to be redrawn in CAD. Grumble!

You don't have to grumble. I am the guilty chap.

I have made this design for my 2-4-0 NG locomotives and upload the BMP files on GRABCAD four years ago.

IMG_5980.JPG


exploded assembly drawing.pdf
assembly drawing.pdf
shop drawing.pdf

Cheers!
Tom

Tom, can you give me the dimensions of the spring in some form I can understand. I don't mean to be ignorant but we were all raised here with only one system of measurement.
thanks,

Hi all
As you can see this is a MERCER valve. Yes I make the casting using a rubber mold there is nothing wrong with using a rubber mold.

Bill Clemens purchased this valve and expected it to be bright and shiny brass. I had that valve on the test boiler for 2 hours to set it to #100, and naturally it will turn darker form the heat. Setting my valve lower or higher than the designed range of #120 to #135 is difficult as the spring reacts different at the lower or higher pressures. Yes I could have different springs made but the cost for the amount of demand is not worth it, so I set them with the in designed spring that I buy by the hundreds. This particular valve was originally set for 145# and sat around the shop for some time as the person who ordered it no longer needed it. I re set it for bill. So if it appears to be darker them that is from the setting around then re setting.

As far as the so called bend? It looks as though the picture is distorting the valve to appear bent. He is showing the parting line that may have slipped by my inspection I generally sand them out or fix the wax not to show that seam. All the other seams get machined but because of the three ribs I can’t do it so I fix the wax or sand it out on the casting.

I offered to fix or replace it and he said

I'm happy with it and have no doubt about your work - the 'bend' I detect will probably never be noticed anyhow.

Thanks again,

BClemens

So before you bad mount me and call me every name in the book like you did in a PM to me today just remember that I have been in business for many years and sold millions of $$ of items all over the world and have many of very satisfied customers. There are 500 plus safety valves out there and no one but you has complained

Once again I offered to fix it or replace it to his satisfaction but he chooses to bad mouth me instead.

In closing I wish to thank the many satisfied customers not only the people who purchased the valve but for all the other quality products that I produce for the hobby. Thanks for listening.

Sincerely Dave Sclavi

Here is a proper picture of the Mercer Valve

Flaming not permitted on this board. Comments deleted.

I will not lower myself to his level therefore no comment. BTW your chose open forum not me I kept on the PM only.

Were is the distortion?

send it back I will fix or repair it. You choose not to.

Here is his quote word for word

deleted

I apologize to all my true Chaski friends to put you thru this but this man chooses to bring this feud out on the open forum so I must defend myself and Mercer Locomotive

You will not hear from me on this subject any longer Sorry Friends Dave

Fred_V wrote:

Short Line Tom wrote:

BClemens wrote:Problem I'm finding is that these were already saved as a BMP file so they are pixelated already - so would need to be redrawn in CAD. Grumble!

You don't have to grumble. I am the guilty chap.

I have made this design for my 2-4-0 NG locomotives and upload the BMP files on GRABCAD four years ago.

IMG_5980.JPG


exploded assembly drawing.pdf
assembly drawing.pdf
shop drawing.pdf

Cheers!
Tom

Tom, can you give me the dimensions of the spring in some form I can understand. I don't mean to be ignorant but we were all raised here with only one system of measurement.
thanks,

Fred V - Tom's drawing states: d = 1.25mm (.0492"); Dm = 8mm (.315"); Lo = 33mm (1.2992"). These figures closely match two Lee Spring numbers: LC Ø49D 13 S316 (35lb) ((.3 x 1.375")) and LC Ø49 13 S316 (38.8lb) ((.3 x 1.25)). McMaster Carr is limited in available length - 1", 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" so exact matching is not exact. MSC (who sells Lee but not by their pt number) has some closer but we went with McMaster Carr 9435K164 (.3 x .21 x 1.5") and 9435K85 (.36 x .27 x 1.5"). Hope this helps - Tom may have a closer source to his exact size in his 'home town'.
BC

Inappropriate comments deleted

Just on more comment or just a simple post from one of the many satisfyed customers of Mercer safety valves.

Postby Peter Crisler » Mon Jan 07, 2013 6:42 pm
Got a pleasant surprise today as the mailman left me a small box that contained the 2 safety valves I ordered from Dave Sclavi. Castings are excellent quality and the machine work is first rate. Now all I need is a boiler to screw them into.

Nice work Dave!

BClemens wrote:

Fred_V wrote:
Tom, can you give me the dimensions of the spring in some form I can understand. I don't mean to be ignorant but we were all raised here with only one system of measurement.
thanks,

Fred V - Tom's drawing states: d = 1.25mm (.0492"); Dm = 8mm (.315"); Lo = 33mm (1.2992"). These figures closely match two Lee Spring numbers: LC Ø49D 13 S316 (35lb) ((.3 x 1.375")) and LC Ø49 13 S316 (38.8lb) ((.3 x 1.25)). McMaster Carr is limited in available length - 1", 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" so exact matching is not exact. MSC (who sells Lee but not by their pt number) has some closer but we went with McMaster Carr 9435K164 (.3 x .21 x 1.5") and 9435K85 (.36 x .27 x 1.5"). Hope this helps - Tom may have a closer source to his exact size in his 'home town'.
BC

@ BC: Thanks for the friendly assistance!
@ Fred V: The data for the compression spring could be found on the part list (please refer position 100, exploded assembly drawing).
Sorry, everything in metric. But we love metric here
Hope this may help.

Cheers!
Tom

Get back to proper behavior, folks.

Harold

I agree with this statement it serves no usuful purpose.

BClemens wrote:

Fred_V wrote:[quote="Short Line Tom"


Fred V - Tom's drawing states: d = 1.25mm (.0492"); Dm = 8mm (.315"); Lo = 33mm (1.2992"). These figures closely match two Lee Spring numbers: LC Ø49D 13 S316 (35lb) ((.3 x 1.375")) and LC Ø49 13 S316 (38.8lb) ((.3 x 1.25)). McMaster Carr is limited in available length - 1", 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" so exact matching is not exact. MSC (who sells Lee but not by their pt number) has some closer but we went with McMaster Carr 9435K164 (.3 x .21 x 1.5") and 9435K85 (.36 x .27 x 1.5"). Hope this helps - Tom may have a closer source to his exact size in his 'home town'.
BC

I just don't know what" Dm" and "Lo" mean. I assume "d" is the diameter of the wire!!??