More updates on the shay tank. The top is mostly cut, the hole for the fill hatch and the opening for the steam siphon stand pipe are all that remain.
- Mostly cut top
With the the top and bottom cut and bolted down, I decided to give the tank a load test to make sure no additional supports were needed before everything gets riveted together. And suffice to say it passed and riveting can begin in earnest.
- Load test
From there I started bucking rivets on one of the bottom angle irons. Theres 67 rivets in that particular joint, with each one taking about 2 dozen whacks with a 3lb hammer to set. What has helped is the way I made my bucking bar. Its a long stainless rod with a dimple machined into the end, and the other end passes through my work bench top and rests on a piece of 8" round stock I had laying around
- First complete row
- bucking bar
Once all of the rivets are set, I'll come back with a bunch of plumbers solder and seal everything up. Then itll be one to some testing and then paint.
On other thing Im considering is how to increase fuel efficiency, since a 2 mile round trip on my home club track takes a little over 1/2 a milk crate full of wood, which adds up over the course of a weekend. Im wondering if a firebox arch would help, or if I just need to give up on wood as a reasonably viable fuel option. She'll easily keep up steam on wood, but bringing enough wood with me for a run is going to be problematic at that rate of consumption.