| Archive for Freesteam For collectors and enthusiasts of all steam engines |
| kritika |
Mamod TE Boiler & Chrome CowlingI know it should be a simple thing to do but has anyone any advise on how I can clean up a Mamod TE boiler & chrome cowling.I gather you can use T-Cut on the green boiler! Any special make or is there another better way? And what is the secret of cleaning the chrome on the cowling? |
||
| Spokesmann |
Re: Mamod TE Boiler & Chrome Cowling
If its just dirty, I degrease with detergent and then use metal polish. If its rust I use very fine emery paper, then polish - this method will 'dull' the chrome shine, it is an improvement over rust though. Further smoothing with very fine emery will remove some/most of the pitting if it exists. Oh use plenty of elbow grease too!  
|
||
| old_timer |
Both the paint and the chrome on Mamods is usually extremely thin.
I wouldn't advise using t-cut on the boiler else you'll probably soon be left with a brass coloured boiler! Depending on it's condition, clean with detergent if necessary and possibly finish with some car polish - but be gentle if you opt for the car polish as it too can sometimes be quite abrasive and any heavy polishing will probably remove the paint too. I usually just wipe mine with a damp cloth and dry. As for the chrome cowl, just as Mike says above. If the chrome has corroded, theres no way to return it to it's former glory. Basically what you are doing is polishing the base metal which will never be as good as the original chrome finish. Note that the cowl itself is quite thin so if the corrosion is too bad it may be unrecoverable. If the cowl is not actually corroded, but just dirty (by someone having used solid fuel, paraffin, candles, etc) then it should be able to be cleaned up using meths. |
||
| Mamod Collector |
A possable third option if the cowl has to badly corroded
Is to by a new one off ebay |
||
| Spokesmann |
One way Mike, although pre-1972 cowls have 'plain' sides ie no holes for the SW1 chassis girders. |
||
| kritika |
That’s my problem with the cover its the old type, you cant get them anymore.
Good tips Guys, I think I will try OT's method of Meths on the cover, as it’s not rusty just discoloured from burning. Has anyone ever tried to get one of these re chromed do you know? 
|
||
| Spokesmann |
Ive thought of re-chroming, but you need a few bits to make it worthwhile . . . | ||
| old_timer |
I've never attempted to re-chrome a cowl.
But from my experience of chroming other (non-steam related) items in the past I would say that (a) it is mega expensive for 1 off items and (b) the item to be chromed must be meticulously clean and absolutely no rust on it. I really doubt it would be worth it. Your cowl looks like it will clean up ok - either meths or WD40 should do the trick. You may have to take the rear wheels off though, unless the soiling comes off easily. Use a soft cloth to clean with good luck! 
|
||
| kritika |
Steamed it last night - goes like the clappers, a real smooth runner. I am going to get to grips with Photo bucket over the weekend (when watching the rugby allows) and get some vids on the forum.
Yes I am going to take all the wheels of this weekend and give it a Bl...*' Good clean, I think the seller never touched it in yrs as usual, its thick with dust. Still it has potential to be a good example of the model. The guys from Oz seem to use brillo pad but I think even that is too abrasive, so I will try your advice and use Meths/WD40 methods first. Will post some pics when I’m finished. |
||
| kritika |
OK spent all evening cleaning her up, took back wheels of first (does anyone have any tips on that its a real pain) then all brass and give everything a good soapy wash down. Used Meths on cowl and washed again with soapy water and a nylon scouring pad, and hey presto lovely and shiny. Then elbow grease and basso on all the brass and put her back together. Lost some paint on the side of the boiler as you can see, but it would have come of sooner or later and its a small price to pay for cleaning her up.
All I need now is to fix the front of the canopy and she is ready for steaming again. I have a good vid of her steaming before cleaning - just need to register with photo bucket and then load it up (however you do that I don’t know yet. I had a small disaster, I lost the small spring that tensions the bolt that holds the piston on – it pinged of, and off it went to the land of small lost things because I could not find the B..*#% Thing. Does anyone know where I can get those? I had to steal one from an old SE1 I have in bits, but will need to replace it. 
|
||
| old_timer |
That cowl has come up a treat, kritika! 
Removing the hubcaps is a case of just easing them off I'm afraid. Hold each opposite hubcap tightly (using pliers, mole-grips, even a vice, etc) and rotate in opposite directions and hopefully one eases off. Remember you only need one to come off and then you can remove the axle with the other still in place. Fortunately, you have the newer style hubcaps so if it becomes damaged, replacements are avialable from the usual Mamod dealers. As for the spring holding the cylinder in place, I think MFSteam sells them on his website (http://www.mfsteam.com/pricelist.php) - check with him first before ordering to confirm its the correct spring. |
||
| kritika |
As usual a mind of information, thanks OT. | ||
| Spokesmann |
Kritika - excellent effort, that engine looks superb! The engine cowl really shines. The straight levered kind of TE and SR were short lived, they essential used the MEC1 lever slightly modified. Malins quickly used the more familiar 'bent' type very soon after as it was discovered that it was hard to get at under the TE canopy . . . A small variation to some, but still a rarity. Try and get hold of a straight levered aluminium rolled SR1a!! However I digress!
As for the cylinder trunnion spring - try a biro pen (retactable type), if not, MF sells them in packs of 5. Once again great images. The register at photobucket just goto the site and click on the register detailsin the top right hand corner - its free and their service is good. I use the premium account which gives me access to all sorts of extras, but it means I can host 1,000s of images. The free account only allows 1,000 images per album and a limit on albums. Mike |
||
| kritika |
Thanks Mike, I think I will order a pack from MF steam - they will come in handy.
One question, how do you easily tell the difference between the old aluminium wheels on the SR1s and the newer wheels? I will get on photo bucket today. |
||
| Spokesmann |
Ill post a pic in a minute - once you see it you cant go wrong. Heres a link to a page on my website, the older engines have thicker, shinier wheels . . . the old SR1a with the non-standard canopy is a version with mazak wheels with a single hole (second from left). Incidentally my first ever Mamod. http://spokessmann.tripod.com/id16.html |
||
| old_timer |
The original aluminium wheels have no holes in the side and have a different contour. Here's an aluminium rear wheel: 
Compare this to the more modern mazak rear wheel: 
|
||
| kritika |
Ok here is my first attempt at Video.
My new 1967 Mamod TE straight lever - going like the clappers before I stripped it for cleaning. 
And some better pictures Before cleaning 
After a good scrub up. 
|
||
| Spokesmann |
1967 Sr1a with straight lever and aluminium wheels:
1973 SR1a mazak rolls: 
|
||
| Spokesmann |
Sounds like a sports car!! Top show.
|
||
| kritika |
Ha Ha
I must admit it goes far better than any of my others; it’s amazing it sounds like an old sport scar racing along. When I put the drive band on it shot off like a bat out of hell, took me by surprise! I need to take it somewhere flat and smooth to just see how fast it actually goes as I ran out of space in my garage. Thanks Mike and OT for info on wheels, I don’t have any of the new ones so was not sure of difference |
||
| oldstuff |
I love the sound of that one!
There goes James Bond winding around a dangerous mountain curve...on a TE1!?
(shame about miss moneypenny, passing on. She was 80 or 81, I think  )
|
||
| Spokesmann |
Aye, Lois Maxwell was 80 . . . 
|