Archive for Freesteam For collectors and enthusiasts of all steam engines          Freesteam Forum Index -> Tips and advice DeeBee Non-running Steam Wagon To begin with, I should say that I’ve only just got interested in steam toys/models and have no experience at all in working on them - although I’ve picked up a lot of useful information from this forum and I've had some very helpful advice about a Wilesco. I’ve just put together an SW1 which was in pieces, but I can’t get it to run!    Everything turns freely and is water-tight and steam-tight and there are no blocked pipes.   When I fire it up, steam pours out from between the cylinder block and the faceplate but nothing moves, which suggests that the holes in the cylinder block are not lined up with those in the faceplate, but as there seems to be only one way of assembling it, I can’t understand why.    Any help or suggestions would be very welcome! Regards. Don Spokesmann Don first of all is the cylinder the correct one? Is it original? To me it sounds like the trunnion spring need to be tighter. Try tightening the bolt a little more, if not try a stiffer spring. (Biro pens are a good source of these!) If that still doesn't work - in either direction, the exhaust pipes may be blocked. Another point of problem may be that the port faces are not perfectly flat and therefore not mating properly. The cyliinder can be removed and honed on a piece of plate glass or other perfectly smooth surface using some sort of very fine grinding paste, someone here will let you know what's best as I have not had to do it myself. if its the port face on the engine frame - it will need desoldering and de-rivetting to remove and hone in the same way. Try the trunnion spring and bolt first! Let us know how you get on. DeeBee Hi Mike, Thanks for that.   So far as I know, all the parts are original and do seem to fit properly.   I'll tighten up the bolt and/or a new spring, and if that doesn't work, I'll take the cylinder off and re-check that there are no blockages.   I'll report back as soon as I get some results! Don DeeBee Result!!   I took off the cylinder block, cleaned up the port faces by rubbing very gently with fine grade wet-and-dry because they looked a bit grubby and tarnished, re-assembled everything and tightened up the bolt as far as it would go - and it works! So, thanks for the advice Mike. Don Spokesmann DeeBee wrote: Result!!   I took off the cylinder block, cleaned up the port faces by rubbing very gently with fine grade wet-and-dry because they looked a bit grubby and tarnished, re-assembled everything and tightened up the bolt as far as it would go - and it works! So, thanks for the advice Mike. Don Glad it worked Don, always do the easiest most obvious remedies first - I do! ANy chance of some images? DeeBee Good advice Mike!   I would get some photos up. but I don't know how to do it!    Any advice on that, please!? Don Spokesmann DeeBee wrote: Good advice Mike!   I would get some photos up. but I don't know how to do it!    Any advice on that, please!? Don Register with Photobucket - its free. You can upload images (JPEG/Gifs etc) then link them to here... www.photobucket.com DeeBee Thanks again Mike, I've registered with Photobucket so I'll take some photos and try and post them. Don Spokesmann Good stuff. DeeBee This posting has got nothing to do with my SW1 but a first attempt at using Photobucket. If it works, this a TE1a that was in a pretty poor state when I got it and it's my first attempt at renovating an engine.   Not to original condition, I know, but I quite like it the way it is.   If the photo doesn't appear, you'll just have to take my word for it! Don DeeBee Sorry about that!   I'm not sure where that came from but it's a photo of a friend of mine who'd been fishing in the Bahamas!   Back to the drawing board! Don DeeBee Non-running Steam Wagon I'll try again! Now that's more like a TE1a! Don Spokesmann The link works OK, make sure that when you 'hover' over the link it the right image link yo are copying, it can be a bit irritating can Photobucket for this feature. Mamod Collector Thats a excelent renovation Don, do you have the canopy for your TE DeeBee Thanks for that.   I'm quite pleased with it considering I've never done anything like that before.   No, I don't have a canopy because it didn't have one when I got it.   In fact, it was in a bit of a state - filthy dirty and lots of rust. The SW1 was in a similar state and when I've taken some photo;s of it I'll post those too - now I've got the hang of it!   I still can't work out how I posted that picture of my friend! Don Spokesmann Don when linking images to the forum from Photobucket, copy and paste all the code in the box highlighted above. DeeBee Non-running Steam Wagon I deleted the image from Photobucket, forgetting that it would also delete it from my post, so here it is again. Don Spokesmann Re: Non-running Steam Wagon DeeBee wrote: I deleted the image from Photobucket, forgetting that it would also delete it from my post, so here it is again. Don IT HAS TO SAY THEN! Deleting or altering the title or moving it in your PB account to another album will break the link, as the http address is changed. Spokesmann Images is back now, Im getting a rather nice TE1a! DeeBee Thanks Mike.   I THINK I've got the hang of Photobucket now and when I've taken some photos of the SW1, I'll post those too, but on a different topic - this ones getting far too complicated! Don Spokesmann Look forward to them. We like pictures here! steamyjim A very nice TE there mate        Freesteam Forum Index -> Tips and advice Page 1 of 1