D&S Visit April 22-24
Durango and Silverton arrived on Wednesday afternoon. Almost immediately we identified a problem with the boiler braces. The throat of the braces wasn’t deep enough to fit the brackets on the front tube sheet, which means the braces would need reworking. The bigger problem with them is that the braces were fabricated using boiler code material, and required a minimum amount of weld length to secure them, but we didn’t make the plate for the brackets longer, so they would need to be remade out of longer pieces of boiler code material.
Given this and some smaller issues, we made the decision to end their trip early, so they went back to Durango on Thursday. The braces went back with them to Durango for reworking, and they will work to get us back on the schedule ASAP.
But even with all of that, we still got a bit done, and more to do for us.
The throttle bracket was adjusted to hold the throttle body as far forward and as high as possible inside the steam dome. This is the thing the dry pipe attaches to, so having that in its final position is a great deal.
Measured the crosshead travel so the piston and piston rods can be machined in preparation for the day she steams.
We can start cutting the tubes to length!
Once cut to length, we can polish the tube ends in preparation for rolling them in, and they showed a few volunteers how they like the polishing to be done in preparation of rolling tubes.
The front tube sheet and rear tube sheet holes have been polished in preparation for rolling in tubes.
We have started cutting tubes to length. We’ve got about 5 lengths for all 136 holes, so we need to cut them and figure out a good way to store them in those few lengths when it’s time to roll them in.
D&S left with us a 4 flute tapered reamer and air driver for it, which should let us ream the remaining tapered holes in the main rod, Which means we can actually finish the main rods with the proper tapered bolts
Bob Peterson and Dan Silbaugh got the Marvel mechanical hack saw moving! The only part of it that is still stuck is the coolant pump, which we can work around even if we can’t get it freed up. So the Marvel saw is really, really close to being in service (which would be great for cutting the tubes to length). Jimmy’s constant oiling over the past few months sure paid off! It just needs power and I believe we’re in business.
Welded in the ladder rungs inside the oil tank—you can now climb in and out of the oil tank without needing to bring a ladder!
Mike Sharp and Dan Silbaugh worked a bit on the Lathe to practice making threads.
It’s a bit of a disappointment to not get the braces and dry pipe in, but it’s just a minor setback and we’ll get it done as soon as we can, the right way.
Putting the throttle body in through the steam dome.
Left: Mike Sharp using the mag drill to place holes for the oil tank ladder rungs. Right: Ladder rungs welded into the oil tank. They are welded inside and out, to both strengthen them and to ensure a good seal of the oil tank.
Mike learning how to use the Regal lathe.
