Finescale - of a sort?!
- Thread starter Peter Insole
- Start date
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
Thanks Michael, you are quite right! I found myself ruefully thinking that solid rod would have been so much easier to bend, even while I was grappling with the hollow stuff on the workbench yesterday!
The only reason why I chose the awkward material in the first place was a combination of misplaced notions of recycling - and having a load of it already "in stock"!
Thanks too class27 for your suggestion and most kind offer! However, the tube I'm using is 3/16" - and that turns out to be oversize (albeit, only for the pressure gauge and gauge glass blow down pipes) on the prototype. Its looks as if 1/8'' - (or the nearest metric equivalent) of either tube or rod would be the closest to scale appearance in the end!
I do need to order some brass rod (in a couple of sizes) to make the gauge isolating cock (globe valve) and a few other bits and bobs - so I might as well add a cut length of copper at the same time!
How much more reckless can I get eh?!!
Pete.
The only reason why I chose the awkward material in the first place was a combination of misplaced notions of recycling - and having a load of it already "in stock"!
Thanks too class27 for your suggestion and most kind offer! However, the tube I'm using is 3/16" - and that turns out to be oversize (albeit, only for the pressure gauge and gauge glass blow down pipes) on the prototype. Its looks as if 1/8'' - (or the nearest metric equivalent) of either tube or rod would be the closest to scale appearance in the end!
I do need to order some brass rod (in a couple of sizes) to make the gauge isolating cock (globe valve) and a few other bits and bobs - so I might as well add a cut length of copper at the same time!
How much more reckless can I get eh?!!
Pete.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
Postscript to the previous post:
I have been searching for both 1/8" copper tube and round bar, and as far as pricing is concerned, it would seem to be a case of "think of a number - any number will do"! The variations for the same specification of material is both surprising and utterly confusing for me!
A thick walled, 1/8 inch steam pipe, specifically marketed for Mamod engines, and conveniently available in a minimum of 12" lengths seems to be the cheapest that I have found so far - and certainly less than solid round bar - so is perhaps the way I will go?!
Pete.
I have been searching for both 1/8" copper tube and round bar, and as far as pricing is concerned, it would seem to be a case of "think of a number - any number will do"! The variations for the same specification of material is both surprising and utterly confusing for me!
A thick walled, 1/8 inch steam pipe, specifically marketed for Mamod engines, and conveniently available in a minimum of 12" lengths seems to be the cheapest that I have found so far - and certainly less than solid round bar - so is perhaps the way I will go?!
Pete.
michael mott
Western Thunderer
Pete if you can fill the 1/8 inch tube with some styrene you will be able to bend a very tight curve. You can see an example of this on the brass engine I made in the thread with the drill I posted recently.
Michael
Michael
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
Thank you Michael for that very useful tip, that sounds like a great idea.
I do take some comfort knowing that when I use a smaller section of tube I should have less difficulty than trying to bend a half circle (at a radius that was relative to the proportions of the pressure gauge) in an excess diameter pipe! I suppose it is little wonder that I had problems attempting to force that 3/16ths tube, almost to it's limit, and into a scaled curve that it was never really designed for?!
Pete.
I do take some comfort knowing that when I use a smaller section of tube I should have less difficulty than trying to bend a half circle (at a radius that was relative to the proportions of the pressure gauge) in an excess diameter pipe! I suppose it is little wonder that I had problems attempting to force that 3/16ths tube, almost to it's limit, and into a scaled curve that it was never really designed for?!
Pete.