TIPS FOR STEAM WAGON DRIVERS.
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Helpful Contributions from Some of Our Driver and Mechanic Readers.
THE majority of the following precteal hints will prove of general interest and application, whilst the re: mainder may be of value to those who have to handle the particular makes of
steam wagon referred to. The ideas serve to show what a little ingenuity can do, resulting in benefit both to the owners and drivers.
In the first instance, " of Weston, Bath, submits details of a remarkably practicable scheme which will appeal tO a very large proportion of our readers. This week's prize of 15s. is awarded to him in this connection. The idea in a nutshell is the making of a 'simple, cheap and efficient gauge for measuring the contents of the water tank.
Water, " H.L.W." points out, is frequently picked up when it is not really necessary because the driver does not know the exact state of his supply. The actual working of the device is easily seen from the drating. A length of pipe, say of 11 ins, diameter is placed in a vertical position in the tank, the lower end being open, whilst at the top provision for the passage of air is made by means of a small hole in the cap piece. To the latter is fixed a small copper pipe of about 1-in. bore, which leads to the driver's cab.
A rubber connection, to provide for slight movement joins the end of the copper pipe to the body of an ordinary cycle pump. Between the plate of the cup leather and the upper end of the pump body, a light spring is placed to return the plunger as the water level falls. A suitable pointer is fitted to the plunger and marks are made on the side of the cab to show the various water levels, as checked by measurement in the tank itself. The level of water actuates the pointer by means of moving the column of air in the pipe.
MWO useful tips are forwarded by
" of South met. One of them deals with the preparation of a paint, having heat-proof properties, for use on the funnels and smokeboxes of Steam vehicles. The ingredients are : Si lb. of lampblack, 21 lb. blacklead,
11 lb. black manganese oxide. The blacklead is powdered, after which all the materials are mixed together and passed through a sieve ; the resulting compound is then brought to the consistency of paint with half a gallon of gold size, half a pint of turpentine and about a quarter of a pint Of terebene. Two coats of this paint should be applied to the funnel and smokebox.
The second suggestion relates to a 'method of waterproofing a tarpaulin sheet, and has been adopted with success by " D.McG." Before applying the dressing, the sheet should be thoroughly cleaned with a solution of soda and .water, time being given afterwards for the sheet to dry. T Ii e preparation itself is made of
lb. tallow and one gallon of boiled linseed oil, well mixed together. A pad of cotton waste should be used to rub the dressing well into the sheet, after which a period for drying most again be allowed. Two coats for the inside of the sheet and three for the outside will be found to he sufficient. Our contributor states that a yearly coat of oil restores a sheet treated as above to its original condition. The foregoing process does not, we are told, interfere with the painting of names, etc., on the outside of the
TEE driving wheels of a Foden steam wagon frequently become noisy, after a time setting up an aggravating ring which few drivers can stand for long. If, states "1-1.A.B.," of Rotherham, pieces of wood be fitted round the gearwheels, this noise will be appreciably lessened. This wood is generally fitted On new wagons, but eventually rots, and falls off, being left us replaced because drivers do not appreciate its purpose.
AGOOD method of removing the fusible plug from the Fotlen wagon boiler forms the subject of a letter from " W.Mcls" of Glasgow. The makers of the vehicle supply a special box spanner for the job, but in some cases the square on the plug is damaged by the action of the fire and, consequently, difficulty is sometimes experienced in making the spanner grip the nut. In such circumstances, the method used by our correspondent has the merits of simplicity and efficiency. A bottle jack is placed below the box spanner when it is in position and the head turned by hand until the pressure holds the spanner firmly against the damaged square of the plug. The jack must, of course, be on a level base in order to prevent any ten
dencP to cantles of the box spanner. Applying the tommy-bar to the spanner, the plug may now be started on its downward path. As the plug unscrews, the jack head is lowered in sympathy until the plug is clear of the boiler.
This method of procedure may be the means of saving the need for drilling out the fusible plug and re-tapping the boiler plate. Drivers of other overtype wagons may also find this scheme of use, if the plugs are suitably positioned.
ROKEN studs are always a possi bility of an unpleasant nature, and even one small one may cause serious and expensive delay. On the Sentinel wagon, there are two glands on the shaft of the pump which are comparatively close together. " C.W.T.," of Southampton, had the misfortune to suffer from a broken stud on the oil gland of his wagon, which he was unable to repair by fitting a new one, owing to time not permitting sueh a delay. The result was that the gland could not be tightened down. Some method, therefore, had to be devised of putting pressure upon the other end of the gland plate. A steel bolt of about 1 in. diameter was found and a fir, clearance hole was then drilled to a depth of a quarter of an inch in the head of the bolt. The next step was to run a nut down the thread of the bolt. The hole in the bolt allowed it to be slipped over the projecting end of one of the studs of the water gland. By screwing the nut on the end of the bolt outwards, it came into contact with the gland plate, thus holding it in place of the missing stud.
Addresses Wanted.
Will "KW.," of Eastbourne, please forward his full name and address so that payment can be made for his contribution to our " Drivers' " page whieh appeared in our issue dated December M)th under the title "A Useful Miscellany"? We have not, as yet, received the full names and addresses of " S.W.," of norgrave, and " F.O.B.," of Eamble, for which we asked in recent issues,