Funnel
A bit out-of-order, this post, but never mind.
Despite getting hold of a ready-made funnel from a 14xx, the on the 517 gave me a few problems. I made a nice collar for the funnel out of milliput, but needed to drill it for the screw. When I put the funnel on top, it sat too tall. So I tried to drill the hole wide enough for the funnel, but the rest of the saddle disintegrated. Time to start again.
Next, I noticed that the screw inside the funnel didn't really go far enough into the chassis (no idea why), so the funnel was loose even when the screw was tight. I didn't want to cut the funnel as (a) it's metal and I don't have the tools, and (b) there's a nice rim inside at the bottom which holds the screw. So instead, I made a small rectangle of plasticard, rolled it around the screw, and stuck it into the funnel.
This holds the screw tight just the right height above the bottom of the funnel so that it now fits on tightly. It took a couple of attempts to get the right width - at first the screw wouldn't reach the chassis, but now it's just the right height and fits on nice and tightly. A very satisfying bodge ;) Incidentally, the hand in the photo is my son's.
So finally I had to re-make the collar, so more milliput. This time I attached the body, funnel, and chassis together, and put the milliput around the base of the funnel. Ok, I can't now remove the funnel from the body, but that's no problem really, I should still be able to unscrew the chassis. I put a thin roll around, and pressed it down roughly.
But that didn't quite look right, so I smoothed it down with the bit on the end of a bic biro (to my mind the finest writing implement ever made, as well as the cheapest - I feel uncomfortable with anything else). Nothing like having the right tool for the job ;) Then I trimmed it slightly with a knife to make it nice and even. Very nice! This all happened in between the bits of painting; when I painted the black on the smokebox, the paint went on to the milliput really well. Job done!
Despite getting hold of a ready-made funnel from a 14xx, the on the 517 gave me a few problems. I made a nice collar for the funnel out of milliput, but needed to drill it for the screw. When I put the funnel on top, it sat too tall. So I tried to drill the hole wide enough for the funnel, but the rest of the saddle disintegrated. Time to start again.
Next, I noticed that the screw inside the funnel didn't really go far enough into the chassis (no idea why), so the funnel was loose even when the screw was tight. I didn't want to cut the funnel as (a) it's metal and I don't have the tools, and (b) there's a nice rim inside at the bottom which holds the screw. So instead, I made a small rectangle of plasticard, rolled it around the screw, and stuck it into the funnel. 
This holds the screw tight just the right height above the bottom of the funnel so that it now fits on tightly. It took a couple of attempts to get the right width - at first the screw wouldn't reach the chassis, but now it's just the right height and fits on nice and tightly. A very satisfying bodge ;) Incidentally, the hand in the photo is my son's. 
So finally I had to re-make the collar, so more milliput. This time I attached the body, funnel, and chassis together, and put the milliput around the base of the funnel. Ok, I can't now remove the funnel from the body, but that's no problem really, I should still be able to unscrew the chassis. I put a thin roll around, and pressed it down roughly.
But that didn't quite look right, so I smoothed it down with the bit on the end of a bic biro (to my mind the finest writing implement ever made, as well as the cheapest - I feel uncomfortable with anything else). Nothing like having the right tool for the job ;) Then I trimmed it slightly with a knife to make it nice and even. Very nice! This all happened in between the bits of painting; when I painted the black on the smokebox, the paint went on to the milliput really well. Job done!
posted by tomdg at 1:47 AM
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