Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

  I was hi-bidder for two engines through Live Auctioneers for Bunch Auctions.
A nice Weeden 702 and an early Jensen 10 with the red horseshoe magnet.  I've
added a photo of them together.

The Weeden 702 is the first to be steamed - check the video



  The Jensen heater measures about 25 ohms so I think that is good.
The generator is good as the bulb lights when spinning the flywheel
rapidly.  The engine is a bit stiff and I tried running it on air
with no luck.  This is the first Jensen engine I've had that will
not go.  I do know the steam line is not blocked.  Oh, did I mention
it had water in it that I discovered when prepping for an air run.
And beaucoup lime scale that came out with that water and the next
two flushes.  Sheesh, some people. Could there be a lime coating in
the cylinder?  And, please, look away from the front of the boiler.
It is hideous (even though it doesn't leak).

King for a day,
Wayne

Thanks for the comment on the minerals.  We used to sell all that type
of stuff at street fairs, flea markets, and church festivals.

As to the Jensen.....I'm at a loss as to why it will not run at all,
even with plenty of air pressure.  It does turn over when pushed and
I can hear air noises at the exhaust pipe.  I'd like to try it without
the generator hooked up as it is an electromagnetic brake on the system,
but it is integral.  Lightbulb in or out makes no difference.  Could
something have settled in the cylinder?

Wayne

  I removed the steampipe again, and it is clear.
I put a bit of oil on the valve chest hole, turned
the flywheel and nothing.  Then, I noticed what looks
like epoxy and JB Weld holding the cylinder to the
valve chest, and not a very good job of it.  I'm
first going to add a bit of limeaway to the hole
and see, after a bit of praying, if that helps.  If
not I'll try a bit of acetone syringed into the inlet,
run the flywheel around a bit, let it sit a bit, and
repeat.  Hopefully, one of these methods will clear
the clog.  If not, it will have to remove all the
epoxy and start from scratch.  At least Jensen sells
replacement cylinder assemblies (for an arm and a leg).
I also need the entire sight-glass assembly.

Wayne

Got it apart, the passage ways were blocked but all the epoxy
is now gone from all surfaces. 

Regarding soldering the block and chest together.  I did not see
any evidence of solder anywhere.  Do they just tin the surfaces
and heat them till they join?  Must it be silver soldered?
I just might call Jensen next week to get a definitive answer.
Maybe they would do it for me - that would be good deed to fix
a part that must have fallen apart.  I do not see any indication
that the assembly was abused or banged around.  Just old, dirty,
and a rusty.

I added a few pix - you can see a bit of the clog in the first.
At least I now know how a Jensen porting and cylinder are set up.

Back on Tuesday,
Wayne

IndianaRog has covered how to fix this in his "restorers toolbox" on his web sight many years ago and its still there. I have done dozens of these over the years, and while not kids play ,its not that difficult, staybright #8 works well if you follow the directions closely, I have learned to just "tin" the solder as directed. High temp silver brazing is not necessary and Jensen didn't use it, it would actually create more issues with the rear plug likely falling out and the nickel plating getting blue'd and ruined. I've never had the nickel plating getting ruined following Rogers instructions and have many applications still running fine after many hours and years of use.I could tell when viewing the solder outlines that it had such a poor remaining solder adhesion that had you got steam to the cylinder....it (steam) would have went "everywhere" and likely have fallen clean off. This is not an uncommon problem on these older engines, the solder eventually just gives way. It is also common for the cylinder s to have cracks on the cylinder walls on the rear plug end as well, some really long, if yours doesn't, consider yourself very lucky.

Thanks for the replies.

  Rog's website is up and running but the Restorers Toolbox
is not available.

  I really do not feel comfortable with this repair...it is
too important that it be done correctly.  The surfaces are
all clean.  If I saw a video of this repair being done I
would try it, but not without that guidance.  I'd rather
find someone who knows what they are doing in this case
and arrange some sort of compensation, with steam stuff
or other needful things like comics, coins, or mineral
specimens.
  If it were left to me, I'd arrange a mechanical way to
strap the cylinder to the steam chest, like old-school
boiler makers did before reliable welding was developed.

Wayne

RE" Rog's website is up and running but the Restorers Toolbox
is not available."
it's there, just don't click on the quick link & scroll down the page to where it is.

  Well, I heard from a volunteer with peerless credentials who
is more than happy to fix this for me if I send him the engine
parts w/engine-base and steamline.  His patter was perfect and
he had me within the first minute.  I'll send it in a few days
and I'll be breathless with anticipation untill I get it back.
Till then, I'll be cleaning the rest and repainting the boiler
base (nasty rusty but still solid).

Fingers crossed,
Wayne

  Wow, I was lucky.  I'd like to reveal the name of the Angel,
but I'll have to ask if that is ok.  He was very happy to
offer his help and I'm sure it is sincere.

Hooray, a tough solder job avoided,
Wayne