# BAGRS engine first motion



## gwscheil (Aug 6, 2008)

This summer I decided to try my first scratch built engine - the BAGRS project. With some pointers from Ron Brown, Mike Martin, and a few others, I gathered a set of parts and started building. I am trying to keep it as close to stock as practical. I substituted a Ruby lubricator for the Roundhouse one and got my axle boxes from Sierra Valley (Hudson Talisman)- both easier to obtain. The Ruby lubricator uses a lot of steam oil, but mounts easily and works fine. The Hudson axle boxes turned out to be shorter than the originals which required some shims and wheel cutouts. Current production of the Midwest Heritage engine includes a steel crank shaft with a set screw mounted flywheel and a combination boiler filler/safety valve. So that fixed two of the Steam in the Garden improvements (Issues 52-56). And I added some fiberglass sleeving to the lubricator lines. Otherwise it was stock.

First firing exposed two immediate problems - gear support bracket wobble and flames coming out the boiler jacket perforations. The bracket was remade with .032" x 1/4" brass - end of wobble. The fire safety problem required more thought. I finally decided to slay several problems with one change - replace the perforated brass jacket with .008" stainless steel -the whole assembly raised 1/4" on three brass legs for air flow. No perforations - so flames burning the bunker is solved. Stainless steel greatly improved the heat efficiency and keeps the jacket cooler. Far more strength now. The new jacket was cut to exactly the size of the original. Added three legs from the extra bracket support brass. Each leg fits onto a brass pin set into the deck. The near laminar air flow helps keep the heat away from the walls and directs it all upward to the boiler. 

The tight clearance between the Sterno pan and jacket required changing to a smaller pan- I settled on a standard 1.5" copper tubing cap. Enough side clearance and deeper, so fuel load remains about the same. I also laid a piece of ceramic paper under the entire boiler installation for insulation.

The new jacket worked fine but steam production was marginal so increased the gap to 3/8". Broke in the cylinder with no chain engaged, then went to one chain - brass chain expands a lot in those first 30 minutes of motion - so some adjustment needed. Cylinder drool was so heavy that a small brass sheet was needed under the cylinder mount to protect the wood floor and keep the screws from pulling out.


Then last night I engaged both chains, put her on the track and lit him up. Ran fine on straightaways, stalled occasionally on my tight 4ft diameter curves, then the second chain loosened enough to jump the wheel sprocket. More chain adjustments needed. Time to repaint the scorched bunker, mount couplers, etc. before the next run. Also need spring clips to keep the boiler legs on the pins.


Being a BAGRS engine, of course his name has to be "Bilbo".


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## Steve Shyvers (Jan 2, 2008)

George,

Congratulations! Good report on the use of stainless and on improving the fire. Make sure you check the back-to-back wheel spacing (should be 40 mm) to help with negotiating curves. Would you please post photos when you can?

Steve


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## gwscheil (Aug 6, 2008)

No mis-tracking or climbing the rails on the tight curves even with the SV low profile flanges - just more work to keep it moving. Photos coming soon. I still use film only, so have to finish the roll and get it put on CD. I have about 20 working cameras in 35mm thru 4x5" and a freezer full of film with a little room for food.


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## gwscheil (Aug 6, 2008)

Does anyone have a good way to keep the brass pins anchored in the wood deck? CA and silicone both turn to charcoal. Very poor access to the deck bottom in a couple of places.


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Pictures?


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## PeteH (Jan 3, 2008)

When I originally built mine I had the same sort of problems so you are right on track! When I drilled the holes for the pins I made sure they were located above the deck support pieces, that way they don't fall through the thin decking material. 

I will have to post some photos of my build, it now has a three wick alcohol burner and runs like a champ!


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## gwscheil (Aug 6, 2008)

For those who want pictures, they are coming, but the roll isn't finished yet. This morning it finally cooled enough to make another test run after several minor improvements. Days with the heat index above 105 sure destroy the interest in running steam engines. 

With the cup filled with about 1.5 tablespoons of Sterno, and the boiler full minus 20 ml, he fired up and ran for 20 minutes at about 15 smph. Still had 20 ml water in the boiler at the end and the fire was essentially out. Steady running, a little expansion in the chains, but not bad. So, with a full load of fuel, 25 minutes is feasible with water still left. No new problems appeared, no refinements apparent.


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## gwscheil (Aug 6, 2008)

Here are the promised photos:

 

Completed unit with stainless steel boiler wrapper and bottom air flow 




View with boiler off for fueling


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## Steve Shyvers (Jan 2, 2008)

George, 

That looks great! 

Steve


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## Brooks (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike Martin ( BAGRS historian - runs Panyo site, etc.), suggested to me adding denatured alcohol to the Sterno; it can lose alky as it ages in the can, apparently. I mix it about 50:50=alky:Sterno. The more you add, the longer the burn, but the runnier it gets. Another firing method would be using a liquid alky burner from one of the do-it-yourself camping equipt. sites. That's my prefered firing for my Lego loco (Dave Wegmuller design). I covered this in an archived post, but can't get the archive to work for some reason, otherwise I'd give you the url. Then there is charcoal and coal BAGRS, too, also covered in the archive...


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## gwscheil (Aug 6, 2008)

Yep, I already discovered the thick Sterno problem. I currently add maybe 20% ethanol to the cup. Too runny if I add much more. Sometimes add a bit to the can, especially if I had recovered fuel after a run. Also tried cutting about 0.5" off the end cap I use as a burner. Increases the speed about 10%, but run time is half 15-20 minutes, instead of 30+. I remain hesitant to switch to a liquid burner due to the high center of gravity - a topple could be nasty. I have enough trouble from the occasional flaming drops from the burner of my Jane.


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## Brooks (Jan 2, 2008)

I found the urls for the alternate BAGRS fuel methods I mentioned: 

Converting your BAGRS to charcoal 
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/ForumArchives/tabid/100/Default.aspx?TOPIC_ID=34417 

Cheap coal-fired loco, a BAGRS 
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/ForumArchives/tabid/100/Default.aspx?TOPIC_ID=39201 

Lego loco (alky burner on 2nd page)
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/ForumArchives/tabid/100/Default.aspx?TOPIC_ID=43067 

Here are a couple fun ones to consider: 

Miniature Propane discovery 
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/ForumArchives/tabid/100/Default.aspx?TOPIC_ID=46975 

An R/C Wooden 4 Chime Whistle 
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/ForumArchives/tabid/100/Default.aspx?TOPIC_ID=44565


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