# Ruby Kit Build



## pinewoods (Jan 20, 2009)

I have watched and read what has been written here and I think I am ready to go. My Christmas present to myself was a Ruby kit. I promised the wife I would leave it in the box until Christmas...I cheated a bit and pulled out the instructions when it arrived a few weeks ago.

I have selected a 2-4-0 built for the W.L.Clement Lumber Company by Baldwin in 1907 as my inspiration. Drawings were published in the Nov 1981 Model Railroader. It was a standard gauge loco but I am going to build it as narrow gauge.

I have a few observations after I looked over all of the parts...
The cylinders in my kit are larger than most of the photos I have seen and have four bolts holding the heads in place instead of two. Did Accucraft increase the size of the cylinders? They are also painted instead of being unfinished.
 The fuel tank design changed from square to a cylinder.
The reversing rod has a sheetmetal gusset added to the bends under the boiler.

I don't recall seeing any discussion about these changes...any comments??

So far I have modified the front of the frame rails and assembled the chassis less the rods. I had difficulty with the front drivers binding during the roll test. The frame rails appeared to be pressing the bushings against the wheels. I took a few thou off of the middle frame spacer and the lower boiler mounting plate and now everything rolls smoothly. The frame was a bit difficult to hold square while tightening all of the screws. The left cyclinder went on easily but the holes in the right one did not line up with the holes in the lower boiler mounting plate, a few passes with a file on the cylinder mounting flange took off enough material to get the screws in place.

Is this type of fitting required with most of these kits?

Any advice or gotcha's to look for will be greatly appreciated.


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## R Snyder (May 12, 2009)

I am not a Ruby expert, but I do know that the new ones have larger cylinders - a very good thing. Yours will run better at slower speeds and have more power.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm curious as to the Ruby kit you bought. Mine that I also got for Christmas is kit num AC77-011. I have not started the build so the info you have provided may or may not apply. Can you verify? Later RJD


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom,
sounds like you got the updated Ruby in kit form!
I dont think it was common knowledge that the a second run of the Ruby kit was ever made..
(if it is known, I never heard about it! 

As far as I knew, there was only the one run of the Ruby kit, circa 2004..
and we heard Accucraft wasnt going to do another run..
here is what my 2004 kit looked like:

Scots Ruby bash.. 

It's the older style Ruby, old style cylinders and square fuel tank..
you clearly have the updated Ruby! new cylinders and round fuel tank..
so apparently there has been another run of kits! 


The kit was fun to build! not too difficult..
check out the info on "inside admission"

Switching Ruby to Inside admission 

the new Ruby might come already switched, I think I might have read that somewhere, so you might not even need to do the switch.

Overall Ruby's are great engines! they run well and are simple and rugged..
the only major "Ruby quirk" is they tend to run fast..The throttle isnt very adjustable, and they tend to be
"completely off" or "full on!" with little room for adjustment inbetween..(the new cylinders might help with this) 


Is this type of fitting required with most of these kits?

generally yes! 
although it shouldnt be anything major..
I had to do some tweaking on my Ruby kit..although I was never sure if the misalignments were due to an actual issue with the locomotive itself,
or problems due to my own inexperience!  it could have been either..
but it went together without too much trouble..

My Ruby has been running 5 years now, and she has greatly improved with age!
at first she was a bit cranky..flame would go out often, didnt seem like a very smooth runner..
but after 5 years she has calmed down and is now an excellent runner..I think it just takes some breaking in..

Rubys are very fun engines! and I definately think building yourself is a great way to go!
because you learn so much about how everything works, and become much more confidant and knowledgeable about tweaks and adjustments.. 

keep us posted!

Scot


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

so apparently there has been another run of kits! 
Scott, 

The Ruby kit has been in Accucraft's e-Store for a while. *Accucraft e-Store Ruby Kit Page*

[P.S. There's more interesting product and news in the e-Store than on their website. The PRR T1 is already on the home page, and the UK Brittania turned up there. ]


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## pinewoods (Jan 20, 2009)

RJD, the kit number is AC77-011 

Scot, already checked out your pages, the switch to inside admission was on my to-do list. Thanks for all the reference material! 

The instruction sheet appears to be from the earlier run and there is a corrections sheet included. The booklet shows the smaller cylinders and square tank. I read the corrections and then forgot about it and destroyed two e rings trying to get them on the crank pins. The descriptions of the E rings (small vs large) and item numbers were mixed up. I did not go through the valve setting section yet so I don't know if it is inside or outside. I am guessing outside since it looks like the old sheet. 

The kit includes a nice assortment of extra screws and e rings(good thing). There are also two hex drivers and a 0.9mm allen wrench. The instructions mention needing a 0.9mm allen wrench but I found that a 1.5mm one was also required for the rocker arm and eccentric set screws. 

I now have the valve block and drive rods installed. Even with the adjustment I had to make to the right cylinder the valve block dropped right in place. I hope to get the valves hooked up this evening. Since I am making some mods to the cab floor I am skipping the reversing rod and lever installation for now.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

So you have the same kit I have. Do not know if I have the larger cylinders but there seems to be some up grades to the instructions and some extra tools that had not been previously provided. I will not begin the assembly till I return from Fl next week. I will watch this thread to see if further problems arise. I did purchase the steam gauge tho. Later RJD


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

They are also selling the new cylinders separately!
an excellent resource for kitbashers and scratch builders..


Ruby Cylinders 

(click on the "zoom" button to "zoom in" on the photo! its amusing! 

Scot


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

Hi Guys, I just built on of the new Ruby kits in December. Mine had the larger painted cylinders and the new round butane take as well. The hole in my deck plate was not in the correct position so I had to drill a new one to get things to fit. The chronicles of these adventures and some photos are in an earlier thread I started:


http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/11/aft/118116/afv/topic/Default.aspx 


I've had such fun with it so far. I do have a big steam leak between the engineers side cylinder and valve block. I'm going to have to use the dollar bill gasket trick to fix it. Great kits tough, and I can't wit to go to ECLSTS to pick up some extras for it and meet some of you.


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## pinewoods (Jan 20, 2009)

I have not accomplished much over the last few days. Valves are hooked up and I hope set for inside admission. I just rotated the wheels 180 deg from what was shown in the instructions before tightening the set screws. I have been working on the parts to raise the cab floor so I can mount the reversing lever. 

I have posted to images of the original drawing from MR and my CAD drawing. 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/5320187211/ 

Thanks for the tips on the fuel tank. 
I hope to make it to the ECLSTS as well. I have missed the last few years. I live about 15 miles from York...


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## pinewoods (Jan 20, 2009)

I can finally report some progress. The new pilot deck and pilot are finally finished. This was my first major project in brass, I have always done plastic and wood. The only outside help I had was getting the bar stock for the pilot beam milled to size. The work was done with a band saw, drill press, bench sander, Dremel tool, hand files and hand tap.

I added two photos to my Ruby set on Flickr...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/424236...738410894/

Now on to the cab floor spacer/firebox.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom
Impressive first pieces in the build. Looking forward to the completed project and steam test.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom: Nice touch with the front pilot. Looks very good. I finished building mine with minor changes. I ran it at Diamond Head and it ran like a Switz watch. Also bout the larger cylinders while there but have yet to install. any tips on what type of paint to use to paint the new cylinders? My originals also where not painted. Later RJD


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking really good. I did a similar 2-4-0 with my Ruby. 

I used the original floor cut to the width of the frame and soldered on 2 brass angles bent for the cab floor. I also made a new reverser lever that ties in at the bottom so with the reversed admission you still use foward on the Jbar for foward. 










I also just cut a opening in the floor so I can use the orignal lubricator. The fuel tank is mounted in the tender, I had fabricated a new tank that lays in the tender.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice Touch Jason: Where did you get the head light for it and how is it attached? Later RJD


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

I think it was one of the Acccuraft 1:24 440 headlamps. I bolted it to the smokebox. The lamp and bracket are all soldered together from Accucraft.


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## pinewoods (Jan 20, 2009)

Thanks Charles. 

RJD, my kit cylinders were already painted. I will have to paint all my extra parts so I would appreciate any paint advice as well. 

Jason, 
I'll be following your lead on the Jbar. I am not sure I am up to relocating the fuel tank to the tender but I like how it opens up the cab. Did you reuse the gas valve and filler? I noticed the steam gauge in the window, being a steam rookie how does the gauge help? I see a lot of locomotives without them.


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom, 

The gas tank was made from a copper pipe I think 1.5" I did not reuse any parts. The only issue with keeping the oem tank was it did not fit with raising the cab floor like I did. 

The pressure gauge just lets you know when you are ready to run and you can adjust the fuel valve to control your pressure too. You can always wait until the safety blows but you also never what it is releasing at.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the info on the light Shall see if I can find one. First thing I bought was the pressure gauge as I like to know what the pressure is set at. Makes it easier to see when the loco is ready to operate after warming up the cylinders. Later RJD


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## blakesteam1 (Jan 2, 2012)

what stack did you use?


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks to all here with reply's my Ruby is updated and even has R\C control. Later RJD


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