American LaFrance Steam Fire Pumper

[LaFrance4]

Good evening, the draft gear is finished. The foot operated brake linkages and brake shoes are in place. My punch list keeps getting shorter and shorter.

 

[LaFrance4]

Was able to plumb the feed water tank to the feed water pump this afternoon. Also installed the bracket for the nozzles and “play” pipes.

 

[LaFrance4]

Good evening, thought I would share what I did today on the LaFrance project.
Installed 2 pipes under the fuel bunker. The pipe on the right is a boiler “blow down” pipe. The pipe on the left will be used to connect air to the boiler to run the fire engine.
Then the steam cylinders lubricater was plumbed into the steam line from the boiler to the “D” valve housing. The lubricator is a displacement type.
Then onto the exhaust manifold. The brass connectors are special in that one end is right hand threads and the other end is left hand threads. You guessed it, when you rotate the connector it threads into the exhaust manifold and the “D” valve body at the same time. Much like a turn buckle on a screen door.
The pipe coming out of the exhaust manifold is the steam cylinders exhaust pipe going to the steam exhaust nozzle.
The copper tube ring going around the perimeter of the boiler is the blower ring. Steam will exit very small holes causing a negative pressure in the smoke dome drawing air through the draft door, through the fire and through the flue tubes. It is a way to bring the fire up quicker.
Finally, I modified the caps to the inlet connections to accommodate a chain so when the caps are removed they want get misplaced.

 

[minh-thanh]

You are a craftsman !

 

[LaFrance4]

You are a craftsman !

Thank you so very much for your compliment.

 

[LaFrance4]

Good evening, for a long time I have been telling my family when you see the LaFrance eagle on top of the engine, the engine has been completed. Well, it is almost that time. I have been cleaning up the bronze eagle casting. I am very disappointed in the quality of the casting. So many holes and blemishes that need to be corrected. Sure won’t be able to polish it to its glory as it should be. I will have to use “body spot putty” to correct all the blemish and then paint it to look like a bald eagle.
I finally came up with a way to drill and tap the mounting in the base of the eagle on center and vertical. The picture shows my solution. The round base which represents the world is 5/8” in diameter. It fits very nicely in a .625 5C collet. The collet is placed into the square block and tightened by the locking ring. The back of the collet is threaded to take a “collet stop”. Now I can screw in a bolt to come right up to the base of the of the ball. First, I will drill a hole slightly larger than the tap drill needed for the mounting stud. So once the eagle is square, perpendicular and all that good stuff, do a final turn on the locking ring and then use my cordless hand drill to drill the tap hole.
The horses you see were bought many years ago. I hope to find 2 with different poses. Cannot have 3 horses staring ahead. Just does not look natural. But maybe there is a filly down the road. Hehehe !! Silly me !! Anyway, it probably will be December or January before I get to the bridals, harnesses and reins. I have to have rotator cuff surgery on my right arm in the very near future.
The other 2 pictures gives you an overview of the whole rig. I should be able to make a platform with handles to mount the whole rig to before I get laid up from the surgery.

 

[ajoeiam]

Good evening, for a long time I have been telling my family when you see the LaFrance eagle on top of the engine, the engine has been completed. Well, it is almost that time. I have been cleaning up the bronze eagle casting. I am very disappointed in the quality of the casting. So many holes and blemishes that need to be corrected. Sure won’t be able to polish it to its glory as it should be. I will have to use “body spot putty” to correct all the blemish and then paint it to look like a bald eagle.
I finally came up with a way to drill and tap the mounting in the base of the eagle on center and vertical. The picture shows my solution. The round base which represents the world is 5/8” in diameter. It fits very nicely in a .625 5C collet. The collet is placed into the square block and tightened by the locking ring. The back of the collet is threaded to take a “collet stop”. Now I can screw in a bolt to come right up to the base of the of the ball. First, I will drill a hole slightly larger than the tap drill needed for the mounting stud. So once the eagle is square, perpendicular and all that good stuff, do a final turn on the locking ring and then use my cordless hand drill to drill the tap hole.
The horses you see were bought many years ago. I hope to find 2 with different poses. Cannot have 3 horses staring ahead. Just does not look natural. But maybe there is a filly down the road. Hehehe !! Silly me !! Anyway, it probably will be December or January before I get to the bridals, harnesses and reins. I have to have rotator cuff surgery on my right arm in the very near future.
The other 2 pictures gives you an overview of the whole rig. I should be able to make a platform with handles to mount the whole rig to before I get laid up from the surgery.

Somehow a 'like' just isn't enough for this diorama (its not just a model any more imo).

I love making things - - - you're going further - - - you're making it beautiful!

Good on you, mate!!!

 

[LaFrance4]

Good evening, well I can honestly say the LaFrance fire engine is FINISHED. Mounted the eagle earlier this evening.
I can not find the words to express my feelings and gratitude to all those who have been following this build for the past 12 years. Your kind words of appreciation, stories that you shared and the many suggestions that came forward has made this build a joyous experience.
Again, a big thank you to all,
Larry DuFour

 

[minh-thanh]

A Great Project !
Thanks for sharing your wonderful adventure
Thanks a lot !

 

[ozzie46]

Amazing project and your persistence over the years is a testament to dedication to a subject.

Congratulations. Well done sir.

Ron

 

[ajoeiam]

Good evening, well I can honestly say the LaFrance fire engine is FINISHED. Mounted the eagle earlier this evening.
I can not find the words to express my feelings and gratitude to all those who have been following this build for the past 12 years. Your kind words of appreciation, stories that you shared and the many suggestions that came forward has made this build a joyous experience.
Again, a big thank you to all,
Larry DuFour

Good on you mate!
IMO you've created an heirloom model.

(lol) So - - - - what's next? (lol throughout - - - )

 

[ddmckee54]

The pumper looks great. I love the pin-striping.

But those horses standing there like that look NAKED - they need harnesses. (There, that'll keep you busy for a little while.)

 

[LaFrance4]

I do agree about the naked horses. Harness, bridles and bits will be next year. Still gather information about what they should look like. I need to find 2 other horses with different poses. What I have looks a little on the silly side.
Next project, well I have several to choose from.

 

[GreenTwin]

To show you how old I am, when I was in grammar school, the fire department brought out one of those and demonstrated it spraying water high into the air.

Great job !
That is a fantastic piece of work.

.

 

[stanstocker]

Good evening, well I can honestly say the LaFrance fire engine is FINISHED. Mounted the eagle earlier this evening.
I can not find the words to express my feelings and gratitude to all those who have been following this build for the past 12 years. Your kind words of appreciation, stories that you shared and the many suggestions that came forward has made this build a joyous experience.
Again, a big thank you to all,
Larry DuFour

Hi Larry,

This is one of the finest model building achievements I've seen. The complexity and beauty of the final model is so far beyond the abilities of most of us mere mortals that it is a joy to look at and an inspiration to try just a bit more beyond the current comfort zone. Thank you for all the great pictures and details over the life of this project!
Stan

 

[LaFrance4]

Thank you Stan, what an awesome compliment you have given me. I wish my father could have give me words of encouragement like all of you awesome model makers have done over the years.
I am sharing a picture taken in 1959 out West at an unknowns location. It is interesting that they called the building where they kept their fire fighting equipment a “Fire Hall”.

 

[minh-thanh]

Hi Larry,

This is one of the finest model building achievements I've seen. The complexity and beauty of the final model is so far beyond the abilities of most of us mere mortals that it is a joy to look at and an inspiration to try just a bit more beyond the current comfort zone. Thank you for all the great pictures and details over the life of this project!
Stan

I totally agree .

 

[Steamchick]

This one is simply a pleasure to behold.
10/10 Sir!
K2