Hi Guys!
I run a 1/8 scale live steam locomotive.
While testing the vacuum brakes on my tender, I blew out the diaphrams that
activate its brakes.
The original unit was used as a vacuum advance for old-time carburetors and
is now an endangered species.
Anybody have success making their own from scratch?
If so, would you be willing to share the process?
Thanks in advance,
Chet (engineer of ANCR Mogul #9401)

On Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:29:50 -0400, "Chet"
wrote:

Hi Guys!
I run a 1/8 scale live steam locomotive.
While testing the vacuum brakes on my tender, I blew out the diaphrams that
activate its brakes.
The original unit was used as a vacuum advance for old-time carburetors and
is now an endangered species.
Anybody have success making their own from scratch?
If so, would you be willing to share the process?
Thanks in advance,
Chet (engineer of ANCR Mogul #9401)

Haven't built one, but a distributor vacuum advance was expected to
move a few grams of linkage, not transmit enough force to (in concert
with two dozen others) stop several hundred pounds of train and
riders.

You might have to come up with your own design - make two shell
halves that bolt together with 6/32 screws to roughly duplicate the
shell of your vacuum advance, get some fabric reinforced neoprene
gasket material - think fuel pump diaphragm, and two fender washers
sandwiched in the middle on a rod nut for connecting an actuating arm.

Go take apart an old mechanical fuel pump for ideas on how to build
the working section - they transmitted the levels of force you need.
Or look at a truck air brake actuator for ideas. Scale down.

Or see if you can find a miniature air cylinder that is the right
size and shape for the job, and you can just buy them and drop them in
instead of reinventing the wheel. Clippard or Cincinnati or Bimba...

On that note, you can get a lot more power from air than vacuum,
even under "Direct Air" - or duplicate the full WABCO Relay system in
scale, and if the train brake pipe breaks everything stops.

-- Bruce --

Chet wrote:
Hi Guys!
I run a 1/8 scale live steam locomotive.
While testing the vacuum brakes on my tender, I blew out the diaphrams
that activate its brakes.
The original unit was used as a vacuum advance for old-time carburetors
and is now an endangered species.
Anybody have success making their own from scratch?
If so, would you be willing to share the process?
Thanks in advance,
Chet (engineer of ANCR Mogul #9401)

Look at a cruise control throttle actuator.

How about using a vacuum operated windshield wiper motor instead? They
have a lot more power than a vacuum advance would have. This "old
stuff" isn't gone, you just have to know where to look. In Minneapolis
Mn there's a place called "Little Dearborn" where you can get almost
anything for old Fords at least. I didn't say "cheap", though.
I'd also try an outfit like Bimba who makes air cylinders. They make
em pretty small and the difference between air pressure and vacuum isn't
all that great.
Also, there are companies that make vacuum sensing switches. We used
to use several open bellows types. There are your bellows.

Pete Stanaitis
---------------------

Chet wrote:
Hi Guys!
I run a 1/8 scale live steam locomotive.
While testing the vacuum brakes on my tender, I blew out the diaphrams
that activate its brakes.
The original unit was used as a vacuum advance for old-time carburetors
and is now an endangered species.
Anybody have success making their own from scratch?
If so, would you be willing to share the process?
Thanks in advance,
Chet (engineer of ANCR Mogul #9401)

"Chet" fired this volley in
news
Hi Guys!
I run a 1/8 scale live steam locomotive.
While testing the vacuum brakes on my tender, I blew out the
diaphrams
that activate its brakes.
The original unit was used as a vacuum advance for old-time
carburetors and is now an endangered species.
Anybody have success making their own from scratch?
If so, would you be willing to share the process?
Thanks in advance,
Chet (engineer of ANCR Mogul #9401)


YES! I built my own cruise-control in the 1980s. I built a "sock"
type actuator. It's really simple.

Get an inner tube of the un-inflated diameter about what you want.
Find a piece of metal or plastic tubing into which it will fit
closely.
Find or fabricate a disk that will fit inside the inner tube when it
is doubled over inside itself.
Cement/fasten/clamp the inner tube to the disk. Then turn the whole
assembly inside-out, so the disk pulls the "inner" portion down inside
the "outer" portion.

Now slide the whole tube/disk affair inside your metal tubing, and
fold the free end of the inner tube over and around the butt-end of
the tube.

Seal it with a little adhesive between the outer surface of the metal
tube and the inner tube fold-over. Add over that a cap that fits
tight. Apply vacuum to the cap end.

You may also install a return spring inside, or rely upon an external
return spring.

Mine lasted eight years of daily interstate driving without a leak.

LLoyd

Lloyd,
Many thanks for the info on your DIY vacuum actuator.
I'm sure if I were looking at your unit your description would match
perfectly.
BUT not having one in my hand, I must confess the description leaves me a
bit confused : - (
Any chance you could e-mail a drawing or equivalent???
This is clearly a case of needing to see the 'picture' before I can see the
'light' : - )

And thanks to all the others who offered great suggestions for obtaining a
commercial substitute!
I'll keep them on file in case my DIY version fails to perform...

Chet


YES! I built my own cruise-control in the 1980s. I built a "sock"
type actuator. It's really simple.

Get an inner tube of the un-inflated diameter about what you want.
Find a piece of metal or plastic tubing into which it will fit
closely.
Find or fabricate a disk that will fit inside the inner tube when it
is doubled over inside itself.
Cement/fasten/clamp the inner tube to the disk. Then turn the whole
assembly inside-out, so the disk pulls the "inner" portion down inside
the "outer" portion.

Now slide the whole tube/disk affair inside your metal tubing, and
fold the free end of the inner tube over and around the butt-end of
the tube.

Seal it with a little adhesive between the outer surface of the metal
tube and the inner tube fold-over. Add over that a cap that fits
tight. Apply vacuum to the cap end.

You may also install a return spring inside, or rely upon an external
return spring.

Mine lasted eight years of daily interstate driving without a leak.

LLoyd

"Chet" fired this volley in
et:

Lloyd,
Many thanks for the info on your DIY vacuum actuator.
I'm sure if I were looking at your unit your description would match
perfectly.
BUT not having one in my hand, I must confess the description leaves
me a bit confused : - (
Any chance you could e-mail a drawing or equivalent???
This is clearly a case of needing to see the 'picture' before I can
see the 'light' : - )

Sure... it'll probably be a day or so before I can do one, but I'll
draw it up. It's dead-simple to make.

LLoyd

Lloyd, you da man!!!!!

Chet

"Chet" fired this volley in
et:

Lloyd, you da man!!!!!

Chet


I emailed one to you, and put it in the dropbox, as well.

"Sock Actuator.jpg"

LLoyd

Chet writes:

The original unit was used as a vacuum advance for old-time
carburetors and is now an endangered species.

There are certainly plenty of vacuum motors in present-day cars, such as
vent door actuators and cruise controls.

"Chet" wrote in
message
news
Hi Guys!
I run a 1/8 scale live steam locomotive.
While testing the vacuum brakes on my tender,
I blew out the diaphrams that activate its
brakes.
The original unit was used as a vacuum advance
for old-time carburetors and is now an
endangered species.
Anybody have success making their own from
scratch?
If so, would you be willing to share the
process?
Thanks in advance,
Chet (engineer of ANCR Mogul #9401)

Dodge K cars use a vacuum actuator on the
heater/defrost door that is just a little bigger
than an old vacuum advance, and it has a rod
sticking out of it that is attached to the
diaphram that's easy to adapt to whatever.

Chet wrote:
Hi Guys!
I run a 1/8 scale live steam locomotive.
While testing the vacuum brakes on my tender, I blew out the diaphrams
that activate its brakes.
The original unit was used as a vacuum advance for old-time carburetors
and is now an endangered species.
Anybody have success making their own from scratch?
If so, would you be willing to share the process?
Thanks in advance,
Chet (engineer of ANCR Mogul #9401)


What size is the old one? I could bet a cruise actuator or the 4X4
actuator from an S series GM would work. Or you could find a dashpot
from the HVAC controls of 99% of the cars out there, just look behind
the dash on the heat ducting.

--
Steve W.

Chet wrote:
Hi Guys!
I run a 1/8 scale live steam locomotive.
While testing the vacuum brakes on my tender, I blew out the diaphrams
that activate its brakes.
The original unit was used as a vacuum advance for old-time carburetors
and is now an endangered species.
Anybody have success making their own from scratch?
If so, would you be willing to share the process?
Thanks in advance,
Chet (engineer of ANCR Mogul #9401)


Holley carbs with vacuum secondaries used a bolt-on cast body with
replaceable diaphragm. Same unit for 50 years and counting. Get the body
off any old Holley 4-bbl, including the truck models. Easy to adapt
mounting, add a nipple for the vacuum port.
Diaphragms available at any store that sells speed parts.

Hey Chet,

Just by chance, I saw the open hood of a Chrysler today with a 3.5
Litre engine, and there right at the front of the intake manifold was
a 2" or so vacuum levered gadget that apparently opens some sort of
air shutters when you stomp down on the gas. Probably work for you.

Take care.

Brian Lawson,
Bothwell, Ontario.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
On Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:29:50 -0400, "Chet"
wrote:

Hi Guys!
I run a 1/8 scale live steam locomotive.
While testing the vacuum brakes on my tender, I blew out the diaphrams that
activate its brakes.
The original unit was used as a vacuum advance for old-time carburetors and
is now an endangered species.
Anybody have success making their own from scratch?
If so, would you be willing to share the process?
Thanks in advance,
Chet (engineer of ANCR Mogul #9401)