Wednesday 26th July a nice start for outside work.

Time to press on with the water gate valve exhibit and extensive de rust, clean and paint required but it is too heavy for the sand blast cabinet as the cast base is a two man lift. The oil left in the top section has done it's job and a week later the handle now turns.

a selection of wire wheels in the drill was a good starting point on the base section and the remaining bolt parts needed punching out to enable better cleaning.

A coat of black rust prevention paint makes it look better.

Then onto the top section a simple task if the nuts and wedges will come out it was a heavy lift and was nearing the bench stability limit. It came undo and one wedge drifted out but the though that the handle and screw would pull straight out of the top this was a serious error of judgment.

Greg in the mean time had been sorting some paint out on the front of the Scammel Scarab where it had started to lift and peel on some joints.

After fruitless knocking up and down the gate thread shaft still refused to come out so Greg suggested a press in the engine workshops this would also help free the seized brass nut in the gate. So it was a long trip with the wheel barrow

The press also got no movement and the valve was too big to fit the way we planned the task.

but the brass nut came out of the gate

A long wheel barrow push back and break out the oxy propane torch to heat the casting and displace the rust as the inner guide is a separate casting so should come out and hopefully reveal a keep on the screw so it can be removed.

The gate nut and casting got cleaned up and it now slides freely to allow for any misalignment.

The plan is all painted up and gate control free to turn with a gap between top and bottom section so the working mechanism can be seen and mount it on a stand for visitors to try out in the museum.