Monotype Pneumatics: Two Steps Forward (again)

Second Set of Pipe RepairsAfter breaking two pipe ends while reinstalling the mounting plate for the Unit Adding valve, I decided that soldering in new ends would be easier than trying to get a flaring tool into the tight spots under the Monotype caster’s table.

I used my lathe again to thread some spare pipe ends to fit the mounting hardware, and bent and cut them to match the broken pieces I had cut out from the caster. I tinned the ends that were to be soldered to make the solder job a bit easier. I also cut two short pieces of ¼″ soft copper tubing to make connectors. These were a looser fit that I would have liked, but still close enough for a solder joint to work. In retrospect I probably could have used by lathe to swage the tubing to the correct inside diameter.

I cleaned and fluxed the pipes to be soldered, installed the new pipe ends into the valve mounting plate, and slipped my makeshift couplings into position. I soldered the couplings using a small butane torch and finished reinstalling the valve mounting plate and the dummy valve.

Repaired Pipes 2 Repaired Pipes 1

You can see the finished solder joints and below and to the right of each the flare couplings that I used to splice in the original pipe repairs I had done.

The Unit Adding dummy valve reinstalled on its mounting plate

The Unit Adding dummy valve reinstalled on its mounting plate

There are still two valves left to do: the Quadding & Centering valve and the pneumatic mould signalling valve. I hope I can get them done with no further broken pipe ends!

One comment on “Monotype Pneumatics: Two Steps Forward (again)
  1. kpmartin says:

    I edited this item to replace an out-of-focus photo.

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