The Home Machinist!

For shrinkage I scale it up as a whole pattern the appropriate percentage - easy to do if your 3D printing the cores etc. I like 2.5 degrees for draft and of course add machining allowance as required. As mentioned by others risers and shrink bobs should be left to the foundry. Early on I found core...

Yes I did! Nice job! Hopefully in February we will be using the full size items!

Hello Rod, I cannot comment on the boiler size but the full size machine has a total gear reduction of 5.92:1 (like yours) with 9x10 (bore/stroke) rated 100 hp. @ 175 psi yet could pull up to 300 tons. (not counting the weight of the sleds - the Lombard sled we have tips the scales at 2,000 lbs!) Yo...

Here is a good one

Here is a neat "Odd" geared standard gauge locomotive I thought about over the years - this is the "Hayward" it was built by the Vulcan Iron Works in San Francisco in 1867 and used for a good number of years on the railroad servicing the Black Diamond Mines on Mnt. Diablo In oper...

The very talented Chris Rueby is well along on a live steam model of a Marion model 91 steam shovel. The prototype was originally setup on trucks but was later converted to crawler tracks. To date he has finished the chassis, boom and all the steam engines and is well along on the super structure ht...

Nice job! Over the past few years I have spent quite a bit of time working with 3D printed patterns and core boxes. Yes, for smoothing and filling bondo works great! I usually smear it on as thin as possible and sand. For a top coat I use automotive rattle can paint. Here is a set of patterns and co...

Hello David,

I know what you mean in regards to rattle can primer. The only way I can work with it is wet sanding - otherwise I end-up with reams of clogged paper.

Very Nice! The layering in a 3D print can be an issue. I do in fact use a skim coat of bondo since the PLA filament I typically use doesn't sand well. There is also a specific paint you can use. Its fairly quick to sand down the bondo and follow-up with a couple of sanded coats of primer. If your us...

Hello Bob, That's great to hear. I knew with a little TCL that it would be a great little engine. Yes, one of the steam Lombards is on loan from the Crooker family. It was abandoned at Fish River Lake and eventually recovered by George Mulhern back in the late 60's before Crooker acquired it and res...

Hello Keith, It is fine indeed! We still have two steam Lombards - one operational the other is static. Though it's fully operable we do not to respect the liability concerns of the family that loaned it to us. I understand the distance issue! I drive down from Fort Fairfield to work on the Lombard ...

The Maine Forest & Logging Museum is one of those hidden gems that those who know about it treasure. Located in Bradley, Maine, just north of Bangor, the Museum hosts three major events per year. In addition to early logging equipment, sawmills, etc. the museums operates a Steam Lombard Log Haul...