The Home Machinist!

For all these air systems, Id love to see a miniature duplex gauge. But Im sure that would be quite the critter to squeeze together and get working.

Glad to see you’re making a super scale compatible injector! I know several guys who will enjoy seeing that come out since super scale was the go to for so long.
Having the standards myself, I might order a set of stainless cones for mine as a spare in case the original brass ones ever wear out.

I think it’s also worth mentioning that any of these chemicals used to treat the water are only needed in minute quantities. Of course, if you are descaling with vinegar, citric acid or hydrochloric acid, it will need to be a stronger concentration to be effective, but this is followed by a good fl...

Another alternative to neutralize the vinegar or correct the pH of boiler water is pH increaser from a pool supply store. Pool pH increaser is usually sodium carbonate which reacts with water to make sodium hydroxide and CO2. Another source of sodium carbonate is Arm & Hammer washing soda, which I’...

I have an Artzberger headlight on my shay with another planned for a backup light. I custom ordered mine from him without number boards

Hello Jack I am currently building a 20 ton Shay Locomotive in 2 1/5 inch scale using John Buckwalters drawings and casting The locomotive i am modeling is the Shop Number 1643 Class B37-2 J.Neils Lumber Company #4, that locomotive is a class B but the Construction is real close to a Class A At som...

Looking nearly done Tristan, wish I could say the same. Amazon has a lot of ornamental brass handbells for cheap - I saw a 2.2" one for example so there are some smaller ones and it was $10. I was thinking about getting one of those and then either sanding or turning the decorative casting off the ...

Been a while since Ive updated this, but the cab is officially varnished and bolted down! Now on to the windows and maybe the hatch for the roof vent. 014785d5d11ae71e946be4d1629af9bfd60c81096f.jpg Keeping in line with my last post, does anyone have any leads on a good 2.5in scale bell? Doesn't seem...

One thought Ive had for my half brasses that seems applicable here, what about going the other direction? So a softer bearing material to lower the hardness requirements of the steel. Babbitt is still readily available and seems pretty easy to work with. Its served my Southbend heavy 13 quite well f...

Just mount the injector in the lifting position with a vacuum breaker on the overflow! Works great on the shay. When over 100psi in the boiler, all I have to do is hit the steam and off it goes. I leave the water valve fully open unless the boiler pressure gets under 100, then the water supply needs...

Looking good Brian! What I would think for adapting my petticoats to fit your smokebox would be shorten the petticoats proportionally but keep the gaps the same size.

I soldered my tank. Galvanized steel with copper rivets. Sealed up perfectly with plumbing solder and I don’t have to worry about any coatings flaking off! Only note there is zinc does not get along with lye at all, so you can’t use sodium carbonate as a ph buffer