The Home Machinist!

Hello Jack, Those Swiss lokomotives belong to the best maintained and running steam engines in Europe. They still perform as their builders intended well in the hands of scilled personal :!: ! Hello NP317, For you like sure footed decapods, please have a look at DB class 44s on the point of ore trai...

Hello DianneB, Maybe a look on may topic A 1239 , page 9 on the `Build Log`will help: https://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=103319&start=96 Width of bores is about 3 mm, piston (with 0-ring) diameter is 8 mm. Steam connection to the valve chamber. Some more photos and scetches ar...

DianneB,
What about turning an O-ring grove of about the inner diameter of the thread to win both space and a reliable sealing?
Please see a strainer as example of a (very short) cap with O-ring grove. That's my practice proven for many years.
Asteamhead

DianneB, This dfferent construction to the usual solution using a stainless ball might be of interest, too. The seat maybe bored by means of a precise drill - or better - a 90° center drill (correct expression? "Senker") on the lathe. The valve made of stainless steel or bronze on the lathe is to be...

Hello Fender, You're right! Of course both the Elesco and the Knorr system are of the 'closed' type. Sorry for using the wrong expression 'open'! :( A reliable 'open' type feedwater heater like the Worthington or Heinl type is still waiting to realization in model size! Problems are sucking hot or e...

cp4449, Please have a look onto a working open :!: feedwater economizer similar to the Elesco type. Built for my scale model of DB class 44 of 5 " gauge this worked for years. Exaust steam is used from both water and air pumps exclusivly. This will heat the feedwater to about 80 °C. Should work with...

What a wounderful model, congratulations!
Eastimated this device will work as excellent as tne small EE injector already does, nothing else will be desirable any more!
Asteamhead

Hello John, Maybe I can help a little bit - just my two cents. A few years ago I had a conversation with James Keith where I answered his questions regarding dimensions of nozzles and such. My life steam model of a DB class 44 (043) of 5" gauge got oil firing from the start back in 1977. It's still ...

No problem at all.
Look, many 3-cylinder engines had their valve excentrics and their middle cylinders at different axles. No issues, no further measures necessary.
Asteamhead

Hello again gamh44,
I forgot to mention the 3rd tool from the right on the photo of your board. This adjustable grip nippers made by Facom or Gedore to me was worth it's weight in gold working at elder cars.

Best regards
Asteamhead

Hello gamh44,
Watched your video, excellent running !
What a pitty indeed, regarding we are living apart at such distance . Your engine would complete our ensemble perfectly!
We will watch your progress with great interest

Asteamhead

Hello modelers (who are still using obsolete technics now and then), Talking to several life steamers, I detected a simple method to fix hexagon material in a standard 4 - chuck instead of using a 3 - chuck seems to be unknown by many of them? Shift the hexagon material into the chuck, turn it a bit...