The Home Machinist!

To answer your interest: I restored and Managed the Student Machine+ Shops at the University of Washington Mechanical Engineering College in Seattle, WA for 11 years. After getting the shops restored to sort-of modern usage, it had 1 excellent Bridgeport mill, four new 2-axis CNC BP clone mills, and...

Truly amazing that the U.P Big Boy #4014 is steaming again! I look forward to being trackside during one its voyages. Equally amazing is the restoration on Baldwin's smallest Mallet, SKOOKUM. 2-4-4-2. I rode it during steam tests in May this year, in Garibaldi, Oregon, USA. Two of the most unlikely ...

One plastic to be careful when machining:
PVC.
It can off-gas chlorine which will quickly rust any exposed metal surfaces.
I always prep the machines by applying a coating of oil for protection.
It wipes clean when the job in done.
~RN

Gorgeous work, as usual.
Thanks for sharing.
RN

And GN and SP&S used exhaust steam injector systems, with similar results(?)
I've been trying to learn more about those systems.
~RN

Better plastic ideas. Good.
RN

I vote for a bearing washer of thin HDPE.
~RN

Russ, one followup question, regarding oxygenation. In your start up procedure, do you add anything that specifically scrubs dissolved oxygen from the water? Thanks Glenn No, I do not. But that won't prevent me from deciding to do that later. Again, the condition of my used boiler says it's managem...

Russ, can you confirm that heating water in the boiler causes the dissolved oxygen to dissipate soon as the heat hits it? When you vent steam, are you venting all the dissolved O2? If so, what temperature/ pressure do you need to reach to first achieve this? How does this affect fresh water added f...

I also started machining with a well-cared-for 6" Atlas lathe. Complete with a quick-change gear box!
Yes, the lantern tool posts were always a limiting factor.
I replaced that nice little lathe before making an alternative tool holder. I like the triangular idea!
~RN

Jack:
Which Museum is that going into?
~RN

Carl: Points well made. My standard steaming operating procedures do include testing all steam appliances prior to leaving the steaming bay. I have a dental tool that works perfectly for holding the lower pressure SuperScale safety valve closed while testing the operation of the higher safety. Same ...