The Home Machinist!

Hello My Friends
Thank you very much for the compliments. It's been a lot of work, but also a lot of fun finally getting to build my own railway. I haven't done anything for a while as it's been cold and windy and wet here. Crazy weather lately.
Jack

Here is some more. The first is a shot of the stack with a couple coats of primer. I will let it dry for a few days and then give it a couple more coats. Paint will continue to shrink for a while so you really have to let it dry completely before you know what you have. I want a little more fillet b...

Hello My Friends Thanks NP317 for the tip about the smoke box paint. That looks really good on your engine. In different parts of the country we have different suppliers and different products available. I can get Duplicolor paint here and will have to give it a try. I have been using NAPA paint and...

Hello My Friends Here is an update on the Alcalde & Coalfield High Line. It's been a busy winter. The main goal has been to get the steaming bays in place, and all the pavers down. There is just a narrow strip of pavers left as you can see in the top photo. The second retaining wall is basically fin...

Hello My Friends
I'm sorry to say that I don't have any Detroit lubricators in stock. I will be making more in the future but I don't know when.
Jack

Hello My Friends Greg asks a good question, why would I make a casting instead of a fabrication. Well, there are a couple reasons. The first can be answered by looking at the top photo here. In that photo we can see our little smoke stack with Bondo blobbed around the area between the base and the s...

Hello My Friends As stated before the stack that came with the engine was an ugly lump, so a master for investment casting a new one was started today. A length of two inch brass was chucked up in the lathe and bored and turned to shape. The taper is one in twelve and the wall thickness is 3/32". Sc...

Hello My Friends Here is a bit of an update. The smoke box front has been mostly made. The large ring was made from a 5" diameter 1/2" thick brass disc from our old friend McMaster. The smaller disc was made from a 3" diameter bit of aluminum bronze that was laying around. Next will be trimming the ...

Hello My Friends Thanks again for the suggestions and comments. I have done some experimenting with 3/32" thin wall tube and #26 Ga. insulated wire. It will slide right in. With junction boxes at the front end near where the hand rail bends I don't think it will be a problem. And I can also pull it ...

Hello My Friends Thanks for the info. I looked in the 1941 Loco Cyclopedia as Bill suggested and found what I needed. They are type #2 on that page. Now to the size of the handrail. If they were scale, they would be 1/16" dia. That's just too small to be practical. I think they would just be too del...

Hello My Friends Thanks everyone for the comments. I always enjoy when you all join in. I looked at the photo of 5344 that is hanging on the wall and the valve gear looks just like what is on the little Hudson. I guess I was just confused, not a rare condition for an old Bozo like me :lol: So back t...

Hello My Friends Thanks for the info. I never knew there were different Baker gears. I was surprised to find that this engine has the wrong one. It runs so good that I don't think I will be changing it, although I am a bit disappointed as I want to build a very detailed model. Go with what you got :...