The Home Machinist!

While I refrain from using flare fitting on my models because they look out of scale, I have a LOT of experience with flare fittings on both steam and diesel locomotives on both air a steam accessories. I have found that when the flared tube cracks, it fails at the part of the flare where the clamp ...

Most aluminum only contains traces of lead. 2011 and 6262 alloys have higher (intentionally) quanitites of lead to make them "free machining". A lot of cheap imported aluminum cookware has a higher lead content. I ALWAYS melt metal in my foundry outside and stay away from the fumes coming ...

".010 chip load per flute". Yikes!! That is a heavy cut. Multiply that by 3 (number of flutes in contact at one time) along with a 2 1/2" diameter cutter, and your talkin a lot of torque, especially on steel. I aim for about .002 - .003 per flute on my Bridgeport. It's more about how ...

A few of other unknown factors that will add to the equation. What is the clearance between the journal boxes and the pedestals? Even if your rod clearance is close, pedestal clearance my be too tight. There are a lot of dimensions, as close as they may be, add up to a larger dimension that may be c...

The trick to firebox culinary is to wait until you've reached your destination and the firebox has cooled down a bit. This is usually when the cinders have all been ejected to their new home in the smokebox or along the ROW. At this point, the crew has worked up a good appetite as well. You must coo...

Thanks, but I'm more of a firebox "brats and oinions" guy myself.

Prototype distance would be 3" - 6" above the railhead. That scales out to 3/8" - 3/4" on a 1 1/2" scale model. Keeping yours to the max wouldn't look out of place. Most pilot damage occurs when the lead truck wheels or the first set of drivers derail and the locomotive slid...

now if someone could come up with a 'slate magnet' to sort out the coal from the junk....I would purchase one. Being a fireman on full size steamers and knowing the ill effect of too much slate on the grates, when I have a second or two I look at the coal on the "shovel sheet" of the tend...

Personally, I like the challange of coal firing. I started with my first live steam engine at 14 years old and learned that maintaining the correct fire in the box was paramount to keeping the pressure up. Too much, too little, too deep here and too shallow there were all part of having a good day o...

Procering (on the firebox end) was used to keep the tubes from moving in the tube sheet due to expansion and contraction. Especially when copper ferrules were used. The procered ring helped to keep the ferrule from sliding out towards the water side while the fire side was beaded. The copper ferrule...

Having worked on, trouble shooted (shot?), and adjusted full size Consolodated safety valves, here are some of my "learnings". Each valve is desiged to work within a 10 pound range of setting. (+- 5 pounds). Any more than 10 pounds, and a different spring is required. Once the popping pres...

They look great!! Nice simple design perfect for mass production in the home shop!!

"Keep on truckin'"....someone had to say it.