The Home Machinist!

Asteamhead...that's what I thought too. However, have learned some stainless steels ARE slightly magnetic. Therefore, it's easy to be fooled and the magnet test is NOT a tell all to determine ball material. Unless you've specifically purchased balls that are stainless steel (and someone could still ...

...and as we all know Greg, a bridge is ONLY as good as its weakest link! :oops: Sorry, couldn't resist. Believe there was a bridge built long before the subject bridge, where cast links were used. As you can imagine, one or more of the links broke. Whether due to brittle material or fatigue, the en...

Emfinger...have you opened up the valves and examined the balls? Are you sure the balls are stainless steel? Had problems with safety valves that were always weeping. When I took the valves apart, found the balls were pitted. At sometime chrome plated balls were inserted in the valves. As soon as th...

KC...no steam dome? Okay, it is what it is. Here's an idea for consideration...remove the "T" under your whistle and safety valve and replace that with an "X" or cross fitting. Keeps all the hardware in one location. Would think with 1/8" pipe fittings and both safety valves lifted...you could still...

Hoppercar...in the garden railroading part of the hobby, there are actually several scale factors out there. They are all closely related. Depends on which train manufacturer you were dealing with. Generally speaking...trains in that scale "range" are for the "G-gauge" train stuff. Carl B.

squandt (and others for that matter)...if you're building an axle pump, pay attention to the materials used for the check balls and the check ball seats. A stainless steel ball on a brass/soft bronze seat will get "hammered" over time. This assumes you do a lot of loco running. Had this problem with...

While writing up the construction of the shorties, was surprised nobody questioned why some detail assemblies were made in lots of (3)...when only (2) such assemblies were needed. Part way thru the construction of the model shorties, was in contact with a former club member that has since moved out ...

Brian, Peter and Greg...many thanks for your additional thoughts on mounting the marker lamps. Using a phono jack for the electrical connections was interesting. Now if only someone made square-ish phono jacks, that would eliminate the rotating problem. Ran into something like this years ago (during...

Jack...super details...fantastic workmanship. Beginning to think you have a magic wand. When you close your eyes and wave your wand... something magical appears in your shop. That, or you have some extremely talented gremlins in the shop that are super busy at night while you're sleeping! LOL. Thank...

Does anyone have information on whether the Franklin Automatic Machine Company lamps are still being made and sold? I can’t find a website for FAMC, and sadly FlashersRUs is gone with the passing of the owner. Thanks, Brian Brian...yes, the marker lamps (various styles) are still being made. Your b...

Carl, Beautiful attention to detail. Thanks again for documenting. I learn from everyone! I have the same markers on my caboose. Clearance...do you have enough clearance inside the car for a quick connect to the thru bolt on the lamps? Maybe drill a hole through the bolt and install a cotter pin to...

Where did you get the bubble leds John B. John, purchased my LED's on Ebay...where I could let my fingers do the shopping. Don't recall exactly who the supplier was. They might have come out of China (before the virus got here)...but there are places stateside where you can order these from. Here's...