The Home Machinist!

The last batch we got from Cucumber was 2 years ago, it was good coal, no smoke, very hot, but seems to have more slate and a higher ash content than in the past.

I think I know who you’re talking about pointiacguy1!!!!

Google is your friend:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Blue+Ge ... e&ie=UTF-8

I am from the area where the Blue Gem seam is. Any time I have burned any local coals in my locomotives they burned hot but smoked enormously and would soot the flues after 6-8 hours of steaming, not sure if any was actually from Blue Gem. I've burned "Pocahontas" coal for 33 years or so, ...

I've had a Mercer power reverse on my Hudson for 34 years, it uses hot water piped from the about 1/2 way up the side sheet. Other than having to replace the O-rings on the piston a couple of times it has worked great.

Paint held up good on the plates on both my locomotives. Although the paint on my Hudson needs refreshed, although 31 years of running will do that to you.

Apparently N&W didn't use "petticoats" on some engines either. Steve J Jr wrote: Frisco1522 wrote: I don't think I ever heard of an engine without a petticoat on the stack. I don't think it would work without one. I could be wrong on this. This from RYPN: (Quote) I have talked to multi...

I got my last batch here: Goins Service Station,2320 Princeton Ave. Bluefield WV. (304)323-2503 It is "Pocahontas" coal. We bought 34 bags between the 3 of us. Burns good, little to no smoke. Most other small coal suppliers in the area have gone out of business. They are 75-80 pound bags f...

I got my last batch here: Goins Service Station,2320 Princeton Ave. Bluefield WV. (304)323-2503 It is "Pocahontas" coal. We bought 34 bags between the 3 of us. Burns good, little to no smoke. Most other small coal suppliers in the area have gone out of business. They are 75-80 pound bags f...

If type is what you are looking for, that is a 4-6-0 Ten-wheeler.

I have access to an Ashcroft 1305D dead weight tester and have used it to check my USG 200psi gauges with. It works on the same principle as Dave's drawing in the previous post.

I've used salt inside copper tubing to do bends and that works very well; SS is so much harder though and just doesn't want to bend easily. The piece of tubing I bought is 24" long, so I have plenty to work with -- plus, it's easily gotten as it's the K&M stuff that most hardware and hobby...