The Home Machinist!

any suggestions on reputable used machinery dealers ?

So many unique locomotives that I don't believe have been done in 7.5 gauge live steam. 2.5 scale- EBT 2-8-2, ETWNC 4-6-0, 3t climax? 1.6 – B&O EM1, Reading T1, C&O 4-8-2, Erie 2-8-4, NYC 4-8-4, L&N 2-8-4, PRR T1 The list could go on and on for pretty unique designs that haven't been bui...

Most manual lathes do not make good CNC conversion candidates. You'll still want the ability to do true manual work. 13-14 inch would make a good size for live steam work.


https://tormach.com/machines/lathes/8l-lathe.html

Is it on the mainline you will regularly operate ? a 25-30 radius is going to be tight for about anything beyond a 0-4-0 or 0-6-0. Even the various allen 2-6-0/4-6-0s are recommended with a 35ft min radius. Personally I wouldn't modify it for such an extreme situation, if you will rarely use that pa...

Thanks for the replies! That's what I thought but wanted to be safe. Don't have a TIG so didn't feel comfortable doing the bushing welding.

10 inch pipe, 10 3/4 OD, sch 40.

Are there any issues with drilling and tapping a boiler shell directly without a welded bushing to add a water inlet? Probably 5/16 mtp or 1/8 npt.

for the pipe clamps on the pipe above the wilson blow down, do those bolts going just into the firebox wrapper or did you weld mounting studs/pads under it?

wouldn't a 1.6 scale H8 need a 14 inch boiler that tapers down a bit near the smokebox?

are they there?

interesting the prototype pic doesnt appear to have drifting valves

a 1.6 scale super power will fire great. The bigger the boiler and grate area the more "free steaming " it will be. Typically it's the smaller locomotives that are more "picky" about how they are fired. But every large 7.5 gauge locomotive I've run with a wide firebox (4-6-4, 2-8...