The Home Machinist!

It's just a single ring. Glass filed Teflon backed up with an o-ring. I use a modified cylinder head with a 1 degree angle cut in it to slip them into the bore.

Ken-

For 1.5" scale your typically looking at a true piston rings of some sort. You don't mention material. My cylinders are cast iron. I have a 1.5" scale Kozo A3. I had originally bought some rings via a vendor on this site but I was without a lot of knowledge at that point and after I instal...

I did same as BMC. Designed in Fusion360 and then exported as an STL file and printed on a 3D printer to verify design and make sure everything was good. Then off to Shapeways printed in bronze. I believe these are investment cast but not entirely sure. Note to self: make sure you check the size bef...

I just use one of those standard butane gas lighters with the long tip. Don't shun those that want to use a wick/wand or electronic only that I can count the times over the last 5 years where I had a suck out and had to re-light on the road. Just lucky I guess. I am interested in the electronic snap...

For this application I would recommend as Greg did, using drive screws from McMaster. I use them a lot anytime I need rivet detail but do not have the ability to actually rivet the piece together. I just drill a series of holes and drive in the drive screw. Done. I used this technique on my Kozo A3s...

Gotcha ! Been there done that. I've got a box full of extra fittings, just in case.

Ken-

I'm using Rustoleum's red oxide primer for my riding car/hopper, and I think it's a pretty close match for the red/brown color used on so many different roads. It's a fairly flat finish, but the nice thing is it can be touched up and shows no spray can marks in the touchup area. Agreed. Rustoleum. ...

Yup, been there. I have to take mine apart the day before each run otherwise I'll be doing it at the track. I've talked to many who pressurize their boilers after running and then open the steam valve to the injector to blow out the residual water which seems to help with this issue.

Ken-

I have seen a lump of debris sitting on top of the steam cone. Pull the injector and get a 10-32 screw and pull the steam cone. If needs be make a special puller to remove the steam cone. They are sometimes very difficult to remove. I had issues with mine for awhile. I talked with Barry about this ...

The rivet-counter side of me would have liked to have used a cast block, but the practical side won out on this one due to the simplicity of this construction method when comparing it to creating cast iron block from scratch. - Ward Everyone who has seen my block asks me who I got the casting from....

Out west we generally attribute the built up cylinder block to Ed Yungling. Bob Reedy acknowledges this in his LS magazine build articles. But as in everything, it had been done before just not as prevalent. I'd seen pictures of them in early LS magazines and ME from way back. It's funny because a f...

Moldlay was the stuff that was recommended to me for investment cast 3D prints. Haven't had a chance to try either it or polycast.

https://www.amazon.com/PORO-Lay-Mold-La ... B00WAJBB48

Ken-