does anyone know of any old project engines

[trivettj]

sorry i am new on here and kinda messed up on the other post i really am not trying to be a problem i am trying to find a cheap engine that would make a good project i can not aford a good engine rite now because i waisted my money trying to build a engine i never should have started that is way to big if anyone knows of a narrow gauge 7.5 inch gauge or even something i could make into narrow gauge please let me know

[WJH]

If money is an issue, perhaps you should consider a 3.5" gauge engine. For under 4,000$ you should find something that runs or needs finishing.
Lets be honest here, this is not a cheap hobby, no matter how you look at it. To get some one elses project locomotive for a very low price means it was stolen if you count the amount of hours put into it already.
I suggest you talk to some one like Postwarbob who can give you realistic expectations on what things cost for what gauges.

[hwboivin3]

0-6-0 on discoverlivesteam for $3750 , it's 7.25 gauge. Probably won't find a better price than that.

[David Powell]

They are out there--- you just have to look and keep looking. I do not have much to spend nowadays, yet have a bench full of models. A couple of examples, In rounded out figures I spent $ 500 on a running ( just about!!!) 3 1/2"Boston and Albany chassis, built a steel boiler for it and have it running regularly. I have a Friends " Atlantic " in 3 1/2" gauge which has a few issues, but is steamable and runnable, she cost me about $2000.BUT If you are a beginner I urge you to buy a lathe , a propane torch, and the tools and equipment to use them well, and build a small stationary engine and a boiler first before getting ambitious. The feeling of success from a ' simple" project will take you a long way down the road of success with a major project.Most successful builders will know why I advise this course of action. regards David Powell.

[trivettj]

i went to college for 4 years for welding and machine and i can tig weld mig weld stick weld use a cnc lathe or mill i am not a normal 26 year old boy i have just built from scratch a complete 24 inch gauge 4 6 0 from casting the cylinders to the frame to the boiler i got the boiler hydro to 350 psi and passed i have owned my on business for the past 6 years and its a grading business i rebuild 15 liter diesel engines by my self i dont want to sound like a SMART BUTT KNOW IT ALL i just dont want yall to think im a idiot i have all kinds of welders plasma cutters and 2 lathes and a mill my dad is a gun smith also i just got extremely mad after messing with valve gear after sinking over 25 grand on a engine and letting such a little thing get me down i just really wanted to meet people that i could ask for help and all of yall know way more than i prob will ever know and i am very thankful for that please dont take me the rong way i just want to be able to say i built the engine rather than bought something someone else built i enjoy the working on the stuff more than running it i had a little engine atlantic i bought but sold it cause i lost hart in it cause just running it got old i have to have projects

[David Powell]

Given your experience and qualifications you can probably skip building a beginners project to get the experience , knowledge and ability to build " the grand pojecct" However, there are two more things you need to succeed, you need PATIENCE and DETERMINATION. I built my first totally useless set of valve gear when I was about your age--- I still come across bits of it in the scrap box now and then! The model steam roller it was to fit on has now been running for 35 yrs, is on its third boiler and is to become my granddaughter's. The very fact that you seem to have found running a 3 1/2" gauge atlantic" Grew old quickly" seems to show a level of impatience, and a youngster's desire to move on to the next projest quickly. Could you honestly say you knew how to get the very best from that engine before you parted with it? Did you drive it , for your club or a charity, for 6-7 hrs a day for an event giving children rides and get the thrill of perhaps seeing another person want to take up our hobby? Just a few ideas from an old fellow regards David Powell.

[Pontiacguy1]

Start trying to go to some of the live steam meets at the larger clubs. I know that there are frequently half-finished projects that are brought out of someone's basement or shop that are offered for sale there, and most of the time they go for a pretty reasonable price. A lot of times someone will bring that sort of thing to one of the meets to get rid of instead of posting an ad for it. I've seen some real deals go across the tables at our club in recent years.

Also, some punctuation in your posts would be very helpful when trying to read them.

[Harold_V]

Also, some punctuation in your posts would be very helpful when trying to read them.

Creating sentences instead of one large paragraph helps, too. When a paragraph is too large, and lacks punctuation, I'm inclined to just ignore the post. I wonder how many others do the same thing?

While I do not set policy on this forum, one of the things I'd ban immediately is texting jargon, were that decision be left up to me. All of us are far better served when at least basic rules of language are supported, to limit confusion.

Harold

[hwboivin3]

Do you still have the 25k engine that you stopped on? Perhaps starting a topic on your valve gear problems would benefit you
in finishing the project that you started.

just my 2 cents

[cbrew]

Do you still have the 25k engine that you stopped on? Perhaps starting a topic on your valve gear problems would benefit you
in finishing the project that you started.

just my 2 cents

I was going to suggest the same but you beat me to it.
valve gear can be a PITB, but its amazing what another set of eyes can bring to the discussion

[trivettj]

You are rite I will post about valve gear. I think with the help from all of the people on here I can fix the valve gear problem. Sorry for the problems of the last post

[Bill Wilkins]

Search for the Lord Nelson on this site.
Bill W.