The Home Machinist!

Hello My Friends
All gone!
Jack

Hello My Friends Bill is right. Big engines are no more fun than small ones. I have always liked 3/4" scale. Miniatures always fascinated me. I still have all my Matchbox collection. Remember those? 3/4" scale just always seemed so cool to me. I couldn't understand its lack of popularity. Years ago ...

Hello My Friends Here is a little trinket that has been added to Jim's Berk. He provided me with some cool little bits and pieces that he drew up and had Shapeways spit out. Things like the main valve body here. Also the air operating cylinder, and the pivoting mount that it fits to. The pivoting mo...

Hello My Friends
Now just because it's 3/4" scale there is no reason to get lazy. Mikes Mogul here proves that quite apparently. His attention to detail, fit and finish is exceptional. 3/4" scale is such a delight to build in. Once again...too much fun!
Jack

Hello My Friends Isn't Andy's American the Cat's Meow! I have been fortunate to see his progress in person over the years. That copper boiler is a thing of beauty and in a way it's a shame to cover it up. But we must do as we must do. Hopefully it will get some test running in here at the Alcalde & ...

Hello My Friends
Only two sets of 2-1/2" scale brake valves left. I don't plan on making any more. Get them while you can.
Jack

Hello My Friends
Great job Chris, ultra cool as usual!
Jack

Hello My Friends Here is what's been happening with Jim's Berk. The later Nickel Plate Berkshires had three sources of electricity. One turbo generator for the Mars light. Another for most everything else, cab lights and such. And a turbo alternator for the radio. The turbo alternator used the steam...

Hello My Friends Thank you for the compliments. Not really planning on taking orders for these little guys, but then everything is negotiable :D . Here are a few snappies of the finished scoop. This little exercise in wood and metal was purely for fun. It didn't have to be made to any particular dim...

Hello My Friends Here is a bit more on the coal scoops. Time to make the wood parts, oak in this instance. First the ends were turned to fit the taper of the metal parts. Then the center was cut. This was done using the compound and then massaged with files and sandpaper. The sandpaper and files wer...

Here are a few more. The D handle should be heated and well formed to the die. In photo 2 it's heated again and the recess for the flat head screw is formed using a large center punch with the end ground to match the screw head angle. Some tapered tubing was made by hot forming steel sheet around an...

So it's now time to make the D handle that fits to the other end of the scoop. Once again an aluminum die is made to form the frame for the D handle. This piece of aluminum is 3/4" thick. It has a compound curve around the curved end, and a radius on the straight edge. It also has some recesses wher...