The Home Machinist!

I have not tried it, but I think people have had good luck using the same electric motors used in electric RC flying, etc. as generators. They are permanent magnet rotors and generate 3-phase power. You would then use a 3-phase full-wave bridge rectifier (similar to what is in car alternators) to co...

In the past I have used "Passivated Muriatic Acid" to wash the boiler on my Northern. I totally filled the boiler and had a pump circulating water from a bucket, into the boiler, and back to the bucket. There was a low fire in the boiler to heat the solution. This worked well to free rust ...

If operating, I sold a 1.5 version for around $900 awhile back so they are definitely worth money.

Have not heard of anyone making a 1" scale operating turbo.

Here I am thinking more the scale of the target, signal height, etc. as opposed to making the signal 'observable'. I don't have any issues with 1.5" scale 5/8" diameter, Fresnel-like lenses illuminated by 10mm/20ma LEDs, even in bright daylight. Tristan mentioned 2" scale. This is the...

Before posting my previous post: https://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/viewtopic.php?t=113146 I should have asked: On a 7.x" gauge railroad that runs mixed scale locomotives (1.5", 2.5", 3"), what scale of signals make the most sense to you? .. 1.5", 2.5", 3" ??? A ...

I am looking for 2.5" scale signals. I'm interested in completed signals, parts, casting patterns, signal bases, housings, lenses, etc. Searchlight, position type (3 lamp, red, yellow, green in triangular pattern on round target as used by NY Central and others), etc. I am not looking for signa...

I wonder if this is a good idea. If the capacity of the water pump is large in relation to the boiler capacity I fear that it will cause thermal stress in the boiler through rapid cooling of one section of the boiler compared to another. just a thought ...

Harper,

My personal website is way out of date but this page shows the engine stand I built that I also use to work on my 4-8-4

http://whitetrout.net/Chuck/EngineStand/Index.htm

Thanks Rich & Greg ...

(Rich: Do you think they would supply it in 7.x gauge? )

FLtenwheeler wrote: ↑Tue Oct 31, 2023 11:01 am There is a 3-way lap switch at Ridge Live Steamers. I will take a picture next time I am at the track.

Tim

Thanks Tim, where is this switch located on the track?

Bill Shields wrote: ↑Mon Oct 30, 2023 6:10 pm Personally, I would do all I can to avoid such an arrangement in the live steam world.

Keyword here is 'avoid' ... sometimes you can't and I just don't like stub switches - too much chance of derailing, especially if inexperienced people are around.

I am looking for construction plans/designs for a symmetrical 3-way switch that uses points (i.e.: not a 'stub' switch). I have found this: https://www.piko-america.com/products/three-way-switch-w3-15-15-r9-ho-scale but I would modify this so that the points were the same length by offsetting the po...