The Home Machinist!

I got the header all tacked up which was a multi-step process because I didn't want to take the whole frame back into work, cut, tack, test fit, repeat. Now I can weld it up Monday and then I just need to cope the motor mount and match drill the holes in the frame and I can see how it sounds. The ex...

Looking good! I've plug welded stuff with both the TIG and MIG before and it does resemble rivets. Of course the flat cars I'm working on have 4 bolts each holding the stake pockets on, which means 36 x 4 drilled and tapped holes:(

5 sets remaining....

Here we go, making the motor mount from a piece of C8x11.5: Pic 1-Drilling the holes that will mount the engine to the channel, and channel to frame rails. I'm not welding this piece on, so I can change it in case I want to change engines and also so the welding doesn't warp the frame. I had to take...

Hmmph, the Costco batteries are supposed to be the good ones still made in the USA. So many are all made in China now.

Couple of years ago, Dick Morris’ suggested possibly installing new tires on the drivers, - with the flanges set in to achieve the 3/4” reduction in gauge (3/8 “ each side). This would be optimum as it won’t have any effect on the alignment of rods or cylinders, or frame. I plan on doing a fairly c...

I think running the parting tool into the axle behind the wheel and pressing the wheel further onto the axle is a neat trick. I agree to a certain extent with LVRR, you'll need to deal with the main rods and crank pins or potentially modify the frame and move the cylinders inwards(unless it's one ca...

Thanks NP! I have a couple aces in the hole, mainly CAD and access to the laser. I'm able to draw up all my parts, fit them together, then export them into groups of parts that are the same plate thickness and send them to the laser programmers estimator/processor. As long as I scrap bin dive for my...

I removed the GX390 from it's old pressure washer frame tonight, removed it's muffler, and sat it on the chassis to get it measured up for a motor mount. I think I'm going to cope a chunk of C8 or C10 channel and bolt it across the frame rails the wood is only to hold the engine up for measuring dis...

I have for sale 6 sets of truck frames with steel wheel blanks that were originally ordered by a Chaski and Train Mountain member which passed away in May. His widow would like me to re-sell them if possible. Here's what I know: -These were intended for a 1.5" scale universal box cab type locomotive...

Thanks for the offer BDD. I will see how the GX390 works as far as having enough power and go from there. Because I have the adjustable gear ratio on the final drive I can always mount a larger drive sprocket to turn the additional HP into speed or leave it the same for more torque if I upgrade to a...

It's a tall order making it sound decent. I know on my kart engine I ran the valve lash at zero (cold). When warm the lash opens up a little, but it made the clatter go away 95% and also gets every .001" of lift in the game. I was looking at the specs on the V-twins and they are more "cube" shaped a...