The Home Machinist!

Another fine job working copper to give proper detail to the firebox and backhead. Nothing like having a locomotive with such details, which are so often lacking. The extra effort is always worth the end result. Bigger question is did you fit the copper sheets to the boiler before the boiler was att...

Recently I was tasked with a complete set of new rod bushings for a full size steam locomotive. Lots of heavy 660 bronze tubes and a Bullard 42 inch diameter chuck on the vertical turret lathe. Made about 1954, the monster machine tool has not seen that much use, but is showing some age after almost...

Is that some hex stock being used to form the mud ring and give plenty of Vee groove for a suitable weld?

Much easier to do a complete inspection of the dry pipe this way.

Avoid using too much oil on a hand pump or an axle pump.

Got to looking at the valve hand wheel castings on the turret valves. They are just smaller versions of a standard design that was popular on both sides of the big pond it seems. A simple yet elegant design that looks as good today as it did a century ago.

I found the same style of small anchor block located under the tailstock of my new Jet gear head 1340 lathe when it arrived. Same anchor block was used for the steady rest no less. The anchor block was perhaps half the length of the tailstock base and when tight, would allow the tailstock to move wi...

What scale is the locomotive? All boiler feed water supply lines should be as free flowing as possible with as few right angle bends as possible. The 1/8 diameter tubing is definitely part of the problem. Straighten out the supply line from pump to the check valve as much as possible and use at leas...

With some careful evaluation, it was discovered that the rotary table had a sump for oil and a drain plug. We removed the drain plug and it was dry of oil. Not a good sign, no wonder it would not rotate when the table clamps were all loose. Filled the sump with a thin machine oil and let it marinate...

Long ago I watched a friend install a well worn blade on his bandsaw. He then got out his small angle head grinder and proceeded to quickly remove the teeth that remained on the blade while the blade was in operation. A great show of sparks. He than began to stop the saw and check the width of the b...

Jack, The very late model compressor governor was often noted for being easier to service than the earlier model pump governors. They were also known for being more reliable with fewer road failures. By that time in development of the compressor governors, Westinghouse had finally figured out what w...

Mike, From what Dick Finn he told me he keeps in on display at the museum in the winter months and then takes it up to the monster track in St. Croix for the summer. Once the good weather is over with, he brings it back to the museum. With the current Covid conditions, no telling what he is doing wi...