The Home Machinist!

I need to make 4 axle sets for my 7.5" gauge streetcar. Each wheel will be machined from mild steel, 4.4" diameter and 1-1/8" thick (finished) and bored 1/2". The axles will be from A2 drill rod, 5/8" diameter stepped to 0.501" to press-fit the wheels. I am REALLY undec...

I burned almost a 100lb feed sack full of wood scraps yesterday in about 2 hours time. If you were able to burn 100 pounds of wood in 2 hours there is nothing wrong with your fire - you need better fuel! The other advantage of coal, particularly the hard coal that I burn, it that under draft you ge...

From a cold start you will need some kind of "draft aid" - I use an electric fan on my 1/2 scale Russell and it is a LOT bigger than a 1/4 scale Case. With cold water in the boiler, the hot gases just DON'T want to go down the tubes! You grate proportions sound okay - I think you want abou...

SteveM wrote: If you want to see slow, try parting 3-1/2" steel with an Atlas.

ROFLMAO!!!

It is taking me about 1 hour per blank to bring the rim into true.

Good point Steve! I am using a WWII Southbend, flat-belt driven, with worn & non-adjustable headstock bearings - but it is all I have and can afford. The wheel blanks are mild steel plate. My concern is not with turning the rest of the wheel, just the tire profile. I think I have it worked out a...

While doing a very boring job (truing up the rim of 12 wheel blanks) I have been studying the IBLS profile and scratching my head over the best and most accurate way of doing this 12 times consistently. The wheels will be pressed on to the axles and turned between centres in my ancient Southbend lat...

I stand corrected on the safety valve on a T.

Also, if memory serves, mounting the gauge off of the water space will give slightly different performance than feeding it from steam space. A siphon or other means of isolating the gauge from the heat of the steam/water is always required.

chiloquinruss wrote:Good service and lots of parts. Russ

http://www.electricscooterparts.com/

But don't expect them to know anything about the parts they sell! I bought 4 100W motors from them and they kept delaying the shipping date - ended up being 4 months later than promised.

I have a jeweller's saw but no idea where to find blades to cut steel.

I hope to have my whole project pretty much done in 6 months but thanks for the offer!

Now gentlemen, don't fight! :wink: I am afraid the holes are only #10 and I don't have a fine enough metal-cutting blade for that. I am also the one controlling the purse strings and buying a mill is absolutely out of the question - I am retired and live on a pension - so hand-filed they will have t...

I have decided to press-fit the wheels and use split bearings - there isn't enough space to get fancy.

Welcome aboard, glad to see your interest in mechanical things. Thanks for the welcome but I have been around for awhile - just back under a new username after a hiatus. You would have to blame my father for my mechanical interest - he was a mechanic with a keen interest in antique machinery and, a...