The Home Machinist!

Short update: last week I took it to the track for a hydro test on the boiler, which passed. However, several pipe joints had seeps and need to be tightened. This week I returned to the track and attempted a steam up. Still some small seeps, but I had problems in firing. First issue is that my stack...

Passed hydro today. No leaks from boiler even though new piping has a couple of leaky pipe thread joints (will tighten). Left the loco at the track and am thinking to light a fire next Wednesday if the weather cooperates.

I have the Solidworks veterans/student license. McMaster SW parts can be downloaded and used in assemblies here too.

Another free option is OnShape, a cloud-based system that's free to hobbyists. It's quite new, but is quite powerful.

That's a new class of builder - not just rivet counter but rivet head counter.

After much fiddling plus discussion with a very experienced builder, I decided to use brass compression fittings along with the SS tube. http://www.pbase.com/kvom/image/162557340/large.jpg Tube bends were relatively straightforward, and there's no interference with the petticoat. Then I have basical...

I noticed a couple of women machinists in the film. The 'Rosie the Riveter' meme was common during WWII here in the US, but I wasn't aware that Germany had drafted its women into industry.

I saw Pipes' use of stencils from this site for his American, so I inquired about getting some done myself. Got a reply that she is shutting down and retiring, so no new customers.

I found and ordered a quantity of SS hex nipples on Amazon that can replace the brass ones used in the prior photo. No luck looking for a 45 degree with mail and female like the brass one. I think I can make one with 2 female threads and use a nipple for the male end. OTOH that 45 degree brass nippl...

My stainless compression fittings and tube arrived from McMaster. The fittings are longer than I imagined, and a quick fit to the loco revealed a few problems. http://www.pbase.com/kvom/image/162495549/large.jpg The one on the steam port on top would interfere with the petticoat, and on the bottom i...

Assessing the reassembly and piping project. Club member said copper tube in the smoke box is liable to corrode away, so I just ordered some SS tube and fittings from McMaster. Painted the boiler jacket again. Also ordered some elbows and brass pipe from PMR. I have remade the turret as well without...

If the piston is made thicker you could end up with the same space at each end at the end of the stroke.

Hydro was a meaningfull success as there was no leakage through the throttle @100 psi. A couple of seeps from tapped connections, but I intend to rebuilt the turret head anyway as well as redoing 90% of the piping.