Search found 751 matches

by RONALD
Wed Dec 20, 2023 10:22 am
Forum: Casting & Foundry Work
Topic: Lost foam casting
Replies: 8
Views: 15411

Re: Lost foam casting

I got into Lost Foam back in the late 1960's when my brother came across a patent by Harold Shroyer. The foundry industry, because they would have to pay for use of his patent, waited until it ran out before adopting the process for all kinds of castings. Rather than repeat what I put on here in the...
by RONALD
Sat Nov 18, 2023 9:59 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Paint question
Replies: 21
Views: 11365

Re: Paint question

Here is what I use, for Box Car Red I use their Chestnut, but they do have both Red and Gray Primers in the 5200 Series: https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/industrial-brands/commercial/acrylic-coatings/5200-system-dtm-acrylic https://www.rustoleum.com/-/media/DigitalEncyclopedia/Documents/Rus...
by RONALD
Thu Nov 16, 2023 10:22 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Foundry flasks
Replies: 26
Views: 16893

Re: Foundry flasks

When the last foundry was closed, I bought some of it for a few $$$, and here is our first pour.

Those metal flaks are magnesium and ran ~ $400 each when new, I got ten of them for just a few $$.

Near the bottom are two wooden flasks I made.

The sand is PetroBond.

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by RONALD
Thu Nov 16, 2023 10:11 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Foundry flasks
Replies: 26
Views: 16893

Re: Foundry flasks

Here is what a high school Foundry Class looked like in the 1970's, Mike and Ray standing in the center are the instructors, and happened to also be graduates of the high school. That scene as been long gone, and the school today has STEM, save lotsa $$$$$$ that way! Flasks are all steel, which work...
by RONALD
Thu Nov 16, 2023 9:49 am
Forum: Lathes
Topic: Boring for Chuck Jaws?
Replies: 25
Views: 29058

Re: Boring for Chuck Jaws?

I bought Royal 5C Collets when they were still producing them in the 1990's, have no problem with small diameters.

It was those cheap foreign collets that drove Royal out of making them.
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by RONALD
Mon Nov 13, 2023 8:17 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Generator Castings
Replies: 8
Views: 8530

Re: Generator Castings

I did not know Ulrich had died, he was the guy with the 7-1/16th gauge RR in an old gravel quarry, we visited him several times many years ago. He did some super precision stuff, and if I remember right, had two B&S Screw machines in his basement to turn out small parts. Is his RR a thing of the...
by RONALD
Sat Nov 11, 2023 9:53 am
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: What is the best height for a locomotive stand?
Replies: 16
Views: 14274

Re: What is the best height for a locomotive stand?

If you go over to Harbor Frate, you can buy one of their lift tables, and have a variable height stand like I did. On that lift table is a roller assembly for the locomotive to run on air, but it could be of any design. Behind it, is my welded stand at a permanent height. If you want to go really bi...
by RONALD
Sat Nov 11, 2023 9:32 am
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: General Steel Casting Corp patent plate
Replies: 1
Views: 2143

Re: General Steel Casting Corp patent plate

I never knew General Steel put such a plate on their Water Bed castings.

I could use some for the several Water Bed castings I made using A356.

How did you make your castings?

My castings were done with a styrofoam pattern embedded in sodium silicate treated sand.
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by RONALD
Tue Nov 07, 2023 11:01 am
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: coal size
Replies: 13
Views: 6314

Re: coal size

We have bought our coal from: https://www.centaurforge.com/Coal-Coke/products/277/

We drive up there and load a few bags.

Whatever size coal is in the bag is what is used.

Whether it is exactly correct for 1/8th scale steam locomotives, it does the job.
by RONALD
Thu Nov 02, 2023 9:08 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Buying End Mills
Replies: 10
Views: 5081

Re: Buying End Mills

I buy my end mills from Travers Tools: https://www.google.com/search?client=sa ... 8&oe=UTF-8

They have a monthly sales catalog, and also a big catalog, get on their mailing list.

You can ask them questions.
by RONALD
Tue Oct 31, 2023 9:31 pm
Forum: Live Steam
Topic: Large riveting job
Replies: 20
Views: 8292

Re: Large riveting job

I have used #2 Stainless Steel Drive Screws by the gross as a no-holding decoration on several projects. The two Turntables I constructed have many, as will the new bridge I have yet to build. Here is a Little Engines 0-6-0 that I started waaaaay back (It still runs only on air) which has #2DS's for...
by RONALD
Mon Oct 30, 2023 7:53 pm
Forum: Riding Scale Railroading
Topic: 7.x gauge 3-way switch
Replies: 9
Views: 4340

Re: 7.x gauge 3-way switch

You will have trouble finding a 1/8th scale Switchtender to continually sweep ballast and other junk out of those Forty points!

In HO, all ballast is glued in place.

Here is what my standard 16 ft points look like:
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