The Home Machinist!

Scale Fire brick? Cannot say that I have ever seen it.

Lagging if it is used, s typically something like fibrefrax wrapped completely over the boiler and held in place by the sheet metal covering.

or you can put the wheel in the correct position (Loctite) then drill a round key 1/2 in the axle and 1/2 in the wheel. This is best done with a 2 flute end mill.

In reality with a small engine, Loctite is more than enough if you don't want to fool with keys.

I use propane burners, very similar to what you see on the end of a Burnz-O-Matic torch but with a larger gas orifice. They are not like Marty Burners which need to be mounted vertically. The burners are mounted throat sheet below the mud ring pointed toward the firedoor, similar to the way an oil b...

agreed on the TRACK OILERS.... good thing Pat F has the sanding car...or Joe Ng would NEVER get up the hill with his pacific. I have also had Pat F push Jim Stuart and me and our Tom thumb right up the back grade at WLS with George's engine and a string of cars, so given good conditions, a 3/4"...

You would need to get someone at WLS to get out a tape measure. George is no longer with us and I seriously doubt that there is anyone alive that has actually put the loco on a scale. I guess the weight (loco) at 175" or so - about what my 3/4" Hudson weighs. Like most Mikes...it is not sl...

do not worry about increasing the size of the bore for this or most any 3/4" locos. There are very few out there that will stall before they slip. The Tom Thumb that I run, with 7/8" bore and 50# on STEEL drivers WILL stall, but that is one of the few engines that I have seen / run with th...

Joe:

I purchased a lathe set from DRO PROs (back of LSORR magazine).

It is a very nice product, exactly as advertised, zero problems.

I will do it again when my Accu-Rite (30 years old) finally dies on my Wells-Index

You ran an ST225? Wow...not too many of you out there.... Yes, Blaser Lube is a very good water soluble product and used world-wide in production environments. Despite that, if you are concerned about machine warranty, there are some manufacturers who will not support the warranty if water-soluble l...

this may not be a politically correct statement, but I avoid taps from china and india.

known brands from Poland, Czech republic and Japan are just fine.

Of course, support US manufacturers first, even if they are a little more $$.

Yes...it is different than a lube pump because you don't have rings on the pump...just the ram. Lapping loose rings to an unknown bore is not a good idea..plus the problem of holding them to use them as a lapping surface. In reality after you have a good bore you do not need to lap the rings. A good...

lapping ball seats is one thing, lapping a piston bore is another, and yes Timesaver is a good product, so are Colgate, Crest and others if you are really desperate No knowing your lapping experience level: I would suggest that you not use the piston rings as a lap since they will tend to rotate on ...

Balls work well, but generally are really not designed for throttling and can be a bit touchy at the opening when you want 'just a little'.

V-Balls are designed for throttling and allow much more control at the 'get-go'.