The Home Machinist!

What year and model is that Stanley?
Nice project.
RussN

HAHA LOL!
A good acquisition! BTDT.

A good shop really helps locomotive construction and more. Enjoy the process and results.
RussN

I would use hot-rolled steel bar pressed into slotted ties.
RussN

RussN

Bill Shields wrote: ↑Tue Apr 09, 2024 10:18 pm IIRC Fred did it with a small chisel re-shaped tool to round the ends over, about 10 degrees at a time.

Brings back memories:
I have beaded hundreds of 2" boiler tubes using an air hammer and those hooked beading tools.
I get sore just remembering that!
RussN

Interesting. The drawings shown on your chosen website illustrate the same final inner/outer expansion/beading you can get with the expanding tool I was referring to. I can see that for large tubing a solid tool rotated as illustrated would be required. Thanks for sharing. Of course I was thinking a...

Another job Well Done!
RussN

I believe the process referred to -prossering- is internal expansion of the tubes using what looks like a collet that expands outward. That tool is called a "prosser" and they are commonly used to expand engine exhaust tailpipes. I have also seen them specifically for boiler tube expanding...

Bruce:
Very useful observations you shared.
Thank you.
RussN

What Bill said. I don't understand the requirement "to let the safety valve cool off to get the reset pressure consistent." I did not get that from Anthony's posting. I DID understand that several release/close cycles should be done to verify the new setting. What did I miss? I have watche...

jcfx wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 6:10 pm Don't think online metals ships to the UK, you might try Googling for - aluminum extrusion suppliers in the UK
to find something closer to you.

Good call. Sorry to potentially mislead you.
At least you can see what exists in N America...
RussN

The head is rotated 180 degrees inverted to lower the center of gravity during transport.
RussN