The Home Machinist!

Well, I got my plans the other day and made a start this morning. Got quite a bit done. This is my first loco build but I have been making i.c. and steam engines for years. I've been a machinist for a little over twenty years and a tinkerer most of my life so this is right up my alley. I have a very nice club just a few minutes up the road (Indiana Live Steamers) so hopefully will get over there this summer.
I plan on documenting the build on here. We'll see how it goes.
Thanks,
Martin

Welcome Martin! We're eager to watch your progress. And a good choice of engine. I think it is well proportioned and a good size. Not too big, not too small.

Wait a minute. You made all those parts in one day?

-- Russell Mac

Yep. Couple hours not including the time looking through the prints.
Martin

Really?

What are you using to cut the parts?

Yes really using a waterjet. Takes a few minutes to generate the cut file, copy the part x # of times, tab together and bam. Easy peazy.

These are most of the sheet metal parts. All but the frame is stainless. I didn't have any 1/2" thick stainless so they're just a36 plate steel. I think I have all the 1/8" and 1/4" thick parts done. I still have to look through the plans a little more closely and see if I've missed anything.
I ordered the first couple sets of the castings from Allem models. Steve said he's out for a few more days but will get them out when he returns. If he ships as fast as he did the plans I should have castings in about a week and a half.

So let me start with what will I'm sure be a long list of dumb questions. On the plans the pistons and cylinder are both called out as 1 1/4, but if you look through Allen mdls site is shows 1 3/8" rings. Do most just bore out to 1.375? Is it just up to the builder?

Thanks
Martin

those cylinders will take the 1.375" bore, and that is what you need. if you use the smaller 1 1/4" bore, your locomotive won't have enough power, and will stall out with a heavy load.

Thanks for the help. I'll plan on the larger cylinder bores then.

Martin

Got the spring steel pieces all cut out and de-burred. Only about 3,543 parts left to go. I should be done by retirement.

Martin

"I should be done by retirement."

Nope. There will always be something more to do...
RussN

I am so jealous.
Before I retired one of the departments I had under my supervision was the Toolroom which included a 7 x 14 foot working area, 5-axis, Omax waterjet.
I did a lot of the shop programming for it plus I spent many free hours on my personal projects... all before starting another loco in retirement. Of course now I'm 100+ miles away from it.
Geez I miss that machine.
Keep up the great work!
Denny

Got a few small parts cut this morning. I need to get going on some mill work on all the frame parts.
Martin

.