Search results

stub-length split-point high-speed-cobalt, from Precision Twist Drills is all I use (unless I need to go deeper with a jobber length, but only after starting with a stub-length). Drill by pecking, 1-diameter at a time, and removing the drill and re-filling the hole with Tap-Magic cutting fluid...

Dan, get a copy of Kozo Hiraoka's "The Pennsylvania A3 Switcher", the subtitle of the book is "The first project for the beginner" which is very apt. I have a collection of similar books, and without a doubt Kozo's is the very best. There's more to learn in this hobby than you can ever get from...

All, I've looked into the theory that steam engines won't run on air, or won't run well on air. The main difference is that steam is hot and air is cold, so from thermodynamics, at the same pressure, hot gas has more energy than cold gas, so you get more power out of the hot steam than you...

Jim, the tin solder you are using, with 430-F mp, is hard to find a flux to use with, the typical tin/lead solder mp is around 360-F, which is why I agree with all those before me that said you're probably over-heating. But, while they called it "silver solder" this is misleading, it has only...

Steam4, I built a small Kozo A3 switcher with a 3" copper boiler using MAPP gas that you can find in plumbing supply of your local hardware store. It requires wrapping an insulating blanket around the copper to keep it from radiating away all the heat you try to apply. The heat...

The issue I am bringing up is that for a compound steam engine the transfer of steam from one cylinder to the next only happens when both the exhaust valve of the higher pressure cylinder and the intake valve of the lower pressure cylinder are open at the same time (neglecting the volume of the...