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The triple has been stripped down for her final painting, reassembled and tested. Reasonably happy with the result. Now that we all have time on our hands it's back to the workshop for a new project. Take care all in these difficult times. Mike.

Hi All Eight months on and things are progressing well. With all the expansion arm actuators completed, the worm gear assembly done, the water and air pump assembly with associated plumbing. Not sure how to tackle the condenser as yet, the casting version has it as part of the stanchions. I...

Hi All Back in the workshop and thought I would tackle a triple, started a couple of months ago and things are progressing well. The columns supporting the cylinders proved a bit of a challenge as were the split eccentrics but all in all things are going well. Cheers.

Progress is slow with the usual two steps forward one back. Main additions are the boiler and some plumbing, the steering gear, bits and pieces for the cylinder assemblies. I intend to clad the boiler with walnut, I think it would have had some form of cladding? Anyhow back to the shed...

Hi All Big gears finished and a trial fit up, seems to run smoothly at this stage. Vederstein... you may be right, could be a pain in the ass!:wall:

Hi all I hope everyone had a great Xmas, now it's time to get back to the workshop. I thought I would have a go at something different so I picked a design by Julius De Waal. This was a steam traction engine designed by Patrick Sterling but never actually built so I should be able to make...

Hi All As with most Australians I became concerned with the ever growing power bill, getting ripped off by greedy energy suppliers but that is getting a little political so I wont go there. I have hit back by going solar in the shed, it has been operating for over 12 months now with not one...

Hi All I recently returned to a smaller lathe after having a 300mm unit for several years, the chucks were a pain to lift and change. I had owned the smaller 200mm in the past but the 5mm drive belts were a nightmare, breaking at the most inopportune times.(And costing over $30). I got hold...

Hi All The deck gun is finished with the addition of the sights and gun aimers shoulder support. so it's off to the display cabinet while I contemplate the next project. Mike.:)

Hi All The naval gun is all but finished with the elevator and training mechanisms fitted. All that is left to be done is to fit a couple of telescopic sights and she is off to the display cabinet. Cheers for now Mike.

Hi all. It has been some time since I made a contribution to this forum. I know this has been done before, indeed I wanted to build one after seeing it in HMEM. A start was made a couple of months ago and it only requires work on the elevation and rotation mechanisms. The bore was made 3/16"...

Hi All I am keen to return to the workshop after recently finishing the V8 steam engine. I would like to build a steam aviation engine, the castings and plans were available from Myers engine works but I can't seem to get a reply to emails as to weather they will be made available in the...

Hi all The V8 steam engine is finally finished and yes it runs smoothly on air. A couple of stats of interest.... she weighs around 22kg? She contains over 300 individual machined components as well as numerous screws, washers, gaskets etc. Calculated displacement is about 115cc. Any ideas as...

Hi All It has been a couple of months since posting an update, so here goes. All the eccentrics and straps finished, the rods with their split bearings done, the valves machined, stainless rods done. Slowly but surely it is getting there. Cheers for now Mike.

Hi All Progress has been slow. I have finished the crankshaft, finished all the steam passages, turned the pistons from cast iron and fitted the stainless rods, changed the original bushes to ball bearings, made a couple of sprockets for the eccentric shaft drive. Finally finished tapping the...

Hi all One last flurry in the workshop before a brief break for xmas. Whipped up a couple of end plates, a pair of main shaft bearings and made a start on the crankshaft. The brass plates are wear plates as I don't like the idea of "'D" valves running on the alloy. Wishing all a safe and happy...

Hi All Well I am back in the workshop after an extended break and it feels great. In the years I have been building I have made everything from beam engines , horozontal ,oscilating etc plus a variety of locos up to 5" gauge, but never, ever a V8 steam engine? I sort of design as I go so we...

Hi All The Decauville is finally finished, I must say I have built several locos in both 3.5" and 5"gauge and this was the most challenging. She is a coal burner but will never see a fire in that tiny firebox, it would destroy the paintwork. She does run on air, so it's off to the display...

Hi All The Decauville is slowly going forward with the smokebox door completed. Blast nozzle and some pipework in the smokebox. A regulator cum steam turret has been fitted. The cab is slowly taking shape and the boiler is almost completed, not sure if it will work as yet, it's very narrow and...

Hi all It has been some time since I posted an update on the Decauville, but I have been slowly but surely progressing. It seems that sometimes it's two steps forward and one back. The plans are a bit lacking and the fact that I descided to make her a coal fired engine isn't helping, to be...