Some time ago I managed to get myself a copy of
Kenneth Wells Step By Step Metalwork book 3 (I now also have a second better copy)
This book is from the 70s and was to be used in highschool metalwork classes to make a toy Steam traction engine, similar to a Mamod engine and a stationary engine.
Then a little bit later I purchased off ebay what I thought were castings for the smokebox on the TE and the engine mount for the stationary.
Imagine my surprise when I got them and realised they were the patterns.
Those patterns are now with xchainsaw who is going to cast them up.
I previously got a set of 'Wells' wheels off Xchainsaw which have been waiting for me to do something with.
I finally got round to doing something with them last weekend whilst waiting for parts for other projects to arrive and the Varnish to dry on the wooden base for my mill.
Here is one wheel machined next to it's painted but unmachined partner.
And both machined.
I did a better job on the second as this is the first time I've worked with castings and ali.
This will be a back burner project I do whilst waiting for parts to arrive on my other projects so I don't expect to finish this one soon but I did enjoy machining these wheels.
Kenneth Wells Step By Step Metalwork book 3 (I now also have a second better copy)
This book is from the 70s and was to be used in highschool metalwork classes to make a toy Steam traction engine, similar to a Mamod engine and a stationary engine.
Then a little bit later I purchased off ebay what I thought were castings for the smokebox on the TE and the engine mount for the stationary.
Imagine my surprise when I got them and realised they were the patterns.
Those patterns are now with xchainsaw who is going to cast them up.
I previously got a set of 'Wells' wheels off Xchainsaw which have been waiting for me to do something with.
I finally got round to doing something with them last weekend whilst waiting for parts for other projects to arrive and the Varnish to dry on the wooden base for my mill.
Here is one wheel machined next to it's painted but unmachined partner.
And both machined.
I did a better job on the second as this is the first time I've worked with castings and ali.
This will be a back burner project I do whilst waiting for parts to arrive on my other projects so I don't expect to finish this one soon but I did enjoy machining these wheels.
and require basic skills as was taught in metal work in 1972 to 78 at secondary level. research has revealed that the skill levels were the same for the uk and usa and australia which i find remarkable!! id always thought that australia might have been a bit backward but apparantly not. i was doing metal work at this time at school! 
