Machining a Model Steam Engine - Part 20 - Assemble and Run

[@joepie221]

A FEW THINGS TO PASS ALONG: 1. Everything that slid, move, went up and down, side to side, in and out or rotated, had oil on it. Maybe not shown in the video, but it was done. 2. The crank does have features to accept the grub screws so they don't scar the crank. Also a personal detail not on the print. 3. No the shop isn't technically near a race track, its more like a state owned drag strip. US 183 4. My local home center doesn't sell ignition wrenches, so I improvised. 5. I'm sticking with air power for now. 6. Sorry about the pin on the clevis rotation. It got fixed before the end of the video. 7. Yes, hex head bolts would look awesome, but don't come with the kit. 8. I will watch Keith Appletons video to learn how to time this model. 9. Thank you all for your holiday wishes and please know, I wish the same for you and your loved ones. 10. This model is running in reverse. A 180 degree rotation of the eccentric will correct that.

[@cliveclapham6451]

Merry Christmas 🎄 excellent Really wants a wood clad boiler lMHO. Woooooh Woooooh

[@TheOwlman]

Number 8 is a grand idea! Looks very nice though. Have a great holiday and a happy new year to everyone, let us hope for a better 2021.

[@highpwr]

#3 😰😄 I live on a similarly "city" owned drag strip. City employees frequent it's use regularly as well seeing as how I am located two blocks away from the local PD and Fire departments. Lots of air horns and sirens all day and all night every... single... day... Picking nits aside, a job well done and appreciate you sharing it with us. Feliz Navidad to you and your's Joe. Hoping that 2021 will be much kinder to all of us!

[@davidturner6509]

Square head bolts and nuts would look good too.

[@simongreen6284]

Looks really good. Would like to see it when you've mounted it on a stand. Do you intend to paint any of the castings?

[@stevebark4873]

Worked on many similar full sized machines in my life. Piston clearance was always set with 2/3rds clearance on front head & 1/3rd on the back head. We used to crush lead solder between the piston & head to measure the clearance. This allows for expansion of the piston rod during operation. Thanks for all the information you’ve passed along to me and others. Your tips are clear & concise.

[@jeffarmstrong1308]

Very nice job, Joe. Once you oil it properly and adjust the timing for early admission of steam you will avoid that knock. If you must run it on air make sure that you oil EVERY moving part. Steam has a degree of lubricity that is missing from compressed air so you should find that it run even better under steam.

[@joepie221]

Thanks. I tried to locate the knock to no avail. I may play with the timing as time permits.

[@barrythurgood4147]

Hi Joe, my word that looks superb, I have followed the series and have learnt so much, also from your other topics. I love your style as well, it takes me back to 1969 when I studied Mechanical Engineering at Harlow Technical College, UK. Our workshop teacher, Bob Loader, and the Store Keeper, Percy Street, were real characters, we used to “wind up” Mr Street by asking for a ruler, to get the response “ A ruler! Only wood butchers and greengrocers use a ruler, an engineer uses a rule.” Enough reminiscing, I diverted to the construction industry for a career, there we install 20mm bolts in 22mm holes! I am retiring in the New Year and reverting to Mechanical Engineering , building steam locomotives. I am currently working on a 5” gauge Great Western 0-6-0 Pannier Tank, drawn and designed by LBSC in the 1950’s. The point of all this rambling is that although LBSC (nom de plume) was a little eccentric he insisted his designs were not models but miniatures as they did all the same things their larger sisters did, only smaller. That must surely apply to your horizontal engine. Once again thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and very best wishes to your and yours for Christmas and the New Year from the UK. With a little Engineer’s logic and common sense we can get the virus beaten. Bless you.

[@gadsden1957]

Joe, I enjoy every video you have make it entertains me, educates me, and humbles me by reminding me that I never stop learning, my first projects will be making more tools like collet blocks, vise stops, etc. I'm just starting to set up a small home shop. are there any other handy tools to "make life easier" that you haven't made a video of ? or any old tools you made a long time ago, I just turned 63 and I still have the second project I ever made in High school a machinist hammer. and other misc. tools I have made or altered, I needed some really thin open end wrenches one time for hydraulic fittings and was sure happy to see that the job site had a surface grinder. I saw a video of a draw-bar tool where the head was a socket on one side and soft hammer on the other I plan on making one soon, would love to see your version. I remember when I was a kid my Dad told me "if you need a tool and you can't get it, make it". He was an awesome dude he had a small engine business and in the late 50's go cart racing was the poor mans NASCAR, he was so obsessed with it he read books on making aluminum castings then would design and make his own carburetors, he set a track record for the single engine class at 127.5 MPH. (Born Christmas day 1921, a teen on a chicken farm during the depression only finishing 8th grade but he read a lot , exempt from the draft he was the only son became a Staff Sergent in the Ardennes campaign earned 2 Bronze Stars and a Purple heart. I am one of the truly blessed that can say my hero and my father are one in the same) I love watching a master create a work of art. keep it up Joe and Merry Christmas. sincerely Mark, Waterford, Mi.

[@jobkneppers]

Mark, that's a wonderful comment! Thank you!

[@mrc1539]

Absolutely beautiful Joe, all it needs now is a nice walnut stand with a brass plate that’s says made by Joe Pie 2020 . Then you can start on building the boiler for it 😉😉 ! Still think you should auction it off , or have a Raffle, so we could watch you build another one. Ha ha , take care have a Merry Christmas and thanks again for all the tips and tricks .

[@joepie221]

If I auctioned this off, the minimum starting bid would have most of you rolling on the floor laughing. imagine the real value of this just based on a standard shop rate. The joke would be on me when someone just 'wrote the check'. I'd be sad to see it go. ( but i'd get over it)

[@mrc1539]

@@joepie221 , only those who have never built anything would laugh, those of us that have built anything or tried can understand the effort , workmanship, satisfaction , and pride that goes along with something like this project . To me the term priceless comes to mind . Best to you , and enjoy the Christmas present that you made for yourself 😊 !

[@henkvaneeden9054]

Well done Joe! Who else smiled when you saw it going ? I surely did!

[@GaryT1952]

Love the roller bearing set-up for the bend...so obvious in retrospect...added to my list of work-throughs that I have gleaned from your presentations. Thanks for this series Joe Pie...enjoyed every minute!

[@pittsford2]

Thank you so much for taking the time to do all these videos. I learnt so much about work holding and other tip and tricks from them. Have a great Christmas.

[@scottthornton9237]

Every time you hear that little engine clack, think of it as one of 107,000 subscribers applauding! Just think of the roar you would be listing to! Great work and videos Joe! I have been anxiously awaiting each episode of this build, throughout! Thank You and Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@bluemarkthomas]

I used to be a toolmaker until my plant was closed. I'm now being retrained as an industrial electrician. I bought this kit after watching your videos. It's very fun to machine. I haven't built anything to a print since 2014. I can't believe how much I miss working as a professional toolmaker. Working in a fully equipped industrial toolroom was the highlight of my career.

[@traktorworks3200]

hello bluemarkthomas a similar thing happened to me. was working as a design draftsperson at a manufacturing works and thoroughly enjoyed it. 50 people in the production works alone. then one day the whole business was shipped to China. it was the 3rd. company this happened to that I had connections with. at that stage I had had enough of this bullshit so retired. to sate my design work passion I bought a good lathe and along with my cad 3D modeling knowledge I get private work. its not the same as working in a whole business but it has its rewards... so I share your reflections wishes from australia

[@5tr41ghtGuy]

This project has been full of challenges in set up, work holding, and machining; not to mention showing in detail how a basic steam engine works. Thanks so much Joe for making these videos, from which I have personally learned a heckuva lot!

[@royreynolds108]

My praises for a job well done. It runs as well as I was expecting. When "broken in", it should be able to run by blowing into the input port. As I commented elsewhere, this style or design of engine is not for high speed running. Full-sized engines of this design usually ran less than 150 RPM. I worked on a full-sized engine(4" x 16") that top speed was 15 or 16 RPM but it had 2 cylinders cranked at 90* to be self starting.

[@billrichardson4873]

Great job!!! Now ready for the NEXT PROJECT! ( THE FLUX CAPICATOR ) Ok little above my head... Thanks Joe for sharing and taking time for this build. Very interesting to say the least!!!!!

[@matthewhelton1725]

Wonderful result! Thank you for sharing this! Glad you caught the valve rod clevis issue before the internet cognoscenti went off on you (too much). You might want to put a very little bit of cotton from a Q-tip in the oil cups to slow oil distribution a bit if using 3-in-1 or MMO. If you want to go for really slow RPM and a more authentic-sounding engine; Keith Appleton (Mainsteam) has several tutorials on setting valve timing for steam engines. Best to you and yours this Christmas! Have a very Happy New Year!

[@Margarinetaylorgrease]

Keith is also just a pleasure to listen to as well.

[@joepie221]

Matthew, thanks for your support, comments and backup during this project.

[@martineastburn3679]

My propane model fires on both ends of travel driving it back and forth ! I is an engine! This is a great presentation on calibration.

[@martinvandermerwe484]

I found a small museum in the south of England displaying model steam trains and traction engines. Particularly interesting were the builders workshops on display. This was in the days before electricity and all the machine tools were powered by small steam engines. Before you could start machining you had to fire up your boiler!

[@jademarriott7660]

Can you tell me where that was please? I’d like to go and see that, when of course we get this bloody COVID-19 under control and out of this lockdown here in England.

[@dougc314]

Thank you. I am an amature machinist, electronics engineer by trade ( 44 years an engineer, class of '77) . A decade ago or so ago I mentioned to a friend at work that I was interested in machining. He loaned me a Taig lathe and I built a very simple Liney model on it. I've built a few other Liney machines since then, (plus other stuff) using an HF mini lathe and mill (modified a bit, as per necessary). I decided to build a real steam machine (although I'll run it on air) recently and stumbled upon both the current builds on You Tube. I new about Stuart kits, but not PM Research. I appreciate your balance between showing every detail, and the important aspects. Also your experience as a machinist/engineer shines over all you show and do. My lathe, mill and vise are much smaller than yours, so some of the setups you employ, I can't manage, but at least you have have shown me how to think about alternate setups. ( I need some 0.5, 1 1.5 blocks!) I have the kit and have started machining it, based more (but not entirely) on your methods. I am looking forward to more machining of it over the next week. From now on when I have a new to me machining task I'm going to check and see if you have done something similar that can shed some insight on how to do it.

[@joepie221]

Feel free to ask questions.

[@SytheZN]

Nice one! Looks great, and I hope to see more. You can eliminate that pinch point by rotating the eccentric 180° to run the engine the other direction so the crank comes up at the back rather than biting you

[@gregwarner3753]

Even if I had the machines or incredible skill with chisels and files I could not come as close to perfection as this engine. Congratulations. I have been considering buying a completely machined kit but after seeing the assembly video I realize that my hands no longer have the nerve control required. I will be satisfied visiting museums and steam meets. Thank you for the presentation.

[@TomokosEnterprize]

As a retired machinist with little aside an old armature lathe and bench top drill press along with that drawer full of sharp files I am going to take this on. It may or won't be near as beautiful but it will function. We can do it my friend.

[@ChrisB257]

Hoorah!!! Finally the much anticipated conclusion - wonderful. Joe this has been a real tour-de-force through and through... every part (of so many) had challenges, some more than others, but all the way thru just so good to see it come together. It's a work of art and a thing of beauty ... hard to even put a price value on it. What a joy seeing it run. :) Merry Christmas Joe and thank you for this series.

[@Toolsaddo]

Thoroughly enjoyed watching this build, lots of innovative approaches to the components. I've been model engineering for nearly 40 years and have never stopped learning. Looking forward to your next build and and future informative videos to machining. Thanks Joe.

[@peteengard9966]

Beautiful. Try adjusting the timing just a tiny bit to allow air to cushion the piston at the end of the stroke. Like a gas engine is always timed before top dead center. A steam engine is more susceptible to piston slam. Take your time and just go miniscule amount of adjustment. Best to lower the air pressure to about 1 or 2 psi and hold the flywheel and listen to the exhaust. When all is well the engine will lurch slightly at the end of the stroke on a minimum amount of air and smooth out at normal speed and power will be at the maximum. Fantastic build with CNC accuracy. What next? How about a walking beam or a Cyclops steam engine? You would have a blast doing the ring gear on a Cyclops. Merry Christmas to you and yours Joe.

[@RobB_VK6ES]

It's double acting with simple valve gear. Short of moving or resizing the steam ports there is not a lot of latitude for timing.

[@chuckels431]

@@RobB_VK6ES if you advance the eccentric slightly it will open the intake ports sooner at both ends of the stroke , double acting doesn’t effect that

[@10lauset]

A wonderful journey. Thanks. Happy and thankful holidays. Cheers

[@fdavillar]

It's alive! IT'S ALIVE! Happy holidays Joe, and friends.

[@onlooker251]

Joe - if there were an award given for KZbin productions you’d get my vote! I’ve enjoyed the series both for the content and educational tuition. There’s some good humour in your epilogue. 👍 John 🇬🇧

[@joepie221]

Thank you. 2021 will bring a fixed and manual focus camera to the mix, so I hope they get better for all of you.

[@anthonysaunders7345]

Absolutely brilliant Joe. I will certainly watch this series many more times. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Christmas and successful 2021 from across the pond. Already looking forward to more machining soon. Tony and Kim, England.

[@johnquinn3899]

I throughly enjoyed this series. I see others have inquired about running with steam - count me in !! Thank you & Merry Christmas- Happy New Year to all.

[@WoodCreations8681]

I'm very impressed with the accuracy you were able to maintain with all the parts. It reminds me of my Dad when he was a machinist and had to keep the tolerance within .0003". I would love to have the lathe and mill you have in your shop. Well done Joe!

[@ianpendlebury3704]

This series was one of the best things that I have watched all year. Top quality machining and some great tips along the way. Thanks Joe. Best wishes for 2021.

[@joepie221]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@chevyfahrer]

well THAT is a perfect ending of the journey we went with you.merry christmas to you and all your followers from good old germany.

[@Laz_Arus]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who had a big grin on their face when that fired up for the first time. Thoroughly enjoyable project Joe 👍

[@joepie221]

Put me on that list.

[@grahamdavies22]

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from us, here in NJ, in the snow 😩 And thank you for the time you invested in this series, it is good to watch an expert at work, it makes you appreciate what skills are required to create things we mere mortals may take for granted.👍

[@gervaserybak6999]

Outstanding looking Steam Engine. I enjoyed watching all the videos of you making the parts. And, to see the end product was great. Thanks for sharing the videos with us. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and the family. Be safe and be well.

[@bcbloc02]

Merry Christmas! I really enjoyed the build. Sure looks like that crank sprung some and the end is running out. 32:06 I think I would be tempted to give it a go with some heat straightening. I am sure it sprung some from stress when that center web was removed.

[@handdancin]

i noticed that too- would it have been better to remove the webbing first before machining anything else on the crankshaft?

[@viorelparaschivoiu8882]

Very nice series. Really satisfying to see that flywheel spinning perfectly true, testimony to the quality of the machining you have done. Merry Christmas and may all your toys work as well as this one.

[@grahamhall2662]

The best instructional video series of this kind on the internet. Well done and thank you and merry xmas. Inspires me to get one shipped to the UK from USA. God bless.

[@AdeSwash]

Forrest Classics in the uk are distibutors, but out of stock currently, I would also like to build one of these as soon as they become available too

[@walterkucharski4790]

Thanks Joe. Just needs filling and painting a nice forest green with pin striping . Swapping the screws for hex heads would be nice too. I would be a builder if it was scaled up 4 or 5 times! I've been a full time machinist for 40+yrs and very rarely get to build an entire machine. It's very satisfying to see a project completed and working.

[@3gunshooter60]

Great tutorial Joe, I look forward to your next project. Merry Christmas!

[@campbellmorrison8540]

That brought a real smile to my face watching that spin up for the first time. Just a gorgeous piece of workmanship, I would be real proud of that if I could do that

[@jobkneppers]

Like a swiss watch Joe. I enjoyed the serie throughout! Thank you, Now let's change the screws for proper bolts and washers..(oil?). My only, just cosmetic, comment. Have a nice christmas and a wonderful next year! Best, Job

[@jonathanbale5410]

Nice job, good to see a fellow toolmaker make a steam engine . let's see how you get on with a boiler, and feed pump, and condenser. It would be an education to a lot of people who never had our training. I really like watching none toolmakers make steam engines also they are so inventive and clever.

[@Margarinetaylorgrease]

Up vote for Keith Appleton when it come to timing, he's not an engineer but a musician and in music, timing is everything;)

[@joepie221]

I bet he has a little more experience than I do with timing steam engines. Just sayin.

[@Margarinetaylorgrease]

@@joepie221 I hope you didn't think I was implying anything. It was supposed to be a recommendation. I just didn't want his capability being judged by his lack of machinist skills. I hope you like what you see :)

[@nutgone100]

He’s a master when it comes to timing, that’s true, but he admits he’s not an engineer. I’ve been watching loads of his videos to get my fix between Joe’s episodes. I like his old fashioned sense of humour too.

[@henrya3530]

Congratulations on a successful build :-) Would be useful to know what PSI you were running it at. Having completed the running-in process it would also be useful to know what PSI you got the engine to tick over at. Things to do - 1) Have a great Christmas! 2) Drill holes in the casting so the engine can be mounted on a proper base. 3) Replace those godawful slotted screws with hex head machine screws or studs and nuts. 4) Build a boiler and run it on live steam. Wishing you all the best for 2021.

[@leeklemetti1887]

Although you may not like the slotted screws the original screws would be slotted as the Phillips screw wasn't invented yet. To keep the original design slotted screws have to be there. I just want flathead slotted screws because that would be the right kind of screw. Just try to assemble it with that kind of screws though. LOL

[@DCFusor]

Words fail me (and that's rare). This has been wonderful! Merry Christmas!

[@moorejl57]

This project was a lot of fun to watch and I learned a lot about fixturing and machining. I also got in a lot of eye exercise trying to keep up with the focus. Merry Christmas!

[@byronwatkins2565]

That is seriously cool, Joe! I wonder if we could put it to work... Merry Christmas to you too!

[@sheemondallasgeorgia]

Merry Christmas Mr. Pieczynski! As I said, I will repeat (a privilege reserved for the old): That you are a true artist, we learned long ago. That you are a master technician with love for the trade, you just proved again. But the true, good, loving person who is lurking in the shadows, does not come out very boldly. But we see him/you anyway. Thank you friend.for allowing us to vicariously live that we cannot do ourselves (anymore). Simon

[@joepie221]

Thank you Simon. Anybody that pulls the fuzz off a spiders feet can't be all bad. Just don't tell anyone. You'll ruin my reputation as a prick. Merry Christmas to you Sir.

[@Brandon_SoMD]

Gorgeous! Can't wait to (hopefully) see it running on real steam someday.

[@v8Mercury]

Yeah. A boiler would be a good complementary project.

[@arthurirwin8235]

You sir are an amazing teacher and an artist, thank you for sharing your talents

[@bradlilly8603]

Outstanding series Joe, loved to watch it come together. Throughly enjoyed it.

[@LightAndSportyGuy]

I have to admire your commitment to precision - I just bent the valve rod with my fingers...

[@MrCrispinEnterprises]

Hi Joe, great work. Well done and congratulations on becoming a model engineer! Seasons greetings and happy new year. Cheers, MrCrispin

[@joepie221]

Hi Crispin. Thanks. this project was a lot of fun. Happy New Year to you as well. Stay healthy so you can enjoy it.

[@sblack48]

Now we really see how all the little details come together to make it look outstanding, like getting the flywheel running true and many others. All the details really make it "pop". Now a nice dark varnished base with a brass name plate will really finish it off. Merry Christmas.

[@ArimoDave]

One final touch: without caps on the oil cups, a felt plug is common. The plugs help keep dirt and dust out, and keeps the oil from splashing out from the cam cups.

[@BeeGeeTheImp]

Thank you, Joe, for your patience, thoughtfulness, and thoroughly enjoyable series. Watching your Steam Engine project series has been my Christmas present this year. I can't wait to see what you will do next.

[@chrisward8031]

Thanks for this series Joe, it's made this year a lot more bearable. A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

[@Emergency785]

BEAUTIFUL little model steam engine! Congrats on your work! You should now give it 'autonomy' by building a boiler and respective tubings. I'd love to see that! HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you and all your family and friends, and may 2021 be a better year for the whole world. Best regards.

[@stuartsurkitt2585]

Merry Christmas Joe. You should feel very proud. All the best for the new year and stay safe my friend.

[@RookieLock]

Awesome! Some great shots there Joe.. Thanks for taking us along for the whole build, I quite enjoyed that !

[@allanrichards6448]

Great build I really enjoyed your videos. It runs superbly. The only thing that I would mention about the design is that I can't understand why the valve eccentric is hanging so far out on the crank. I would move it inboard to be next to the crank journal and straighten the valve rod. The more in line the better in my book.

[@stevespra1]

Thoroughly enjoyed watching this series and the methods you came up with. Really nice engine for sure. Don't forget to put oil in the air! I'd love to see a mini boiler and a pump driven from the engine.

[@magnusklahr8190]

This has realy been an intresring project to follow😀.

[@ellieprice3396]

What a gorgeous work of machining art with beautiful photography. Smooth as Irish butter with that neat clickety click sound.

[@joepie221]

Thanks. After correcting the rotation and timing, its nearly silent.

[@esquehill]

I kept waiting for you to fill the oil cups!

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

Runs great as we all knew it would. Congratulations for a project well done. Now on to the next one. Merry Christmas and happy new year to you and yours.

[@Quignal]

Nicely done how about more oil and timing adjustment the air needs early admission to take away the slight knock!

[@joepie221]

I'll mess with it to see if I can quiet it down.

[@inspector1794]

Ah, she's a beaut! Thanks for letting us look over your shoulder and listen as you explain your process. Merry Christmas and All the best for the New Year.

[@projectsfromtheworkbench]

Initially it sounded like your valve timing was a bit late...it is preferred to have steam admission just slightly early..or before top dead center...the early admission cushions the pistons and reduced wear. Late admission is noted by the slight clunkiness. It sounded better toward the final shots. Great work!

[@lefty12357]

Thanks Joe, for this series as well as all your other videos. I worked in the mold making world for 40 years and am now retired, but even so, I have picked up a few tricks and good ideas from you. The way you work and the way you think are a joy to see in action. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.

[@PALM311]

Great job Joe! Runs like a dream! Hope you remembered to put oil on those surfaces before you ran it.. Happy New year!

[@joepie221]

I did!

[@jpaulkepler4638]

Truly a thing of beauty. Oil it. Set your timing for early admission ( Have the air/steam admitted to the cylinder slightly prior to the piston reaching the end of the exhaust stroke) it will cushion the piston and reduce the clunking sound. I like your style . Very entertaining and instructional. Good hints and solutions to peculiar shaped parts and how to machine them. Looking forward to your next engine. Maybe with reversing gear. Thank you for sharing the adventure.

[@JohnDoe-es5xh]

Oiling after painting would be better. 😀

[@mjsmachine1285]

I've been watching this series. Very nice pay off. Hopefully you do another video when it's painted. Do you plan to run it on steam?

[@ArmchairDeity]

Hey Joe... just wanted to say this video was quite the Christmas gift... I’ve been invested since I picked up the series at about Ep 3, so... this thing is insanely cool. I know you don’t need to hear it from a chipmaking noob like me, but holy shit what a job well done. Funny thing, though... I’ve learned stuff in these videos that I’ve applied to both wood and leather. It’s really cool when you get to see how good principles usually don’t just apply to one material or process, they apply craftsmanship across the board.

[@joepie221]

I have appreciated all your comments and support along the way. It was a cool project.

[@macbirt56]

Sears ignition wrench set includes 3/16" wrench and even a 5/32" among others.

[@VincentFumoII]

Congratulations on completion. The series was amazing. I have this kit but as a beginner home shop machinist, I've not gotten very far with it. I've built one PM machine before and am working on a second, but this one I've been struggling with. Thanks to your videos (and Quinns) I'm inspired to pull it out and try to get started again. Thank you so much, Merry Christmas from Philadelphia!

[@dreamsteam8272]

great series ..... now I know what my wife always means when she says that it was good, but in the end unexpectedly over quickly 😂🤣 Merry christmas! stay healthy!

[@joepie221]

Always leave them wanting more............

[@a.bakker64]

I could watch this for hours.

[@RobB_VK6ES]

You had me going there Joe. The misaligned clevis was really grinding my gears. Amazed such a newbie mistake would find it onto the drawings. The only thing I would change is to make another Z bend (in Steel) rod to minimise the unsightly exposed threads and eliminate the indent from the bending. I realise this is not a true scale model but when it comes to painting I'd be using some high build primer to smooth out the casting texture. Did you finish this in the steps shown in the videos or simply attacked it over a few days? Either way an outstanding result anyone could be proud of.

[@joepie221]

Built it in one sitting. Filming and all, it took about 3 hours.

[@brucewood8046]

I was just thinking ... A DVD of this build would be a pleasure to have and play over and over! Woody

[@dalmatiangirl61]

Re: Small wrenches - they used to be called "ignition wrenches" since no one works on ignition points anymore they are now called "Midget wrenches", not sure who works on midgets though...

[@WeeShoeyDugless]

I still have a set and use some of them on a regular basis at work, we have thousands of PECs on the baggage system at Heathrow airport which require small spanners.

[@HofsFinest]

They are good to keep around. I have a set of ignition wrenches that I use on old square nuts.

[@BedsitBob]

"not sure who works on midgets though..." Snow White? 😁

[@michaelohman4980]

@@BedsitBob I used to work on MG midgets, they're like a British sports car, only smaller....😀

[@chrisstephens6673]

Looking good and sounding like granny's sewing machine👍 Could one have forgotten something? The base casting's fixing holes.😉

[@SQSNSQ]

Great build series! Enjoyed every one of them... Except the last one, where you run this beautifully built engine on air WITHOUT OIL! You can hear it squeak on the close-up video. This was a pain to watch. Oil has to be added into the cylinder, steam chest and to all oil cups before running the engine.

[@joepie221]

Teflon rings on a mirror surface don't need oil. Point out the squeak times. I'm curious what you heard.

[@SQSNSQ]

@@joepie221 Around 27:55, when you crank up the revs, the squeaking starts. Seems, like it comes from around the crank shaft.

[@ghl3488]

Joe, you said you have learnt many things, I can assure you sir that I have learnt many more things, many, many more, and I thank you so much for sharing your skills. Your level is something to aspire to. I'm getting my mill and lathe ready for work now which will be a little delayed due to covid , at least they are here. Seasons greetings to you Joe, and thanks again. Regards Gareth (Wales)

[@jfirebaugh]

If all those slotted head screws could be miniature hex head (or old-timey square head) bolts, it would difficult to tell the scale in close up pictures.

[@slawnski]

Awesome project- fantastic series Joe! Hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!

[@HofsFinest]

You should do the MLA-18 filing machine next!

[@irishgunpowder1]

Excellent series Joe! I’m sure I speak for many that would enjoy another in the future.

[@joepie221]

More to come!

[@jonathan1427]

How much pressure is required to run it? Does the oil cup on the crank throw oil everywhere? Would adding some felt help prevent it? Or maybe make a cap. That is a real thing of beauty! Thanks for bringing us along, Joe.

[@jfirebaugh]

Same question I had.

[@markdavies8037]

Thanks for taking time to show us these videos. Its great to see your thinking behind everything you do. Always different ways to approach something, but you have to do it in a way thats possible with the available assets in the shop. Merry xmas to you and all the subscribers.

[@instricallysafe]

3/16" open ended wrenches are commonly found in ignition wrench sets. In Canada you can get them at Canadian Tire and Princess Auto, Harbor Freight in the US should have them.

[@johnfriend240]

I have a very nice 20 plus year old Craftsman ignition wrench set, SAE and metric. All the sizes for model engineering scale nuts and bolts, plus British BA series nuts and bolts (I have both US and British sourced designs).

[@stejac51]

My OCD now satisfied ..... thank you ... all the best wishes to you and yours for this Festive season and New Years ... take care CHEERS

[@bwyseymail]

Joe, if were 20 years older then you would have a set of ignition wrenches hidden away somewhere.

[@andyZ3500s]

In the early 90's someone said pretty soon nobody will be making ignition wrenches anymore. With in a couple of days I was heading to Sears, bought a imperial and metric set.

[@afpwebworks]

Joe, I can’t thank you enough for making such a wonderful video series I have been fascinated by steam engines for a long time, but they remained a mystery to me for the most part, until now, as I watched your videos. In the 1980s I was a member of a scale model boat club here in Sydney Australia, and there were quite a few model builders who made the most exquisite live steam motor launches and paddle boats and ran them on a Sunday afternoon on a lake under radio control. I LOVED seeing these beautifully scratch built models chugging around the lake powered by engines like the one you built Until now, exactly HOW steam made those paddle wheels or propellers turn was a mystery until I watched your series Thank you so much for going to so much trouble to make such high quality videos and explanations. Of course I also want to add my voice to all the others who, like me, are in awe at your skill set learned in a lifelong career and now being translated to the spectacular miniatures

[@joepie221]

Many thanks for your flattering comment, and for sharing a part of your past. I can imagine the smile on your face.

[@MrRShoaf]

Love it. For finishing the castings, consider Japaning. this was the finish used on old hand planes. See: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXPUmKOad7Olqpo kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2eliXhqqqmKY7M Still need to make a boiler and something to run with the engine like a steam punk pencil sharpener. Perhaps a small model room with a line shaft.

[@richards6452]

Lovely, well done, an heirloom for your family. May I suggest a little oil, Keith Appleton uses gobs of the stuff and introduces it into the intake to ensure the piston is well lubricated. The manufacturer of the kit owes you for the most comprehensive instruction video on the net. Happy holidays to you and yours, Richard

[@paulanderson2803]

Joe, the Clevis on the valve rod should be vertical. or you're bending the rod. If I had only finished watching before shooting my mouth.

[@alanmartin8786]

Loved your interpretation of the model , not over finished, a real mini victorian engine. I play at machining really, fixing stuff at work and for myself but watching a real pro is a privilege. We had an old Glenfield Kennedy hydraulic engine were I worked many years ago , such a lovely thing ,you know , just a piece of engineering beauty. Anyway thanks for the series. 👍

[@imysteryman]

I very much enjoyed watching this series not because I plan to build one but for the set ups, that was worth every second. PS if anyone interested in seeing what doctors are saying about the current situation going on you might try bitchute.com and brandnewtube.com seems good old youtube is removing any video with a different perspective that the official one.

[@AiRGuNNeROriginal]

Great series Joe! Thanks so much for taking the time to pass along your wealth of knowledge.