There's always something new to be fascinated or obsessed with in this hobby. Lately I've discovered working steam engine kits. I've come to know them through a friend, Leo Terrien of Crow River Products. Leo is a master machinist and his steam engines are truly works of art; to me they're as serious a craft as any other. The precision involved is hard to fathom; four inch diameter cylinders bored to thousandths of an inch. I also come across these engines at the nearby Mystic Seaport. Each seem to have their own personality and once they get under way; they're mesmerizing to watch.
Recently Leo fired up one his finished engine models, powered by an air compressor, and I was finally hooked. Very quickly a new lathe found its way into my shop. I'm starting off slow; there's a big learning curve. I picked the smallest engine kit out there. As small as it is, it's quite a challenge when you throw yourself into something new - but very satisfying. The flywheel above is the first part I tackled. It comes as a very rough casting, complete with ugly flashing and burrs. It's edges have now been faced and it's waiting for hole drilled in its center.
A benefit to having the lathe is being able to create masters for additional detail castings in our kits. As I said there's a big learning curve, so I don't expect much to happen very soon, but eventually I think we'll be able to increase the variety of details in our kits.
Above is the fly wheel from the engine kit, as well as a test for a vent detail casting.
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