Machining cast iron in a lathe or a mill. Machining cast iron in a lathe or a mill can be a bit of a problem for anyone new to this metal. Cast iron, by its nature, can be very awkward to deal with. In the process of casting, when it is at […]
Build Your Own Stirling Engine Kits
You want to build your own Stirling engine using kits? And whether you call them Stirling Engines, Atmospheric Engines or Hot Air Engines, there’s not much difference. Just to be awkward though, they have 4 different ways of working, but they are all on the same principle, some more efficient than others. Air is heated […]
How To Soften and Anneal Metal
An easy guide on how to soften and anneal metals To define the annealing process in simple terms means to remove any stresses and return material to a soft and workable state, ie. making it more malleable. This is especially so in metals that become work-hardened, like copper and brass, although brass can become very […]
Buy Model Stirling Engines Online
Before you decide to buy model Stirling engines online, you need to know the type of Stirling engine you want to purchase. There is an amazing choice of designs, from single cylinder to multi-cylinder designs; most come ready assembled, but some are DIY, self-assembly models, usually taking no more than an hour to get up […]
Ready Assembled Model Steam Engines – UK
Wilesco D 396 – Live Steam Engine Black / Brass Includes Radio Controlled System As you can surmise, this engine is similar to the basic model with a few tweaks to give it more appeal. It’s a fine working model, but most people use these for display purposes as they certainly catch the eye. There […]
Model Steam Engine Relief Valves
Model Steam Safety Valves – Relief Valves Model steam engine safety valves, or relief valves as they are otherwise known, are needed on live steam boilers to provide a safe working pressure within the boiler. As the pressure builds inside the boiler through the added heat input, the valve (ball) – kept in place usually by […]
Ready Assembled Model Steam Engines
Ready assembled model steam engines come in various shapes and forms and there are basically two types: The Stationary Engine – which was used as a power source on farms, in factories and mills, as a winding or pumping engine for sewage removal, for collieries and along canals, for winching purposes and no doubt many […]
Automatic Steam Engine Lubricator
Automatic Steam Engine Lubricators come in many shapes and forms, but the simplest one is the Displacement Lubricator. Displacement lubricators operate in a very simple way, in that initially, when cold, they are nearly full of very thick steam oil – usually in the range from 90 to 140 grade (which will be sitting on […]
The Annealing Process
The ANNEALING PROCESS explained. An Easy Beginners Guide on how to anneal different metals To define the annealing process in simple terms means to remove any stresses and return material to a soft and workable state. This is especially so in metals that become work-hardened, like copper and brass, although brass can become very brittle […]
Silver Soldering for Beginners
Silver Soldering for Beginners is relatively straight forward. Silver solder, when applied to a really hot piece of unclean (metal) copper, brass or steel, will just form a blob and will not penetrate where it’s needed, that way not bonding two metal parts together, and when cold it is relatively easily removed. It needs […]