# An Engine story...



## chipstractor (Apr 3, 2009)

Around ten years ago I had a bout with woodworking 
that gave me a false sense of accomplishment. With foolish pride I fell for
"Can be built with a drill press" and bought myself a steam engine kit.
 When it came I knew I was out of my league and after a couple of years
it was placed on a shelf and half forgotten.
 Fast forward 5 years and I purchase a rural property, it came with a neighbor.
The man has a small lathe and mill and builds hit and miss engines as a retirement hobby.
He befriends me and I eventually gather the courage and show him the casting kit I had.
He looks at the parts, sneers at the blue prints places everything on a shelf but the flywheels.
We then spent the next couple of hours in his shop and the flywheels get cut.
I made the cuts while he did the set ups. They get put on a shelf.
 Several more years pass and as a "challenge" I show up in his garage one day with
a 3 foot section of 3x7 6061.He says "Its too big dummy! Hmmm, well put it over there."
 Months pass and one day I see he has the 3 foot section cut up into six blocks, a few weeks later I see this, one of three engines that where made from the "challenge" piece complete with the flywheels from the kit I bought many years ago.


----------



## chipstractor (Apr 3, 2009)

Load test with "restricted" exhaust.


----------



## chipstractor (Apr 3, 2009)

Load test with "open header"


----------



## rake60 (Apr 3, 2009)

Great story chipstractor!

Your neighbor sounds a bit like my very first machinist mentor
but Red never called me "dummy".
He'd call me *"Meat Head"* when I was having a good day.
On a bad day his words turned to phrases, such as:
*"You have to be older than 19! Nobody could possibly get THAT
stupid in only 19 year!"*

 :bow: to your neighbor and :bow: :bow: :bow: to the build!

Nice engine!

Rick


----------



## Bill Mc (Apr 5, 2009)

It's A Story With A Great Ending!


----------

