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One more vote for JB weld, overfill and rub down on abrasive paper.

Hi David, Yet another thought - how about coating both components with say epoxy, which sets very hard, using a disposable paintbrush to get an even coating, let it spread smoothly and evenly and when hard, use a lithium or PTFE dry lubrication. Personally I'm not keen on silicone my experience...

Hi David, second thought - how about 'tinning' the head of the bolt with electrical grade solder which is quite hard depending on the final application the mechanism is intended for, or even easy grade silver solder which could be polished and very hard wearing? There is also 'encapsulating...

Hi David, You could always try a PTFE lubricant such as that sold as a dry lubricant for bicycle and motorbike chains. It goes on wet then the carrier evaporates leaving a dry film. NASA use similar lubricants. I use it on my Machine tool applications such as sludeways and it not only...

Hi Kellis, I agree about the book, entertaining, educational, fascinating and very readable. Worth getting access to a copy (library? in the UK a library can accesss interlibrary loans to get books from any other library around the country on loan, not sure about the US.) TerryD

Hi, As a point of interest, vellum is actually made from animal skins aka 'parchment' but vellum was distinguished by being made from calf skin which made a superior product and has been in use since ancient times, I think it may have been the Babylonians in Mesopotamia (now iraq) where it was...

Hi K2, It wasn't politics that decided to change to the SI metric system (defined by the ISO of which GB is a participating member) from the imperial, it was economics we didn't become 'European' we became 'International'. Most of the rest of the world had been metricated quite quickly and...

Hi, I don't know if you have identified your B & S dividing head screws but if not I would check the thread angle as that dia x pitch is a British Standard Fine (BSF) combination using a Whitworth thread form. Regards TerryD

Hi Jason, Thanks for the response, I must admit to following your projects, articles and efforts on Model Engineering mag. for many years now. I see what you mean about the linkage. I've seen Elmer's models previously, unfortunately my views are a little biased as a qualified mechanical...

Hi K2, Yes I spotted the valve rod on the plan view. but as you say it would probably be single acting unless a steam way is drilled vertically in the cylinder block wall, but from the drawing that appears to be too thin to drill. A single acting beam engine would be a bit 'lumpy' in action...

Hi, I can't see any cylinder valves to control the steam . A beam engine is dual acting, steam should be controlled to enter the lower and upper chambers of the cylinder in a controlled manner and usually this is done with a steam chest on the cylinder with a sliding valve with an operating...

Hi K2, If I'm quick enough to catch any snow, which seems to be a rare occurance these days, I'll carry out some ph tests to prove your theory. However we seem to generally have liitle snow during recent winters, I was employed in Edinburgh from June 21 to june 22 and we only had about 3 days...

Hi Df, Surely the zinc from brass wouldn't dissolve in neutral water? it is basically insoluble in that condition, like many other metals such as aluminium it form,s in this case, a protective layer of insoluble zinc hydroxide, which has to be stripped away for any corrosion to take place...

Hi K2, Interesting reading. Having read the documents you posted it seems that it is any pollutants which make it corrosive not the water itself. I would think that CO2 dissolved would be particularly bad as it produces carbonic acid, after all that is the main cause of acid rain along with...

Hi, I figured that one out myself, but surely the brass for the fittings and bushes etc would be of different composition than the sheet brass used for the shell as they need different properties for the different manufacturing processes? Too many differences hereo_O. Rgeards TerryD

Hi K2, That's interesting, thanks. Do you have the link to the Wikipedia article, my inquisitive nature is taking over o_O TerryD

HiK2, I thought, from schoolboy chemistry that water without any pollutants i.e. pure water is not a conductor of electricity so not sure how it stimulates a galvanic reaction between dissimilar metals. Of course rai/snow water isn't pure as it picks up contaminants from the air becoming...

Hi Jason/K2. Although I build boilers as copper/bronze with replaceable brass fittings I also possess a couple of Mamod locos and a stationary engine of the same pedigree and always wondered how they've got away with brass boilers for so long? A special alloy perhaps but doesnt look any...

Hi K2, I think that it's just to take care of the 'spring' in the tool and workpiece - and no matter how 'rigid' e think that is there is always some slight movement in response to the forces involved, so if the tool is forced downwards it presents itself to the work as if it was on centre, at...

Hi Richard, no we don't use the term boondocks, we are though aquainted with it from US culture i.e films and songs especially. You mention the intermixing of languages, English itself is a mongrel language not only was it influenced by Celtic langages but by Latin, (Roman occupation and...