1 1/2 scale steam roller by Bill Harris

[nkalbrr]

I purchased this book on #-bay and I noted that castings were available by a company called Power Model Supply Company in DeSoto Missouri. I looked the phone # up on line and everytime I call it just rings. Does anyone know if this company is still in business?. This is the same roller that was posted a few months back

 

[ksouers]

DeSoto is not very far from me. It's actually kind of out in the woods, but close enough to St Louis that many people commute. Have you tried them on a weekend? Or in the evening? It's likely someone working out of their garage and has a full-time job.

 

[nkalbrr]

Never tried it on the weekend or late evening. Missouri is an 1 hr behind us right coasters

 

[ksouers]

Yes, it is.

 

[Mcgyver]

google is your friend.

iirc this guy blew himself up years ago, had some huge cache of firearm reloading equipment or something. There was some talk of someone picking up the the line - there's a comment somewhere in this thread. He was good to deal with, so doubly too bad that he blew up - we went from 2 general ME suppliers to 1.....what do the brits have, like 100 ME suppliers?

http://www.7-plus-ngm.org/arch0101.htm

 

[TinkerJohn]

Sadly, Fred Ellis, the owner of Power Model Supply was killed a few years ago in an explosion. The explosion also destroyed the building where his inventory was kept.

As someone who often visited with Fred, I assure you we lost a not only a valuable supplier but a faithful hobbyist as well. He was a master machinist and built much of the specialized inventory he sold.

As far as I know, no one sells the casting for either the Bill Harris Steam Roller, Donkey Engine or the Falk Locomotive. If so, I sure would like to know. I still need the cylinders for the Falk and it will be complete.

 

[mklotz]

I have the book and the steam roller is on my list of projects.

I believe that the only castings sold for the steam roller were for the goosenecks that connect the frame to the steering roller. It wouldn't be a massive job to fabricate those by silver soldering or even cutting from the solid. The castings would save a bit of time but, given the massive scope of the project, the extra time to fabricate would pale into insignificance.

Nearly everything else in the model is made from stock shapes that are available from suppliers on the web.

 

[nkalbrr]

Thanks for the fast replies. I have 3 of Mr Harris's books and they look like fun projects. As for our cousins from the UK , they truly are blessed with a plethora of manufactures.

 

[CallMeAL]

Speaking of steam rollers, Here is a master piece that one our members, Birk, scratch built:

http://birkpetersens.blogspot.com/2008/02/buffalo-springfield-steam-roller.html

 

[georgeseal]

I think the cylinders in all three are Stewart 10"s
Correction the cylinders are 7A