handle is Reuben Titus, (yah, it's probably related to Titusville PA since my ancestors with that name did come through that region some two or 3 hundred years ago or better. Then into OH and IN when they were being settled.)
I found this forum doing search for steam engine governor valves. (which I'll definitely have some questions on) Looks like an interesting place, although I'm not a model builder I suppose Ya'll probably won't mind me hanging round on occasion. I prefer full size machines that I can use to run things and get a job done. However I haven't yet found an active forum dedicated to building full size engines/boilers etc. I think it just isn't being done very much.
I own 80 acres in the mountains of TN, I farm for a living (part time) as well as doing all kinds of other things. I seem to be constantly repairing and building stuff.
(have a track loader in the shop for an engine rebuild right now)
I get into modern vehicles newer than about 25 years old and I hate them. I call them robber technology because that's exactly what it is. The older the machine the better I like it, within reason. I like em simple, with little to go wrong and easy to fix if it does. But by now the simple engine technology is getting old enough that buying them is competing with antique collectors, and parts are not around very commonly to fix them. So it's getting where I'll have to build my own.
Got me an antique F.E. Reed lineshaft lathe bout 3 years ago, (neighbor has a milling machine I can use when I need to) by now I've done several crank turning jobs, spun bearings seem to be a common problem with infernal combustion engines. Built a little aluminum melting furnace for making parts. (first project with it was a piston rod for an onan engine that's been running in the welder engine ever since) Will have to make a much bigger aluminum melter soon I think. Also built a double 55 gal barrel cupola furnace that I haven't used yet to make cast iron parts. (of course a sand muller was a necessary item, built one out of junk car parts and other stuff) A charcoal kiln is in the works for furnace fuel and biochar. (hardwood is in endless supply around here) A 10 HP water tube boiler is half built, waiting for my time to finish it. (600 psi rating with 900 psi test, but I'll likely never run it that high, 200 is enough for most any job I'll have.) When danger is an issue I believe in seriously overbuilding it.
I just bought a sorghum mill, old vertical horse powered mill that has been adapted to run by a small gas engine. I would much prefer to run it on firewood/ steam power. And then run the exhaust steam under the pan to boil the syrup.
(still need to get an evaporator pan, but I think I'll get a tig welder attachment for my lincoln and weld one up out of stainless sheet metal)
I've been messing around on this farm for 25 years, gaining experience I guess. Played with horses for long enough to get quite comfortable training and using them. I intend to go ahead and set up an old fashioned corn and sorghum growing and processing operation, will try sesame seed for an oil crop, along with some vegetable and fruit production. (300 apple trees going in this winter) Doing it with whatever I can round up or build that will let me cut loose from the rising cost of outside inputs. I absolutely love the old steam technology, always have, at least since about 13 years old (which was over 30 years ago) when I bought a 1900 college textbook on the subject, but I'm not dedicated to being authentic. Practicality rules.
I also studied electrical and electronic technology quite a bit in my younger days, got into ham radio. But computers are still out of my range for the most part, got into it too late in life to get very far with them, I just manage to run one on the internet if it isn't too involved. So I'll see ya round now and then on occasion, but likely not real regular since I'm busy gettin stuff done. RT
PS; my great grandfather (on my mother's mother's side) owned a portable sawmill he pulled around with a steam engine, (a portable engine he adapted to drive itself like a traction engine) and sawed lumber for farmers in northern Indiana around 1900. I have seen a picture of his rig with my grandmother at about 2 years old with the family on the wagon. And his father and uncles built a steam powered dredge to clean up river channels.
I found this forum doing search for steam engine governor valves. (which I'll definitely have some questions on) Looks like an interesting place, although I'm not a model builder I suppose Ya'll probably won't mind me hanging round on occasion. I prefer full size machines that I can use to run things and get a job done. However I haven't yet found an active forum dedicated to building full size engines/boilers etc. I think it just isn't being done very much.
I own 80 acres in the mountains of TN, I farm for a living (part time) as well as doing all kinds of other things. I seem to be constantly repairing and building stuff.
(have a track loader in the shop for an engine rebuild right now)
I get into modern vehicles newer than about 25 years old and I hate them. I call them robber technology because that's exactly what it is. The older the machine the better I like it, within reason. I like em simple, with little to go wrong and easy to fix if it does. But by now the simple engine technology is getting old enough that buying them is competing with antique collectors, and parts are not around very commonly to fix them. So it's getting where I'll have to build my own.
Got me an antique F.E. Reed lineshaft lathe bout 3 years ago, (neighbor has a milling machine I can use when I need to) by now I've done several crank turning jobs, spun bearings seem to be a common problem with infernal combustion engines. Built a little aluminum melting furnace for making parts. (first project with it was a piston rod for an onan engine that's been running in the welder engine ever since) Will have to make a much bigger aluminum melter soon I think. Also built a double 55 gal barrel cupola furnace that I haven't used yet to make cast iron parts. (of course a sand muller was a necessary item, built one out of junk car parts and other stuff) A charcoal kiln is in the works for furnace fuel and biochar. (hardwood is in endless supply around here) A 10 HP water tube boiler is half built, waiting for my time to finish it. (600 psi rating with 900 psi test, but I'll likely never run it that high, 200 is enough for most any job I'll have.) When danger is an issue I believe in seriously overbuilding it.
I just bought a sorghum mill, old vertical horse powered mill that has been adapted to run by a small gas engine. I would much prefer to run it on firewood/ steam power. And then run the exhaust steam under the pan to boil the syrup.
(still need to get an evaporator pan, but I think I'll get a tig welder attachment for my lincoln and weld one up out of stainless sheet metal)
I've been messing around on this farm for 25 years, gaining experience I guess. Played with horses for long enough to get quite comfortable training and using them. I intend to go ahead and set up an old fashioned corn and sorghum growing and processing operation, will try sesame seed for an oil crop, along with some vegetable and fruit production. (300 apple trees going in this winter) Doing it with whatever I can round up or build that will let me cut loose from the rising cost of outside inputs. I absolutely love the old steam technology, always have, at least since about 13 years old (which was over 30 years ago) when I bought a 1900 college textbook on the subject, but I'm not dedicated to being authentic. Practicality rules.
I also studied electrical and electronic technology quite a bit in my younger days, got into ham radio. But computers are still out of my range for the most part, got into it too late in life to get very far with them, I just manage to run one on the internet if it isn't too involved. So I'll see ya round now and then on occasion, but likely not real regular since I'm busy gettin stuff done. RT
PS; my great grandfather (on my mother's mother's side) owned a portable sawmill he pulled around with a steam engine, (a portable engine he adapted to drive itself like a traction engine) and sawed lumber for farmers in northern Indiana around 1900. I have seen a picture of his rig with my grandmother at about 2 years old with the family on the wagon. And his father and uncles built a steam powered dredge to clean up river channels.
