Frequently Asked Questions
Suppliers
The best way to find out what is readily available in Live
Steam is to talk to the suppliers. Finding the suppliers is
probably the hardest, as it depends where you are. Fortunately
most have catalogues and active mail order systems. More and more
have catalogues available on line. In Australia most advertise in
"Australian Model Engineering" magazine. This magazine
is run by live steamers for live steamers.
Find out more at Australian
Model Engineering.
For the United Kingdom look on the bookstalls for "Model
Engineer" or "Engineering in Miniature", while in
the USA, magazines such as "Live Steam" or "Modeltec"
can be consulted. Visiting Live Steam Societies can give an idea
of what is around (and the details of the local supplier), but
remember that the size has increased over the years and
stationary engines or small gauge models can still provide much
needed experience at minimal cost. Suppliers can offer drawings
and construction books on many types of engines. Many of these
were serialised at one time in the"Model Engineer" and
other magazines.
Some suppliers, with Australian telephone numbers, are:
New South Wales
Warrick Sandberg (Sefton), Web Site http://www.hugin.com.au/warrick/Index.htm
Email: warrick_sandberg@hotmail.com
Australian RailCraft 5 inch gauge plastic parts and detail components.Web site http://www.railcraft.50megs.com/
E & J Winter (Medowie (near Newcastle), NSW) telephone/fax: (02)
4981 7999 . Web Site http://www.ejwinter.com.au/index.htm
Email: ejwinter@ozemail.com.au
Emco Machine Tools (Auburn, NSW) telephone (02) 9648 4377 fax: (02)
9648 4150. Web Site http://www.emcoaustralia.com/
Email: emcoaustralia@one.net.au
Victoria
Model Engineering Supplies (Tullamarine, Victoria) telephone: (03)
9338 7368 fax: (03) 9330 0840. Web site http://www.mesupplies.com.au
or email to wayne@mesupplies.com.au
Live Steam Supplies of Victoria (Kilsyth, Victoria)
telephone: (03) 9723 9722
Queensland
Hobby Mechanics (Kenmore, Queensland) telephone: (07) 3374 2871
fax: (07) 3374 2959
email:jstrach@powerup.com.au
or view the website www.hobbymechanics.com.au
Note: For international dialers replace 02 with 61 2, replace 03
with 61 3, replace 07 with 61 7.
Workshop Equipment
It is virtually essential to have a lathe. A bench drill and
grinder for sharpening tools are also very necessary items. A
variety of files, taps and dies, drills and marking out equipment
is needed. In many cases these could be collected as you need
them. The precise sizes needed will depend on the type of model
you are building, but a set of fractional drills from 1/16 inch
to 1/2 inch and number drills from 1 to 60 are useful. Taps and
dies are usually BA types or Model Engineer threads (40 or 32
Threads per inch). Brass thread (26 TPI) are also well used in
all but the smaller models. Some heating equipment is needed for
soldering and silver soldering. A propane cylinder can be used
for smaller silver soldering and in conjunction with an oxygen
cylinder for most heavy heating although oxy-acetelyne can be of
assistance in very large models. Machines such as mills, bandsaws
and the like can make life easier as you progress.
Boilers!!
Many people worry about boiler making, but in many respects it is
the quickest part of the engine to materialise. In Australia, we
have the Australian Miniature Boiler Safety Committee which has
produced codes for miniature copper and steel boilers (both
Briggs and locomotive types). All hobby societies in Australia
follow these codes, which are self regulated by the Societies but
accepted by all the State authorities. Boilers need to have the
design checked for conformance with the code, and then at various
stages of construction, the components and assemblies are
inspected. On completion a hydraulic test is performed and when
the loco is finally ready, a steam test ensures that the various
gauges and particularly the safety valves are working
satisfactorily. A boiler certificate is then issued which is for
3 years for copper boilers and 2 years for steel boilers.
The codes specifiy a maximum size for which they are applicable to. Beyond this, approvals need to be obtained from the State authoritites. The maximum pressure allowed for under the code is 100 pounds per square inch.
If you would like a copy of the code please email for price to:
The Treasurer-Australian Association of
Live Steamers- Ross Walker
Ross.H.Walker@bigpond.com
Castings
Some kits provide castings for many components. In the usual
engine castings are usually needed for the wheels, cylinders,
cylinder covers and valve chests and the eccentric straps. These
are usually of cast iron or gunmetal (a cast form of bronze).
Some other components such as chimneys, domes, axleboxes and
hornways are usefully done with castings. Some of these may be of
aluminium, while fabrication from steel or brass is often a good
option and can reduce the cost. If you want to try your hand at
pattern making, you can have castings done to your own patterns.
Some engines have been built with a minimum or no castings at
all, so they are not absolutely essential although they do make
some parts easier!
Help!!
The best place to get help is by joining a club. Most model
engineers are a helpful lot who can talk a lot too. You need to
be a member to be officially issued a boiler certificate but
don't let that prevent you from getting the inspectors involved.
They can often give good advice that saves you a lot of work. And
then when you join a club, the records will be available for a
boiler ticket to be able to be issued. Most clubs expect new
members to participate in the activities of the club from running
miniature trains to mowing the grass, and the reward for this is
lots of conversation and useful help not to mention access to the
club's track, libraries and the like. You can find lists of
societies on the web. Look up the links on the SLSLS home page.
In Australia the Australian
Model Engineering page has a good list of links, as does Steam & Engine. For
a world view, you can't go past Ron Stewarts Live Steaming page.
What Does it Cost?
How long is a piece of string? It depends on what you want to do.
Tooling up is not cheap, but machine tools are now the cheapest
they have ever been, especially for the home hobbyist. You will
need a workshop to put the equipment. Its probably best to buy as
you go. In that way, the cost is spread out over the time it
takes to build your project.
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Amended 26 June 2007