Workshop
The A3 Live Steam
I was taken away from the Pennsy A3 locomotive build for a number of reasons. 9/23/07 is the date of the last update. That’s almost three years ago. Time goes too fast.
No, I wasn’t doing a Rip Van Winkle. I got the HB2 CHC router completely built and operational. I put a DRO on the X3 mill. I made a lot of router projects. A lot of personal and family events occurred in these last three years as exciting as a first grandchild and as serious as a major cancer cure for wife Gloria.
The A3 is not an inexpensive build, either in cash or time. I only have a limited amount of both. I am still fully employed for 60 hours a week (Hooray!), so spare time is the most limited and cost is spread over time. The other projects did take away time resources from the A3. I already have most of the tender materials.
I admit I have spent time mentally exploring alternatives to the A3 build. That’s because a friend of mine, Ed Hume built a smaller size loco after he finished his A3. Mainly because #1 gauge tracks are much more available and ½ inch scale (more or less) is more popular. For my thinking the construction is smaller so there is less material cost and probably a bit faster build. Gauge #1 has a larger customer base if I want to sell what I make.
Ed did acquire a Tormach CNC mill for his shop. <oooh!> It may have shortened build time, but he could be just building more locos.
So I too have been tempted toward the ½ inch scale size. However, I have come to the realization that I will probably never build a high maintenance track layout in my… Continue reading
The First Tender Steps
Yep, see… I’m working on it. I picked a hot day. The shop thermometer hit 101. I worked in the breeze of a fan all day. It was still HOT! I did get the steps finished after exactly 35 months. Yeah, months.
Go to the THMShop site to see more pictures of the process. Find a link in the menu bar under Site Tools | What’s New .
Whaaat! The A3?
Yeah, OK. It’s been awhile. Almost three years! Don’t look too close, There is a enough grime on those parts to confirm the passing years. I have a little write-up in the works about the re-start. Yep, I am planning that. A lot has been going on and I’ll make a few excuses.
The photo’s here are just to make me feel committed. Stay tuned…
Some Like It Hot.
Zowee! It’s 95 degrees F. in the shop this afternoon. I have been working in and out of the shop most of the day. Mostly drawing things in Vectric Software then running out to run them on the HB2. My biggest concern is proper cooling for the computer but it seems to be doing fine. They are short runs from 10 to 45 minutes. I am stopping now that we’ve hit the 95 temp in the shade. I don’t even want to think about working in the sun. The front porch also in the shade is showing 98. We have had over 3 weeks of near and over 100 degree days.
I grabbed some pictures with the cell phone so quality isn’t too great. The pictures are showing about 93 degrees at 3:15 in the afternoon. I also got the main bench cleared and am doing some surface work on it. Getting ready for new projects! You can see the new (old) computer under the HB2.
I have been doing some engravings in Corian and just basically getting the feel (yes hot) of how long I and the equipment can hold up in this weather.
A Change at THMStore
The change is THMS is going to manufacturer many of the products it sells. The Hobbyist’s Machine Shop will be refined and improved as necessary into a higher volume work shop in order to enable production runs of some finely crafted products we have long considered making. These products will then be offered for sale through our e-commerce store or perhaps regional sales representatives.
The Hobbyist Machine Store (THMS) is an Internet e-business. The initial mission statement of the business was to provide replacement steel gears for the popular Asian made mini lathe and mini mills. THMS next expanded its mission statement to include supplying small machine tools, accessories and powered hand tools to any hobbyist constructing precision projects in their personal workshops. THMS does not cater to just the machinist hobby, but to any kind of hobbyist who requires small high quality machine tools for their workshops.
The original plan put THMS into limited competition with other Internet and catalog based small tool providers. I have stated on these pages, it is not the intention of THMS to be yet another supplier of lookalike goods. We never intend to become a large discount supplier of common brand tools and machines, just competing on price.
I have been considering making this THMS mission statement “adjustment” for more than a year. I can’t call it a change of mission as this direction has always been a part of my long range strategy. A change in emphasis may be a better description. The emphasis to produce and market my own products.
THM Store will continue to offer, as long as there are orders, the high quality products that are not readily available through other channels. One example is the excellent Proxxon PD400 metric mini lathe and accessories, imported from Germany. We will… Continue reading