Finishing up outside of cylinder castings

[Joseph DempseyParticipant @josephdempsey44200]

[Joseph DempseyParticipant @josephdempsey44200]

I have purchased some gauge one Dot cylinder castings. I understand that I machine the front and rear faces for the covers and most likely would do these in my lathe. But how does one clean up the casting along the side, this is an indented surface if you know what mean. Is it common to machine this area maybe in a mill or use emery cloth?

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Hi Joseph, I'm not familiar with the G1 'Dot' castings but in Gauge 3 we would normally just machine the ends of the cylinders and fit some form of cladding over the sides of them. In this case you don't really need to do too much else to the casting – although if there are any 'upstanding' bits – a file will do the neccessary. If you do need/want to machine the castings – this will normally need some form of jig/fitment to partially rotate the cylinder side past a milling cutter – either in the lathe or on a mill. Generally it's easier to just clad it or leave rough (as cast) and paint it. Regards, Ian T

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Apart from the bore, front and back, and valve face that are machined, any really rough bits can be knocked back a bit with an old file if need be so that the cladding will fit. If the casting is half desent you proberbly won't need to touch it. Ian S C

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