What size Lathe to use to make a 1,2 traction engine

[Bruce EdneyParticipant @bruceedney59949]

Hi Henry

I would suggest heading along to the Canterbury Society of Model Engineers if you haven't already. I am sure you will find them to be very helpful.

**LINK**

Cheers

Bruce

[Henry RuiterParticipant @henryruiter35703]

Halfway through last year I start steam plant I brought the engine from OZ( similar to a Stuart 10H)and my dad made the boiler for me it’s 100mm x 240mm I got all the fittings and It was finnished it January this year.

Thanks Henry

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Please DON'T suggest that metric Minnie to anyone let alone a beginner as there are major problems with the boiler drawing unless anyone can work out how you fit the cylinder retaining bolts from inside the boiler

Henry, in your other post you wanted an engine to pull a couple of people about, you will struggle to do that with a 1" Minnie, Allchin and the smaller Burrell GMT

[Henry RuiterParticipant @henryruiter35703]

What model would you suggest then. This why I’m here to learn from you guys you would have more information than I could find by myself.

Thanks Henry

[Henry RuiterParticipant @henryruiter35703]

Are the Sieg lathe/Mills any good.

Thanks Henry

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

With the budget you have (£3500 or 7000nzd) by the time you have bought a lathe and tooling for it and possibly a mill you won't have a lot left for a large 2" engine which would be the minimum for pulling people about on a good surface. Infact you will struggle to buy the castings and all the other materials for that let alone anything else. Think again about what you can afford and what you want to do with the engine and also do you have 2-4 years of spare time to make it as you will need to spend 1000-1500hours on it if making from castings.

I built my 2" Fowler on a Sieg mill and far eastern lathe

Edited By JasonB on 25/04/2018 07:36:28

[Henry RuiterParticipant @henryruiter35703]

Whats a relistic budget then and what would be included in a casting set for a 2″- 3″ traction engine.

Thanks Henry

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Off to work now so a quick answer

 

Have a look at this pricelist for a 2" Fowler as it shows most of the parts you get and add up the costs. Then allow £1000 plus for general materials, copper for boiler etc. Don't forget it may well cost several hundred to get the parts to the other side of the world.

You will need the SC8 Sieg machine to make that @ £2500 plus tooling at least another £500-1000. then there is the question of a mill and then all the other small tools etc you will need along the way so easily another £1000

Edited By JasonB on 25/04/2018 08:22:30

[Henry RuiterParticipant @henryruiter35703]

So I would need a budget more of $8,000-$15,000 or so.

Thanks Henry

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Realistically yes.

[Henry RuiterParticipant @henryruiter35703]

Ok thank you.

Thanks Henry

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

My 4 cents.

In the future, you are pretty sure to want to expand your horizons, so think about whether you might want a larger machine . You can do small work on a big lathe, but the other way round is a LOT more difficult, if not impossible.

Marvellous work has been done on ML7s, but if you eventually yearn for a 4" engine, you might struggle.

Howard

[Henry RuiterParticipant @henryruiter35703]

There must a some point that you might as well go buy a real traction engine I treams of scale.

Thanks Henry

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