BUYER BEWARE - BUYING STEAM ENGINES VIA THE INTERNET - PART #1 

I find these videos highly enjoyable and even a little soothing. Your narration is so great I only fast-forward the parts with no narration.

Great examples. Thank you.

Great shelf models to look at.

Im into rebuilding nitro 4 stroke engines os ,saito etc ,this vid has me intrested in doing these engines ,if ya wish to have s clear out must catch up wit ya

Why is this recommended to me? I don't have steam engines, well there's one in the kitchen. I call it a kettle. I know nothing about steam engines. Does look interesting though!😁

I think I know how the D10 with the broken standard ended up with tow opposite styles of machining. It was probably started by an experienced older model engineer possibly a widower, who died before it was completed. The part done engine with the rest of his kit not being wanted by the family was shipped of to his Model Engineering Society with the instructions to get as much as possible for it. Once there it was pick up at a cheep price by a newbe who then not asking questions messed it up.

The same is true about internet Dating with you having to go on photographs in the days of Photoshop... But I felt safe with a Chinese one as they all look the same and there is little point in enhancing. She was only 2 years out with her age but our Daughter does not mind!!! Saying that I am just back from buying a Super 7 which has been for sale for ages??? No photos but when I got there WHAT A SUPERB PIECE OF MACHINERY!!! Every accessory imaginable, super friendly man who had arranged for his Son to help extract it out of the workshop. AND I have another Simplex which got included along with the almost War and Peace words of what is wrong with the design and Drawings!!! I have almost come up with a super set of amendments and turning her into something more narrow gauge with better ash pan and draughting! Again yes got from the Steam Workshop my first Simplex but They know I only bought her for the BOILER which is superb. This one as far as I can tell was started by someone who knew about, and had access to superb machinery as the axle boxes and wheels and some of the frames are superb! Then she changes hands and the rods seem to be hand filed... The cylinders now form part of a quiz at Reading on just how many faults you can find... My scrap wagon authentic contents pile growing superbly!! 3 attempts at marking out for Cylinder bolt holes and the bottom ones go through the drain-cock holes? L shaped holes in the frames is a new one on me for bolting them in place? However I am sat next to the completely NEW set all marked out to new design and have already done the improved buffer beams using half the number of rivets? Such a twist of fate that the Simplex buffer beam drawing did not get swapped for the ones supplied for the Titanic and the film would have had a much happier ending!!! David and Lily safely back in Reading.

It it interesting to see how many people think JB weld will fix anything. That usually takes place just before the part is catastrophically destroyed. I find it interesting to see how you approach the repairs of these engines. You obviously know what you are doing and I appreciate your approach to fixing things correctly as opposed to just getting something out the door and getting paid. I have been tempted to purchase a model steam engine online but these videos have convinced me to wait until my skills are good enough to make one from castings. Thanks for sharing your skills with us.

That looks to be cast iron, so would you use silver solder, or brazing, or weld, or what?

I love your videos. Strat up no bull shit and say it as you find it . Good for you .. Keep the grate videos coming.. all the best Neil

interesting, thanks

Thanks

Saying "it was fine until you took it apart" is kind of like the whole schrodinger's cat thought experiment. 😅

Hi Keith, great video! I would be interested in buying one or more of these "basket cases" if the gentleman would like to part with any of them. I enjoy repairing just about anything mechanical and these would be great training for me before I try a casting kit. I have a casting kit from Blackgates Engineering, 6" twin water pump, but would like some practical experience first. Cheers!

The No.10 with the broken cylinder standard - I'd be dubious too using JB weld on that. I thought brazing it might work but then I wondered if even that would be strong enough to handle the stresses. Is it fixable at all?

I've used JB Weld for many years and I know for a fact that it must never be used as a "glue" to join two pieces of metal together. It has no sheer strength, and any kind of stress will cause it to crack and break apart. It's main purpose is to fill gaps, pores, and refinish mating surfaces and it does these jobs very well. It's too bad that the cost of repairing a bad job is greater then the original cost of the model, but this has always been true of anything mechanical. If you can't do it right the first time, don't waste money trying to repair it. Just chalk it up to experience and junk it!

Lol, those haters. My only criticism about how you're doing that crankshaft is it isn't counterweighted, and that's mostly a personal preference thing with these engines since they seem to run fine with no counterbalancing at all. My 10H certainly chuffs along happily without a counterweight, just shakes my computer desk pretty bad haha.

I would beware of using JB Weld under tension in a small cross section like the broken cylinder mount , I forget the proper name of the part.

Keith, love your videos, I'd love some these derelict engines to work on with my boys! mail them and any other wall hangers to me anytime! I love a challenge

If i had to chose just 1 life motto to live by, "I dont do bodges." would be a front runner

대단하십니다.~~^!^ Is it for ship?

Do you think the standard on the double 10 could be brazzed back in place?

If I ever buy a steam engine online, it wouldnt be second hand. but straight from the manafacturer XD that way I know its going to work and fit together properly haha

In car engines, the crank shafts are forged and then machined in one piece; I realize forging one of these miniature cranks wouldn't be feasible, but how bad would it be to machine one from barstock in one piece? And if it is more or less doable, could you do one on video?

As an Aerospace composite Engineer of some 25 years and some extensive experience bonding (gluing to layman) I would not be using JB Weld to fix an any of these components Brazing or some other form of welding would better

Dear Keith, I enjoy your videos where you are reviewing badly machined engines. You use the term "bodge" to describe poor workmanship. I was a professional clock repair man. I can identify with your feelings when discovering substandard workmanship. People would take their valuable antique clocks to amateurs, then bring it to me, to be repaired properly. Bodge... I understand. My parts and lathe were an order of magnitude smaller. Ken

Think i'd be more inclined to braze a crankshaft than try to weld it or pin it. i'm not a model engineer though, just someone who likes brazing everyting :D

To machine a few pins into the crankshaft would be a lot of fun ! and its also part of the hobby actually ! I cant believe he said it wouldn't be worth it... That's simply just not true and people should not put their opinion in place of fact. Granted everyone should be careful not to get screwed on buying these engines ,..It still is worth buying one that needs work. again,.. Its part of the hobby . to machine and fix these engines is a lot of fun and also a learning experience . it also gives you a sense of accomplishment ! It seems people have forgotten all about these things ... How about making a video on how to !! now that would be helpful !!

One day, way into the future, there'll be no hooks on overhead cranes in factories, they will be floating hooks with no apparent support.

Most of that stuff would buff out🛠😆

Have you ever silver soldered taper pins to the crank web or would the heat ruin the crankshaft?

Has anyone modified a new Mamod or other brand hobby steam engine into one that could run on Lionel track?

You are dead right, ebay steam engines are usually rubbish, I wanted a nice Stuart beam engine, the third one was OK, but needed work to get it going properly, now runs on under 5 Lbs/Sq". The first 2 had loads of issues with the parallelogram gear, a very slight mistake here renders the engine useless. Engine 1 & 2 only ran if all the screws were loose! Luckily after cleaning, polishing, and painting I found someone who only wanted to look at it, engine 2 was OK after some re-engineering. It turns out that making this engine from castings is a task undertaken by engineering apprentices, hence the variable success rates. Not all ebay is rubbish though, but it does seem like some people use it as a Skip.

And do you like wilesco steam engine

If they've left you with stuff, it's not quite theirs anymore. It certainly isn't theirs if they say they don't want it back.

How much would that twin tandem cost in the state it is in ?

‘rattle fit’ 😂😂😂

Sounds just like Paul Bohill

Nice cute steam engines sir, but where can i buy it sir? They are old but Very nice and Unique machines. How much is it sir? Tnx

You sound English - so I assume you meant to say "dismantled"? So many American-used words slip into our language - snuck/gotten/nukular! Very nice, enjoyable vid.

I would make the crankshaft out of a solid piece of bar stock.

Do you have a steam boat.

whaaat you charge for repairing engines? hahaha. I'd pick them up for personal projects on the cheap. it'd be great to restore an old beauty esp. when new kits for them are getting more pricey every year

I feel like these engines weren't really ment to actually work but mainly for looks.

All this stuff that i deem unfixable because i believe my time worth more then it is

But! Is it likely these engines are actually just different people's first attempts? If so... bah, ah well. They were just learning.

This is a situation in which you blow off steam because you can’t blow off steam.

Not junk save them....