Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Great write-up!  I always find it interesting to look over someone else's shoulder and watch them make things.

One thing you might want to try for thin parts like the valve covers is to use CA (crazy glue) to temporary hold the parts to a scrap piece of round.  Some heat from a torch or acetone will release the part later.  Learned that trick from Clickspring on Youtube.