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

While still unable to be out in my workshop, I decided to review some past items in my collection.  This PM Research 2A was my very first attempt at machining anything!  I had never used a lathe or milling machine prior to this attempt.  I have since given this engine to my son with the included Weeden electric-fired boiler. 

Between sloppy tolerances, the fact that it is an aluminum engine, which causes very fast wear on the casting for the crankshaft (no bearings), and a boiler that I think has a faulty pressure relief valve, I had little luck getting it to run on steam for this video.  It does seem to run just fine on air, at 5 psi or so, so I am guessing that the expansion of the aluminum piston may be causing it to seize up quickly under steam.  I've certainly learned a lot about building engines made to run on steam over the past seven years.