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

I must be having a whole lot of fun as these last ten years have just flown by ... and you know the old saying "Time Flies While You're Having Fun"!!!

Looking back through my "receipts" I note that the first of Jin's Steam Engines (M28 a mini-opposed twin) that I ever received was in February 2015. I didn't actually buy it from Jin however but rather won it in a Charity Auction that Jin had very kindly donated it to, and I was lucky enough to win that auction!

Interestingly, I received the second of Jin's Steam Engines (the Big V-4) in the same Charity Auction the following year, so again added an engine to my collection that I did not buy directly from Jin.

With two such engines under my belt, I was able to assess the build quality and functionality of what I had on hand and was duly impressed. Still, I managed to hold off on any direct purchases from Jin, why I'm none too sure, until fairly late in 2018, when I purchased a P60 three ball governor off of evilbay.

The rest, as they say, is history, and I will have to admit to having bought via BIN (or won as auction) at least a couple or few others of Jin's offerings over the intervening years, such that now I can actually say that I have a Microcosm (OKMO) collection of sorts!!!

Bonjour,
I discovered Jin 9 years ago and bought him... a complete steam boat !
Imagine, a more than 30 kilos huge wood box arriving in my small post office.
The boat suffered with little damages, nothing important:


The water level was broken, Jin kindly sent me another one:


Finally, the boat found one's element for her first test:


And on the pond:

Bonjour Gil,

About Hit and Miss engines, I didn't know anything about before 2019 when I discovered them on this site, and guess who on this date helped me sort it out... You, already as a mention it in the video

Ten years! wowie, first engine was one of the horizontal hit and miss, blocky and beautiful! bought some oilers from Jin and I think the resulting engine is nothing less than phenomenal, even now with the precision castings that he has perfected. I am very excited to have seen the start and growth of a new steam manufacturer, in a hobby dominated by just a few makers that have weathered the years.

I think a phrase that members of this forum will appreciate, is 加油 (jiā yóu or Jiayou) which in Chinese translates directly to "add oil" but is used as encouragement as an expression of "it will go smoothly" or "keep it up"

Jin, if you are reading this, 加油  !