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

Thanks @Paula couldn't have finished this little resurrection without you kind services!  So far the blue Loctite is holding, I'll put on my list to get some 542 on hand.

Sadly the sight glass snap inside the elbows, likely if it let it soak over night it would have.  The sight glass OD was 4.43mm / 0.145in.  I bought 4mm glass tube long ago, so I wasn't to worried.  The little problem I had was it actually measured out to have a OD of 3.5mm, so nearly a 1mm swing.  I corresponded with a source and was told their 4mm tubing has a +/- 0.35mm tolerance.

So my ZerksPlus High Temp Silicone Tubing wouldn't hug my "4mm" glass.  Now these glass tubes don't float between their fittings like later models, they are like the older iron base models where the glass tube slides into the elbow.  So my mind with to o-rings like I use for those.  While I have 3x1mm O-rings that the ID was prefect, the OD not so much.  So I have two types of seals with opposite problems.  My solution was to use both!  I used two 3x1mm O-rings on either side and then cut my ZerksPlus High Temp Silicone Tubing to ride over the two O-Rings.  Problem solved and I have a water/steam tight seal for the water level sight glass tube!  YAY Me :-)

No other surprises!  Putting this little engine is a bit of like a puzzle with all the straps & screws.

I love the style of this engine, as I expected it is one of my favorites.  Though I can see why they didn't continue the design - I am sure it was costly to produce with the straps.

Interesting points compared to the later design:

• The Wheel's stand-offs don't have brass inserts for the steal wheel shaft.
• The piston stand-off doesn't have a cover for the steam/water holes.  I can see why they added this later as water shoots perfectly onto the boiler/base crack!
• The main base doesn't have a divot.  I can see why they added this later, for water collection.
• I really wished they kept the "rounded" elbow and whistle base (like on the iron based engines) though I'd image they were harder to produce.