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

Thank you Wayne - I'll take you being jealous as a compliment!

Before I took the top assembly off, the whistle didn't work at all - zero steam or water.  When I took it off for resealing it was plug by the previous owner's orange RTV and seal.  That was a easy fix.  Why some people use so much RTV is beyond me - it's like more has to be better!

It is pretty impressive how well the throttle & whistle screws work by controlling/shutting off steam.  The whistle is actually quite loose easy to move - I though for sure it was going to leak but it doesn't.  The throttle screw is a real PITA to move - it is crazy tight.  It has worked a number on my finger because the "hub" got damaged/melted and now I have a messed up finger tip!  I got to figure out how to get a "tire" on my hubs LOL!

My brother's No. 3 has what I call a "zebra stripe patina".  Ugly as heck - I wouldn't think twice polishing it.  He thinks it is some kind of coating for the brass and the "stripes" are brush strokes... which seems like a good hypothesis to me.