Cylinders

Drilling Steam Passages

Eccentric Engineer posted on Facebook, December 2015:

When cross drilling steam passages... It seems it's much easier to mill at an angle than it is to drill at an angle. Mill out the pocket at the same angle as your drill angle. Will save your drill from wandering.

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  Eccentric Engineer showing poor results from trying to drill steam passages at an angle.

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  Eccentric Engineer showing much improved work when the port face is first milled at the correct angle, then passages are drilled at 90 degree angle to face.

Fabricated Cylinders

Cylinders can most often be fabricated from standard bar, cylinder and round stock. This avoids the need for casting the cylinders. Here are some articles to review when considering cylinder fabrication.

• "A Simple, Low-Cost Way to Fabricate Cylinders", William S. Van Brocklin, Jr., Live Steam Magazine, September 1977
• "Southern Pacific Mogul", Andrea Clerici, Live Steam Magazine, December 1974
• "Fabricated Cylinders", Don Young, Model Engineer, 6 April 1973

See Also

• A New Design for Piston Valve Locomotive Cylinders
• ""Billet" Cast Iron Cylinders - Not a casting", Chaski.org