LOOKING FOR PROJECT SUGGESTIONS

If you have a lathe and mill and you like welding tools, here's a nice project I saw:


Note that the video uses a drill press, sometimes in creative ways. It would be nice to make this with a lathe and mill. One missing detail is the rotating joint between the pieces of steel. This is an ideal opportunity for face plate work.
 
riversidedan said:
thats kinda what Ive been lookin for , hard to believe how they made those parts so small...........if nothing else it gave me some ideas...but one things for sure thier sure proud of thier prices.......
Click to expand...

So PM Research is known for having some of the best quality kits. Both in terms of complete drawings and plans (many other kits require some interpretation and engineering as you go) as well as very high quality castings (accurate, not extraordinarily oversized, and no voids/inclusions). There are cheaper options out there but you definitely lose out on quality.

They carry all their castings individually so when you inevitably screw up an important part, you can buy a replacement.

I think the PM#3 and PM#6 are the most popular engines. The PM#1, #2, #3, #5, #7, and #8 are all smaller engines. The have some tiny parts but nothing too big which is good for people with smaller machine tools. The PM #4 and #6 are 1:1 recreations of small late-1800's 1/4 HP steam engines. They have larger components and can actually produce quite a bit of power (1/4 HP @ 250 rpm). The smallest components are still relatively large (a 1/8" diameter, 1" long brass pin might be the smallest). The one issue is that a couple of the parts require a bit larger machine tool. I have a 12x36" lathe and a G0704 mill (6x18x9", XYZ travels) and would have struggled a bit to make the parts with too much smaller of machines.

Their hit and miss gas engine is a significant step up in difficulty and time commitment. I would not recommend as a first project.

They also have machine tool models. These are pretty small but often simpler and quicker projects. Joe Pie on YouTube has a great series on machining these.

These kits will really launch you much further in your machining skills. They require creative fixturing, maintaining tolerances, and a good understanding of how the whole thing will come together.

I'd budget 150-200 hours to complete a #4 or #6 steam engine along with a couple hundred dollars for specific tooling that you might not have (I need some specific reamers, angle blocks, and a few other odds and ends).
 
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