Steam Chests - Pennsylvania A3 Switcher, Part 47

This episode on Blondihacks, I’m making steam chests! Exclusive videos, drawings, models & plans available on Patreon!

I would like to acknowledge that my shop sits on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the local First Nations people.

Here are links for many of the tools that you see me using:
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[SIB]

Was there some reason (besides "because shut up") that you didn't bandsaw off a big chunk before doing that long interrupted cut?

[metamorphiczeolite]

What a pleasure it is to watch this! Thanks for sharing your experience and expertise, Quinn.

[AseGarcia]

I could perfectly live just watching you, This Old Tony and Adam Savage (in no particular order).
This kind of content you all make makes me happy for multiple reasons, and I'm not even a machinist. Thanks Quinn!

[offendaman]

You are really good at this. Really looking forward to the finished product :D

[fsj]

Good commentary about the valve. Thanks for sharing.

[robertoswalt]

You do some beautiful work, Quinn, and this is perhaps the best yet.

[cameraforchristmas]

Great video. Terrific project. I’m making a steam engine model from Stuart. I think engine building is the best work for me as a hobby machinist.
Regardless of what machining job is actually in progress at the moment, when someone asks what I use my home metal shop for, I answer: “I make model engines” . Way better than, “I’m making corner filing jigs for no project I can imagine yet, but I have always wanted them and I had the materials in my stock.”
Civilians are usually quite satisfied with that answer.
I am super glad you chose this project - a full locomotive will remain my great white whale. I may yet try one before I die. Or shortly after. Watching you on this project is a terrific primer.

[piperjohn_]

A very satisfying episode. TIL the sliding valve thingy in the steam box is what makes the classic choo choo noise.

[PatrickPoet]

since the covers were back to back, when Quinn tapped the decorative cover threads the one on the bottom got an Australian thread--these kind of fine details are important to get right. Most people wouldn't have bothered with Australian threading one of them up-side-down because of course you won't be able to tell in the finished project, but this attention to detail is what separates Quinn from the mass of machinists;p

[joeybobbie]

Hi Quinn, it’s looking really nice. I can’t wait to see it running. I need to go back and see how you made your Boiler. I wish I could make a Steam Engine to drive a Boat. Just a 16’ Flat Bottom Boat. I think it would be great to go Steaming around on the Lake. I have no idea what size Steam Engine that would take though. Looking forward to the next Video. Great Job so far on the Locomotive.😁👍👍

[firebird]

Hmmm... I don't remember seeing this Saturday... I mean... Yay! It's Blondihacks time!!!

[joshclark]

16:40 not only is it the perfect thickness for the job, it is also the "only" piece for the job 😂

[khumbokayira]

i like your teachings keep it up. i wish i could been there

[KaedennYT]

Feel free to add in shop safety wisdom bits, like using a pusher for the bandsaw or good tool etiquette.

[phillipmetcalf]

You did not make an error in the last video, it was an engineered design choice to allow indexing of the steam chest to prevent inadvertently interchanging of the steam chests. ( And I thought I would never use my engineering reports again). Great video. I watch every one.

[UpLateGeek]

An idea for an interesting transition shot occurred to me when you were putting that second piece into the lathe to turn the boss, it would start with spinning up the part, then fade into the shot of the part spinning down having finished being machined. You may need to apply a mask below the chuck between the two shots to hide the change in the chips and anything else that might have changed in the background, so that might make it a little work, but I think that could be an interesting effect.

[apalrdsadventures]

I've heard large steam power turbines refer to their control manifold as a 'steam chest' as well. Turbines don't have any valve timing like pistons though, they just use a valve in the steam chest as a throttle valve

[johnmoorefilm]

Quinn: “I am reasonably happy with that…” Dead nuts-zero: “Jeeze, thanks…”😅

[ned]

Really enjoy your channel. So clearly explained. I wonder why you don't use a shop vac to collect shavings? Blowing or brushing them off seems to be just another step. Thanks.

[OGTtom]

Great video Quinn, thank you for posting, I look forward to Saturday