HO 4-8-0 Boiler

[NW Modeling List]

A year or so ago someone asked if anyone had a metal working
lathe to make a "M" boiler in HO out of brass to be used as a die.
I replied that I had a lathe and I would be happy to make the forming
die, but it would be better cut it from drill rod tool steel so the die can
be used many times with out damage, besides the cost of tool steel
is much less and you get a better tool.
I asked to send me a print in HO and I would make the die for 3 of the
new brass boiler shells. I never heard anything from my offer.
                                    Its still open!!

If we want M's why not design and make our own kits?
Boiler shell from brass shim-stock, cab, frame and tender from
brass stock. Every thing else I think we could buy off the shelf.
We need the following tools to make the Kit:
Metal lathe only for boiler tooling, small milling machine,
metal cutting band saw, small hand break,
(drill press,drills and taps?).

There still are a few of us 70 to 80 year olds scratch builders still around.
In the 1940's there were printed paste-board and wood car kits.
and a very few very high priced 0-4-0, 4-4-0 and 2-6-0 Loco Kits.
In the late 40's and early 50's other kits came on the market,
If you wanted power you had to build it from a kit and this led some of
us to scratch building.

Any one remember the steel HO rail of the late 30's and early
40's when everything ran on a 6 Volt auto battery??  After a
few months in the basement  you did not need rust color paint
for the rail.

                                    H.B.Lyon
                                    Alexandria