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2 tractors made from plans

Joined
Jun 15, 2019
Messages
43
Points
78

Hi everyone. These are my babies. When I was going thru hard times in the late 70's and was then a machinist my father gave me the plans from, I believe, popular mechanics. I started on them then but life got in the way. They came back out in the late 90's. I finished the black and brass one then. The all brass one I finished about 5 years ago. They were a joy to build.1000002889.jpg1000002890.jpg1000002891.jpg1000002892.jpg1000002893.jpg1000002894.jpg1000002895.jpg
 
Hi everyone. These are my babies. When I was going thru hard times in the late 70's and was then a machinist my father gave me the plans from, I believe, popular mechanics. I started on them then but life got in the way. They came back out in the late 90's. I finished the black and brass one then. The all brass one I finished about 5 years ago. They were a joy to build.View attachment 615683View attachment 615684View attachment 615685View attachment 615686View attachment 615687View attachment 615688View attachment 615689
That are 2 very nice detailed models, Jim. Specific the look of the 2 different liveries.
Regards, Peter
 
Thanks Peter. I made every part of these except the nuts and bolts, the gauges, the whistles, and some miniature pipe fittings. These tractors are built to completely take apart and put together. nothing is soldered except the boiler and that's silver solder. They are built to run but I never have because to run them would ruin the finish. I'm very proud of them. I just wish I had better pictures. They now have a place of honor in my daughters home.
 
Amazing work!
You say they were built to work... might it be possible to somehow attach them to an appropriate compressed air source and run them without ruining the finish? I'd love to see them in action.
 
Thanks Brewerpaul and Lukawaz for your kind words. If you look at the bottom corner of the back you can see a compression fitting on them. I ran them on air over 25 years ago when the engines where first finished, It was pretty cool. Problem is now I don't think I could pry them away from my daughter to play with them. She waited since she was a little girl to get them and she's in her 40's now.
 
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