207 S. Edison Ave. Tampa 6, Fla.
(For some time we have been trying to get some of our good Model
Makers to give us some articles on Model Building. Mr. C. C.
Campbell comes up with a good one on shop equipment. We are proud
to present it. Ed.)
Model building is an art requiring skill and practice, but no
model on the kitchen sink or the back porch. He must be equipped
with at least a fairly good outfit of precision machines and hand
tools in order to do good modeling and any job that will not
photograph to the extent that the experts take it for the original
is not a true model, it is just another engine.
To build a model that you could really be proud of, it must look
exactly like the prototype, not just similar to it. This requires
patience and practice, but Will pay off in the end and you will be
happy that your efforts and expenditures have produced something
that you and your friends can admire. To some, this may sound like
wasted effort, but those of us who knew the old traction engines,
‘in person’ will settle for no less than a precision scale
model. The J. I. Case Co., has a live steam scale model of one of
their engines which required most of two years to build and which
they value at $’3500.00. When you build, build right and you
will have something of real value as well as a fascinating hobby
piece.
For the benefit of those who may be planning to enter the
modeling field the following list of equipment is necessary to do
good work and make any headway. This is only a nucleus and other
items will necessarily have to be added from time to time as
needed:
Bench lathe, Drill! press, Set of drills, Nos. 1 to 60; Set of
taps and dies, numbered sizes, machine screw; Micrometer, 1 inch;
bench grinder, Blow torch, vise, small anvil, electric soldering
iron, the usual assortment of hand tools including cold chisels,
punches, hammers, hack saw, pliers of various kinds, jeweler’s
hack saw, screwdrivers, scale, small square, files, set of small
wrenches, including at least one size of small ‘Crescent
Type’ adjustable wrench, etc.
With a fully equipped shop it still requires much so-called hand
work and major parts such as castings, etc., have to be obtained
from a foundry or hobby supply house.
Model locomotive building started in a crude way, but has now
reached a high state of perfection. Model traction engine builders
can do equally as well in less time and with less effort. The
traction engine is much more versatile than the locomotive, giving
the Operator a wider range of possibilities and a greater amount of
all-around pleasure.
