Model steam engine castings

[Max Simons]

Hey guys!
Does anyone know of somewhere in Canada to get steam engine castings?(other than Canadian model enginering)
I checked out PM Research in the states, but the shipping is just as much as the casting kits! It's outrageous! Any help would be appreciated.

Max

 

[DPittman]

Im no expert on the subject but I sure haven't been able to find any Canadian made castings, there's several UK and US options but as you've found out they are priced very dearly.
Don

 

[Bofobo]

It would be great to have some patterns made available for 3D printers for home casting applications, im setting myself up to do just that but i am still a ways off.

 

[PeterT]

I wasn't even aware of Canadian Model Engineering. It says they are "a dealer for PM Research and Sherline Products".
Do their prices not compare favorably with PM once you factor exchange, shipping & dinger fees, or do you mean you ware looking for other designs? I don't have any experience with steam, but the stuff I have come across is either USA or Europe, mainly UK.

If you guys found some plans of relatively simple engine, there might be collaborative resources on this forum to CAD > 3DP > Castings. I only know about step 1 & half of step-2 <LOL>

https://www.pmmodelengines.com/
http://www.hemingwaykits.com/
http://www.modelsteamenginesuk.com/acatalog/Stothert_and_Pitt_Beam_Engine_Kit_to_Machine.html
http://www.livesteammodels.co.uk/index.html

(old index)
http://modelenginenews.org/suppliers.html#c3

 

[DPittman]

"If you guys found some plans of relatively simple engine, there might be collaborative resources on this forum to CAD > 3DP > Castings. I only know about step 1 & half of step-2 <LOL>"

Ha ha you're still one and a half steps ahead of me!

Don

 

[Tom O]

I have some of the patterns for a twin compound marine engine my Dad designed. He built the patterns himself and had them cast in Vic B.C or Van I belive.

 

[Max Simons]

Ya Canadian model engineering just ships directly from the manufacturer, so you have to pay all the shipping, duty and exchange. I'd like to design my own, the trouble is finding a foundry that does cast iron.

 

[PeterT]

I see some kits on Ebay occasionally but I have no idea what is a good price.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/LIVE-STEAM-...811180?hash=item3d5d0802ec:g:S-cAAOSwGhZZsxE1

I was poking around the PM site. I see some of their kits are on ebay too but, depending on the model, it might be like 150$ for the kit + 60$ shipping. Maybe shipping to USA address would help if you have those connections, but this is kind of in the nuisance range not really worth a drive unless you want to or can collaborate with a buddy on larger order.

If you wanted to design your own engine that's another matter but my guess is by the time you made the pattern & located a small scale CI foundry that would actually do it, you would probably have sunk as much or more than a kit. It may seem expensive but I'd bet they kit distributers are making squat, more doing it for the love of hobby.

Another tact is to write a reverse (wanted) ad in a model engineering forum. There might be someone who is willing to thin the herd as many of these folks are getting on in age. But people know what the good castings are worth & you still have shipping which wouldn't be cheap for a couple pounds of CI coming from England say.

 

[Proxule]

So, 2021 guys. Did we get any where with this???? thanks

 

[Tom O]

I haven’t even fired up the furnace for aluminum/brass let alone trying cast iron as a test I have some patterns for a larger engine made by my Dad for a compound engine and the cylinders are cast separately.

 

[Bofobo]

I’ve been recycling an abandoned burnt arctic cat snowmobile into ingots, more than making any patterns

 

[John Conroy]

I don't know about cost but Norwood Foundry in Nisku does custom casting even down to very small stuff. You can submit a quote request here.

https://www.norwoodfoundry.com/quality-castings

 

[DPittman]

I don't know about cost but Norwood Foundry in Nisku does custom casting even down to very small stuff. You can submit a quote request here.

https://www.norwoodfoundry.com/quality-castings

That's pretty cool. It's fun to imagine all the projects a person could do with custom foundy services.

 

[Dabbler]

I found that ordering stuff from Great Britain seems to have lower priced shipping than from the US (!!) I bought a mag chuck and paid 25$ CDN shipping. The price of the chuck and shipping was the same as the shipping cost from the US... Perhaps one of the suppliers in England might work out for you?

 

[Tom O]

I’ve been recycling an abandoned burnt arctic cat snowmobile into ingots, more than making any patterns

I’ve got a garbage can of aluminum and another one of brass that one day Will be cast. Maybe when I get the garage reorganized after getting the new lathe in I’ll have room to move the kiln out to the garage I’d be able to cast aluminum at least.