Model Making Including Workshop Practice, Design and Construction of Models
Raymond Francis Yates, editor
Published 1919
426 Pages
Download/Read from: Google Books

Here is another treasure I found while digging around Google books.This book really covers some territory. There is just too much good information in this volume for me to go through it chapter by chapter, so let me hit some highlights.

First, I love the chapter devoted to pattern making. These patterns are for casting metal. Over the last couple years, I've been exploring backyard metal casting with a charcoal fired micro-foundry. It is a lot of fun: if you have never had the experience of melting making a pattern, melting down some scrap metal and then making something useful, I recommend it. (Warning: you can die if you make a mistake while doing this....) Do some googling on 'backyard metalcasting' and see what I mean. Youtube has lots of videos from people who enjoy the hobby.

I've also had a deep interest in steam engines and this book has several. In chapter 10, a twin-cylinder is introduced. Chapter 12 details a twin-cylinder launch-type steam engine. I've been dying to try one these. The book also has plans for two radial steam engines - one of them is quite powerful.

It also has two chapters on flash boilers. One of these the author claims can output over 300 PSI of steam. In the book, this is used with a radial 4-cylinder engine to operate a large remote control airplane.

If you are into steam engines or serious model making, I predict you will like this book. Many of the plans could be used as-is; however, keep in mind that a few things have changed and modern alloys offer a lot of new material options over those discussed in the book.

Here's the table of contents, reproduced:

  1. The Model Engineers' Workshop
  2. Lathes and Lathe Work
  3. Drills and Drilling
  4. Soft and Hard Soldering
  5. Hardening and Tempering Steel
  6. The Use of Abrasives
  7. Pattern Making
  8. Electro-Plating
  9. A Model Slide Crank Steam Engine
  10. A Model Twin-Cylinder Engine
  11. A Single-Cylinder Engine
  12. A Model Twin-Cylinder Marine Engine
  13. Flash Steam Plants
  14. A Flash Steam Plant For Large Model Airplanes
  15. A Flash Steam Plant For Small Model Airplanes
  16. A Model Steam Turbine
  17. Design and Construction of Model Boilers
  18. Model Boiler Fittings
  19. A Record-Breaking Model Hydroplane
  20. A Model Lake Freigher
  21. A Sharpie-type Model Boat
  22. A Model Submarine Chaser
  23. A Model Submarie With Radio Control
  24. A Model Crane
  25. An Electric Double-Drum Hoist
  26. A Model Gasolene Engine
  27. A Model Electric Locomotive
  28. A Model Steam Locomotive
  29. A Model Gyroscope Railroad
  30. A Model Caterpillar Tank
  31. A Model Siege Gun

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