Female machinist builds a working 1:16 scale PRR A3 steam loco - part by part

[towl1996]

This lady has incredible skills...This a link to the play list.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLY67-4BrEae-xhrvZX33gPk4Q87S1ttae

[kornellred]

Her name is Quinn Dunki and her YouTube Channel is called Blondihacks.  It would be difficult to not like her, even if you are a misogynistic type.

[Maletrain]

But, but, but, IT IS 1O TIMES TOO BIG!!!   

[nkalanaga]

I didn't watch the shows (I don't have all day to watch YouTube!) but it looks like she's really building from scratch.  Quite the accomplishment, regardless of gender.  I hope you, or someone, posts the results when she has it running.

If someone built one in 1:160 I'd really be surprised.  I'm not sure an N scale live-steam model would be practical, simply because the steam passages would be so small that the steam would likely condense in them before getting to the cylinders.  A compressed-air loco might work.  Of course, now someone will actually do it, and prove me wrong!

[propmeup1]

As a machinist for 34 years I would love to build my own using casting etc. However, I have too many hobbies as now and at 62 years I'd only be fooling myself to get it done. I'm pretty much 100% commited to building large ship models for clients and running my large N scale a few times a week. Bless her.

[mmagliaro]

Blondihacks is my hero.  She has a vast array of videos on machining techniques and other construction hobby projects.
Not only is her work excellent, but she is an outstanding teacher and the videos are great tutorials.

[PGE_Modeller]

About 15 - 20 years ago, one of the UK model railway magazines ran two articles which have always struck a chord with me.  One was an article about a pair of 1:240 operating steam locomotives using alcohol burners and the other was about three scratchbuilt 1:480 electrically powered steam outline locomotives (one of them a K4 if I remember correctly).  The editorial comment was that "We present this not to claim that 1:480 is viable modelling scale but, rather, to point out that mechanical perfection in 1:480 leaves little room for failure in anything larger"!!

Cheers,
Greg

[nkalanaga]

OK, so a live steamer has been built in a scale smaller than Z, not to mention N.  I'm impressed!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Hahaha, so I recently spent a week in India. Quinn's A3 series was what kept me sane as I spent 30 hours in coach.

She rocks.

[randgust]

Before you think you've spotted a free-range unicorn with these skills, I beg to differ.

Only this is the big stuff.   One of the best I've ever met, and now she's teaching at Thaddeus Stevens college in Lancaster, after being 'second in command' at the machine shop in Strasburg, where I got to meet her.  Along with being a qualified locomotive crew. 

https://www.workhands.us/users/andrea-biesecker