Today started the needle scaling chapter of this adventure. Brian's 60 year old compressor was wired and put to the test. This was his grandfathers and hadn't been in operation for quite some time so who knows what would happen.
With trepidation, the shop doors were opened, the Bose Wave set up and the needle scaler plugged in. A pull on the trigger and....yes, the needle scaler came to life. Next step, stepping into the office (aka, the inside of the firebox area) to start scaling. There is quite a bit of scale in the inside of the outer sheet but the scaler was able to chew it away slowly but surely. This job, like others, requires hearing, eye and breathing protection. The nice thing is that you don't have to burning yourself as could happen when using the torch. Other than that, this is going to take a while. A quick calculation comes up with about 40 hours to do the side sheets, overhead and barrel based on what was accomplished today. Oh boy.
Come to think of it, the needle scaler can be thought of as a little brother to Big Joe Tampiere: Air powered and noisy with a mind of its own. Don't pass this on to Big Joe as he may try to wander up the main line to the Maine Locomotive and Machine Co. shop to visit his little brother under the full moon!