# What do YOU put in your steamup toolkit?



## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

The subject line pretty much says it all. Over at the National Summer Steamup 2010 thread, Dwight says "I'd bring the threaded adaptor if I had it. " Which got me to wondering (as newbies do) what else would you bring if you had it? In other words, what have all you burnt-finger crowd found useful to bring with you? A swiss army knife? An oven glove? A couple of paper-clips?

Just wondering what I should bring, and remembering the Boy Scout motto...


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

1 - distilled water, fuel (both supplied by NSS in this case)
2 - steam oil
3 - fueling adaptors for gas cans - threaded adaptor if you plan to use fuel that requires it, butane can straight adaptor if that's what you plan to use
4 - grunge bottle with sealing cap to dispose of used steam oil/water mixture (again supplied by NSS in this case)
5 - lubricating oil - 3in1 Blue - in needle applicator bottle
6 - paper towels (again supplied by NSS)
7 - large syringe for filling boiler, small syringe for sucking gunk out of lubricator
8 - squirt bottle to fit Goodall valve if you have one


That's probably all you actually need to run. In addition, I carry a small toolbox with an assortment of tools I may need - small screwdrivers, allen wrenches, small crescent wrench, needle nose pliers, dental mirror, nut drivers, scalpel, spare tubing for Goodall valves, spare chain for my R/C throttle linkage, charger for R/C batteries, super glue, tube of caulk, and an assortment of other goodies I've needed in the past for on-location repairs.


I wouldn't worry too much about it Gary. What you don't have, others will loan you if you need stuff. Live steamers are a friendly group.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Dwight, to tell the truth it's a matter of what I leave out....my usual steam-up box looks like an AccuCraft dealership spares department, as well has having enough in the way of mini-wrenches and screwdrivers of all denominations to be able to work on everything from a two hundred year old clock to a computer. Spare superwick material for Aster's, as well as a packet of spare NBW from a few kits, plus the occasional set of spare smoke deflectors, three-link connections, hose connections - even a set of busted bolt removers in teeny scale - I have it. 

The one day I didn't have it was the same day that I really needed almost everything I had. A guy turned up to run his pride and joy - a new to him [but very old] Aster model acquired after lusting after it for many years, only to find that there were no wicks in the burners..... 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## scottemcdonald (Jan 11, 2008)

A small flashlight. Whether indoors or out, you will have shadows and areas where a little direct light can help. 

Scott


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## Dan Rowe (Mar 8, 2009)

Yep, I have most of that stuff in my box, but one of the most handy items has not been mentioned. 
A BEER BOTTLE OPENER!!!! 

Fancy beer with out twist off caps is very common at steamups I like to be prepared. I even have an Old Shay opener. 

Cheers Dan


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## steamboatmodel (Jan 2, 2008)

A small BBQ lighter to light the boiler, with all the rest. 
Plus if its outside sunscreen. 
Regards, 
Gerald.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Dan and Gerald, 
I think that Dan Pantages has the ultimate solution here! 
He has a small BBQ lighter that has a bottle opener built into the finger hole. 
It does something else, but I don't remember what! 
I think WHAT you take to steamups evolves over the years. 
You find that you need something, so you take it next time. 
You see someone with a gizmo, so you buy one. 
You are missing a tool, so you take it next time. 
Before long, you have a large tool box to carry, but better that than not being able to run as you may not find anyone else has the missing item. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

I agree about the flashlight and the lighter. A while back I picked up one of the peizoelectric camping lighters. Works great, even with a wind! However, mine doesn't have a built-in bottle opener.


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

When I travel to a weekend steamup I carry two different kits. One contains all the required items needed to fire the loco up, plus a few generic tools like miniature channel lock pliers, hemostat (mini pliers), needle nose, wire (to quick fix broken couplers), side cutting pliers (for the wire (we used to call them something else)), an extra lighter, plastic bulb syringe for sucking out the old steam oil/water mixture. This first kit is what I would carry to my backyard or to a friends backyard Sunday afternoon steamup. 

My second kit is what I call my "backshop in a bag". It contains Wiha metric nut drivers, various spare parts, spare servos (My IV-K like to melt them), orings, spare ronson valves


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## Steve Shyvers (Jan 2, 2008)

Everything Dwight and Tac mentioned, and Scott is dead-on with the reminder to bring a flashlight. Here's what I try to remember to bring also: 

Chimney suction fan with extra batteries (for alcohol and coal-fired locos) 
Several pairs of tweezers of different sizes 
Spare coupler links and pins 
Paper clips to make creative coupler connections 
Spare machine screws and hex nuts for the sizes most likely to work loose and fall off the locos while running 
6-inch steel machinist's scale 
Notepaper and pencils 
X-acto knives - sharpened 
Small nut drivers 
Small screw starters 
Copper wire, 20 or 22 gauge, for clamping rubber/silicone hose 
Back-to-back wheel gauge if loco wheels are regaugeable (someone will need one!) 
Plastic electrical tape 
Teflon tape 
Spare gaskets for boiler fittings 
Spare balls for clacks, valves 
Collection of various allen wrenches, straight and ball-end, to fit everything on the locos 
Several small cloth hand towels - useful as a workmat on the table top when working on locos; good when picking up hot locos; use for cushioning when packing up rolling stock 
Small pieces of ceramic sheet insulation to make burner wicks 
Long needle to poke holes in fibreglass burner wicks that have become clogged 

Steve


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

A tube brush and an ashpan scraper, a poker,a short handled coal shovel, a long handled flat shovel, a pair of welding gauntlets, a pair of leather or cotton gloves, a 24" pipe wrench, a 12" pipe wrench, a 18" Crescent wrench, a 10" Crescent wrench, a 6" Crescent wrench, a 20 ton bottle jack, a splitting maul, a hatchet, an electric chainsaw, a spare soft plug, pipe tape, a spare glass for the water column, a pair of lineman's pliers, S-hooks, extra whistle (toilet) chain, baling wire, a grease gun, a long spout oil can, a 1/2 gallon pail of steam oil, half a dozen rags,a tub of GoJo, a small bottle of lamp oil, newspaper, some wood shingles/ white board scraps, and a couple grill lighters...... And a large jug of ice water.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary - sounds like you better bring five extra pieces of luggage! hehehe


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## Bob in Mich (Mar 8, 2008)

Gary,When I and many of us Michigan Live steamers started off We had Steam Oil,3 and 1,Fuel,water and what tools that came with the Frank-S.as You get to be a season steamer You will bring More.You will find that live steamers are a special bread.they will jump in and help.This is a Hobby that has very great Members. 
Have fun at tha Steamup.


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Gary Woolard on 23 Jun 2010 11:37 PM 
The subject line pretty much says it all. Over at the National Summer Steamup 2010 thread, Dwight says "I'd bring the threaded adaptor if I had it. " Which got me to wondering (as newbies do) what else would you bring if you had it? In other words, what have all you burnt-finger crowd found useful to bring with you? A swiss army knife? An oven glove? A couple of paper-clips?

Just wondering what I should bring, and remembering the Boy Scout motto... 


For all the lists this really is a very simple question and even simpler answer...

Bring everything you have 'cause you never know what you're going to need.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Steve Shyvers on 24 Jun 2010 12:51 PM 
Everything Dwight and Tac mentioned, and Scott is dead-on with the reminder to bring a flashlight. Here's what I try to remember to bring also: 

Chimney suction fan with extra batteries (for alcohol and coal-fired locos) 
Several pairs of tweezers of different sizes 
Spare coupler links and pins 
Paper clips to make creative coupler connections 
Spare machine screws and hex nuts for the sizes most likely to work loose and fall off the locos while running 
6-inch steel machinist's scale 
Notepaper and pencils 
X-acto knives - sharpened 
Small nut drivers 
Small screw starters 
Copper wire, 20 or 22 gauge, for clamping rubber/silicone hose 
Back-to-back wheel gauge if loco wheels are regaugeable (someone will need one!) 
Plastic electrical tape 
Teflon tape 
Spare gaskets for boiler fittings 
Spare balls for clacks, valves 
Collection of various allen wrenches, straight and ball-end, to fit everything on the locos 
Several small cloth hand towels - useful as a workmat on the table top when working on locos; good when picking up hot locos; use for cushioning when packing up rolling stock 
Small pieces of ceramic sheet insulation to make burner wicks 
Long needle to poke holes in fibreglass burner wicks that have become clogged 

Steve 

Well, yes, I have all those things as well as a few I've never seen on your side of the pond - cranked tweezers for a start. And those really useful combination pokey things with bits of foam stick on the other end - Ideal for cleaning up an oily loco after a run and for getting between the handrails and the boiler cladding. Teeny cable ties are very useful, too, on those occasions when I've needed to use them - designed to go inside little radios. I think RS has them, but mine came from a closing-down store in Belleville many years ago, and I've never seen them anyplace else. They are truly miniature cable ties - about 3/32nds of an inch across and really strong, too.

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Do any of you bring a steam locomotive amidst all that stuff?


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 24 Jun 2010 02:52 PM 
Do any of you bring a steam locomotive amidst all that stuff? 

Charles,
The answer to that question is as simple as the last...

Bring all you have 'cause you never know which one you will want to steam.


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## Dan Pantages (Jan 2, 2008)

[He has a small BBQ lighter that has a bottle opener built into the finger hole. It does something else, but I don't remember what!] 

It has a light at the other end.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 24 Jun 2010 02:52 PM 
Do any of you bring a steam locomotive amidst all that stuff? 
Nope, a traction engine. Most of 'all that stuff' is in a toolbox, hung from the canopy on 2 hooks, in the fuel bunker, or in the back of the car.


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## Bill4373 (Jan 3, 2008)

*LOCKTITE GLUE.... something will always break.* 
and what else you can fit into your 50 foot semi-trailer....

.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Chris Scott on 24 Jun 2010 08:01 PM 
Posted By Semper Vaporo on 24 Jun 2010 02:52 PM 
Do any of you bring a steam locomotive amidst all that stuff? 

Charles,
The answer to that question is as simple as the last...

Bring all you have 'cause you never know which one you will want to steam.

Chris
Simple but not practical.... 

Charles (from the right coast)


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Another thought is to just bring your loco. 
If you ask nicely, and look trustworthy, I'm sure you can borrow anything that you need. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada (on the other side to Charles)


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## JoelB (Jan 3, 2008)

If you run R/C, batteries. If you use rechargeables, a suitable charger (especially so if you're away from home for a multi-day event). 

Paper towels and/or a clean, soft rag.


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## msimpson (Jan 5, 2009)

Apologies if I am repeating what someone else said -- in addition to eveything else -- 
-- spare safety valves (sometimes you get one that sticks) 
-- spare gas filler valves (") (generally two kinds, Accucraft and UK) 
-- spare gas jets (all sizes) 
-- tin of 0 rings, gaskets, nuts and bolts. 
-- Loctite 
-- stainless steel mesh (for burners) 
-- lots of link and pincouplers (generally divided into Accucraft and other, plus paperclips, plus brass strips, plus paperclips fixed on pins) 
-- couple of red garage rags (good to lay engines on, as potholders for hot engines, to wipe spills, wipe hands, wipe oily tracks, empty lubrictors on, etc.) 
-- extra fire stick or spark ignitor (in case one quits) 
-- 250 gram can of butane (Yeah, they told me they would have some too!) 
-- Mosquito repellant (Off!) (I live in Florida!) 
-- extra batteries 
-- ice chest with water and beer and bottle opener (but needle nose will do in a pinch) 
-- half apron (takes up no space, doesn't choke me, and gives me three big pockets in front) 
-- hat (lately fond of the California Railroad Museum, but I do have others) 
-- engines that I know will run 
-- rolling stock -- I play with trains, not just with engines. 
-- somebody else, who brings whatever I forgot, and a smile. 

Regards, Mike


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## thumper (Jan 31, 2009)

GLOVES!

Isn't that a funny looking word. Although Gary mentioned an oven glove in the first posting, they are a little clumsy. You really need to pack leather gloves to pick up and move or rerail a hot locomotive. They come in handy too if you are part of the setup or take down crew as there are lots of sharp edges and splinters, etc.

Goo Gone 

Goo Gone is one of the best products I've found to remove dirt and grime from wheels, especially drive wheels. It takes only a drop on a Q-tip to clean the grime from all the drive wheels of a locomotive. Then apply a little alcohol to dry the wheels to give you good traction.

Other things I bring are:

Allen wrenches
Small taps
Old dental picks
Multi-meter
Small nut drivers
Metric and English ignition wrenches [Sears sell the best sets]
Teflon tape
Magnifying glass [for those of us with poor vision]
Note pad & pen for names, web site addresses, part numbers, etc.- Jerry Reshew of Diamonhead fame has one of the best available in his registration packs. 
Small drills and a pin vice
Mirror on a stick to help you see under a locomtive [whether the wicks are burning evenly]
Scisors
JB Weld
Files [small unless you want to destroy something]
Alcohol wipes
CO2 fire snuffer for alcohol burners [available for filling bicycle tires at bike shops]

ANYTHING ELSE THAT MAKES YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THE FIELD!

I know there may be a duplicate, but these are always in my tool kit.

FINALLY, if you don't have it, ask around. Live steamers are some of the most helpful people around. Everyone wants to see every locomotive perform to its highest potential and you will find most take great pleasure in their ability to solve problems! I know as I've been on the receiving end many times.

Live steaming seems to be one of the ultimate equalizers. Among us you will find engineers, rocket scientists, farmers, lawyers, doctors, teachers, painters, welders, cabinet makers, professors, shop keepers and many other professions, too numerous to mention. All titles seem to be left at the door to a steamup and we become Locomotive Engineers, Firemen, Brakemen, Conductors and sometimes Bar Tenders. It doesn't get better than this!

Happy steaming, 

Will


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## hawkeye2 (Jan 6, 2008)

Insect repelent, sunscreen, and an umbrella if you are going to one of DR. Rivet's steam ups.


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## Dave -- Use Coal (Feb 19, 2008)

Here is how I built up the list of things in my tool kit.

When I needed something to work on an engine at home, the item went in the tool kit

When I saw something "neat" at a steam up that might someday be useful, I bought one for the tool kit.

Then there are a few spare items that went into the tool kit----couplers, steam oil, syringes, coal shovel, coal pick, gas fillers, nuts, bolts, paper clips, various gas nozzels, lighter, etc.

What I ended up with is a basic tool kit with the items above then a seperate kit for each kind of fuel. These contain the fuel, steam oil syringes, shovels, picks, nozzels, and the standard tools used during firing, running, and cleaning with that type of fuel.

The basic tool kit always goes with me to the steamup, The seperate kits go as needed for the engine or engines going to the steamup.

The kits contain many of the items listed in previous replys and a couple of items not listed.

I usuallly have what I need, but sometimes borrow from others for a part or tool that has not yet gotten on the list of items in my kits. Never yet have I gotten stuck, at a steamup, to the point we could not press on.


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Charles on 25 Jun 2010 10:19 AM 
Posted By Chris Scott on 24 Jun 2010 08:01 PM 
Posted By Semper Vaporo on 24 Jun 2010 02:52 PM 
Do any of you bring a steam locomotive amidst all that stuff? 

Charles,
The answer to that question is as simple as the last...

Bring all you have 'cause you never know which one you will want to steam.


Chris
Simple but not practical.... 

Charles (from the right coast) 





Since when is anything connected to this live steaming "hobby[sic]" (aka obsession) practical in any way? 

I always thought its impracticality was its charm and appeal.


















And bite your tongue!!!







God forbid a wife should ever hear from any of our lips the words. "...(not) practical." A fate worse than death awaits. It's so horrible I cannot say it; you'll just have to use the worst in your imaginations.


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks y'all for all the tips. Sounds like there are a few basic things that should be in everybody's toolkit, and beyond that it's sorta' learn as ya' go what you might need for any specific situation. And in the meantime, there's a lot of friendly folks ready to help you cover your .. umm.. behind.

Does that about cover it?

thanks from a newbie steamer...


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## Dave -- Use Coal (Feb 19, 2008)

I believe you have the picture.


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By hawkeye2 on 28 Jun 2010 06:37 AM 
Insect repelent, sunscreen, and an umbrella if you are going to one of DR. Rivet's steam ups.


Don't forget hardhat if it's walnut season!


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## Wesley Furman (Jan 2, 2008)

Bactine spray or Samuel Adams for pain relief. 

Wesley 
SA #212


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## steamtom1 (Jan 2, 2008)

*They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So here is a picture of the 1000 things in my toolkit...*


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## Michael (Jan 6, 2008)

Hi, 
Besides all the stuff already mentioned - here's a tool I carry in my trousers' pocket all the time during a steamup:

Von Modellbahn

Von Modellbahn

Clockwise from the top - an ASTER pump lever, a simple brass hook for fire doors, a small LED torch, a mirror, and a homemade tool for European screw link couplers. Together with a lighter in my other pocket, I can handle most situations while walking along with my loco...


Michael


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Michael on 04 Jul 2010 07:16 AM 
Hi, 
Besides all the stuff already mentioned - here's a tool I carry in my trousers' pocket all the time during a steamup:

Von Modellbahn

Von Modellbahn

Clockwise from the top - an ASTER pump lever, a simple brass hook for fire doors, a small LED torch, a mirror, and a homemade tool for European screw link couplers. Together with a lighter in my other pocket, I can handle most situations while walking along with my loco...


Michael 




[/b]

In your "...trousers' pocket" ? Dear me, those instruments look positively lethal should they, in the slightest way, accidentally become directed at other vital instruments for steamy situations too near for comfort. My admiration for your courage in the face of such risk. [/b]*







*

*







*


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