Our girl is getting ready to go out and wants to dress up. Can anybody provide the names and contact info of firms where we can purchase the gray graphite for her smokebox? Thanks!

Dear Charlie:
We use a mixture of flake graphite (McMaster-Carr item 1290K3) and BOILED linseed oil mixed to the consistency of a very thick paint. Mix up enough to do the whole job or at least one side and keep it well stirred to keep the color consistant. Aluminum paint or carbon black can be added to adjust the shade if so desired.
Good luck!
J.David

On 4-6-2 S.P. 2472, we originally tried the graphite-and-oil mixture. This is fine if the engine is kept hot or is stored indoors. In unprotected outdoor storage, however, it soon rusted through.

Our solution was to first paint with high-temp alumininum primer & paint from Hy-Tech Sales:
Primer: Hy-Tech #HR-2413 High Temp Zinc (oddly, this is not listed on their website, but it's mentioned on the #AL-2402 datasheet, and they do sell it)
Topcoat: Hy-Tech #AL-2402, 1200 degree F rated, http://www.hytechsales.com/prod2402.html
(Both these are expensive - well over $100/gallon, plus hazmat shipping fees. When we bought the paint about 3 years ago, Hy-Tech used inadequate cushioning in their shipping boxes. Every shipment arrived with many of the cans dented and even starting to leak. 3/8" of styrofoam and a layer of corrugated cardboard box just wasn't adequate. Hopefully they've improved their packaging since then...?)

The final topcoat is Slip-Plate #1 Graphite paint / dry film lubricant. It's sold by W.W. Grainger at about $36/gallon.

- Doug Debs

I always used the flake or powdered graphite mixed with steam oil and thinned with mineral spirits on the 1522. The last several years we sprayed it using one of the parts sprayers with the pickup tube down in a can of the mixture that someone carried along and kept agitated. I know it sounds like something out of a 3 Stooges movie, but it did a terrific job. Never had a problem with rusting through.

Charlie,
If your near a larger city then look in the directory for a shop that specializes in machining graphite parts. The graphite shavings/dust then is just something that needs to be hauled away. There is a place near me and they gladly gave me a 5 gallon pail of this dust. Then mentioned that when I ran out to come back for more.