Hello, I work as an engineer at a local fabrication shop and run my own machine shop from home, I have a Haas Mini Mill and a recently finished CNC convert Warco 240V Lathe amongst other things. I'm interested mechanical things in general and have just started building some stationary steam engines. I'm looking for some complex and challenging designs to test what I can produce and improve the quality of my work as I go. I have worked as a coded tig welder and pipe fitter, to designing steel work and making up quotes in the office and all stages in between. On reading a few freely available plans they use a lot soldering as a method of jointing including with pressure vessels. Is electric welding avoided mainly due to the time the plans were made and the availability of machinery, or is it more a traditional thing? I'd love to make some welded stainless boilers, I dont find many excuses to do fancy welding too often these days!

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