my first steam

[jimmybondi]

Hi,

i'm very new to engines at all but done lot of metal work in my small home shop.

now i'ld like to present my very first steam engine
the whole engine is done in roundabout 350 hours, made of
cast iron (no castings), brass, steel, few gun metal and little stainless

here some pictures of building - but: sorry - i don't have made pics every station of progress

my machines are
- mid sized mill (few bigger than Sieg X3) DIY - retrofitted to CNC
- mini lathe (like Sieg C6) - CNC retro too - DIY too :-)

here's the base and first stander - material steel except bushes:
(initial start of building in August '08)


front standers (stainless)


cylinder plate (stainless) and crossheads (C.I.)


cylinders (C.I.) - milled from a block with a 1/4" ball mill


rod (?) - C.I. from block


steam chest - C.I.


some more parts added


and little bit more:


detail:


and now only external links as the pictures are high resolution at the end of build in September '08:
(hope that's not prohibited)

http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig00.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig01.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig02.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig03.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig04.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig05.jpg

and last but not least a video as DivX and MPG:

http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/DM.AVI
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/DM.MPG

some data:
bore 5/8"
stroke 3/4
piston: C.I.
piston rings: brass
cylinder bushes (2pcs per piston): gun metal
pressure in that video: 2atm
turning at 2500rpm with open valve
min. working speed at video 280rpm
(today - after several minutes of running: 190rpm)
max power at 8atm: 0.4kW (only with load - otherwise overturning)

the sound isn't good as i have forgotten the opened pressure control and
open the valve - you wouldn't believe what its running - like a sewing machine :-(
result: 2 damaged bushes on crank

i hope this post isn't too long as you get boring :-)

Regards
Frank

[compound driver 2]

Now thats a nice build, good to see a well designed engine and well made. thanks for putting that lot up

[malcolmt]

          

                      AWESOME

Kind Regards

Malcolm

[jimmybondi]

found a picture at (provisionally) final stage:



i'ld like to add a pump and a gear oder any load like generator

but first there are another projects (V12 w. 4 OHC ... / valve steam engine )

@Malcolm:
as engineer there's nothing to be afraid of :-)
when a bakerman would build it it's another side ...

both: thanks for that praise (?)

Regards
Frank
 

[crankshafter]

jimmy...


FANSASTIC WHAT A BUTY.

CS

[ChooChooMike]

That's your 1st steam engine ? 

WOW !! Beautiful !!   

Great pix !

How about more details on the build. Is this your own design ? Which parts manually made vs CNC ? I'm sure there's more of us that love that kind of info !

Congrats again

Mike

[Maryak]

Puts my effort well and truly in the shade

Bloody Bobby Dazzler, Ripper, Bonza Mate, Flash as a rat with a gold tooth; and I'm sure Tel will be able to add to this list of superlatives.

Regards Bob

[Mcgyver]

nice work JB, with the price castings, bar stock and durabar is the way of the future me thinks

[Paolo]

Perfection!!!!! A master piece!!!
Cheers paolo

[Philjoe5]

That's one beautiful engine.  Awesome as a first engine, 

Cheers,
Phil

[max corrigan]

Frank that is one hell of a beautiful engine that has definetly pushed the marker up a few notches, fantastic!!
Max............

[Macca]

CNC or not, that is a fantastic effort!
But please tell us where you got that giant lighter in the third photo.

[jimmybondi]

ooops

i'm a little bit overwhelmed at such a lot of ... words.

about making:
of course i can give some explanations within the next days or weeks.
(to describe it will take the same time for me as i build it ...)
best is you ask on any part of your interest

about cnc or not:
all parts are done on cnc - but none with a CAM - all in shop programming at the machine.
greatest used utility was a CAD to calculate endpoinds of circulars and tangents.
all other has been done by mirroring and copy and shifted paste - no more strategy or something like that

first engine:
of course - it is.
my first great project was a bonelle TCG
http://irc.global-radio.ch/Bonelle/15_03_2008_1.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/Bonelle/15_03_2008_2.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/Bonelle/15_03_2008_3.jpg

and finally an air spindle http://irc.global-radio.ch/Forum/Luftlagerung.avi
this spindle takes double as long as the whole grinder alone - because
air bearing was absolutly new area for me.

thats what i've done before - and without it my steam engine was a lot more expensively as it has been now:
all tools for grooving the parts i have grinded on it - most made by using broken tungsten carbide tools

the design:
no - its not complete on my own.
in germany there is a book-shop where you get steam plans - and this machine is doubled of
one of these plans - orig. 2cyl -> 4cyl. with necessary changes and lot refined details

usually i planned to build another engine but as i see what stuart call for castings ...
(esp. major beam - my dream :-) )


for now i hope you got some answers.

i've planned to imitate castings as good as possible - dosn't matter of time to spend - but has to look like
castings. i think it's halfway succeeded
And furthermore - more important: using material as an original engine 100 years ago would be made of too.
and it has to get used, old, worked and dirty finish - just like in a factory or on a boat in operating condition :-)
on the pictures it is new and clean - i'll made a photo next days (the brass has now got the right patina) ...

Regards Frank

[Brass_Machine]

Wow that is a nice engine. The craftsmanship is a amazing.

Eric

[joe d]

Frank:

Wunderbar!  That is an amazing job for a 1st engine.  I look forward to seeing your next project. Perhaps you could post the details of where one could order the plans?

Cheers,  Joe