Recent content by f350ca

When I make graduated dials, I use cold blueing to coat the surface, then lightly sand the surface leaving the engraved parts blued. Seams to be a very robust and clean method. Greg

Wanted to add a control valve, did a search on the internet and the great goddess google linked me back to here. Blogwitch in answer to another query posted a set of plans for a globe valve. Had to change a few sizes to match my piping but all worked out, THANKS a bunch John It looks good...

Thanks, Actually just cleaned up the bench, you can actually see some of the surface. lol Greg

Sorry, haven't posted for a while, been able to escape this project and do some other work. Have most of the parts built with the exception of the main rod packing gland. Been making scale fasteners to replace the machine screws I used, many more to go. Greg

Congratulations !! Nice runner. Merry Christmas Greg

I'll double check but thought I had it in as per the drawing. The one I got is dated from the 50's for the engine, and a little newer on the reversing gear section. Both drawings are on one sheet, the reversing gear full scale and the engine shrunk and aged to almost unreadable. Had to scan the...

Was making bushings for a small backhoe out of 660 bronze, thought it would make good piston rings. When I split them didn't they close, don't think I've ever cut a ring that it spring open. With some gentle flexing in the jaws of a small vice got them sprung the right way. Have it...

Other projects have been stealing my time. Can imagine this engine would take a substantial boiler to keep up with it. They are a nice little lathe, mine is the original HLV with the narrow bed and manual speed adjust. Showing some signs of her age but can still nudge parts out of her with...

This thing is eating up too much of my precious time, bloody thing is addictive. The intake ports were cored in the cylinder but were too far apart at the valve end. Had to cut the openings closer to the exhaust port, but this meant that the valve wouldn't cover the end. Cut a thin slice from...

The weather is turning cold and a couple of days of snow, good time to play in the shop. Made the links that connect to the quadrant, then had to make the bolts. Used some 1/4 dia mystery stainless. Machined nice. The bolts are 1/8th with 5-40 threads. Made the heads 15/64th across the flats by...

Paying projects have been hampering progress, but stole a little time for the engine. Had a wee bronze bushing to use for raw material. They came out of a seismic vibrator, weigh about 50 pounds each. Made the reversing handle from it. And the arm it swings. Greg

We think the engine for the boat was 5 inch bore, never did take the head off to measure. Here's a link to the engine on a dry run. Thought the crank was cast iron, wrong, was a low carbon cast steel, miserable to machine. Tried every grind in HSS I could think of and a couple of inserts...

Was surprised at the size of it spacy. A group of us built a paddle boat a few years ago, a replica of a logging boat used in this area called an alligator. It could winch itself overland between lakes or around rapids. The engine we used is almost identical to this one, only 5 inch bore and...

Machined the base and crank case, sorry forgot to take photos of the set ups. Pretty straight forward clamping them to the tooling plate. Greg

Started on what I think is called the frame. Decided the best plan of attack was to hold it in the bore for the cross head and machine the top and feet as reference surfaces. Made an expanding mandrel to mount it. Worked quite well for the top but when I machined the feet there was a small...