Recent content by Steve_Withnell

Hi folks, I've not been around a while, but in my absence I've been busy and installed a Sieg KX1 driven by Mach3 running on a Dell XP3 machine. Works really well. Encouraged I then bought one of those little chinese engravers off Amazon, which comes with Candle as a CAM package / post...

Hi Rob, Yep the graphited yarn is fine for steam. I have the parts of a steam engine my Great Grandfather built, sadly no where near enough to build the engine, but I do have the cylinder (5inch stroke x 2inch bore) and the cylinder end plate where the piston rod goes through (forgotten the...

If you managed to wind back to the picture of my Great Grandfathers engine, the flywheel spokes are watch winders! Which leads me to the conclusion that the screws and may be other parts all have the same source. Steve

http://whittlev8.wordpress.com/ my attempt at the Whittle V8 (IC Engine), progress is slow. Hopefully certain! http://stevewithnell.wordpress.com/ (Stuart Victoria). Done and running, but still need to do the fencing and finish the base Bit of an experiment posting these links, I'll report...

Hi Rob, You don't say what size, but some of the designs I've looked at with 3/8 inch diameter pistons and smaller don't bother with a ring at all, but they do have a groove cut in the piston anyway. A stationary engine I built with a 1 inch diameter piston I packed with graphite yarn, it...

Cast Iron is a good to machine, but it is very dirty. Concur with all the remarks about dust everywhere and the dust turning into a lapping compound. if the cylinder is cast iron, then I'd personally use a sharp HSS tool and run very slowly. This produces a very nice finish. Comment on sash...

It started life as a six inch length of one inch diameter bar. The crank throws are 1/2 inch. The crankshaft build is here: http://whittlev8.wordpress.com/ The main thing here (I'm not a time served machinist, just a hobbyist) is loads of patience, you have to turn the value of time right...

Steve, Have you seen this method? Snag is you do need a big chuck to hold the fixture. The reason the picture uses 180 opposed crankpins, is that I drew it up for the Whittle V8 crank.

Hmmm. I made the Nemett 15s and could not get the valves to seal. The advice was not to lap. I did in desperation, I used "brasso" which is a brass / copper polish in the UK. It did not improve the seal and it did cause circular scoring in the seats (as per advice not to lap). I found an...

Many years ago I was working on an exhibition + conference, a novice at this. The "old" hands were ordering two carpets for their booths, to give a double thickness. After hours standing around in our booth, we used to go visit the "two carpet guys"! So now I have carpet over the concrete...

Thanks to Don for fixing the link, apologies for the oops on that one. I have a blog running to capture the build - http://whittlev8.wordpress.com/author/stevewithnell/ Once I get some momentum going (and get the hang of inserting photos!), I'll start a thread in the appropriate section. Steve

Just a few more bits to make...

"Re: anyone interested in a radial team build" Not until I get rid of the day job :( I'd be interested to know how the logistics work though... I did start the design of a three cylinder radial 4 stroke glo motor, that's something else on the to do list! Mind you it is pretty ugly compared to...

Master Machinist has a nice ring to it!

Hi Chuck, The Victoria uses a standard slide valve, I've developed that to include a Meyer expansion valve. The "shapely lady" lubricator is my design copied from an engine my Great Grandfather built, sometime earlier than 1912. I have both engines on my shelf now :) I'm started on the Whittle...