1st- and 2nd-ever runner: Elmer's Tiny 1:1 and 1:2 scale

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ttrikalin

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Newbie here.

Completed Elmer Verbung's Tiny (#23) in full size (1st ever engine) and in half size (2nd ever runner). Was a wonderful experience. Although both deviate a bit from the plans, have a lot of machining marks and a few mistakes, they run OK.

Here's the video.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPWjqj_3cxg[/ame]

I strained my eyes for some of the parts of the second one. Excluding the base, it is shorter than a penny javascript:void(0);. Now I got a stereo microscope and as soon as I get some experience machining under the magnification, I will start building the 1:4 scale version...

best

tom
 
Welcome to HMEM Tom.

Nice builds of the Tiny!

Rick
 
Cool. Glad you like them that small. My eyes are getting to where really small stuff is tough. Yours run great!
 
Great "tiny" runners :) Really neat!!!!

When are you starting on the nano-steam engine? ;D.

Sherline makes a microscope mount for their machines and also sells the miscroscope that goes along with it. ;D
 
Nice... I see another Thimble engine in the future. :D Welcome to the forum!
 
Nice ones, Tom. Thanks for the videos.
The little one sounds like a mad hornet!

Dean
 
Welcome to the forum Tom :)

Very nice Tiny's Thm:

How about a build log on the 1/4 scale ;)

Regards, Arnold
 
Welcome to the forum Tom!
I echo what Arnold said...would like to see process pics of your next build too.
 
thanks all...
I'll probably do a build log... so that I can ask people how to solve problems...

take care,

tom
 
Tom,

Great Job(s)! :bow: :bow: I know what it is to do it at 1/2 scale.

I started Tiny @ 1/4 back in June. 1/2 is a breeze compared to 1/4. I just haven't had the time to work on it. The end mill is 1/16 in photo 1. The drill bit is .016 in photo 2. If I ever get it done the plan is to mount it onto a pencil eraser.

The column is done sans the ports. I have the crank disk drilled but still attached to it's parent stock. That was fun. The holes are .023 apart. The bearing is also done. That's as far as I got before I started a new job and I don't have the time or the nerves for something so small. However, I've been wanting to get back on it. This might be my motivation. I just need to source some tooling as well as some funds.

I was going to post it as a work in progress, but felt that failure was highly probable at 1/4 scale.

Bob

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i hear you, bob.
It is intimidating when I actually see your photos... and appreciate the scale... and in steel...

we'll see how it goes... time is at a premium right now.
t
 
Tom,

It can be done. It takes a lot of planning and thinking the details through at this scale.

For example, the flywheel set screw. At 1/4 scale the flywheel is .156 dia x .047 thick. The hole for an 0-80 tap is 3/64 (.047). So you have to go smaller than 0-80 for a set screw or come up with another way to hold the flywheel on .016 dia crankshaft. The cylinder bore is .047 also. I haven't found a reamer that small yet. Also, the port holes work out to be around .010. That's beyond a #80 drill. The ports present a problem with the 90 degree intersect for the intake. Then there's the issue of suppling it with air! At 1/2 scale I bored through a 1-72 screw to make a nipple. For 1/4 it will have to be smaller than 0-80.

Real small tooling isn't cheap when you can find it. That's another reason this project stalled. I am hesitant to lay out my limited funds on super small stuff that I probably won't use again for a project that may fail.

Keep me posted with your progress. If I get going again, I'll let you know how it is going.

Bob
 
Very nice, Tom.
I'm thinking of doing a "full sized" version myself. I don't have the patience to do the really small stuff. Holding the work while machining is half (or more of) the battle.

Jim
 
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