Another steam engine shaped object

[Steamchick]

Hi Doug, My wife is in the chassis shop getting a new rear ball joint fitted now. Life will get better when the broken part is replaced.
Meanwhile, I checked (using the ellipse curvature calculation) the largest radius for your Top-Drum end plate.
It came out at ~1.6" radius.
Then checking ASME - which struggles with small parts (Model boilers) - it simply says everything UNDER 2.2" rad shall be at least 0.040" thick.
BUT then there is a further requirement for the Stress Concentration Factor to have 3.3 times the thickness when material is pierced - as for the bushes for the water gauge, etc. Which means it shall be 0.123" thick ... (1/8")! A bit thicker than perhaps we expected?
Can you spin that thick?
Hope this news isn't a problem?
K2

 

[DJoksch]

I was planning on adding an engine powered water feed pump. Here are a couple older excerpts from a lab text I have written. I need a different level sensor, but a three level sensor system would provide a nice automatic feedback system with an alarm level sensor that could shut off the burner. I should covert the water supply on the first boiler project to act as a preheated version and add an oil separator for the exhaust. I will see if I spin this. I may need to use something else such as 1/4” plate to make the end caps.?

https://youtube.com/shorts/KultmHcnYI4https://youtube.com/shorts/8h_To83Lagc

 

[Mechanicboy]

I was planning on adding an engine powered water feed pump. Here are a couple older excerpts from a lab text I have written. I need a different level sensor, but a three level sensor system would provide a nice automatic feedback system with an alarm level sensor that could shut off the burner. I should covert the water supply on the first boiler project to act as a preheated version and add an oil separator for the exhaust.

See this link: Automatic boiler water level control system with phototransistor.

 

[DJoksch]

Doing the cosmetic stuff and turning a better flywheel with more mass. Time to make decorative copper bands and decide on a color for the metal base. Two pounds of air and watch out for your fingers.

 

[Steamchick]

Hi Doug, I like your slightly unconventional way of making things. It tells me we are often constrained by "History" - because "that is how it has always been done"?
Well done on a great finish to this model. - The wood and hexagon shape do look good.
K2

 

[minh-thanh]

Hi DJoksch !
How do you clad wood panels? glue or..?
Thanks !

 

[DJoksch]

I used thin walnut veneer and super glue in this case. For my other engine, I cut a piece of weathered mahogany into thin planks.

 

[DJoksch]

I just bought some 1/8” copper to make end caps. I will need to make a spinning tool with a ball bearing roller and convince my South Bend 10L to turn it. I also have a 3 foot 3” wide 3/8” thick bronze bar that could make nice caps all the way around. This would be an easier solution.

 

[Steamchick]

If annealed and you can spin it, the copper is still a good option.
K2

 

[DJoksch]

Need to add copper bands to the cylinders, and cut channels in the steam chest for appearance. Still waiting on copper for end caps. Things are coming together nicely.

 

[Steamchick]

I like the dark blue finish... Is it a gun-finish or something?
K2

 

[DJoksch]

It’s just automotive paint with a clear coat.

 

[Steamchick]

I like the finish. Very presentable.
K2

 

[DJoksch]

I’m adjusting and shimming. As always, I learned a new set of “what not to do”, but I was trying to use some of the original engine. Would have it together, but I was ask to be a guest woodwind musician for a conductor’s symposium this week. I’m deciding if it should have a common displacement oiler on the steam feed or if I should put a separate oiler for each stage.

 

[Steamchick]

I should use the common displacement oiler, as I have adequate lubrication with all mine. Didn't know you are a whistler! Flutes? Reeds? favourite pieces? Tell us more! As an ex-Tympanist, I like the rhythm of your engine. But have you balanced the flywheel yet? It is smoother than I recall of previous posts?
K2

 

[DJoksch]

For orchestral work, I’m on an oboe or English horn. I occasionally cover bassoon. We are looking at Beethoven’s 6th with some nice oboe work. Recently did E. Horn for New World Symphony. I’m also a Mendelssohn and Korsakoff fan. I also do pit orchestra work with my wife. Pits are as much choreographing the instruments as playing them. I find that engineers are typically accomplished musicians. I knew you played something, I just didn’t know what.

As for the engine, the first flywheel had very little mass. The new flywheel is much better and runs fairly smooth. I’m off to a concert today so I’m letting paint dry. I’ll see if it still runs smoothly with two cylinder stages.

 

[Steamchick]

Hi Doug,
Keep playing! It is a skill, talent and a gift from the musicians to the rest of us! (I do not count myself a musician, as I stopped over 40 years ago when I realised I wasn't the same calibre as the brass band players I performed with! + a few other reasons. - But I was pretty rubbish! Weak left-hand, strong right-hand, and you can't disguise that imbalance in a roll!).
My favourite Tympani piece is the end of Beethoven's 3rd movement of the fifth Symphony.... leading to the 4th Mov't..., with Sibelius' Finlandia a close second.
Enjoy the music!
K2

 

[DJoksch]

It’s coming together. Have a few things to clean up. Making a hard line to connect to my boiler.

 

[Steamchick]

Hi Doug, For running on air, there is no condensate to displace the oil in the lubricator. But if you invert it, so the reservoir is above the connection to the intake manifold, then a bit of air in the reservoir will start to oscillate with the pressure and pump a tiny amount of oil into the manifold, that will find its way into the engine. I use regular air-line oil when running like this on air with my engines. Seems to use the oil slowly...
Then when running on steam, you can reset the oiler in the normal orientation. Some Condensate will collect in the reservoir and displace the oil that has to get heated by the steam in the intake manifold, and thus carried into the engine where it condenses as the steam expands and cools. - Use 50W steam oil for this operation.
After steaming, when you clean, dry and re-oil the engine, don't forget to drain the water for the lubricator. And before running you can top-up the oil reservoir as part of the pre-running oiling routine.
I'm sure you'll figure out what to do.
Enjoy a splendid engine! - Well done!
K2

 

[DJoksch]

Just finished a hard line for my current boiler. I’m curious to see if the boiler keeps up with the engine.