Anyone built the Harris Steam Donkey?

[Jack3M]

As the title states. I have two items in his book I do not understand and it will take someone who has completed the donkey to get them answered. Currently working on one, winches are done, working on the steam side of things.

1. How does the steam cylinder rod connect to the slide. The rod bolt has no place to go unless something is missing in the drawings and it is only briefly touched on in the description.

2. Shows some tool to expand the copper tubes in the boiler, but not descriptive enough to grasp compared to drawings. States option to not have to silver solder the tubes to the steel collector ring that way.

These drawings in the book have contradicted themselves several times. But it is turning out to be a pretty neat project so far if you overlook this uncertainty.

 

[Jack3M]

Shoot no response.......

 

[Neil K]

Jack:
Regarding the Harris Steam Roller, I do not recall any previous communications regarding the drive on the roller while I was editor at Village Press. I'll take a look at my copy to see if I can add any constructive comments.

Neil

 

[Jack3M]

Neil. Thanks, but we are talking the Steam Donkey, not the Roller. There are so many contradictions in the book/plans. I have pretty well given up on them and just use common sense to do some of this. For example the piston rod attaches to the slide, but the part on the slide has no shown hole/thread/attachment. Nothing about mounting the cylinders, etc. Yet other items that are pretty straight forward have great detail.

Right now I am trying to figure out how the tool to make the tubes in the boiler fit without solder. There is a drawing and a brief description, but noting that makes sense....at this point. Not that far yet, still finishing up the cylinders and attachments. I only use plan dimensions to give me a ballpark of what is correct.

 

[rsanders]

Neil. Thanks, but we are talking the Steam Donkey, not the Roller. There are so many contradictions in the book/plans. I have pretty well given up on them and just use common sense to do some of this. For example the piston rod attaches to the slide, but the part on the slide has no shown hole/thread/attachment. Nothing about mounting the cylinders, etc. Yet other items that are pretty straight forward have great detail.

Right now I am trying to figure out how the tool to make the tubes in the boiler fit without solder. There is a drawing and a brief description, but noting that makes sense....at this point. Not that far yet, still finishing up the cylinders and attachments. I only use plan dimensions to give me a ballpark of what is correct.

As the title states. I have two items in his book I do not understand and it will take someone who has completed the donkey to get them answered. Currently working on one, winches are done, working on the steam side of things.

1. How does the steam cylinder rod connect to the slide. The rod bolt has no place to go unless something is missing in the drawings and it is only briefly touched on in the description.

2. Shows some tool to expand the copper tubes in the boiler, but not descriptive enough to grasp compared to drawings. States option to not have to silver solder the tubes to the steel collector ring that way.

These drawings in the book have contradicted themselves several times. But it is turning out to be a pretty neat project so far if you overlook this uncertainty.

 

[rsanders]

Looking at the picture on page 30 it looks as tho the piston rod E7 threads into E15. There should therefor be a tapped hole 10/32 centered in the back of E 15. Hope this helps. Have not studied the other problem yet. I'll look at it later.
Bob

 

[Jack3M]

Looking at the picture on page 30 it looks as tho the piston rod E7 threads into E15. There should therefor be a tapped hole 10/32 centered in the back of E 15. Hope this helps. Have not studied the other problem yet. I'll look at it later.
Bob

Correct....according to what I figured out, thanks tho, at least a response is great.

 

[rsanders]

Correct....according to what I figured out, thanks tho, at least a response is great.

Have you Mastered the tube expansion yet? I may be able to help if not done yet.
Bob

 

[Jack3M]

Bob, not quite that far yet, would like to have the mechanical correct before I tackle it. Is the concept that by tightening the device it causes that center part to expand and thus make the tube seal to the ring? The only boiler I ever built was all copper and used the solder method. I can silver solder it. So actually I am not sure which way is first the least expensive to complete, and second which is better to get the seal necessary?

What material on the tool is used for the expansion? Just a hard rubber? Off hand I don't remember exactly what he said to use, but was not familiar with that anyway.

 

[rsanders]

Bob, not quite that far yet, would like to have the mechanical correct before I tackle it. Is the concept that by tightening the device it causes that center part to expand and thus make the tube seal to the ring? The only boiler I ever built was all copper and used the solder method. I can silver solder it. So actually I am not sure which way is first the least expensive to complete, and second which is better to get the seal necessary?

What material on the tool is used for the expansion? Just a hard rubber? Off hand I don't remember exactly what he said to use, but was not familiar with that anyway.

Jack,
The book calls to use neoprene faucet washers. I would like to send you some washers made from softer urethane. I will have my son waterjet 4 or 5 before you need them. We use this material in a forming operation and it lasts much longer than rubber. Make the steel washer ( on the left in sketch) a close fit to the copper tube maybe .005 smaller than tube.
Bob

 

[Jack3M]

Jack,
The book calls to use neoprene faucet washers. I would like to send you some washers made from softer urethane. I will have my son waterjet 4 or 5 before you need them. We use this material in a forming operation and it lasts much longer than rubber. Make the steel washer ( on the left in sketch) a close fit to the copper tube maybe .005 smaller than tube.
Bob

Well that is right nice of ya. Will pm address.
So no comment on expansion versus silver solder? I do have a TIG.

 

[Carl Reinhard]

I am trying to model the Harris Steam Donkey in Cadkey but the computer keeps puking on my shoes. Recently have had a mornings work wiped-out. When successful, this should clean up any lingering doubts about dimentions or attachments. Greetings from the Southland. Carlos

 

[Jack3M]

I am trying to model the Harris Steam Donkey in Cadkey but the computer keeps puking on my shoes. Recently have had a mornings work wiped-out. When successful, this should clean up any lingering doubts about dimentions or attachments. Greetings from the Southland. Carlos

I was considering also doing so, in Fusion 360, but not until I have correct measurements and such. Additionally I modified quite a few things, like I made my own cylinders, so it was necessary to make passages and so on. Some items I have made bolt together that were solder and vice versa. There actually are some small necessary parts that are not in the plans.

Actually the project is almost to the point of final location of the cylinders and timing the valve chests. Just need to make the main crank rods that attach to the flywheels and then finish that out.