Brian builds a Corliss

[Brian Rupnow]

Something is really strange around the Rupnow Ranch today--- I bored the cylinder, and made two endcaps. Two of them!!! And without leaving the shop, I can only find one of them. I looked everywhere. I cleaned up the shop and office. I put all my tools away. I won't make another endcap to replace the missing one, because sooner or later it will show up. Meanwhile, I made one of the brass cover plates, and maybe tomorrow I'll make a second one. Really, really strange----

 

[SteamChEng]

It's on walkabout. Happens to me all the time. It will come back soon and you'll be back to work.

 

[Gordon]

I have had parts and tools disappear when I have not taken three steps away from the bench.

 

[johnl]

I usually find that it’s hiding in plain sight.

 

[CFLBob]

A friend and I were talking about this once; you're working with something or just made something and either you put it down or drop it then it's gone. The next day or in a couple of days you look in the exact same spot and this time it's there.

He told me that it's consistent with quantum mechanics that it breaks out of our time line and time travels to that place in the future. It sits there not on any time line until the timeline we're on catches up with it and they merge. Once that happens, we can see it again.

I don't want to believe that, but it has worked out so many times that it's getting easier to believe it.

 

[Steamchick]

Glad to hear you are well.
K2

 

[Steamchick]

N.B. Bob is right about the Quantum mechanical effect... Totally random, otherwise inexplicable, and a nuisance. Otherwise it is the Borrowers... being cheeky!
The Borrowers - Wikipedia
K2

 

[Charles Lamont]

Brian, it will be in the last place you look!

I am trying to learn that when I go to fetch or find something else, I should first put down the thing already in my hand.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Found it!!--it was laying under one of my detail sheets. I could have sworn that I looked there three or four times before. I think the bugger went someplace and then come back. Whatever, I'm glad to have it back here.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

After making tap guide and spring loaded thingy to drive it, I lay down and had my "old man middle of the day nap". Got up from that and used some new-found energy to drill the cylinder end caps. I realized that the cross-head guide had the same bolt pattern as the rod-end cap so clamped them together and got a "two for one" deal when I drilled the cap for the rod end.

 

[BECENG]

Something is really strange around the Rupnow Ranch today--- I bored the cylinder, and made two endcaps. Two of them!!! And without leaving the shop, I can only find one of them. I looked everywhere. I cleaned up the shop and office. I put all my tools away. I won't make another endcap to replace the missing one, because sooner or later it will show up. Meanwhile, I made one of the brass cover plates, and maybe tomorrow I'll make a second one. Really, really strange----

Hi Brian,
you are making excellent progress and the wide flywheel looks great. Just an observation but i notice that the eccentric rod from the crank shaft is connected to the top hole of the intermediate lever arm. The plans show it should be connected to the lower hole and the upper hole is for the valve arms.! I am also working on the same model but have not been able to work on it for several months due to work. However I will post some photos soon.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Today I drilled and tapped 18 holes in the cylinder. My cheeks are sore from clenched muscles!! The tapped holes under the brass thing are all put in with new spiral flute #4-40 taps and went very smoothly. The threads under the round flange are #5-40 and they were put in with an old "standard" tap, and there is a world of difference. I will talk to my tool guy and buy a couple of spiral flute #5-40 taps tomorrow.---Why are the bolts so long?--Because the shortest bolts I stock are 1/2" long. The bolts you see will all get shortened tomorrow.

 

[Charles Lamont]

Chop the heads off and put nuts on. Cap-heads on a Corliss, how could you?!

 

[Brian Rupnow]

I know, Charles---they make you cringe. The first time I left home to work in the cities in 1965, was the first time I seen socket head cap screws. I loved them. They were the neatest looking fastener I had ever seen. I've had a life long love affair with socket head cap screws.

 

[Charles Lamont]

I like them a lot too (in the right place).

 

[Steamchick]

Hi Charles, Brian, I like the discussion.
When I was a lad in a machine shop 55 years ago (a lot different from today's workplace!) I was taught a few things that I remember... One applies here.
Bolts have their place, so do studs and nuts.
Where you have something like a Cast iron cylinder block, the last thing you want to do is strip a thread. So threaded holes are relatively long, 2 to 2 1/2 D in length. Studs are fitted, so you do not "work" the thread in the cadt iron, while adding torque. Then the nuts are fitted (easily replaced if stripped), which, being of stronger steel than the cast iron, can take the load as the torque is applied (rotation between nut and stud). The nut of course, being twice as strong as the cast iron, shall only be 1 x D thick. So it strips before the cast iron thread is over stressed.
If anything goes awry with the stud, it will be on the outer thread, where the nut goes, so the stud can be removed and a new one fitted.
But every action is arranged to fit the stud in the cast iron block when not loaded. Thus protecting the cast iron thread from damage. It only sees the tensile load after it has full 2-D thread engagement, not while the load is being applied.
I am not sure how that logic applies (or not?) to Brian's steel cylinder and high tensile Allen bolts?...
But I happen to agree with Charles, that on a model of a period design, it looks better with studs and nuts.
But as long as you don't use slotted round headed screws, I would not complain anyway.
Thanks Gents,
K2

 

[Brian Rupnow]

So, here we are with 82 holes drilled and tapped. The only machining left on the cylinder is the very small holes that lead from the machined cavities thru to the ends of the cylinder. Never broke a tap---Amazing.

 

[Steamchick]

Brian, not Amazing, just your skill and care when working. An example to us all.
K2

 

[Brian Rupnow]

And today was a massive "try every bolt in every threaded hole day".--And they all fit---mostly. I had four clearance holes that had to be stretched a bit, but everything bolted up. Tomorrow was going to be a "shorten 100 bolts day" but before I do I will contact my nut and bolt supplier and see if I can buy shorter bolts.

 

[Ghosty]

Brian,
You should be able to get shorter bolts, these are 4-40 x 1/4 I use for walbro carby rebuilds.
Cheers
Andrew