challenge

[gilessim]

I had an idea that maybe we could have a challenge open to anyone who wants to take part, not a competition but just for fun, to make a little engine of ones own design (or someone else's) from a predefined list of materials (i.e. 4" of 1"dia. brass rod ,4" of 3/4"steel etc. to be decided by an impartial arbiter) maybe allowing things like bearings ,fixings etc. that one has to hand but with no particular time limit, what do you all think?

Giles

 

[BobWarfield]

Giles, that's an interesting idea. Sort of get the creativity juices flowing.

Here's another one. I got thinking one day about building a steam engine entirely on the lathe. And preferably without resorting to a milling attachment to "cheat". I call the idea "A Good All-Round Steam Engine". I never finished designing it, but I think it would look real neat. Here is the drawing for the upright cylinder beam, for example:

That piece would start from tooling plate (is that cheating?), and then every surface can be done with the lathe, hence the curves.

I've never seen a steam engine design intended entirely for lathe execution before, but given that a lot of HSM's start out with just their lathe, it might be a good one.

Cheers,

BW

 

[DickDastardly40]

The curved internal and external tapers in your design are interesting Bob, not sure how I'd do that!

The two parts of the cylinder head were all done in a 4 jaw apart from the slot and bolt holes.

Al

 

[BobWarfield]

The curved internal and external tapers in your design are interesting Bob, not sure how I'd do that!

Yeah, I drew the design on a lark without finishing it or thinking through details. In my case, I was planning to CNC it, but you could regard that as cheating!

Sans CNC, you have a couple options:

- Do the design without curved tapers.

- Do the tapers using DRO to approximate and blending with a file or abrasives. That'd be hard and not worth it on the inside taper, but very doable on the outside.

Cheers,

BW

 

[gilessim]

Bob ,thats a nice idea and an interesting design too! , funnily enough I started a little engine a while ago with the idea of just using the lathe but with only round bar, you've inspired me to take it out from under the bench and finish it!

Eric, those are good ideas aswell , on the model engineering site they did a team built "Seal" that was quite impressive!

Giles

 

[Tin Falcon]

Giles:
an intriguing Idea. The large ME shows here in the states have such challenges. The 4" engine published in several issues of Home shop machinists is the result of just such a challenge.
Simply build an engine or device using a 4" long piece of brass, steel or aluminum bar stock
Another well known contest here in the states is the Sherline Challenge the rules are fairly open on this other than keeping the engine or other mechanical device small . It must be contained in a cube of volume less than 64 cubic inches. It can be as high or long as 6" but the 64 cu inch rules must be maintained the rules are Here
If we were to do this It would be easier to adapt or modify rules from an existing contest rather than starting from scratch. If we were to do this there must be a time limit or it will never happen. The dead line could be as long as a year but IMHO 4- 6 months would be more realistic and motivating.
Tin
As far as a Team design/ build engine that idea was brought up in a previous thread.
THIS THREAD WAS HIJACKED.
WE ARE NOW AT NEARLY 600 MEMBERS AND 1.5 MILLION HITS A MONTH LETS STAY FOCUSED.!!!!!!!
PS I split the thread to move the Team Build material to a new thread.