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Hi,

I am still dithering regarding the type of valve gear to use so move things on I decided to make a start on a simple regulator and a lubricator. First some holes were drilled in the base board to accommodate them.




As the orientation of the cylinder had been decided on it was fixed in place with four nuts and bolts.



With the cylinder removed an opportunity was taken to enlarge its hole in the baseboard.






A start was then made on the regulator body.



Regards Tony.
 
Hi,

I have finished the regulator and decided to finish early as the temperature in the shed is pushing 30 C also the property next door is having a bit of an extension! And today it is dusty as well as noisy.



This morning before starting work on the regulator I had a look through my charity shop purchases for inspiration to build the valve system. Nothing came of it so it looks as if I will have to use 'new' materials.




If anyone is interested this is the packaging for the hand wheel used you get 6 wheels that can be used and six others I have yet to find a use for.


The remaining parts of the regulator were made and soldered together.







Perhaps I should explain as I have mention this is a very easy regulator to make especially the sealing of the shaft which is just a piece of stainless steel threaded rod. The PTFE bush made screws onto the thread and is a slide fit in the nut, when the nut is tightened it compresses the bush completing the seal. Not my idea a friend told me of it, it gives a smooth seal with no spring back like you some times get using '0' rings, it is self lubricating and is great for R/C use.

The valve fitted to the baseboard.




A similar smaller valve which uses hexagonal rod for its body.



The lubricator next I think.

Regards Tony.
 
Tony, please forgive my thick skull - but I can't quite see the purpose of stainless threaded rod inside a brass threaded rod.:confused: would it be possible for you to post a diagram of the whole valve? Cymro












9
 
Hi David,

Sketch attached. The brass threaded part holds the gland nut and is Loctited into the body the stainless steel is threaded through it to plug the hole in the bottom of the valve body. The PTFE makes a seal on the thread it also works on plain shafts, using a piece of threaded rod is just simpler. PTFE being self lubricating makes it a very smooth valve to operate with no spring in it like '0' rings sometimes have, very good for gas valves where close control is needed. Any further questions please ask

Regards Tony.

IMG_1898 LR.jpg
 
Hi,

I made a start on making a dead leg lubricator, like the regulator it is an easy build. I am not keen on lubricator drains as they can cause a bit of a mess when opened, I prefer to remove the condensed water with a syringe. To this end the steam pipe is off-set in the lubricator to give more room for the syringe.



The small hole in the stream pipe was created by filling a curved flat on using a small round file, a gramophone needle was then used to make a small hole.



To check the hole the steam pipe was put in some water and a low pressure compressor (mouth) used to check it.



A base was soldered on the 15 mm cooper pipe of the lubricator and the steam pipe soldered in. A bracket was made to secure the lubricator and some pipe work made to connect it to the regulator. The 'T' is soldered to the regulator nipple and the steam pipe, the lubricator pipe is inside the 'T' and sealed outside with a silicon tube. I find this an effective way of joining low pressure pipes that cannot be seen.




The top of the lubricator needs to be made maybe tomorrow.




Regards Tony.
 
A find my wife made for us to turn into something steam related 2 good posts and 2 wheels she paid 6$ US but i just noticed that its an antique and selling for 100$ us on ebay now do i use it or sell it? Tony has inspired me so i guess i make it into a steam watch-a-macall-it. Ill post when the build begins.

218-2.jpg
 
Hi,

A find my wife made for us to turn into something steam related 2 good posts and 2 wheels she paid 6$ US but I just noticed that its an antique and selling for 100$ us on ebay now do I use it or sell it? Tony has inspired me so I guess I make it into a steam watch-a-macall-it. Ill post when the build begins.

I look forward to seeing what you make of it.

I didn't achieve a great deal yesterday I didn't get much time in the shed. It had been suggested that the engine had no means of driving anything other than by its large flywheels. So I decided to replace one with a small pulley made from a furniture castor, something I have used many times before as the basis of a pulley. I suspected that the engine will run smoother and slower fitted with two flywheels but you never know, I might end up with a flywheel for another project. The pulley can always be fitted next to the throw of the crank opposite the eccentric if two flywheels are needed.





Regards Tony.
 
Hi,

As no inspiration has come from charity shop bits to make the valve gear I have decided to use conventional material albeit it having a previous life. It will be a semi-rotary valve which I spent part of the morning sketching. However before starting on the valve from the charity shop bits I decided to make an steam/oil separator.

I had a ENPS trinket box? Which will be the reservoir.




The top of a candle snuffer whose handle had been use in the construction of another model was to become the chimney cap.



The remains of the hollow tube from a toasting fork that had been used to make the connecting rod was to become the chimney.



The construction is push together the only bit of note was having to use a 4 jaw chuck to drill the lid of the trinket box as it was eccentric.



The parts put together.



I don't know if it will be used on this engine or another, what do you think?




I did make a start on the valve gear but SWMBO has indicated that food will be on the table in a minute or so and it would be a braver man than me not to be there before it.

Regards Tony.
 
Hi,

Before I go to the shed I thought I would log the work done on the reversing valve. The connections to the cylinder have been made.



And a block of brass found for the port block unfortunately it had some holes in it from a previous life which had to be filled.





A cup of tea and then the 'Shed'

Regards Tony.
 
Hi David,

I like the idea for the oil separator, but it all looks busy in the "mounted" photo. IMHO.

I tend to agree

The port block of the reversing valve is very nearly finished and the oil separator painted, the photographs show what I did today.








Looking at the photographs with the oil separator painted I think it looks better but I am still undecided whether it will be fitted. I think it looks better with only one flywheel? But it will depend on how it performs it might needed the two.

Regards Tony.
 
Hi,

We returned early from our break due to poor weather so I have done some more on the engine. The valve has been fitted to the base board and some pipe work made.





The connections between pipe under the base still have to be made.



In theory after the pipe work it's just fitting the eccentric rod to the valve?

Regards Tony.
 
Hi,

The pipe work has been connected up using silicon tube connections over copper pipe.



And the valve gear connected.




The engine runs using both flywheels it is a bit lumpy with only one. The engine will only run quite fast as their is a lot of friction on the valve as it has to be quite tight not to leak. I think this is due to there being a large area in the valves curved slots so the pressure has a lot to act on. So I am going to try and design a valve with less area and make an eccentric with a smaller throw. I will report results.

Regards Tony.
 

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