Elmer's #32 Tall Vertical Open Column

[SteveG]

Thought I'd document online my progress with regards to constructing an Elmer's #32. This is my first attempt at an engine of any kind so please check your mics and verniers at the door :-[

I have about 3 hours into this brass cylinder part and most of that time was spent marking out, double\triple checking my measurements, center punching then drilling 12 holes in the drill press. I didn't have a 1/16th endmill on hand to cut the ports with, the supply house didn't have any either, so after scratching my head a little I decided that I'd just drill 6 1/16th holes and then play connect the dots with my Dremel and a small carbide burr. The ports turned out pretty good me thinks but I will most certainly have a 1/16 endmill on hand should I decide to build another. Drilling the passages was an experience and after contemplating setting the part up in the mill in my 3 way vice I thought hmmm...do I really need to be that picky? Anyway I ended up drilling the passages with my drill press. After marking out and center punching the appropriate location on each end of the cylinder I butted the cylinder against a fence, tilted the drill press's table the prescribed 16 or so degrees and went for it. I let out a big sigh of relief when the drill broke through the ports in the correct position After all the drilling and dremel'ing I re-chucked the part in the 4 jaw so as to drill, bore and turn as required then after that the 3 sides were then milled similar to what is shown in the plans.

So that's where I'm at, I think tonight I'll make some more parts that go towards having a completed cylinder and valve assembly.


Cheers...

 

[JMI]

A very nice start. Keep the pics coming.

Jim

 

[4156df]

Steve,
Very nice looking part. Kudos on the use of a drill and Dremel. I'm guessing there are a lot of guys on this board who know that feeling of relief when the drill breaks through in the right spot! Please keep posting.
Dennis

 

[dreeves]

Nice looking cylinder. Im building the mill engine. My cylinder looked that way till i drilled the hole from he cylinder to the outer port and went to deep and hit the exhaust. :wall: :wall:

great job

 

[SteveG]

My cylinder looked that way till i drilled the hole from he cylinder to the outer port and went to deep and hit the exhaust.

And that must have just sucked in a bad way... oh:

 

[joe d]

Steve

Looking good so far, keep those pictures coming! :

Cheers, Joe

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Nice job.
Is that really brass? Or aluminum? Hard to tell from the pic.

 

[SteveG]

The picture is a B&W but yes the cylinder is brass...

I thought B&W pics for the parts would be a neat touch and then when I complete the engine, add some paint to the base, table, lagging etc I'll shoot the color shots.

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Ah...a man after my own heart.
I hadn't realized it was B&W.
I used to work as a photographer's apprentice...B&W was the way to go for me. You can perform magic in a darkroom. But I saw the writing on the wall...digital was coming..I didn't like it as much.

 

[Deanofid]

Looks really good from where I'm sitting. Great start!

Dean

 

[seagar]

I am really enjoying this build.Thank you. :bow: :bow: :bow:


Ian(seagar)
Coffs Harbour,
Australia.

 

[SteveG]

Well I got some time in the basement yesterday and today and although I'm far from completion I have made some progress. I have come to the conclusion too that I really need to get myself a small vernier height gauge to speed up and make less painful the marking out process!! Straining to see the 64ths on the cheap rulers I have even with 3x reading glasses and good lighting gave me a nice headache on each kick at the can.

Anyway...

I have the valve plate, cover and steam chest completed with only a couple of boo boo's on the steam chest that are annoying me. I took a couple pics of the method I employed to end up with a valve plate and cover...some of you will likely cringe but hey it worked out and I didn't break anything. Sorry I did not document the set ups used to make the steam chest, I just wanted to get it done :-[

Next parts I might tackle before we head out traveling to visit family for the holidays will be the valve, valve nut and valve rod.

Cheers

 

[SteveG]

And 2 more pics..

First picture is just after I parted the cover off and then got to marking out the 9 holes in valve plate. I drilled them all out in the drill press holding the part by hand and then parted the plate off at the required thickness in the lathe. Both these parts turned out quite nice with decent enough tolerances and with that I mean the holes line up to the holes on the cylinder and steam chest ;D

 

[JMI]

SteveG,
Being a rookie myself and not having the layout skills that can be trusted for accuracy I use the micrometer collars on the mill with an edge finder to locate most of what is needed to be located. This is even true for centers (and eccentric offsets) that are going to be mounted in the lathe. Locate the point and center drill it. It is so much easier and magnitudes more accurate.

Jim

 

[SteveG]

Thanks Jim...

It is true that I could vise the parts in the mill as I have all that is required but part of what this is project is about for me is that I wanted to learn a new trick or two too

I'm using the marking out method as it is a method I have never really used much, yes I've made lines and punch marks on things before but that's not really what you would call working towards developing a new skill. Constructing my interpretation of Elmer's #33 using the marking out method for some important parts, as slow and tedious as it is, forces me to become somewhat proficient at it.