Horizontal Mill Engine From Kit

[kvom]

Looking good. Those parts look really well made. Waiting for the video with reversing. It shouldn't be too long now.

 

[techonehundred]

Zeep,
Last year I built a version of one of these. basically I upsized it to what I had on hand. My machining was not very good (used too much of the TLAR "that looks about right" method)but here is what I did to tune it up and eventually I got it to run in both directions.
1. It did not want to run very well at all first, so once I got it running a little, I ran it for about 3 hours and just got mesmerized by it. I noticed that about every 40 minutes or so, I could turn the air down and it would maintain the same rpm's. after the three hours, it had a really smooth feeling and turned over very easily. also, Mine did not work well with the aluminum flywheel and did much better when I went to a steel one.
2. Once it would turn over real smooth, I went to tuning it. Like yours, I put plexiglass on the top so I could see the movement and tell where the valve was. I set the slide to where the valve did not move at all(or moved as little as possible) and locked the handle. I then adjusted the valve where I could see both holes open and centered as well as I could.
3. Now I turned the reverse handle to the direction I already knew it would run and ran it in for a few minutes. I then would try changing the cam a bit to see if it ran better or worse. For my engine, It was amazing the difference just turning the cam 1/32". Patience is required here. Then I would try shortening or lengthening the valve rod a half turn. Once I hit the sweet spot and ran it for a bit, I then began to reverse it and see what happened.
My engine still runs better one way than the other, but after about 5 hours of running, It will run both directions.

This is just my $.02. I hope this is helpful.
For me it was just great to see it together. Yours is looking great.

Anthony

 

[arnoldb]

Well done Zee ;D - one moment I was thinking how well it would look put together, and a bit later there it was, and already running!
No fair - you got to play while I had to sleep

Congratulations, once again.

Regards, Arnold

 

[JimN]

Zee, I am not sure where the bushing is, but why not make an oil cup with long threads on it. Install the oil cup deep enough to hold the bushing! Makes an easy fix to hold the bushing and gives you a place to oil the bushing also.

Reason I know this is did the samething to the engine I am now building, miss read the reading and made the bushing a slide fit instead of press fit. So I made the oil cups with long 2-56 thread that not only went into the bushing holder but went into the bushing. Once the oil cups where treaded in, the bushing was held tight in place.

Just a thought, LOL proably took more time to make the oil cups than it would have to just make new busihing.

JimN

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks very much all.

Ron, Vernon, Kevin, Phil, Joe, Philly, Dean, kvom, Anthony (great tips), Arnold (who plays while I sleep), JimN.

I really appreciate all the support and optimism.

I'm optimistic too. I drove the engine some more using the mill today. Both ways. It's loosened up quite a bit but still binds a little. It is mesmerizing just to watch it move.

The biggest issue right now is the pin for the tilting valve and reversing lever. I'll fix that tomorrow.

Then the bushing. There is no oil cup JimN. Just a hole that lets oil get to the crankshaft. I'm going to try a steel ball on the column or somehow ding it around the edge. Then loctite it.

I was taking it apart in preparation to wash and dry it and when I got the steam chest off, I put my thumb over the ports. That was cool! I could feel the compression as I moved the piston back and forth.

The other thing I noticed yesterday when I ran it on air was the sound. Very neat.

Couple of more days. Needs a display base and a proper flywheel. I may not wait though. ;D

Actually may be a while. Thanks to deadin I have to find a new happy dance tune. I was going to use Sweet Georgia Brown.

I've already used 'Found a Peanut'. ;D

 

[Deanofid]

Aww, Zee!
Didja have to mention "Found a Peanut"? Just got that outta my head a few days ago...

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Didja have to mention "Found a Peanut"? Just got that outta my head a few days ago...

Glad to help Dean. If it gets it out again, let me know. ;D

....................

Re-drilling went better than expected...
Here's a pic of the setup...

I actually used my machinist's clamp for the first time. Thanks to Arnold for getting me to think about it again. Parallels and shims under the tilting valve to keep it parallel. (That part was per instructions.)

The pin measured .061 to .062. Now I know why the instructions said to drill and ream even though the dimension was .05. Must be another dimension they changed to 'make it different'. I drilled with #53 for .0595. Tight fit. No loctite needed. Should be fun if I ever have to take it apart. I don't know why it couldn't have been a small set screw.

Then the bushing...
Also went better than expected. I expected disaster and nearly achieved it.

There's a machinist jack I made under there with a bit of soda can on top. I dinged the edge with a screwdriver. Probably should have done more. Fit was tight so I went for it. Then found out that once the bushing was in place...it wasn't tight anymore.

I went for the loctite anyway. Loctite everywhere. Between the column and the base, in the screws.....sheesh. But I managed to get it apart and clean it up before it set. (I was prepared with towels and cotton swabs). Then I noticed the oil hole in the bushing wasn't straight up. A little turning and I noticed it was getting tight. So maybe it'll work.

Still have a good flywheel to do...it's beginning to look like a do-over. But my bandsaw isn't set up yet.
......................

Dean..these might help too...

The Ants Came Marching
On Top of Spaghetti
If You're Happy and You Know It
I've Been Working on the Railroad

and the ever popular

A Hundred Bottles of Beer on the Wall

 

[cfellows]

Nice looking machinist clamp... did you make that?

Chuck

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks Chuck!

Yes, I made it. I used a die cutter for the threads. I need to blacken it but have been hesitant because I like the look. (Although I like the look of blackened parts too.) This was the 3rd or 4th project I made when I started last February. All from 'The Home Machinist's Handbook'.

It was a lot of sanding ;D

Gee...it's almost been a year now.

 

[arnoldb]

Good going Zee

And thank you for the honorable mention; I didn't realize just how handy those clamps are until I made mine. I must say though, your clamp looks much better made than the 2 crude ones I made :bow:

Kind regards, Arnold

To the tune of "There's a hundred bottles of beer on the wall":
1 Round of tuit on the list; 1 roundd of tuit; tackle one and do it; 2 new tuits on the list
2 Rounds of tuit on the list; 2 rounds of tuit; tackle one and do it; 3 new tuits on the list
4 Rounds of tuit on the list; 4 rounds of tuit; tackle one and do it; 5 new tuits on the list
8 Rounds of tuit on the list; 8 rounds of tuit; tackle one and do it; 9 new tuits on the list
16......

Aaaarghh - Zee, you just made me do it (and I know my tuit math looks obscure, but that's the way it works - sort of)

 

[Deanofid]

Those really are good looking clamps, Zee.


The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out...


Dean

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Rof} Rof} Rof}
That was great. Completely forgot about that one. A favorite!
Darn...I think that one caught.

Thanks for the comment on the clamps Dean.

The best way to get rid of a song in your head...
Is to replace it with another...
"I wear my pink pajamas..."

 

[Deanofid]

Went over to visit my mother last night, Zee. She was watching Mary Poppins.

Now, the worms go in the spoon full of sugar that helps the peanut go down.
I'm a mess.

Dean

 

[vlmarshall]

Now, the worms go in the spoon full of sugar that helps the peanut go down.
I'm a mess.
Dean

Ha, I love this place. ;D

 

[Artie]

Ha, I love this place. ;D

IM SCARED!

Zee, building seems to be just the tip of teh iceberg... then the fine tuning and then the remaking the bits you want to be better.... what a great journey..thanks for taking us with you mate....]

Artie

 

[zeeprogrammer]

IM SCARED!

With good reason...

We sing children's songs.
We use M&M's to show scale.
We use pets for swarf magnets.
We dance and sing to the chuff chuff of engines.
We complain about the dropsies.
We don't drink milk...we cut with it.

And the humour threads in the break-room! I wouldn't doubt we're homework for students of psych, anthro, etc.

Probably on more than one watch list too.

 

[rleete]

So, what's next? Get to it man, we need a new thread to read!

 

[Foozer]

The good news is that it ran in one direction on air!!! woohoo1

Good work Zee, Glad to see the finished product.

Whats the next on the agenda? 5 cyl radial?


Robert

 

[Deanofid]

So, what's next? Get to it man, we need a new thread to read!

Ooo, let him get this one running first!
He's only (super)human, after all.

DW

 

[zeeprogrammer]

rleete! What Dean says...well...mostly.
Robert! Good to hear from you. What are you up to?
Dean...(in)human. Superhuman and it would've been a 3 1/2" gauge loco!