Horizontal Mill Engine From Kit

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zeeprogrammer

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My next 'major' project is "The Elderberry Mill Engine".

Some of you may recall this was going to be my 'first' engine. But then I found out it was the 2nd in a series. The first was the 'Open Column Launch Engine'. So I did that 'first'. The intent was a learning thread and because of the great help and participation of several members of this forum, the thread was nominated 'July 2009 Project of the Month'. It was very much a team nomination.

The 'Mill' will be another learning thread. After all, I only started any kind of machining last February and I have a lot to learn (as evidenced by the Launch Engine thread ;D.) What that means is that this is another team or forum thread.

ChooChooMike provided a pic of the project in the other thread. Here it is...

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/Products/Images/480/480.3136.jpg

The kit was purchased from LittleMachineShop. You get a construction manual and a set of drawings, a packing list and the following bits and pieces...

InitialParts.jpg


The manuals do rely on the idea that you've completed the 'Open Column Launch Engine'.

Unfortunately, a few intrusions from life are temporarily slowing me down but I hope to get into full swing in a few weeks. I just couldn't wait any longer to get this started. Even so, I got bit by 'Projectitus' - the Rockin' Engine, (just like several other members) and have ordered some metal to try my hand at it. In addition, I have a tool thread running that I'd still like to work on. (But I tend to be single-minded so those two projects may stay on the back-burner for a while.)

 
Nice to see a new engine on the slab. Double acting, with reverse... very interesting!
 
Lot of pieces going there. Sad part is, you'll be done with it before I finish the "Rocker"

Good part is, you'll be done with it before I finish the "Rocker"

Unfortunately, a few intrusions from life

There just little bits of adventurous sight seeing as you travel down the road of life. Its the ones that resemble a flat with no spare, during a monsoon, at 3 in the morning that get a tad bothersome.

 
Thanks Chip...I mean Vernon.

Foozer said:
Sad part is, you'll be done with it before I finish the "Rocker". Good part is, you'll be done with it before I finish the "Rocker"

No...it'll take more than a few hours. ;D

Foozer said:
There just little bits of adventurous sight seeing as you travel down the road of life. Its the ones that resemble a flat with no spare, during a monsoon, at 3 in the morning that get a tad bothersome.

It rained the other day. Looked like it was going to be a storm. Thankfully, the sun came out. Looks like good weather for a while.
 
Vernon said:
Gonna start on the engine tomorrow?

If I'm lucky. It's my daughter's 25th. Going to pick up some brownies and ice cream at the store and order in some Chinese. If I don't overdo the eats then I should be in shape to do something easy...the hose couplings. I cleaned the shop and equipment today.

I can only get a couple of days in though and then I'm off to visit wife for a week. That would be one of the more pleasant of life's intrusions (and no rain). ;D
 
Finally I'm in the shop!

Progress on two fronts!!!

1) Made a couple of hose couplings.
2) Added to my 'wall of shame'.

Not much to show...so I have just the one pic.

One piece of rod (well two really...the 1st ended up in 'the box').
Cut a thread relief using my home made parting tool from a bit of hack saw blade.
Chamfered the end.
Threaded using a 3/16-40 die.
Turned the die around and threaded to the shoulder.
Center drilled then peck drilled 3/32 for about 1" in.
Turned the rod around and did the other end the same way.
Rechucked so 3/4" of the rod stuck out plus enough room for parting.
Stuck a small allen key partway in to keep the part from falling when I parted it off.
Cleaned off the end of the other piece to size.

Polishing is a problem. For now I threaded the coupling into my first engine (Model 2A) and polished as best I could. Later I'll take a piece of rod and tap an end and use it to hold the coupling for a better polishing job. Depends on which looks best - the rest of the engine...or the couplings. ;D

IMG_0448.jpg


Went from using a dime to a penny for scale. I'm not worth a dime.

Here's a link that shows the addition to the 'wall of shame'. But the main reason for the link is that I had questions about couplings.

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=5669.msg59920;topicseen#new

So it's a start.

[EDIT: In trying to keep the length of the thread to 0.125, I ended up with 4 threads. We'll see if that's enough.]
 
Progress!

1) Made the crankshaft bearing.
2) Added to my 'wall of shame'.

The instructions tell you to chuck the 1/2" diameter part such that a little over an inch is sticking out of the chuck and maybe 1/2" is in the chuck. Since the part has to be drilled thru, I center drilled it and used a live center.

IMG_0449.jpg


Then turned 2 diameters. I don't know what they're called...the part that is held by the column and the part that sticks out towards the flywheel. I didn't understand the instructions very well so I think I screwed up the measurements. The length held by the column is a press fit. So you're supposed to add 0.005 to the size. I turned down to the size. I'll either make the hole in the column a tad smaller or use loctite.

Unfortunately the picture came out blurry. Too bad. This is the best work I've ever done in my life and no one can see it.

IMG_0450.jpg


Then removed the life center and drilled and reamed. Put the part into a vise to drill the oil hole. Used an edge finder. The orange bits are from a foam halloween decoration to keep the parallels from moving. Used a #1 center drill so you get a tapered entry. Could have been better. I should've checked to see how far to drill down. Too far and the tapers would get into the center and create a bigger hole. As it was...I was lucky.

IMG_0451.jpg


Here's the finished part and new addition to the 'wall of shame'. I'm sure you can tell the difference. I was in the midst of turning the 1st part when I got distracted by the arrival of a daughter. I don't know what happened but the cut went too deep. You can see it at the top.

IMG_0452.jpg


Still need to work on measuring. I think the part is a tad short and the oil hole may be off too. However I think I did okay in centering it.

So the questions...

The part required turning down to a diameter for a specified length. Then again for a short length. I'm not happy with how I'm setting or determining those lengths. What I did was:
1) Set the tool against the end then backed up the compound the required distance.
2) Then moved the carriage until the tool was back against the part again.
3) Set the carriage stop.
4) Move the compound back to where it was.
5) Tried to check with a caliper.

Well backlash is an issue. And the caliper is hard to place for measurement. Certainly not an accurate procedure.

I didn't want to use the compound to feed...the quality of cut is bad bad bad.

Comments?
 
Here's what I was taught about measuring length along the carriage:

1) Get a DI with a "Mighty Mag" allowing it to be stuck to the ways.

2) Assuming you are turning less than 1", position the tool at the beginning of the cut and slide the magnet until the DI contacts the carriage and the needle moves.

3) Adjust the DI dial to 0

4) Now move the carriage left until the DI indicates the desired length. The carriage is now at the end of the cut you want. (You might even touch the tool to the work as a visual marker).

5) Slide the magnet left until the DI is indicating around .100. Zero the dial.

Now when you are turning, either via power feed or manual, watch the DI. When the needle starts to move you are .100 from the end, and hence one full rotation of the needle. With a power feed you should be able to stop easily before the needle hits 0, and then manually complete the cut.

If you need to turn more than 1", hold a 123 block between the carriage and the DI to extend its reach.

Try to keep the DI feeler as horizontal as possible to avoid cosine error, although it will be small in any case.
 
Zee,

My way of using the compound slide to measure a length to a shoulder.

1. Zero the compound slide dial after setting the compound back from the edge approximately equal to the length of cut.

2. Set the tool tip onto the faced end using a thin piece of paper. The tip should be one which will both face and cut axially.

3. Set the carriage stop.

4. Back off the carriage and then move the compound slide to equal the length required minus 0.005". (The slide should now be fully supported by it's dovetails, see 1. above, for best rigidity).

5. Lock the compound slide, (in my case tighten the centre gib screw).

6. Start machining to the shoulder.

7. On the final axial cut when you are at the length. Unlock the compound slide and with the lathe still running advance the compound 0.005". Feed the tool out and away from the corner to give the correct sized shoulder.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards
Bob
 
kvom: Thanks. I've been playing around with it but I'm struggling with a couple of things. Is the DI to the left of carriage? I don't seem to have room to do that. Got any pics or know where I can look?

Bob: Thanks. My concern here is backlash in the compound. Step 1 has it moving to the right. Then step 4 has it going the other way for length. Any thoughts on that?
 
zeeprogrammer said:
Bob: Thanks. My concern here is backlash in the compound. Step 1 has it moving to the right. Then step 4 has it going the other way for length. Any thoughts on that?

Zee,

After moving to the right in step 1. Take out he backlash by moving to the left and then zero the dial. Nothing is yet a critical measurement.

I hope that has taken the confusion away.

Best Regards
Bob
 
Maryak said:
After moving to the right in step 1. Take out he backlash by moving to the left and then zero the dial. Nothing is yet a critical measurement.

I hope that has taken the confusion away.

Ah...yes...thanks.
So my method was close but completely wrong. ;D
 
So my method was close but completely wrong.

I love it. Sounds like some of the stuff I used to say in staff meetings after the test article blew up on the pad.
 
It looks to me as if you could salvage that wall of shame part. Cut off the section at the top that's too small and move everything down.

Bob's system will work well (you need a carriage stop) as long as the length you are turning is shorter than the travel of the compound. On my lathe, having the compound at 0 degrees interferes with the tailstock for most work. I just leave it at 29.5. Having a DRO makes things easier.

The DI with the magnet works very nicely if there's room to place it.
 
kvom said:
It looks to me as if you could salvage that wall of shame part. Cut off the section at the top that's too small and move everything down.

Bob's system will work well (you need a carriage stop) as long as the length you are turning is shorter than the travel of the compound. On my lathe, having the compound at 0 degrees interferes with the tailstock for most work. I just leave it at 29.5. Having a DRO makes things easier.

The DI with the magnet works very nicely if there's room to place it.

You're right. Probably could have salvaged. But I think I would have had to move the part out of the chuck a bit and, knowing me, I wouldn't get it true again. Maybe I can use the part in a Rocking Engine. (That's right Robert/Foozer...I haven't forgotten.)

I tried Bob's method with the result being more improvement in my ability to miss-measure. I was off by 0.01. I don't know what I did wrong or if there's slippage somewhere. I'll have to try again. I also want to try your method. I'm thinking the DI can be placed to the right and get the same thing.

Thanks kvom.
 
I'm thinking the DI can be placed to the right and get the same thing.

It would work as long as the distance is less than the range of the DI, but you would have to pay more attention to the needle. I'm surprised there isn't a place on the side of the headstock to mount a magnet.
 
IMNHO, every lathe needs two carriage stops - one on each side of the carriage.

Fit the one on the right of the carriage with a DI mounted such that, when the carriage is against the stop, the DI is depressed slightly less than its full range. That way, you can't accidentally jam up the DI and break it.

I keep my compound adjusted with its axis parallel to the spindle axis so I use Bob's technique to cut shoulders to length. However, if I didn't want to do that, I would use the two stops as follows...

Move carriage so tool touches outboard end of work.

Move right stop up against carriage and lock. Zero DI.

Move tool out from work using cross-slide. Move carriage desired amount as indicated on right stop DI.

Bring left stop up against carriage and lock.

Move right stop out of way.

You could of course substitute a DI on a magnetic holder for the right stop but it's still worth the time to build that stop. You'll understand why the first time you try to machine a feature in the "middle" of a workpiece, e.g., a crankshaft.
 

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