Its a start - Another EZ engine

Home Model Engine Machinist Forum

Help Support Home Model Engine Machinist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

rodw

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
1,146
Reaction score
340
Well, I finally have it finished. A big thanks to the guys on the forum here who put together the EZ engine and the build instructions. These plans are the reason why I joined this forum in the first place as I stumbled on the plans googling "Metric Steam engine plans" way back in November.

DSC_2515_zpsb96410b1.jpg


DSC_2516_zpsfeaaab88.jpg


This is probably not the prettiest EZ in the wild, but building it taught me a lot of things. Like an M3 hole is not 3mm in diameter which explains the black M4 bolt on the valve shaft.

DSC_2519_zps3859f7b5.jpg


DSC_2520_zpsba143689.jpg


DSC_2521_zpsb7602829.jpg


The main problem I had was the difference between the metric and imperial plans. Whilst the 2" flywheel v's 3" did not prove to be a drama, specifying a 3mm thick crank v's a 1/4" (6mm) one did! This meant you can't add a setscrew to hold the crank in position. I had a lot of trouble stopping the crank from spinning on the shaft under compression and did not really want to remake it because I had made it out of a turned down piece of round stock which I milled, drilled and tapped before parting it off on the lathe. :(

When I first started, I could turn it over by blowing in it with my mouth but then I must have got some glue that wicked down inside the bushing which tightened up the flywheel (and did not stop it spinning).:mad::mad:

Anyway, after some mucking about which put some marks on the crank, I decided to have a go at pinning the crank by drilling a 2mm hole on the join between the shaft and the crank. I was expecting the drill to follow the soft ally which it did to a certain extent but it did eventually work! The shaft was a bit proud of the surface so I had to mill it level first which added a bit more character. Then I was able to drill my hole and eventually insert a tiny pin cut from a 2mm dia nail which I superglued in.

DSC_2524_zps44479f74.jpg


This "nailed" the problem and it runs on about 5 psi of air tight shaft and all.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top