Dr Jo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2011
- Messages
- 166
- Reaction score
- 13
Having started Lady Stephaine in 1995 late last year I finally picked her up again and at the beginning of this October finally finished her. :
For those of you who maybe thinking about building this engine a couple of items to think about:
1, The columns are good fun they are both tapered and fluted (actually they should be slightly barrelled but it would not show in this size). Which means it is necessary to cut them on a dividing head set up with an appropriate offset to get the grooves correct. Here is a shot of me machining the columns:
This photo shows the column fluting better:
2, Much of this engine is very small, this is the first engine that I have found the need to frequently use tweezers to hold parts and magnifiers to see them. I ended up making something like 60 12BA hex head bolts on my hobbymat lathe under a magnifier to save my eyes.
3, The engine also makes use of 1/16" BMS which, at least in the UK, is no longer available.
The size of the engine is nice because unlike so many other beam engines it is small enough to sit on your desk.
Jo
For those of you who maybe thinking about building this engine a couple of items to think about:
1, The columns are good fun they are both tapered and fluted (actually they should be slightly barrelled but it would not show in this size). Which means it is necessary to cut them on a dividing head set up with an appropriate offset to get the grooves correct. Here is a shot of me machining the columns:
This photo shows the column fluting better:
2, Much of this engine is very small, this is the first engine that I have found the need to frequently use tweezers to hold parts and magnifiers to see them. I ended up making something like 60 12BA hex head bolts on my hobbymat lathe under a magnifier to save my eyes.
3, The engine also makes use of 1/16" BMS which, at least in the UK, is no longer available.
The size of the engine is nice because unlike so many other beam engines it is small enough to sit on your desk.
Jo