Panther Pup Build Started

[grapegro]

Hello John,
I am mid way building an 1895 Otto Deutz engine and am working on it when I get time. I may get back to you at a later stage, thank you for the offer.
Norm

 

[jgedde]

From the timer I assume you are going to use the point system originally designed?

Yes it will not be electronic....

Despite having designed, with Dave Sage, the ignition circuit described here: http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/showthread.php?t=20415
and published in Model Engine Builder (issue 34), I'm going old school for this build. There's a certain romance to having points and a condensor...

Since they're so visible in this design, it also adds mechanical interest..

John

 

[jgedde]

Completed the timer and points today... Points are Standard AL-5661X.

John

 

[stevehuckss396]

Nice work on the timer.

 

[jgedde]

A few more tapped and clearance holes and I'll have 4 cylinders done...

John

 

[stevehuckss396]

Nice job. They look real nice.

 

[jgedde]

This morning I made piston rings. I thought they'd be hard to make, but it was actually quite easy.

Starting with cast iron bar, I turned the OD to 1.0005 and ID to 0.920 (The engine is a 1.000 inch bore with .898 dia ring grooves).

I then parted off rings 0.067 thick. They were lapped on sandpaper to 0.0625 thickness which also removed burrs and gave them a nice smooth side finish.

I then placed the ring in a vice with the ring tangent to the edge. Some finger pressure and the ring broke making the gap to be. The new gap was filed square to about 0.010 wide to create a slight gap when the rings are installed to allow for expansion.

Now to open the gap and make them springy... I though this would be difficult but was a piece of cake. I used the method described here: http://users.tpg.com.au/agnet/make%20piston%20rings.html

I made 13 rings expecting attrition, but I ended up with 13 good rings. I only need 8 so I'll have spares in case I break one installing them.

John

 

[jgedde]

And what good are piston rings without pistons... The ring grooves came out slightly underszie and the rings woundn't fit. I ended up grinding the rings to thickness on my surface grinder. Hand lapping on sandpaper was taking way too long!

I broke two rings grinding them until I figured out the technique required to grind something so small... The gap needs to be pointed in the direction the wheel spins. The ring itself needs to be "blocked in" using thin sheet metal. Grinding it dry was possible but so much easier with flood coolant turned on.

Ring groove is 0.059, rings are 0.057"

John

 

[michael-au]

Good job on the Pistons and cylinders

Michael

 

[jgedde]

I have taken a brief hiatus from making any more parts for the past few days... The parts I want to make next require milling.

My other half has been listening to me curse my import mill/drill for some time. While it does the job, I'm always dissapointed at not being able to hit the tolerances I really want due to various things. Excessive backlash due to an undersize leadscrew on the X axis (adjustment nut tightened full up), 0.002 to 0.003 slop in the quill, lack of rigidity and more.

I've wanted a knee mill for some time but didn't want to spend the money.

As I was milling part of a snowplow mount for my ATV, the missus was watching. I accidentally climb milled and the whole table moved to the other side of the backlash. From across the room she noticed, asking "Is it supposed to do that?" Of course I said no.

A little later I showed what a knee mill looked like and that there was one particular one I had my eye on but saying I didn't want to spend the dough.

Long story short, I ordered a PM-935TV from Quality Machine Tools. If Bridgeport made a full featured knee mill I could fit in my shop, I'd buy USA made. This one is Taiwanese. We have a few Taiwanese BP clones at work mixed in with the real Bridgeports and they work just as well, so I said what the heck.

The new mill was in stock, and is shipping Monday. Got the single phase option, the 3 axis graphical DRO, and worklight. Left the power feeds out of the mix for now to keep $$$ down.

So, my focus is to disassemble the mill/drill, get it out of the basement into the garage. When the new mill arrives, it will be disaasembled and brought down to the shop.

Then I'll start making parts again...

John

 

[canadianhorsepower]

Merry Christmas Rof}Rof}

or Happy Valentine Thm:Thm:

 

[jgedde]

Merry Christmas Rof}Rof}

or Happy Valentine Thm:Thm:

and Happy Birthday, and Happy Tax Refund, and Happy Work Bonus...

John

 

[toolznthings]

Hi,
Looks like a nice mill. Should be a happy camper with the new machine !

Nice build thread, too.

Brian

 

[jgedde]

My new is arriving tomorrow. I'm having it delivered at work since we have a loading dock and a forklift. Plus, I live at the end of a one lane dead end. A tractor trailer driver would NOT appreciate having to deliver to my home and have to back up the entire length of the road.

In any case, I'll get it put onto my trailer (already hitched up and ready to go). Then, I'll disassemble 1,705 pounds of mill and get the pieces one by one down into my basement shop on Saturday.

I have a method worked out that has served me well in the past with a 1200 pound lathe and getting my PM-45 mill out of the shop and into the garage. It's for sale BTW...

I have an outside entrance to the basement. I made a ramp and sled setup to carry heavy parts up and down the stairs powered by either a chain hoist for really heavy things or the winch on my ATV for smaller items.

If anybody lives here on Long Island, and has no plans for Saturday....

Work Friday is gonna drag knowing there's a new mill awaiting me.

John

 

[stevehuckss396]

That's awesome. Love getting new toys.

 

[jgedde]

Well fellas, it's been an adventuresome four days getting the mill down into my shop... Right now I have a sore back and a sense of accomplishment.

I had the mill delivered to my job since we have a forklift and a loading dock. It arrived Thursday. We forklifted it onto my trailer and I brought it home.

My plan was to disassemble it and bring it down to the shop in pieces. The idea was to use my engine hoist to lift the heavy parts. This did not work out at all. The mill was much too tall for the hoist and the mill was facing the wrong way on the trailer to really have any useful access. In desperation, I went and rented the biggest excavator our local rental place had. I used a strap on its bucket to lift it off the trailer. I then discovered that if I took the table off the mill, I could use the excavator to drop the mill right at the bottom of the stairs into my shop!

My neighbor and I slowly lowered the mill down the stairwell and onto two dollies. I worked the excavator and he kept the mill from spinning.

Friday I had to work so not much got done apart from mounting the DRO. Today, I brought the table, head and motor downstairs and got them back onto the mill. Removing and installing the motor on a variable speed mill is an adventure until you figure out the trick... That is if you can get the bottom bearing off the motor spindle. It works very much like an ATV CVT transmission.

On and off today, with plenty of breaks, I got the table back on, cleaned off all the cosmoline, reinstalled the head and the X-axis DRO scale. This evening I trammed the head within 5 tenths at 8" radius: good enough for me! The mill runs well and is quiet and smooth. The belt makes a noise for about a minute after it sits for a while but I think this will quiet down after the belt breaks in.

Tomorrow I'll make new vice keys and get the vice mounted up and I'll be back to making Panther Pup parts.

John

 

[10K Pete]

Right freeking on! It's sure a beauty, now you need to get it 'dirty'!

Pete

 

[Swifty]

A job well done, now choose a project to work on.

Paul.

 

[michael-au]

Nice looking mill, good job getting it down stairs

 

[woodenbird]

Just to let you know that I am in the audience watching your build. Thanks for sharing.
Glenn