steam engine build

[boatmadman]

Towards the end of last year I treated myself to a small milling machine - a Seig x2 with dro, and power feed.

Then I thought, what to do with it?

So, I set to on a steam engine build, plans of which came from the paddleducks website by Bogstandard, who used to use this forum.

Now, he recommended making a spare for every component, but, I am hoping for a 50% success rate in this project, so I am building two engines alongside each other.

The pics show the story, it all started as a lump of cast iron turned into 2 cylinder blocks, then some brass bar made the cylinder caps, pistons and bottom glands. Then some more bar was hacked and chiselled into crossheads.

Slow progress, but so what!!


Ian

 

[boatmadman]

Next come bearing blocks

I started out with a length of bronze as you see in the first picture, and after several hours of hacking, sawing, swearing, filing and drinking coffee, I ended up with the items in the second picture. These are the bearings for the engines, they are not quite finished yet, they need a cosmetic cut just to make them prettier.

Ian

 

[boatmadman]

I gave the bearings a nice cosmetic cut today, the first pic shows them with a set of crank web blanks.

The second pic shows one set of ten webs almost finished.

Ian

 

[boatmadman]

So, this morning I went out to the workshop thinking to have a practise with my shiny new slitting saw, ready to do a cut on the crankwebs.

Not to be! I mounted the arbor and saw, ran it up to the test piece only to find it wasn't running true. Investigations found that the R8 arbor had been machined too long at the top, preventing the taper from engaging properly. :wall:

So, a call to the supplier and a replacement is on its way.

Meantime, I decided to have a go at the cylinder base and crank base plate.

The picture shows the results.

Ian

 

[boatmadman]

The replacement arbor turned up today, hows that for service? Chronos is the company involved.

So, off to the workshop tonight to finish the crankwebs. First the slit was cut in each web, then holes for the locking screw were drilled and tapped in each web, then, finally, dry assembled, and guess what ---- it rotates Thumbs up (still needs a little fettling yet though)

Have to admit to being somewhat chuffed, as this is the first time I have attempted anything like this.

Anyway, here are pics, sorry a bit blurred.

Ian

 

[boatmadman]

Well, I spent the morning fiddling, fettling and polishing, and now I have one crank complete, except for eccentrics, and it even rotates! Need a little bedding in, but it will be ok.

Ian

 

[boatmadman]

And then there were two.

(only loose assembled at the moment)

 

[boatmadman]

Today I made the con rods, top end pins, crosshead guides and one set of stands.

I then drilled and tapped one block for the glands and engine plate and assembled the lot.

The pics show the current status of one top half, waiting for a material delivery to get to the same position with the second engine.

So far, things look promising, both cranks rotate, and, in today's assembly, the pistons and crossheads move ok, a little stiff, but they havent been fully adjusted yet, so they should be ok. ( I hope!!)

Ian

 

[Blogwitch]

Goodness me Ian, looks like you have hit the ground running and haven't stopped yet, are you doing a marathon?

That is coming along real well at the moment.

I made two when I first designed and made them, one I kept as standard, and the other I let my imagination run a little wild on it.

Even now, when I put a bit of air thru them, they both still behave faultlessly.

I get a great deal of satisfaction seeing someone else building one, especially if they are not too experienced, as it really shows that with a little bit of perseverance, and using a few techniques they have never tried before, a slightly complicated engine is well within their reach.

Good luck with the rest of the build.

Bogs

 

[Philjoe5]

Wow, nice work Ian. The pictures are great, keep them coming. :bow:

Slow progress, but so what!!

I'm not seeing the slow part ;D

Cheers,
Phil

 

[gbritnell]

Great work Ian. It looks like you'll have a 100% success rate. You have all the hard parts done so it should be a walk in the park from here. Keep the pictures coming.
gbritnell

 

[boatmadman]

Thanks for the comments fella's.

I have learnt a huge amount just from reading forums, and asking questions, but, putting into practice is really satisfying - especially when the bits fit together and go round and round and up and down - but not at the same time yet!

Ian

 

[Troutsqueezer]

Looking fine. So how long have you been working on it thus far?

Did you buy your X2 already equipped with the DRO & power feed.

-T

 

[boatmadman]

I started this project around the third week in February, the idea is to run alongside another build so give a bit of variation.

The other project is a model anchor handling tug, Bourbon Orca, built from my own design to look like the real ship.

Its my own design because the owners and builders wouldnt let me have a lines plan of the full size ship, so, I thought, design my own using free software off the interweb.

I got the mill complete and running with the dro and power feed, without those, I doubt I would have attempted this project.

Ian

 

[Maryak]

Ian - Alias "Speedy Gonzales" :

You don't mess about and very nice work it is. :bow:

Best Regards
Bob

 

[ironman]

Ian, I forgot to ask on the MBM forum but do you have in mind a boat for this engine? Thanks, ironman

 

[boatmadman]

I haven't got anything in particular in mind for these engines, but a good sized tug might be an idea, except it will hide all the machinery.

This is a looooooong way off yet of course, as I also have in mind building my own boiler, for which I have a book on order for a bit of light reading!

After my current boat build, I have an open type steam launch hull and a twin wobbler plant waiting to be married up.

Too many projects - not enough time :-\

Ian

 

[boatmadman]

Ok, now, I have been looking at the eccentric drawings and Bogs's instructions.

Whilst the process is explained clearly enough, one area I am unclear about is how to machine a 4mm wide 14mm diam. surface between 2 "flanges" 18mm diameter?

I had in mind using a parting tool, bringing it down to size , winding out, move along the width of the tool and bringing back down to size, repeat until the desired width is reached.

Your thoughts/ other suggestions please Gents.

Ian

 

[shred]

Ok, now, I have been looking at the eccentric drawings and Bogs's instructions.

Whilst the process is explained clearly enough, one area I am unclear about is how to machine a 4mm wide 14mm diam. surface between 2 "flanges" 18mm diameter?

I had in mind using a parting tool, bringing it down to size , winding out, move along the width of the tool and bringing back down to size, repeat until the desired width is reached.

Your thoughts/ other suggestions please Gents.

Ian

I think that's what I did. I have some inherited lathe bits that are like short, fat parting tools and thus don't flex much at all. Some thin right and left turning tools might also get you there.

 

[Deanofid]

I missed commenting earlier, Ian... sorry!
It sure is coming along nicely. Anything new?

Dean