Steam Engine Flywheel from stock

[enginemaker1]

Several years ago I went to the Cabin Fever Expo in York, Pa. I took a picture a little gas engine that had a interesting flywheel design. As you can see in the picture it has four spokes and some nice curves. Being only four spokes would make it easy to mill just by going in X Y direction.

I thought that I would use that design on a engine someday. Well the time has come that I needed two 6-1/2 inch flywheels for the horizontal duplex steam engine I'm building. (Another Post) Well I just didn't want to make the same design, so I changed it to have Five spokes.

I'm a self taught hobby machinist. My Bridgeport I purchased in 1985 because my dad was the machinist but he didn't have the money for it. So dad ask if I would buy it. Years later he was able to obtain a 14" Hendey lathe. Then after two years, mom and dad moved to Florida. I now have the machines at work were on my free time I can build me models. So before he left, I did not use them much. Now I use them just about everyday.

Well enough of that, back to the flywheel.

I have a 12" rotary table that I have never used. Now I'm going to use it. The hole center is a #4 Morse taper. I needed a pilot for the flywheel blank. So back to the lathe were for the first time I will use the taper attachment.

Here is the setup of the flywheel blank on the rotary table.

The next pictures show the progression of holes.

I still need to make the finish cuts for the spokes.

 

[putputman]

That is going to be a neat flywheel. Certainly should give a unique look to the engine.

 

[Philjoe5]

I agree, a real eyecatcher of a flywheel.

BTW, where was the Hendey lathe made?

Cheers,
Phil

 

[enginemaker1]

Torrington Connecticut

 

[lee9966]

Gotta love that wheel. Or should I say <heart> that wheel? Makes a nice gift for valentines day I would guess.

Edit: I didn't mean to sound negative if anyone took it that way! It is a cool flywheel.

 

[gbritnell]

Very nice work on the flywheel. It looks like you know your way around the different tools for being self taught.
gbritnell

 

[Philjoe5]

I knew that the Hendey lathe sounded familiar. Torrington, Connecticut is where I grew up, though I left there over 40 years ago.

Cheers,
Phil

 

[cfellows]

Very nice work on the flywheel. The engine in the photo, by the way, is the Victoria, designed by Philip Duclos and featured in a multipart build article in HSM a number of years ago.

Chuck

 

[Cedge]

Chuck
It's also one of the engines in the Duclos books offered by Village Press. Wonder how I knew that....(grin) Challenging little engine project even without all the changes mine suffered through. I like this take on the flywheel, but I just couldn't bring myself to build it with that particular design.

Engineman....
Nice job on the modification. Great to see others breaking away from the idea that the drawing is the dictating factor in a build. Change is good.

Steve

 

[radfordc]

Looking at the cutouts in your flywheel reminded me of this. ;D

 

[enginemaker1]

Well I finished the first flywheel now on to the next. Some more pictures and the duplex engine in construction.

Tom

 

[bearcar1]

Oh I'm likin' that 'shield' pattern on the front cylinder covers! Yowsa! That is happening! It's going to be another benchmark build we have to set our standards to. I applaud you Tom for not staying exactly to the letter of the drawings, it shows creativity as well as ingenuity. Well done.

BC1
Jim

 

[Philjoe5]

Tom,
I'm really enjoying your progress reports on this build. Question: Is a "duplex" engine just common terminology for a two cylinder or twin steam engine?

Cheers,
Phil

 

[4156df]

Tom,
The flywheel is a winner.
Dennis

P.S. Any chance you could give a short description on how you did the cylinder heads?

 

[tel]

A most impressive bit of flywheelery - I like it!

 

[enginemaker1]

Thanks for all the kind words guys. Just what I needed to see for a pick me up when I got home from work.

I'm sorry. This engine is in the middle of the build before I started posting. I do have some pictures of most my parts as I was making them. My intent was to write a article for Live steam mag.

Jim

I need to file you in on somethings.

I built a Mine engine based on Elmer's version. I changed it, made solid models in my Cad system and made drawings of my version. I also published a book with a complete set of drawings. Philjoe is making his mine engine to my book.

My Factory engine is also a upscale version of Elmer's engine but again with changes.
Also have made drawings and a book.

My Duplex engine will also have drawings that I am still working on as I build it. My intent for this engine will have Stevenson valve gear and a flyball governor.

Phil

Someone used the word Duplex and it just stuck.

Dennis
Keep watch, I do have some pictures on how I did the head. Will post soon.

Tom