PMR Horizontal Boiler - A Riveting Build Log

[zeeprogrammer]

That's really exciting Stan and looking really good. Gives my real hope when I start my vertical.

Was there any concern about hitting the right spot with the aircraft drill as you got to the 3rd or 4th hinge? That would have scared me. Any points of wisdom?

I'm of the view that steam engines need to run on steam and running on air is only a half a project. Tonic without the gin or ice without the scotch.

You need a different view Pete. Think gin without tonic or scotch without ice. Big difference! 

[derekwarner]

  ....I have never heard of HSS long series drill bits termed as "aircraft" .....however the Irwin WEB site references this .......... "Extra Long Aircraft series available in 12” overall length"
 ...I don't think I would like to attempt drilling a 2.0 mm diameter hole with a 305 mm long twist drill ...off hand & in an aircraft  ..Derek

[sshire]

Bill
After the shell was completed, and I did the "let's put this all together just to see what it looks like", I said "Holy c**p it's big!" actual length is 10" but after building a bunch of small engines, it looks really big. It scales  well with the Epicyclic and the Pumping Engine. Shoud be a great source of amusement when I run it with Elmer's Scotty or the RV-1 (next build).

[sshire]

Zee and Derek

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of difference between "extra length" drill bits and "aircraft extension bits." Most catalogs and web sites list aircraft bits in 6" and 12" lengths while the extra length bits run 8,10,12,15 and 18" overall length.
Long boys have FLUTE lengths up to 13".

The was no way that i could see to get to that last hinge other than that "absurdly-long-for-a-1/16"" drill-bit.
Since the bit was being guided onto the 4th hinge by 3 previously drilled holes above it it tracked nicely. So, in reality, it was acting as a 1" bit. The rest of the length was supported. In retrospect, a 1/16" transfer punch marking the last hinge would have been a good idea.

[NickG]

Well done Stan, just caught up - you made it look easy but we know it wasn't. Really great to see that engine running on steam.

[sshire]

Thanks, Nick. I love it on steam!
I've been doing the final stuff: filing, painting, pipe fitting, etc. I'll be doing a post on those when I get back from the ME show in Vermont on the 13th.
I was planning on doing that this coming weekend but I got a call from my son in Atlanta who needs a camera mount for his GoPro on the bicycle handlebars. Apparently the purpose-built one from GoPro has too much vibration for his taste. I guess you can only do so much for $12 with injection molded ABS.  So, being a good Dad with a Bridgeport, I'll spend the weekend designing and building one. Actually two. His bikes(5 at last count) have 25.4mm and 31mm handlebar diameters. I was thinking two adapters but it will be just as easy to make 2 from 6061 and be done with it.

[wagnmkr]

OK ... Stan, it has now been a couple of years since you made this boiler and I have a question or two if I may ...

How do you find the steam output of this boiler? Does it power most of your steam type engines? I notice that it is smaller in diameter than a Stuart boiler, but longer than same.

Do you find that the materials are still holding up?

I am contemplating getting and building one of these boilers, and I will use your build log to answer some of the things I need to know.

Cheers

Tom

[zeeprogrammer]

Where the heck is Stan anyway?

[b.lindsey]

Good question Zee. Maybe this will bring him out of hiding .

Bill

[zeeprogrammer]

Good question Zee. Maybe this will bring him out of hiding .

Are we sure we want that? 

But seriously...I hope all is okay.

[b.lindsey]

He has been online today and last posted yesterday Zee.

Bill

[sshire]

Tom
Sorry for the delay in responding.
The PMR horizontal has performed very well. Everything has held up well.
The output was surprisingly robust and will run the ¼ horse PMR vertical engine despite some reports that it wouldn't. It will not run it with a load (i.e. The sewing machine) but still, that is a large engine.
I've run 4 of Elmer's engines simultaneously.
Go for it.

[wagnmkr]

Hi Stan, Thanks for your reply. It sounds like it will have enough power to drive the Stuart beam engine.

Cheers

Tom