Author Topic: Rotary valve engine and bonus  (Read 45354 times)

Offline swilliams

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Rotary valve engine and bonus
« on: July 25, 2012, 11:21:32 AM »
I'm going to build a little rotary valve engine as per plans on the john-tom site,

http://www.john-tom.com/MyPlans/Steam%20Engines/RotaryValveEngine.pdf

As a bonus I'm going to attempt to finish my Topsy-Turvy engine. It's build is on it's last gasps, but I need to build a base to put it on and a few other bits and pieces before I can get it started.

Anyway I started on the base. I had some old rusty 10mm flat and got busy on the shaper to get it down to the 1/4" thick plate that was required

First I cleaned it up to 2" wide on the mill



Then shaping



Also started on the head, I might finish it off in the mill



and this will be the crank.



the flat is to get the centre drilled holes in the right spot for turning

Here's the three bits and my topsy-turvey. I'm going to do some fine lapping on the valves before I put them back on



Anyway that's it for now. I'm hoping to get busy on the crank and hacking out the block for the rotary valve on the weekend.

Steve.

Offline swilliams

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2012, 11:24:52 AM »
P.S. If anyone else has built one of these or wants to build one, you are welcome to post pictures here. Failing that maybe someone can lower the tone with general silliness  :toilet_claw:

Offline arnoldb

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2012, 06:52:24 PM »
Steve, I'm on board for the ride!

Somehow I'd missed this one thus far on the J-T site; It will make a very nice looking engine when done  :)

Kind regards, Arnold
Building an engine takes Patience, Planning, Preparation and Machining.
Procrastination is nearly the same, but it precludes machining.
Thus, an engine will only be built once the procrastination stops and the machining begins!

Offline ironman123

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2012, 10:59:44 PM »
Steve, that Rotary Valve engine is a nice engine.  I have built 2 of them and like to watch the linkage (valve) moving.

We will be watching your build.  Have fun.

Ray
Ray
Central Texas

Offline swilliams

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2012, 07:53:25 AM »
Arnold - glad to have you aboard. You're welcome to build one and post in here if that takes your fancy.

Ray - Nice to hear about your engines. If you've got any pics or a movie, please post it here so we can have a look  :)

Offline ironman123

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2012, 04:16:40 PM »
Here is an older photo of one of my engines. 

Ray
Ray
Central Texas

Offline swilliams

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2012, 11:48:11 PM »
Looks great Ray  :D
just like the picture in the article

Steve

chuck foster

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2012, 02:24:03 AM »
that topsy turvy engine looks great steve  :ThumbsUp: were would someone get the plans for that?

chuck

Offline swilliams

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2012, 05:05:09 AM »
Thanks Chuck

The plans are in the book two shop masters.

https://secure.villagepress.com/store/items/detail/item/826

There's several other cool engine designs in that book, so I think it's well worth having. They used to have another Phil Duclos book which seems to have gone out of print. Wish they'd reprint it, I want to buy it.
 
Cheers
Steve


Offline swilliams

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2012, 05:09:49 AM »
Oh they do have it back now. Looks like I've go a purchase to make  :NewBrain:

https://secure.villagepress.com/store/items/detail/item/819

Offline swilliams

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2012, 10:38:31 AM »
Got a little more done on the rotary valve engine.

I hacked the block out of a big bit of hex steel I have



After some time on the shaping machine, while sitting on a chair listening to the football broadcast on the radio



Here's my current pile of materials



In addition to what I had previously there's now the steel for the block, which is to size, and a bit of steel I'll use to make the bearing blocks to support the crankshaft. The plans have these made of brass, but I'm going to put bushes in mine.

Anyway I'm over using the shaper for now, life's too short  :old:, it's all milling and turning from here  :zap:

Steve
« Last Edit: July 28, 2012, 10:44:40 AM by swilliams »

Offline ironman123

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2012, 12:55:19 PM »
Looks like you got a good start Steve.

Ray
Ray
Central Texas

Offline swilliams

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2012, 11:53:41 AM »
Thanks for the support Ray  :cheers:

I attacked the crankshaft today

After centre drilling the ends, I started jamming a parting tool down to make the journals



Here's a pic after finishing off the journals. I just used an ordinary 3/32 x 1/2" hss parting blade with a flat end in a sprung (gooseneck type) holder. A spacer was put in the first journal gap to do the second one, held with a cable tie. The spacer for the second one can be seen in the pic. The journals are only 3/16" diameter so the whole thing is rather springy.



Next chopping out the middle. First I rammed the parting tool in. Then I moved to this crank turning tool I made out of 4mm x 16mm (about 5/32 x 5/8") hss for a previous job. It has the middle ground out so it only cuts on the corners, classic crank turning style.



Then finished her off





I'm going to make the flywheel out of the piece of brass the finished crank is sitting on.

That was alot more fun than sitting next to the shaper  :pinkelephant:

That's all for now
Steve
« Last Edit: July 29, 2012, 11:59:00 AM by swilliams »

Offline ironman123

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2012, 02:44:22 PM »
Really making some progress there.  Keep it up.

Ray
Ray
Central Texas

chuck foster

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Re: Rotary valve engine and bonus
« Reply #14 on: July 29, 2012, 02:48:48 PM »
looking good steve  :ThumbsUp:

i have made a few cranks and i never thought of using a cable tie to hold the spacer block in the throw area............thanks for the idea.

chuck

 

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