1/4 Scale Rider-Ericsson Pumping Engine from castings.

[b.lindsey]

Well to get the ball rolling here, I am copying posts from my build log on another site with apologies to those of you that may have seen all this before. In starting this engine I found a few finished photos but no real build logs to speak of and yet it seems to be an engine that many have some interest in so here goes....


Edited at Bill's request - Arnold

[steamer]

Looking forward to it Bill!

Dave

[b.lindsey]

The legs that support the base and engine are just over 6" high and gracefully curved which looks nice but presents a few problems as to holding them for machining and making them come out as a matched pair. I opted to do this by drilling the mounting holes in the bottoms of the legs (photo 1 below) and mounting the legs butted up against each other on a piece of plate aluminum (photos 2 & 3) holding the top of the legs together with some wood strips and a c-clamp and adjusting as needed to get the still unmachined tops of the legs as even and horizontal as possible. While a relatively solid set-up, the top of the legs were still 6" above the mounting plate so a series of light cuts (.005") were made across both leg tops until I got down to good flat and "matched" surfaces for mating to the underside of the base (photo 4)

[b.lindsey]

Then it was back to the base to machine the mounting pad for the flywheel support bracket and the ring where the cylinder will eventually mount and drilling the 3 corner holes for mounting the legs (photo 1). These are through holes with threaded holes in the legs for a stud which sticks up through the base and the legs are then secured by nuts on the top of the base (photo 2). This will all need to be dis-assembled as there are additional holes which must be machined into both the top and underside of the base for mounting the cylinder and flywheel bracket. That wil be the next thing done then on to the mounting bracket.

[lazylathe]

Thanks for posting the whole build here Bill!!

Great to have a recap before it is all done.
Following along with this one till the end!

Andrew

[b.lindsey]

Today I got most of the flywheel bracket machining done. The first couple of pictures show the set up with the bracket casting lined up as well as a rough casting can be using a dial test indicator. The two bolsters were then machined with the larger one .200" lower than the smaller one. Then the tap drill hole was made in the smaller bolster and everything was then referenced from that point as the origin since that is how the print is dimensioned. The two flats were then machined at right angles to one another. One will attach to the base and the other to the cylinder casting eventually. This is shown in the last two pictures.

[b.lindsey]

Thanks Andrew, and thanks for the invite too!  This is likely the only log I will transfer over since it is still semi-current. I may post some other completed project pictures later on if there is any interest.

Bill

[b.lindsey]

The larger bolster was drilled to 1/2" and then bored out to .686-.687 in order to accept the B-88 needle bearings called for which arrived in the mail yesterday. There are still a couple of things to do yet, mainly finishing off the opposite side of this large bolster, pressing the bearings in, and drilling the holes on each of the two mounts for attachment to the base and cylinder. That's it for today's update.

[b.lindsey]

The upper bolt pattern on the base for mounting the cylinder was drilled and will be tapped 6-32. The 6 bolt patterm on the underside for mounting the hot cap will be done tomorrow and that will finish up the base. In addition the flywheel bracket was finished up with the two holes drilled in each mounting foot, the far side of the large bolster finished to the called for width, and the two bearings pressed in.

[b.lindsey]

This update covers some initial work on the cylinder casting. This was all done on the larger lathe at work. The lower portion that fits into the base was machined to diameter and length followed by machining the section above the mounting ring until it was the same diameter and the ring the proper height. Finally the lower ID was bored out to the proper dimension and a trial fit to the base and flywheel bracket. I hope to work on some of the smaller parts at home over the weekend on the Sherline equipment.

[b.lindsey]

Made some progress today on the beam pivot bracket. There are no set-up pictures since it is straightforward locating and milling and drilling so the below pictures only show the components and sub-assembly. More tomorrow though. The parts, especially the brass caps are just rough machined and not finished off yet and once assembled with screws the .251" through hole has to be drilled as well as a small #60 hole in each cap for oiling.

[b.lindsey]

Duty calls as they say so that's it for now....will transfer over more of the build log later.

Bill

[chuck foster]

thanks for the build log bill, your work proves to be very interesting and a joy to read.

chuck

[b.lindsey]

Thanks Chuck...continuing with more of the build ....


This update finished up the beam pivot assembly by drilling and reaming the .251" through hole and adding oiling holes in the top of each cap as shown in the first two photos. Then I wanted to get a little done on the firebox. There was a good bit of flash on the parting lines of the casting which were filed off and a few other areas smoothed out. After getting a square bottom on the belt sander the casting was put in the vise so the top end could be machined parallel to the bottom and again machining off substantial flash on the top end of the casting (photo 3). The the firedoor opening was opened up as it was pretty well flashed over (photo 4).

[b.lindsey]

These  two shots  are the semi-finished firebox and the underside of the base plate which now has its hole pattern drilled.