Elderberry Steam Launch V2 by AOG

[AOG]

It's still a four inch rotary table. It's just much shorter.  The Sherline table and four jaw chuck together are about the same size as my table without the chuck.

[AOG]

Just a quick update. I finished fileing and started fitting the engine. I cleaned up the tight spots and it is turning freely. Unfortunately it absolutely refuses to run.  I think I have  timing issue but I have adjusted it all over the place and I just can't get it to attempt to run. I think tomorrow's task is to pull the engine apart and have a good look at the rotary valve. Maybe I need to remake it.

Tony

[b.lindsey]

It sounds like a timing problem as you say, unless the cylinder/piston fit is too loose but I kind of doubt that. Do the plans have any instructions for timing the engine that might help? Also, since you said you had built this engine before, maybe you can compare it back to the first one that does run and see if that shows you anything amiss.


Bill

[AOG]

The original design had you mill a flat in the shaft and tighten the valve set screw onto that flat to set the timing. I did that on V1 and it worked but not well. There was no way to adjust the timing so I couldn't tweak it in.  In V2 I omitted the slot and just placed a mark in the same relative position as the flat. I aligned the valve with the mark and it wouldn't run. I adjusted the valve in ether direction and I still couldn't get it to run. I think something's wrong with the geometry of the valve itself.

Tony

[AOG]

This build is officially closed. I pulled the engine apart today and it's beyond saving. The crank shaft is slightly bent. The valve and valve block are galled up. It also elongated the hole in the piston rod. The side load caused the piston to score the cylinder. Right now all I can salvage is the base, air fittings and the cylinder head. Needless to say I am fit to be tied. I thought I could do better than my first version instead I failed miserably. I think I'm going to take a break from this hobby for a while.

Tony

[b.lindsey]

Tony, I am sorry to hear this, but we have all been there at one time or another. Take a breath, regroup and go after it again...you can do this!!

Bill

[Don1966]

Like Bill said Tony just regroup and attack it with a different approach. It happens to all of us but don't scrap it and give up. We are all here for you and to give you moral support. Some of us follow silently but we are here when you need us. So go for it bud. 

 
Don

[ths]

Tony, I've got whole wardrobes stuffed with terrible failures. But I love making them, because they get less terrible. And I love the sound of of steel peeling from a well sharpened bit of High Speed Steel. Well, I did the time I sharpened it correctly.

Stick your neck out again, and then again. Make something else. It'll come together.

Cheers, Hugh.

[AOG]

Thanks everyone for the support. It's a new day and I'm done stretching the bounds of the English language  . It's time to get back on that horse. As (bad) luck would have it, I am out of brass bar and the ground dowels that are called for in the plans. I've ordered the missing material and started redoing the crankshaft. I guess we will try this agin when I get the rest of the materials I need.

Tony

[b.lindsey]

Good for you Tony...it will make the ultimate success all the sweeter !!!

Bill

[Don1966]

Great Tony, glad to see you continue this nice project. Part of learning is to over come adversities. Good on you.

Don

[AOG]

I have a quick update. I remade the crankshaft, the bearing, valve block, and the valve. I was also able to lap the bore to remove the scratches so I was able to save the cylinder. I also found root cause on my mishap. It turns out that I misread the prints and swapped the intake and exhaust grooves on the valve. That's why I couldn't get the timing right and everything got chewed up. I put it all together and it runs. 
I have pulled it back apart to blue the flywheel and valve. I will also do some light polishing and reassemble it. Final pics will go in the showcase.

Thanks again for all of the support during the build.

Tony

[b.lindsey]

Fantastic Tony!!!  Soooooo glad you didn't give up on it too.  Will look forward to seeing the finished engine in the Showcase 

Bill