Author Topic: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)  (Read 242022 times)

Offline 90LX_Notch

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #780 on: August 22, 2017, 11:23:01 PM »
That is awsome Kim.  It is nice to see it run and I am still following along.

-Bob
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My Engine Videos on YouTube-
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Offline Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #781 on: August 23, 2017, 12:45:12 AM »
Hey Bill and Bob,
Thanks for looking in and for the encouraging comments!
Kim

Offline Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #782 on: August 28, 2017, 12:57:54 AM »
Today’s shop time was spent tweaking in the slip eccentric so that both the forward AND backward directions would work.  It really wasn’t all that hard, once I figured it out, but it just takes a while to wrap your mind around it.

While I may be slow, my momma didn’t raise no dummy. So I fixed my leakage problem by putting little 4-40 set screws in the open holes on the bottom of the cylinder.


Soon, those should be filled with drain valves, but for now, just plugging the holes was a HUGE help.  Now the engine is running on ~3-5 PSI, even while driving the gear train and wheels.  I don’t’ know exactly what the pressure is because the gauge I have doesn’t really register till it gets somewhere above 5 I think.  But this is a big improvement!

And after some adjusting of the (new) eccentric collar, I have it working both forward and backward. Here’s a short video clip of the engine running on air, both forward and backward.  The last half of the video shows the slip-collar moving for one direction, and then the other (sorry the focus isn’t idea in the second half).
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBYGdRBL5Gs" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBYGdRBL5Gs</a>

And just for fun, a couple of shots showing the working engine and gear train.

 

 

Thanks for checking in on me!
Kim

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #783 on: August 28, 2017, 01:10:42 AM »
That is sure running smooth Kim, and that slip eccentric is slick too. Always great to see an update on this build!!

Bill

Offline crueby

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #784 on: August 28, 2017, 01:14:03 AM »
That's great! Thanks again for the details of the slip eccentric, makes sense to me now.
Were they used on the full size engines? If so, was there some way to switch direction other than pulling the flywheel over by hand?


 :popcorn:

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #785 on: August 28, 2017, 01:26:34 AM »
I just saw a big smile in that post.

Good. I needed that.  ;D
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Offline Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #786 on: August 28, 2017, 01:41:39 AM »
Thanks Bill, Chris, and Zee,

Were they used on the full size engines? If so, was there some way to switch direction other than pulling the flywheel over by hand?
Interesting question!  I'm interested in that question too!  It doesn't seem like a very useful method for reversing in real engines.  I'd love to hear about this from some of the folks with a lot of experience in steam.

I just saw a big smile in that post.
Good. I needed that.  ;D
Yes, you did see a big smile!  And a little happy dance too!  :pinkelephant:

But I'm feeling for you right now Carl  :'(.  And hope that you can get your new toy figured out quickly and that its something very easy!  We're all pulling for you!
Kim

Offline 90LX_Notch

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #787 on: August 28, 2017, 02:09:22 AM »
Sweet.

-Bob
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My Engine Videos on YouTube-
http://www.youtube.com/user/Notch90usa/videos

Offline gbritnell

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #788 on: August 28, 2017, 12:59:34 PM »
Kim,
Slip eccentrics were used on working engines like in small marine or shop applications but to the best of my knowledge I've never seen them used with larger engines that needed to be reversed fairly quickly.
gbritnell
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Offline Jo

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #789 on: August 28, 2017, 03:33:04 PM »
Locomotion has slip eccentrics on her  :)

Jo
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Offline Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #790 on: August 28, 2017, 06:47:38 PM »
Slip eccentrics were used on working engines like in small marine or shop applications but to the best of my knowledge I've never seen them used with larger engines that needed to be reversed fairly quickly.
Thanks George, that makes sense to me!

Locomotion has slip eccentrics on her  :)
Sorry to be dense here Jo, but who's "Locomotion".  I know what the word means, but you seem to be using it as a proper noun.


I was doing a little googling and found that Arnold had posted a nice write-up on slip eccentrics several years back.  As I re-read it, I remembered seeing it (since it talks about his parrot).  You can find it here: http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php?topic=2355.0

Kim

Offline Jo

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #791 on: August 28, 2017, 06:57:46 PM »
Locomotion has slip eccentrics on her  :)
Sorry to be dense here Jo, but who's "Locomotion".  I know what the word means, but you seem to be using it as a proper noun.

 :facepalm: https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Robert_Stephenson_and_Co:_Locomotion_No._1

A mobile Beam engine, that I have castings for  :whoohoo:

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline tvoght

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #792 on: August 28, 2017, 07:50:59 PM »
I put a slip eccentric on "Robby" my Roberts Mechanism engine. The discussion starts here:

http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,5293.msg107925.html#msg107925

It worked fine, but I disabled it because it caused a distinctive knock that I didn't want to be heard when showing it. I don't know if that's common to slip eccentrics or just my own implementation.
I never really put any effort into trying to remedy it.

--Tim

Offline Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #793 on: August 28, 2017, 08:51:59 PM »
Locomotion has slip eccentrics on her  :)
Sorry to be dense here Jo, but who's "Locomotion".  I know what the word means, but you seem to be using it as a proper noun.

 :facepalm: https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Robert_Stephenson_and_Co:_Locomotion_No._1

A mobile Beam engine, that I have castings for  :whoohoo:

Jo

Fascinating!  I always learn so much on this forum! :)
Thanks Jo,
Kim

Offline Kim

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Re: Steam Tractor 3/4" (Rudy K)
« Reply #794 on: August 28, 2017, 08:59:38 PM »
I put a slip eccentric on "Robby" my Roberts Mechanism engine. The discussion starts here:

http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,5293.msg107925.html#msg107925

It worked fine, but I disabled it because it caused a distinctive knock that I didn't want to be heard when showing it. I don't know if that's common to slip eccentrics or just my own implementation.
I never really put any effort into trying to remedy it.

--Tim

I remember that build Tim!   But it doesn't show any completed pictures.  You should post one.

I could see how a slip eccentric might result in a knock.  In fact, when I rotate the drive shaft by hand, at a certain point in the rotation (at least in one direction) the eccentric pin disengages from the drive collar as gravity pulls it down. Then the flat on the collar catches up with it and things continue as expected.  That could certainly cause a tick!  I'll have to listen next time and see if I hear any knocking.

Kim

 

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