Monitor Steam Engine

[V 45]

Rough crowd for you these days.  Keep at it. ....I know how things work out or not  !! Which is most of the time.  Did you figure out what happened to your mill?  Your project looks great so far  !

[PStechPaul]

Yeah, it was odd.
It just sort of slowed down and stopped.
...
I'm leaning towards the mill.

Be careful you don't lean too far, or the ghost might get you! 

Probably better than having the mill lean towards you. Better keep your eye on it - don't turn your back! 

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks guys. No repeat on the ghost. So I continue...

I decided to use the mill to finish the steam chests. Idea being I could find center on one, use the setup as a stop, and just swap parts to do the second.
So here's the setup...



Finished steam chests. Maybe. I'm a little concerned that the 2nd steam chest's valve rod hole is bigger than the other. We'll go for it for now. If it turns out to be a problem...I can remake. I suspect it will be fine under air. I have no plans to run this on steam.

I included the tap we talked about. I like the fact that it has the sliding bit. But the tommy bar appears to be captive which I'm not sure I like.It slides left/right but I couldn't get it out. I also tried taking the whole thing apart but no joy.

As for tapping. Initially I thought I hadn't drilled the hole big enough and it wouldn't tap. But as it turns out...the tap was so much sharper than the cheapies I have that it was cutting like butter. Perhaps the hole was too big...but I won't know until I make the glands and see the fit.



And since you like pictures...here's one of me when I was in Scotland a couple of years ago. (Or was it last year?)
Just to remind you that the fellow to left...although me...was long ago. Still the same boy inside though!

Tried to find one of T and me but it's not on my computer. For now this is fine. Otherwise you wouldn't even notice me.



Mmmm...actually I think that's in England on our way to Bath.

Haven't had much time on the forum lately. Hopefully I can catch up soon.

Crap. My hour is up.

[Don1966]

Cool Zee good to see you moving ahead on this. Courage my friend your going to get it done, I have no doubt..........

Don 

Now how about this piccy!

[mklotz]

It's easy to make a holder for that style of tap holder if you have to tap without the mill or lathe to keep the tap straight.  Here's one I fashioned long ago.  The V in the base centers the tap on shafts and the cutouts in the base allow for the application of cutting fluid. 



Good picture.  You look like a happy camper.

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Oh goodie gum drops,  machining and Zee piccys  . Dude, nice setup;  great use of the angle plates to give a rigid, repeatable, and square surface to clamp to. And, the step clamps are even set correctly  Have a couple of extra tipsy onions on me 

Cletus

[b.lindsey]

That's a great picture there in England Zee. You haven't changed a bit in all these years

Bill

[zeeprogrammer]

Don! You're showing what my family calls 'my buddy'. Sigh. I used to be so svelte.

Marv...you're always reminding me that once you have lathe...you can make any tooling you need. Or rather...you remind me how much a lathe has changed the world.

Have a couple of extra tipsy onions on me

In addition to what I've had already tonight? Sure! Thanks!
(Would have anyway.  )

Bill...you liar. But thanks.

[crueby]

Nice setup on the valve chest drilling. I gotta get some of those type angle blocks, looks like they come in handy. If the valve rod hole on one is slightly big, no problem if you use an o ring for the packing, that will still seal well as long as the gland will compress it slightly.

[zeeprogrammer]

I gotta get some of those type angle blocks, looks like they come in handy.

Yeah I'd hardly used them. But looking at what the members do for setups is helping me a lot.
Used to be I'd think I was done if I couldn't use my vise.

Great place to learn.

[Flyboy Jim]

I gotta get some of those type angle blocks, looks like they come in handy.

Yeah I'd hardly used them. But looking at what the members do for setups is helping me a lot.
Used to be I'd think I was done if I couldn't use my vise.

Great place to learn.

I'll second what you said Zee. I bought a pair a number of years back to use for assembling model railroad structures. Now that I'm a "Newborn Machinist" they're in my ever-growing machine tools drawer. Now I see a way I can actually use them.    I'm learning that a big part of being a good machinist is having lots of "arrows in one's quiver" when it comes to setup.

Jim

[zeeprogrammer]

Am I looking at poo here?

Drilled and tapped the steam chests for the valve rod gland.
A tap is a tap right?

Started on the valve rod gland.
Turned it down then threaded with a die.

As a test I screwed on the steam chest. Wobbly wobbly until it was fully in and tightened.
That doesn't seem right.

I don't want to redo the steam chest.

Hm. Perhaps that screw on the die is too tight?
I'd turned down to .3125 (or thereabouts) and found the die was a bit squeeky and pretty tight.

I'll open the die and try another. Just not sure it can be enough.
It was pretty wobbly.

Are there other things to look into? Or is this somewhat normal.
5/16

But now my hour is up. And it's Friday night.

Friday night means...

1) I call the folks
2) I order pizza
3) I fix the 1st of an unknown number of stinking hoppies
4) Enjoy pizza with T along with red wine
5) Spend the rest of evening talking

Yeah. Talking.

I love Friday night.

[zeeprogrammer]

Hm...just realized it could be the steam chest. And probably is.

Remember how I said the tap cut like butter? Could be the hole was too big and the threads are dinky.

I hate dinky.

[Don1966]

Zee if you have the room just tap the steam chest the next size bigger. Then make the gland to fit.......
Oh we go out to eat with some friend on Friday and talk most of the night..........good company........

Don

[fcheslop]

Don beat me to it.You did drill the right size tapping hole ??
Try a commercial bolt if you have one. You guys sure have fun
Just my two bobs worth