Monitor Steam Engine

[zeeprogrammer]

 

Milling the flats on the cylinders but they are too large for my vise. That is, the center line is above the top of the vise jaws.
Using tall parallels won't work, they would just push the cylinder up and out.



The only thing I've come up with is to make some taller jaws for the vise.
I've made jaws for the vise before (the ones on there now are the original).

If I go that route...I'm wondering about the stress on the jaws as they tighten.
Do you think it would work? We are not talking much. Maybe an 1/8 to 1/4 taller.
I wouldn't mind making new jaws. I could use a few features to hold small or round parts or to install a stop.

In any case, I'm wondering if there's another way to do this.

Thanks.

You might notice the piston gland on the cylinder standing in the background.
I'm not real happy with the glands...but they might work. We'll see.

On another note...I noticed in another thread someone talking about sizing their images.
Here's what I do...

I use Paint.net (it's free).
Open the image.
Go to the 'Image' tab and select 'Resize'.
I use Width = 400 and Height = 300 but it depends on what the dimensions of your own image is.
This works for most of my pics but the ratio is a bit off for people shots.
Then save. Use 'save as' if you don't want to overwrite the original.

Before saving, if you want to improve lightness or contrast...

Go to the 'Adjustments' and select 'Brightness/Contrast'.
Then play with the slides.

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Can you remove the covers and clamp thru the bore straight to the table.

Cletus

[Jasonb]

The tee slots in the mill table make good Vee blocks. Lay teh cylinder in the slot and arrange some clamps to hold it down, a bar passed through the bore and clamped at each end works well




Or if you have an angle plate then pass a bolt through that and the cylinder to clamp cylinder to angle plate.





Zee a syou are using Photobucket you can set a default size so that all images you upload to PB are reduced to the same size, I use 640 wide.

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Yup, a proper documentation of what I was trying to say 

Cletus

[Don1966]

Eric just beat me to it. Take the covers off and pass a round bar through the bore and lay into a slot on the mill then clamp the round bar down on each end. You may want to put some shim stock under the cylinder to protect it or Coke can material.

Don
Now Jason beat me to the post.

[fcheslop]

To get a bit extra I sometimes simply remove the jaws
A tip from Bodge It And Scarper Inc
cheers

[crueby]

To get a bit extra I sometimes simply remove the jaws
A tip from Bodge It And Scarper Inc
cheers

Is that company a subsidiary of Dewey, Cheatem, And Howe?

Zee, does your vise open long enough to put the cylinder in lengthwise, so you can tighten on the ends? Even if not, making taller jaw plates wont put much stress on the jaws, for such a small height increase.

[b.lindsey]

Yipee, we even have pictures The cylinder looks good too Zee!

Bill

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks for the help everyone.

I'd thought about removing the covers and using a rod through, but that would mean milling the covers separately.
I'm hoping to do all in one setup. Milling the covers separately would present some interesting challenges.

Chris, I just checked and yes...the cylinder sits nicely lengthwise. Could work.
Just enough room left to stick some thin aluminum strips in to try and protect the covers (not that they aren't marred already  )

I'll also have to stick some strips underneath. That would leave making sure the cylinder is square to the end mill.

Here's the setup then...
I haven't put any strips in yet or tightened the vise.
And remember... ...the bolts WILL be replaced with studs-n-nuts.

Any words of warning? I'm getting really nervous now. Each operation runs the risk of a redo and I suspect I'd end up doing both cylinders and covers again.
I successfully battled TAH the other night. 



TAH - try another hobby
The battle was won easily. No worries.

[crueby]

When I did setups like this, I was worried about the pressure from the end mill or fly cutter turning the cylinder, so to keep an eye on that, made a felt tip line along the top of the vise jaws on the end cap so I could instantly see if it moved. Didn't, but after all the work on the parts its a worry. Take many light cuts and should be fine.

One other thing you could do on the one end is put in 2 longer bolts on the left and right ones, sticking out a bit, so they rest on the top of the vise jaw, would prevent any turning tendancy.

All disclaimers apply, unprofessional machinist in a closed room, your milage may vary....

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks Chris.

Another question for you...

Plan uses a cylinder 2.25" diameter (1.125 radius).
This particular flat is cut 1" from center. That is, I'm supposed to take off 0.125".
But my cylinder is 2.20" diameter (1.10 radius)
Do I still take 0.125 off? Or should it be 0.10?
Does it really matter?

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Well, now that we know the rest of the story,  that setup should work just fine.  Those end mills don't know or care whether they are cutting left to right,  or front to back  .

Cletus

[zeeprogrammer]

I don't see a lot talked about this...
maybe it will help others and maybe not...

When I do a setup, I take a dry run. That is, I move the cutter around to be sure I can reach everything and don't run into things.
(There's been times I've started milling only to find the holder colliding with a clamp.)

In this case, I found I'm clear of the part in one direction of Y but not in the other.

Luckily, the center of the tool gets past the part so I'm good to go. 

Point being, had I started without checking I could have found my cutter not being able to cut at one end.
Had that been the case, I would have tried moving the vise in Y (and checking again since it would be possible to run out of room at the other end then).
I would not have been able to rotate the vise 90 degrees.
Well maybe. If I used that rotating plate that came with the vise. Which I've never used because it takes away Z.

Oh! I indicated the top of the cylinder and was pleasantly surprised (though I shouldn't be) to see less than a tenth thou change.
Another observation...milling in Y in one direction creates more machining marks than when milling in the other direction.
I've noticed that in other operations...but this one surprised me.

[crueby]

Thanks Chris.

Another question for you...

Plan uses a cylinder 2.25" diameter (1.125 radius).
This particular flat is cut 1" from center. That is, I'm supposed to take off 0.125".
But my cylinder is 2.20" diameter (1.10 radius)
Do I still take 0.125 off? Or should it be 0.10?
Does it really matter?

If you take off the same amount on smaller diameter, you will cut closer to inner bore, which can cause issues with leaving room for steam passages and bolts. On mine, I used the original bore size but scaled everything else, so I can't give measurement from mine for you to use. I'd suggest drawing the cross section out with your outer diameter and see what works. Taking off less will change the width of the flats  and you need it wide enough for the steam chests. This plan has a very thick cylinder wall, so there is a lot of leeway.  Draw out the cross section and see what fits, looking at steam chest width, room for steam passages and chest bolts. I suspect you will wind up somewu betwee your two numbers. Last thing you want is tyo punch through the bore when drilling stud holes!
The one I'd take the smaller amount on is the bottom flat that rests on the frame, that way you will not change the centerline hieght of the bore, so all the linkages still work as planned.

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Now we are getting feedback we can work with  . Check the gibs on the y axis and once again,  leave just a kitten's whisker of pressure on the locking screw.  If you are cranking your handles  at the same rythm and speed,  that cutter ain't gonna know the difference,  believe me,  I ask one once upon a martini  .

Cletus

Chris just answered teh parts question and I'm helping with teh ground work,  Gee isn't this special