Chris' Built-up MEM-Corliss Build

[zeeprogrammer]

Love the ceiling! Reminds me of home. Around here it's a popcorn ceiling or paint mixed with sand.
I'm not saying the swirled plaster isn't a problem...but I prefer it.

You say 'pet' dragon'. But I'm thinking that's what you use to keep your elves in line.
Tell me you're not an elf driver.

[crueby]

Love the ceiling! Reminds me of home. Around here it's a popcorn ceiling or paint mixed with sand.
I'm not saying the swirled plaster isn't a problem...but I prefer it.

You say 'pet' dragon'. But I'm thinking that's what you use to keep your elves in line.
Tell me you're not an elf driver.

Not at all! They ride it up to the store to get more chocolate chips!

[Flyboy Jim]

Love the ceiling! Reminds me of home. Around here it's a popcorn ceiling or paint mixed with sand.
I'm not saying the swirled plaster isn't a problem...but I prefer it.

You say 'pet' dragon'. But I'm thinking that's what you use to keep your elves in line.
Tell me you're not an elf driver.

Not at all! They ride it up to the store to get more chocolate chips!

And we were always told that "Puff" was a "magic dragon". He sure didn't measure up to your's! 

Jim

[crueby]

The last few days have seen little shop time, but lotsa outside/boat/etc time, and the shop elves were out playing too, so no more work on the engine till this evening.

Got the holding fixture made up for milling the outsides of the crank webs - drilled/tapped some new holes in a chunk of aluminum that has been used for cranks and such in the past, and made up some studs and nuts to match the holes in the web blanks. Next up will be to cut the web blanks in half and start milling.

Probably in a couple days given the weather though - we have our local clubs first outdoor fun run with the RC boats/subs, so that takes priority. More work done on the RC rowboat model, and the shark sub is all charged up, and restrained in his carrying cage for transport to the pond - is anxious to get a bite of the geese there!

[zeeprogrammer]

Okay. I'll bite. 

What's that ship I see in the window?

[crueby]

If you mean in the background in the second photo, it is this one - a model of the clipper ship Young America. Carved hull, planked over, one of my larger models. The 74 gun French naval ship is the largest model. Both all scratch built.

[Captain Jerry]

Those are some really nice ship models, Chris.  I have a great appreciation of anything related to ships and sails and those show a great  feel for the ships and their construction.

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks Chris. Nice pics! Nice ship!

A man of many talents.
But few recipes. 

[crueby]

Not much shop time recently, now that good weather is here, but did get some work done on the crank webs.

Previously I had drilled the shaft holes in the web stock, and made up the holding fixture. Got a start on milling the ends round. Started with the narrow end - centered the post at that end in the 4-jaw chuck using the lathe to spin it and check, then mounted it on the rotary table on the mill. Then did a few passes to remove the bulk of the extra material left over from sawing the blanks out of the larger bar, and used the rotary table to round the small end of the webs, stopping where the transition to the center section will be. First 2 photos show milling a web, third photo shows one done and next in process.

When all 4 webs had the narrow end done, I recentered the fixture on the large end post, and started milling them down. Last two photos show that in process. I have one done, 3 more to go, probably tomorrow when the rain storms move in...

The center section will be done with the fixture clamped to the rotary table, offset to mill a curve on the inside surface. That will leave the ends round, and a hollow curve linking them - should look good. After that is done, the bosses will be turned in over on the lathe.

Sunshine is calling, back outside!

[joe d]

Chris:

I've been quietly following along on your Corliss build, and then you added some really WELL DONE ships..

Thanks!

[crueby]

Chris:

I've been quietly following along on your Corliss build, and then you added some really WELL DONE ships..

Thanks!

Thanks Joe! Wait till you see the rowboat going out in the pond. Should be done in a couple weeks.... stay tuned, no peeking!

[Flyboy Jim]

Well done Chris! 

I can see lot's of uses for the type of fixture you made for radiusing the ends of things. Got it filed away. Now if I can just remember where it's filed when I need it.     


Jim

[crueby]

Well done Chris! 

I can see lot's of uses for the type of fixture you made for radiusing the ends of things. Got it filed away. Now if I can just remember where it's filed when I need it.     


Jim

You gotta bribe the shop elves to find it for you again!

[crueby]

Continuing work on the crank webs today, to do the sides I clamped the holding fixture to the rotary table so that the curves at either end would meet the tangent of the curve from the table. No fancy math, just eyeballed the curves and fine tuned it with a few taps on the end of the fixture till the tip of the end mill just went by the right places, and tightened down the clamps. Then it was just a matter of a few light cuts, made a note of the handwheel positions, and repeated for the other three webs. Photo 1.

That got the first side done, then did same process with the fixture turned 180, and milled the other side. Photo 2.

When all 4 webs were done, photos 3 and 4, time to turn the bosses on the ends.

With a web piece centered up in the 4-jaw, turned the outer boss on the lathe, repeated for all 4 parts. Photo 5.

Then, reset the chuck to hold the narrow end - had to move one jaw out to reverse it, and on the way realized that the tip of the jaw fit nicely into the larger end hole, so centered it up that way, and turned the bosses on the narrow ends. Photos 6 and 7.

Last picture shows the 4 web parts all ready to go. Before installing though, I need to make the eccentrics since one of them will be between the webs....

[zeeprogrammer]

The webs look great. Still following along. 

Now if I can just remember where it's filed when I need it.     

You gotta bribe the shop elves to find it for you again!

He probably doesn't have any. Neither do I. They're all working for you!