Mike Pileski's Vertical Engine build ......

[toolznthings]

The slide valve and packing glands .....

Squared up a piece of bronze and started to mill the pocket that covers / uncovers the ports on the cylinder.
On the opposite side milled for the valve adjuster block and spring retainer.
Using a ball end mill to cut clearance for the .187 diameter valve rod.

The valve with the springs and steel adjuster block that the valve rod goes thru. There is a set screw in the block and a flat on the valve rod for this adjustment.

Packing glands ....

Decided to change the shape of the two packing glands. Two blanks were turned from brass and the fixture block was made to hold and locate the center of each part. Set up at the cnc mill for machining the outside and drilling the mounting holes.

Machined and drilled to finish.

[toolznthings]

Blow down valves ....

I like the look of the " blow down " valves on the engine, but really did not want to purchase valves that wound not be used so I made some " fake " valves.   
I made a cad drawing of what I thought would look good and created a cnc program to machine a form tool on the cnc mill. Made from oil hardening flat stock and hardened. Ground some rake on the top after heat treating and set up at the lathe to plunge cut the valve body shape.

After this operation the thread diameter was turned and single point threaded. I used 1/4-28 threads in the cylinder instead of 1/4-32 which would have fit the commercially bought model valves. Also, the valve end diameter was turned before threading.

I wanted the valve handles to turn so I drilled and reamed the valve body at the manual mill with a # 3/0 taper pin reamer. Using some long 3/0 taper pins I determined where to cut the length when inserted in the valve body and used a die to cut 5-40 threads on the end of the taper pin.
A scrap block of brass was reamed to fit the valve stem and the taper pin was heated to bend at 90 degrees.

To finish the valve the handles were cut to length, small brass washers were made and the valve bodies had a hole drilled in the discharge end to finish the look. A drop of small thread locker was used on the nut holding in the valve stem.

The finished look of the valve after fine glass bead blasting and cold black finish on the handle. If I were to drill a small hole through the valve handle at the flow position the valves would be functional. Decided to leave well enough alone.

[toolznthings]

Cross brackets and Flywheel .....

Machining the base blocks / cross brackets that hold the uprights in pairs from flat ground bar stock. Milled the overall length first then set up to machine the side plate slots to fit their thickness. With this setup center drilled and drilled thru for the mounting holes and milled the end chamfers. Had a stop set to the left of the parts for the next operation.

Drilled thru and clamped the the two parts together and turned over to counter bore for the socket head screws and add a 10-32 tapped hole for mounting the engine to a display stand. Up against the stop to maintain original location.

Machining the flywheel with a change from the original design by extending the thickness for a hub for a place to add a mounting set screw. Turned the o.d. in a separate operation and held the blank in soft jaws to rough turn the hub side first and then finish the thru bore.

After boring I used a round nose tool to cut the dished face on the flywheel and the hub diameter. Turned part around and performed the same operation on the back side.

Set up at the mill to find the bore center and add a 10-32 tapped hole for holding the flywheel to the crank shaft. I machined a spot face on the crank for the set screw.

[toolznthings]

Some finish polishing and some paint and the finished flywheel.

[zeeprogrammer]

Nice! 

[yogi]

Fantastic work, as always Brian! 
Thank you for sharing.
Now about those drain valves... even though I completely understand where you are coming from, I think it doesn't do this engine justice is that they are not functional.   

[toolznthings]

Hi Yogi,

Just had to catch that comment !  Thanks for watching ! 

Brian

[toolznthings]

Parts finished and ready for assembly .....

Bench worked, cold blued and glass beaded parts.

[zeeprogrammer]

Nice family shot!  And beautiful looking parts.

What are those two 'L' shaped parts in the top-left?

[yogi]

Great family shot of parts Brian! 

What product did you use for cold blue? I had some part professionally blued for the Duclos engine, but I was contemplating doing it myself. Some insights would be appreciated.

Yogi

[toolznthings]

Hi,

I used the liquid cold blue from Brownells.  I think the real " secret " I found was to use very fine glass bead blasting on the part before blueing. New beads and not touching the part with bare hands after blasting. Dust the part off with dry compressed air.
I posted a thread on glass bead blasting in " Hints Tips & Tricks " section. Doesn't take long for the blue to take and I just wipe down with oil.

Thanks for the compliments !

Brian

 

[toolznthings]

Nice family shot!  And beautiful looking parts.

What are those two 'L' shaped parts in the top-left?

Hi,
Those are the valve handles for the " fake " valves that Yogi nailed me on. 

[eweb101]

This is a great thread. Almost like a primer on small-scale CNC. Can't wait to see what it looks like when it's all put together.

[toolznthings]

Thanks for the replies, everyone !

Time for some assembly ..... 

Started with one of the side frames and crank shaft. Connecting rod bearings greased and the crank assembled.

Opposite side in place and off to the cylinder and bottom. The spot face for the flywheel set screw is visible to the left.

Cylinder bottom fastened to the cylinder and a o-ring in place for the piston rod. The packing gland will apply enough squeeze to seal the rod. Takes very little pressure to work and not bind the rod. Lubed with light weight synthetic grease. Really does a god job of sealing.

The cylinder is mounted to the side plates and the cross head is attached to the con rod and the guides and bronze bearings are installed. Attached the steam chest to the cylinder, too.

Flywheel gets mounted next with a spot for the set screw so as not to mark the shaft. Anywhere there is a set screw used a relief cut is made for the set screw.

[toolznthings]

More assembly....

The valving parts are next to be installed on the crank shaft. The eccentric carrier slides on the crank and there is a circular groove I cut earlier for the set screw to bite
 into so valve timing can be done and not mar the shaft. The eccentric and eccentric follower with push rod go over the carrier and held in place with the brass collar.

The slide valve assembly goes into the steam chest on the valve rod thru the packing gland with the same o-ring arrangement as the piston rod. The rod ends are connected together with a double nutted stud.

Engrave my micrometer logo on the steam chest brass cover, made a exhaust " pipe " and a inlet fitting for the air brush hose I use on my engines. Machined the hex heads for the cover plate smaller.

Mounted to a oak base with tag giving credit to Mike's design and my name and build date.