Benson's Vertical Steam Engine

[crueby]

Don't you just love 0-80 hardware!   

I love it until the nut falls on the floor never to be seen again.   

Gotta keep the doors shut so the squirrels don't get in and steal your nuts.   

Parts are looking great John!

[J.L.]

Well fellows, it's not much fun dropping a 1/8"steel sphere on the concrete floor and go hunting -twice!

[kvom]

When I was assembling the governor I did it sitting at my desk with a towel under everything.   

[crueby]

When I was assembling the governor I did it sitting at my desk with a towel under everything.

Old jeweler's trick is to clip the bottom of the shop apron to the front of the bench to catch little parts that fall.

[J.L.]

Good trick Chris.

Kirk, a towel would work, but I prefer a felt lined metal tray you will see in these pictures. The first time I lost the ball, it was pulled out of the gland by the magnetic pull of my vernier caliber - enough to draw it out after measuring, but not enough to hold it when it reached open air. 

The first photo shows the brass internal liner holding one of the balls in place.
The second photo shows the captive tray.
The third and fourth photos show the brass intake pipe below the pump body and the base of the engine.
The final photo shows the intake pipe of the pump sitting above a little tray of water for testing.

[J.L.]

One aspect of prototype design I really enjoy is the challenge of modifying what you think will work to something that is actually is going to work.

I designed the intake pipe with a flange that was supposed to bear up against the base of the engine and draw the pump body down. But that pipe also had an internal thread that held the ball in position up inside the body of the pipe. With my design, it could not be adjusted.

Ergo, the external threads and a hex nut that would not interfere with the position of the threaded portion of the pipe inside the pump. They could be set in place individually.

Sounds complicated, but I think the pump is going to squirt... 

[10KPete]

I think that's a good call, John. Where ever possible I try to separate two functions that could require adjustment as it really reduces the dependency on tight tolerances.

Lookin' good!!

Pete

[J.L.]

Thanks Pete,
I'm learning as I go along with kind input from fellows on the site.

It's time to start hooking up the plumbing for the pump. A bronze 90 degree elbow begins the process below the floor of the room.

[J.L.]

The second step is to install the bronze tee that will pick up the drain pipe from the water tank.

[10KPete]

This is getting very exciting, John!

 

Pete

[J.L.]

Yes, Pete, I'm eagerly waiting to get everything hooked up and see if the pump is still working...

You know, even if it doesn't, the look of the additional material will add to the diorama.

Here is the drain plug for the tank. To empty the tank, the plug will be removed and a pipe with a spout screwed in.

[J.L.]

Well, a great moment. With a tank temporarily screwed in place and filled, a ram loosely fitting in its gland (unpacked), some water and a little  priming ...

 

    

 

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Whew, I missed a lot of great stuff. 

[J.L.]

Hi Carl,
Yes, I'm been having fun designing the water tank supply and return system.

[J.L.]

The engine to date...

I am heading to the card modelling site now to continue with the building of the west wall.