Author Topic: A Robinson from rejects.  (Read 71946 times)

Offline Kim

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #405 on: July 29, 2018, 02:37:49 AM »
Well I suppose I can let out the secrets of what Graham and I know about the castings and why they were the rejects of the rejects pile. I may well make up a pully to go on the gear side of the crank as that is what would have been used to drive the chip chopper so no real need for a bright finish on the flywheel. You do see quite a few full size with painted flywheels and bright pullies, it's just that some people like a bit of Bling.

Ah, I see.  Makes perfect sense, of course! :)
Kim

Offline RayW

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #406 on: July 30, 2018, 09:00:04 PM »
Jason, Ian and I all seem to be getting our Robinsons finished at about the same time. I have now got number 197 mounted on its oak base board and just have to see now if it will run, after having been stripped down for painting and reassembled. If, and when, it does go, I will post a video.
I have also just submitted an article about the build to Stationary Engine magazine and that should appear in the not too distant future.

Ray
Ray

Offline RayW

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #407 on: August 11, 2018, 05:56:53 PM »
Having had one or two fiery moments when I first ran the engine, and having now got it all nicely painted and mounted on its base, I really didn't want a recurrence of the problem, caused mainly by the poor control of the gas flow due to the very crude "needle" valve, as illustrated elsewhere in this thread by Jason.
Having ordered an identical valve to see if I could modify it to give finer control, I turned down the blunt "needle" to a 30 degree point and turned a small mushroom shaped valve seat with a 5/32" hole, which I soldered in position. I tested it out by blowing through the inlet port, with a rubber pipe connected to the outlet side immersed in water. I was able to control the flow very precisely, from nil, to a few small bubbles, to full flow, so I am hopeful that this will do the trick. It is just a matter now of swapping over the valves, then trying the engine.
Ray

Offline RayW

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #408 on: August 17, 2018, 01:32:24 PM »
Gave the engine its first run today since painting and mounting on its base. Also, this was the first test of the modified needle valve and what a transformation it has made. The gas flow is now totally controllable with fine adjustment of engine speed being possible and no blazing inferno!
The engine ran really well and I should have had a video to post here, but, unfortunately, having shut the engine down, when I checked the camera it had recorded precisely 10 seconds of nothing much.
I tried to re-start the engine, but it stubbornly refused to co-operate and seems to have lost quite a bit of compression at the moment, so I need to investigate.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2018, 03:39:23 PM by RayW »
Ray

Online Alyn Foundry

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #409 on: August 17, 2018, 02:36:27 PM »
Good grief! Where did all these posts come from?

I must have missed them, my apologies.

Your Robinson looks wonderful Ray, very well done.

Keep us posted.

Cheers Graham.

Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #410 on: August 17, 2018, 04:17:17 PM »
I am with you Graham; I’ve missed two runners. Jason and Ray; both are beautiful and the videos were awesome. Congrats to you both.

Eric

Offline RayW

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #411 on: September 21, 2018, 07:59:25 PM »
I am pleased to say that my Robinson features on a double page spread in the November issue of Stationary Engine magazine, as shown in the attached scanned copies.
Patrick Knight, the editor, is always happy to receive contributions for the Model Corner section of the magazine, so feel free to contact him at se.ed@kelsey.co.uk with any articles

Ray
« Last Edit: October 16, 2018, 07:51:46 AM by RayW »
Ray

Offline propforward

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #412 on: September 21, 2018, 08:19:23 PM »
That's delightful! Getting the engine into print is just the icing on the cake really - always feels good to be published that way.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Online Alyn Foundry

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #413 on: September 21, 2018, 08:20:36 PM »
Nice one Ray!! :ThumbsUp:

I've known Patrick for many years, he and Tim " borrowed " number 103 for a year to draw folks to their autojumble stall. It also promoted sales in the Southern parts of the U.K.

It was David Edgington, the founder of Stationary Engine magazine that helped me get Alyn Foundry up and running, you've brought back many memories.

Cheers Graham.

Offline Ye-Ole Steam Dude

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #414 on: September 21, 2018, 08:34:20 PM »
Congratulations Ray  :ThumbsUp:

Have a great day,
Thomas
Thomas

Offline ShopShoe

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #415 on: September 22, 2018, 01:25:47 PM »
Congratulations Ray.

--ShopShoe

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #416 on: November 28, 2018, 02:50:13 PM »
Well done to both Ray and Jason on the two fine engines. Nice to see them running so well too!!

Bill

Online Alyn Foundry

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #417 on: April 22, 2020, 11:45:21 AM »
There's no excuse really, life??

Obviously the current situation has provided a lot of extra time for many of us, my two youngest son's being no exception.

With the weather becoming warmer and, more importantly, drier we've been out in the workshop. Mathew decided to start on a Gardner and Alan wanted to finish the Robinson that was featured in this thread 3 years ago. They are both quite adept, serving their time as Blacksmith apprentices but dad had never shown them some of the more complex niceties like line boring or crankshaft fabrication.

Over the last couple of weeks they've been Beavering away. The difference is that 30 years ago Imperial Steel stock was readily available from our local stockists but now very hard to find. Dad's stocks, virtually depleted so they've had to improvise a little.

The following paragraphs show the Robinson bed mounted in the vice on the Denbigh Universal milling machine, the special drill/reamer piloting the hole ready for the next size up and finishing at 1/2" diameter.

More to come, cheers Graham.

It would appear that my photos are too large, back soon.
« Last Edit: April 22, 2020, 11:51:28 AM by Alyn Foundry »

Online Alyn Foundry

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #418 on: April 22, 2020, 11:58:45 AM »
In a pickle?

A Gardner and Robinson crankshaft in dilute Acetic acid after being allowed to cool slowly after being Silver soldered together.

The acid bath gently removes the flux deposits, an overnight soak is all that's required before final cleaning with gentle abrasives.

Online Alyn Foundry

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Re: A Robinson from rejects.
« Reply #419 on: April 22, 2020, 03:27:54 PM »
And the night before....

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwlmaAIzUMU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwlmaAIzUMU</a>

 

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