Author Topic: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine  (Read 26925 times)

Offline smfr

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1203
  • San Francisco Bay Area, California
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #15 on: October 07, 2012, 07:23:28 AM »
That's looking great! Now I see why there's that slot in the column; it's for the crosshead guide. Those one-sided crosshead guides always make me a little nervous; you'd think they might go off on a kilter and bind. I'm sure yours will be fine though!

Simon

Offline steamer

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12697
  • Central Massachusetts, USA
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #16 on: October 07, 2012, 12:53:53 PM »
Actually that design is pretty old and tried and true in the steamboat community.   Lots of 12"-FOOT boats out there with slotted crosshead guides....they work fine.....Long rods...or "long legs" (2 1/2 times the stroke or more) as it's put help with reducing the side load on any cross head.

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline zeeprogrammer

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6811
  • West Chester, PA, USA
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #17 on: October 07, 2012, 01:13:52 PM »
Almost there Jan and it's really look good. That last pic is very impressive.
Looking forward to the run.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline Don1966

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6817
  • Columbia, MS
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #18 on: October 07, 2012, 03:18:02 PM »
Jan your engine s turning into a awesome looking engine with all the look of casting. Great job so far, what have you in mind for the flywheel?

Don

Offline vcutajar

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2555
  • Marsascala, MALTA
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #19 on: October 07, 2012, 04:08:29 PM »
Keep up the fine work Jan. :whoohoo:

It is starting to take shape. :ThumbsUp:

Vince

Offline steamer

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12697
  • Central Massachusetts, USA
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #20 on: October 07, 2012, 07:15:17 PM »
Saw the attached over at Preston Services.....sweet engine from a 100 years ago ....You'll notice the cross head design.

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline ProdEng

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 78
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #21 on: October 08, 2012, 11:31:32 AM »
Thanks for all the kind and encouraging comments, work has slowed over the last few weeks so I need all the help I can get ;)

The little engines designed for generator duty where limited to 60psi steam so not a lot of force on the crosshead I guess.

Ah, the flywheel, good question Don!  If I had a good idea the flywheel would be made by now.  I am torn between the "safe" hog it out from the solid but I know I should at least attempt a fabrication.  Using a casting would be a bit of a compromise and anyway these small engines had odd spindly flywheels that I would like to capture the feel of.  So the answer is there is no design yet but it can't be put off for much longer :-\

Dave, that marine engine is lovely and would surely make a great model.  The next project is going to be a pump but after that I might have a look at a small marine engine.
Jan in Perth

Offline arnoldb

  • Administrator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1341
  • Windhoek, Namibia
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #22 on: October 16, 2012, 06:35:48 PM »
Good going Jan  :) - I'm a bit late to say anything, but have been following along.

I also tend to like spindly flywheels, and have had some success fabricating them.  It's one of those things that you just have to take a deep breath, tell yourself you CAN do it, think things through and do it  :ThumbsUp:

Kind regards, Arnold
Building an engine takes Patience, Planning, Preparation and Machining.
Procrastination is nearly the same, but it precludes machining.
Thus, an engine will only be built once the procrastination stops and the machining begins!

Offline ProdEng

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 78
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #23 on: October 18, 2012, 01:24:21 PM »
Thanks for the little push Arnold, the design is done  :cartwheel:



The O/D of the flywheel is 95mm (3 3/4") and the spider is 2mm (5/64") thick.  The spider is a lot like a clock gear wheel and will most likely be made from brass.  Need to start looking for materials.  The angled return on the rim will have a radius turned in it when the whole thing is soldered together.  Exact manufacturing process is yet to be decided!
Jan in Perth

Offline ProdEng

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 78
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #24 on: October 19, 2012, 01:54:25 PM »
Decided to make the valve rod in one piece but this turned out to be a poor choice.  While gripping the 2mm shaft in order to mill the head, the force of the cut caused the part to spin ruining the head.  After a few choice words I checked one of Arnold's Elmer's builds and made a separate head to be soldered on.  The soldering turned out to be very easy and the fillet of solder improves the appearance 8)



The valve and valve nut should be up next
Jan in Perth

Offline NickG

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1430
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #25 on: October 19, 2012, 04:27:42 PM »
I remember watching this build too. Looks great Jan  :ThumbsUp:

Offline steamer

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12697
  • Central Massachusetts, USA
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #26 on: October 20, 2012, 01:39:37 AM »
There's a reasonable way to deal with a flywheel!   ....like that!

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline arnoldb

  • Administrator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1341
  • Windhoek, Namibia
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #27 on: October 23, 2012, 06:05:57 PM »
Good going Jan  :ThumbsUp:

I've been meaning to start silver soldering the valve rod heads - it's just been a bit daunting up to now.  The next one up I'm definitely going to try and silver solder, as it matches the rest of the brass/bronze better in colour.

I like the way you want to make the flywheel :)

Kind regards, Arnold
Building an engine takes Patience, Planning, Preparation and Machining.
Procrastination is nearly the same, but it precludes machining.
Thus, an engine will only be built once the procrastination stops and the machining begins!

Offline ProdEng

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 78
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #28 on: October 27, 2012, 09:20:08 AM »
Thanks for the comments, helps to keep the pictures coming ;)

No material for the flywheel so the valve became the next victim.  The bar of brass I have is a bit oversized so four sides where milled to get a bit of stock with square sides.  The slots where used using a four flute 1/16" stub end mill.  The short cutter makes me feel a lot more confident that the end will not drop off but is only useful for shallow slots.



The bar was inverted in the chuck to mill the pocket, again using the 1/16" cutter.



Finally the part was "parted off" with a 1/8" diameter cutter.



That's probably it for this weekend, shop time has been short recently.  I look forward to a three week holiday at the end of the year :whoohoo:
Jan in Perth

Online gbritnell

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2460
Re: A Small Inverted Vertical Steam Engine
« Reply #29 on: October 27, 2012, 12:21:25 PM »
It sure looks great in it's natural finish. Another option for cutting small slots is to use a slitting saw. Although I sometimes use even 1/32 end mills in my mill I try to avoid using the very small ones because of the lack of rpm on my machine.
gbritnell
Talent unshared is talent wasted.

 

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal