Bitza Version of Bill's Rotary Beam Engine

[bwal]

G'Day,

I've started on Bill's Rotary Beam Engine.  The plans I have are in imperial so I've converted them to metric as best as I can - I laminated the plans and wrote the metric conversions in texta next to the imperial measurements.

I've gathered up the material I have on hand and ordered some in.

My version will be bit of a bitza, the majority of the engine will be metric and some will be in imperial.  It not only depends on what material I have or can get (at reasonable cost or time) but also with what tooling I have.

Photo 1 shows the base cut to size and drilled and counterbored with the crank disc well (already a small deviation - I didn't have a endmill big enough for the disc). The bearing block is also cut to size and waiting drilling and boring.

The other photo shows my milling machine, a Hercus OLM mill.  Small but handy.

Ben.

[crueby]

Excellent, love beam engines!


 

[b.lindsey]

Nice start Ben. Looking forward to following your progress. As I recall, I did the recess for the crankdisc with a boring head. Even if I had one the sherline couldn't handle that large an endmill.

Bill

[bwal]

Hi,

I managed to do some work yesterday in the shed (after doing the dishes, the laundry, mowing the lawns and dropping off the kids at school). 

I drilled the mounting holes on the pedestal base, unfortunately I misread the plans and drilled and tapped slightly out of place.  Never mind, I found another piece of aluminium and started again.   I drilled and tapped the holes in the correct positions.

I than decided to drill the hole through the length of the base for the 3/16" axle. I have 3/16" drill rod in the mail, along with a NOS 3/16" chucking reamer.  The postie is yet to deliver either! And today being Friday means I probably won't get much done until Monday.  The work is being held in the 4 jaw chuck so I may just take it out of the lathe and start on another piece.

Ben.

[bwal]

Still plugging away. 

The bearing pedestal is just about complete bare the tapped holes for the beam stand and polishing.

The cylinder is done but I don't have any screws/bolts small enough to fit so I've drilled four 1/16" holes and I'll simply pin it with 1/16 brass rod and loctite.

The piston is done as well.

Just started the beam stand.  Tracking along nicely.  I use the layout method most of the time, today I witness punched some of the lines as well (the metho was washing off my blue texta and layout lines!).

I've had a few near misses IRT to mixing up my imperial to metric conversions.  Not done incorrectly but reading the wrong dimension for the cut.

Ben.

ps Hopefully my picture will come out the right way up!

[b.lindsey]

Still coming along Ben. Looks good so far 

Bill

[bwal]

Hi,

I was finishing off the beam stand and stuffed it.  Everything was going well until I drilled the beam pivot hole (I thinks what it is).  Looking at the photo even the layout lines are off.  I'm not sure if I'll do another one made from brass rectangle or try and fix the aluminium one.

Ben.

[b.lindsey]

Still following along Ben. Sorry about the little mishap though...but it happens to all of us at times. Hang in there

Bill

[Kim]

Bummer
That's never any fun.  But I can relate!

Can you plug the hole and re-drill?

Kim

[bwal]

G'Day,

Made some progress over the last couple of days.

Fixed the Beam stand pivot, it now has a brass bearing. I milled out a larger hole and than loctited a brass piece with a 3 mm diam hole into it.  Once the loctite set I than milled out the middle section. 

I made the crank disc out of 1" stainless steel.  I had 1" brass bar, I should of used that (I still might). 

The beam stand will fixed to the base with 2.4 mm (3/32") brass pins and loctite as will the cylinder.

It looks like I'll have to use M3 bolts for the Beam Pin & Crankpin as I can't find any 1/8" brass hex locally.  I'll try the local hobby store as they may have some.

I'll probably start the flywheel next week. I have a 1.8 m x 63 mm Diam bar of 1214 leaded steel which I've never used, I'm keen to use it but it'll require some effort!

Ben.

ps, I uploaded the photo's sideways this time hoping they'll come out horizontal but I think my computer or the forum system may be turning the photo's to fit in screen.

[10KPete]

There 'ya go! Looks like it was designed that way. And who's sayin' it wasn't???

 

 

Pete

[b.lindsey]

Nice save Ben. Is there not a screw size that will work for the cylinder base?

Bill

[bwal]

There probably would be a small screw.  I'll have a think about using some (I have heaps of old GJ kits with self tappers). I like pinning things together (along with peening as well).

I was looking at the photo of the crankdisc well, I don't like it. I'll have to do something about it.

Ben.

[bwal]

Hi,
 
Just finished the flywheel. Made from leftover brass I had.


I'm a bit worried about drilling out the axel (being it drill rod and deep).  I have a 1/16" long series drill coming from the UK soon.  I'll probably do some practice runs on some spare drill rod.

I need to get a hurry along the Test starts on Thursday!

Cheerio.

[b.lindsey]

You are making some good progress Ben. Looks like the links are about the only parts left to make

Bill