Author Topic: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project  (Read 92430 times)

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #375 on: August 03, 2018, 08:24:22 AM »
Morning guys

Gary you must have a strong constitution to have read all through that  ;D I've spent a lot of time learning and improving - it's a result of many enjoyable hours spent in a machine shop environment as well as on various hobbies over far too long :old:

Thanks for the kind comments too Per  and the tip on sorting the video. I think I may be at fault as it appears I should just paste the url direct into the text and not use the url brackets. (I think Jason pointed this out once before ::) - call it an age thing).

I haven't done anything since fitting the flywheel - currently distracted on getting the Mc'Onie to running state before the Forncett 'do' but will be back on it in due course.

Regards - Tug
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Online sco

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #376 on: August 03, 2018, 12:30:14 PM »
Hi Ramon,

Sounds like we need to persuade Chris to bring his McOnie's and then we could have a row of them !

Best wishes,

Simon.
Ars longa, vita brevis.

Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #377 on: August 03, 2018, 10:00:12 PM »

Gary you must have a strong constitution to have read all through that  ;D

:) Nah - it was easy to keep interested - both informative and entertaining!

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #378 on: August 03, 2018, 11:45:34 PM »
Hi Ramon,

Sounds like we need to persuade Chris to bring his McOnie's and then we could have a row of them !

Best wishes,

Simon.

can i bring mine as well ? !!! ;D what colour will yours be ,  we could have a rainbow display 11 ;D

willy

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #379 on: August 04, 2018, 08:22:18 AM »
Hi Simon

Spoke with Chris on Tuesday. He's lost his mojo for displaying he says but is coming as a visitor though is bringing a couple of his half scale versions 'in his backpack' to pop on the table  :-. Well that's that the plan as of Tuesday  ;)

With Willy's engine though we can form a new group for Bill to advertise ;) Forncett ME Day featuring - 'The Three Mc'Onies'  ;D

I'm thinking Willy, only thinking mind, that mine might actually be red  :o though I do favour a biege colour as one seen on here from one of the US shows.

Not long now - just 8 weekends away. Can I give you a reminder to bring that catalogue along :ThumbsUp:

Regards - Tug
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #380 on: August 04, 2018, 10:13:00 AM »

I'm thinking Willy, only thinking mind, that mine might actually be red  :o

Go On, You know you want to :LittleDevil:

I do also like those engines all done in cream.

Offline Stuart

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #381 on: August 04, 2018, 10:50:48 AM »
Mines green  :stir: GWR green in fact
My aim is for a accurate part with a good finish

Offline Mcgyver

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #382 on: September 03, 2018, 12:11:19 PM »
what a fantastic looking build.  I had to go back through it to figure out what the all the wood was about, interesting, I'd not seen a flywheel like that before.  A very nice job of it!

Offline K.B.C

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #383 on: November 08, 2018, 09:45:19 PM »
Hi Ramon,

I have been watching with awe your build of the Horizontal steam engine, your pics of the big rope drive wheel reminds me very much of my Apprentice ship days as an Apprentice Millwright in the Riverside Flour mill in Glasgow.
The mill was a 7 -story building and all the milling machines were driven from a gigantic Triple Expansion engine which was unfortunately broken up when the mill was destroyed by fire., the flywheel was our responsibility to keep the bearings oiled and to have the rope splicer to adjust the ropes to all the various levels..
I have found these pics of the mill and the engine  (https://canmore.org.uk/site/173366/glasgow-shearer-street-riverside-mills?display=image )
As a mucky grease and flour dust covered individual I was not allowed into the engine room , as I remember the chief was a Mr Tom McGee, however at that time I was very much into training for Cycle racing and cycled the 25 miles to the mill an the return home, I was allowed to hang up my sweaty gear in the engine room to dry out ready for me when time to go home, that was as near to the engine as I was allowed.

If you look at pic no 610207 which is a view due south showing the wooden spars on the rope wheel and the ropes which by memory were 2' dia of pure cotton
Look at pic no 610201 looking due north on the West side of the engine you can just see the rope wheel which gives some idea of the engine size and the size of the rope wheel in the rope race.

There are quite a few views of the engine but nothing giving the overall size, this is the only 2- pages that I have been able to find so I hope that they are of interest to you, it was the pic of your rope wheel that prompted my post.

There is a pic there of the grain silos with the winding house on top which many a time on a good day I skived up there out of my foreman reach and watched the ships loading across from the mill,  just next to it was Kingston dock where the puffers docked overnight when in the city.

I hope that you and Sue are both well and the pics of the mill are of interest.
Regards

George. 
« Last Edit: November 08, 2018, 09:49:17 PM by K.B.C »
Your never too old to learn.

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #384 on: November 12, 2018, 06:43:02 PM »
Hello George, nice to see you look in and read your interesting post  :ThumbsUp:

I have to confess that the engine is on hold at the moment and I'm looking in rather infrequently but a friend pointed me to it.

Glad you are enjoying the build so far and the flywheel make up. The pics are very interesting not only from your personal memory point of view but to show that inverted triple expansion engines were used in the factory environment as well as pumping and powering ships.

My only exposure to such a large engine(s) in my working life was aboard one of the rigs, a drill ship, I worked on - the Glomar North Sea. It was a converted collier ship that had two four cylinder, triple expansion engines. Despite serving aboard on three separate occasions, the last as diving supervisor for some three years, I only once saw the engines working as usually when the rig moved the divers had been sent ashore. I recall clearly one dreadful night in the southern Irish Sea when they needed to be though.  One of the most violent storms I witnessed in my time offshore built up steadily from about four o'clock in the afternoon pitching and rolling the rig the like I'd never seen. The sea continued to make but no action was taken to preempt any worsening situation resulting in one of the big winches that kept the guide wires to the seabed in tension being ripped from the deck and breaking a crew members leg as it hit him as it was dragged across the deck. The seas grew until finally the the drill casing was torn from the wellhead on the bottom and we lost five of the eight anchors that held us in position. One of the big metal buoys that was attached to each anchor was banging against the ships side we were that far out of position. At that time when both engines were truly required to keep the ship on heading in such massive seas one of them was completely out of action, stripped down for maintenance and the boilers in the same situation. We rolled from pillar to post for two days before the seas settled enough to get back on position the engine room staff trying desperately to get a boiler back in action. When you see a rig derrick swing from side to side in such a massive arc against the night sky it certainly makes for a buttock clenching moment :o A time firmly etched in my memory for sure.

We are both well, likewise I trust this finds you and Marion the same. Hope you still getting into your workshop and you haven't come off that cycle again.

Thanks again for looking in George - I'm afraid it will be a while before I start posting on the engine again though.

Stay well

Regards - Tug
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #385 on: December 19, 2018, 06:27:11 PM »
Hi Guys - just to say I'm afraid there's been no progress on the Corliss for some time now. Currently I find myself meandering around the 'mojo depletion zone'  ::) but hope to get back onto something a'fore too long. Even the 'plastic distraction' is currently in the doldrums too.

I can say I've decided not to lag the cylinders but leave them as is in their primer colour - an 'engine finished, awaiting lagging' approach.

Whatever, in the meantime thanks for continuing to look in - it never ceases to amaze me how many do

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all

Regards - Tug
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #386 on: December 19, 2018, 08:15:25 PM »
Well by God Hoss, y’all need to get ye ol’ arse in the holiday spirit and get cracking about  :lolb: :lolb:  Do I need to round up a jug of Yukon Jack to send your way  :stickpoke: 8). Seriously, glad you dropped in to check on us bunch of misfits. I’ll holler at you before Christmas. Tell Sue hey.

Whiskey

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #387 on: December 21, 2018, 01:49:41 PM »
Hi Whiskey - Hell I'm havin' a ball - still well stocked with Yukon Jack  ;) but thanks for the offer.

Don't read to much into my comments - just having one of those 'time to take a break' moments (well 'period' actually) I think it does you good to have a rest from time to time and I guess this is one of them. Still have lots to think about in coming months as well as the Corliss. I had an old friend visit yesterday - him of the full size Meccano Car - so took the wraps off to show him. There's too much accomplished to let it languish for too long. Besides- my friend John now has his JLE-14 sparkie running so I need to catch up with him on that too. Been making some plugs for his and mine so haven't been completely idle  ;).

Say hello to Lou and 'y'all have a good time ya hear'

Merry Xmas - Ol Tug
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #388 on: December 21, 2019, 08:43:42 PM »
Hello Guys - I really can't believe it is exactly a year to the day that I last posted on this thread :o Just where has that time gone??

Well much of has gone on the garden of course but that is now 90% done - plumb wore myself out on that by around September time and of course machining-wise the Oliver engines took some time out. I have not done anything to move the Corliss on but hopefully that will change this coming year.

Hopefully? Well, truth to tell, quite out of the blue my 'achilles heel' has struck again.  Much against my better judgement earlier in the year I was coaxed to have a go with a control line model aircraft - took two laps to get the buzz back and by three I was hooked ::) Well they do say 'what comes round goes round' - very topical statement as far as control line flying is concerned.

I was given a model by a club member - yep joined up of course (I'm a hopeless case) and have been flying as often as weather allows. Very unsteady on my feet at first I'm now firmly back on them so to speak and enjoying it just as I used too so, as I approach seventyfive, I feel there's a few years left that I can enjoy myself going round in circles for one last time  ;D While I'm able to I'll make the most of it.

You may recall I sold the last of my flying models off last year but thanks to an act of unbelievable kindness and exceptional generosity I was given two of them back with an insistance that no money would be accepted. Completely taken aback by this gesture a certain Nova diesel engine went in the other direction to ease my conscience!

So, what to do? Well I had planned to make some new airframes but now have no real need other than perhaps the desire to do something different. It is my firm intention however to return to the Corliss in the New Year and work on it with a real intent to see it finished  :o well, if at all possible - we shall see ::)

On that note Seasons Greetings to all - May you all have a truly great Xmas and I wish you a very happy and peaceful New Year too

From tha ol shid - Ol Tug

Oil b bak as thay say ;)
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Offline vcutajar

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Re: Tug's Corliss Tandem Compound Project
« Reply #389 on: December 21, 2019, 09:07:23 PM »
So nice to see you back Ramon.
Season's Greetings
Vince

 

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