PMR 7 Twin Cylinder Steam Engine

[Jasonb]

Carl, when I have parts that are a bit hard to hold and end up with a fair overhang I like to try and jack up the overhanging part which helps prevent flexing when the drill load is applied. You don't need anything fancy just a couple of nuts from your clamping set and some studding. Just nip up the jack so it is firm but not pushing the part up out of vertical.





An angle plate or two would be a good long term investment for these type of setups, you can just see the two I/m using at the back of this job plus the drill bits used to shim it up.

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks Kim.

Thanks Jason. My mistake...I'm still working on terminology. The L-brackets I said I'd used are angle brackets.
I'll look into the jacks but I'll have to make sure they don't take away too much Z.
In any case, it made me realize I probably don't want the base resting directing on the table.
I'll probably put a parallel underneath and shim off that if necessary.

[Jasonb]

It does not have to be a jack, just a bit of scrap metal to support the overhang so the loads go directly down through something solid, feeler gauge will even do. though I would add them under the top of the cylinder mounts.

[zeeprogrammer]

Ah! Thanks for that. Yes, need to support the cylinder mounts else the Z pressure will force base to tilt.

[crueby]

Also, if you have machinist type parallel clamps, they are more secure than the C-clamps you show, which can rotate off the work at the moveable pad sometimes. If the casting is rough where the clamp tip goes, bit of filing to smooth it helps too.

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Dude, I’m liking how you are jumping in on this one. 3552 days left for me, though I doubt you lucky ones really care    . +1 on what Jason said about the “jacks” . Just remember, try not to leave anything hanging out in the breeze, er, mid air, unsupported, and never work over “air”,  or, anything that isn’t supported    Want to ask me how I know  .  I’m thinking pepper shrimp lo mein  and crab angle tonight: what are y’all having  . Give T a hug and I’ll do my best imitation Z squeeze to Lou  .  Y’all come see us

Cletus

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks.
I managed to drill the holes in the cylinder mounts. I was pretty careful but both main holes are just slightly off center. Height is right.
Not sure what happened.
I'm thinking things will be okay though. We'll see once I do more on the cross head.

Thanks for the help.

[crueby]

Thanks.
I managed to drill the holes in the cylinder mounts. I was pretty careful but both main holes are just slightly off center. Height is right.
Not sure what happened.
I'm thinking things will be okay though. We'll see once I do more on the cross head.

Thanks for the help.

What? No Pictures?   

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks.
I managed to drill the holes in the cylinder mounts. I was pretty careful but both main holes are just slightly off center. Height is right.
Not sure what happened.
I'm thinking things will be okay though. We'll see once I do more on the cross head.

Thanks for the help.

What? No Pictures?   

You've seen the base. Now it's a base with a couple of non-centered holes. So what's to see? 

[zeeprogrammer]

I haven't made any soft jaws for my vise yet. Not sure that would have helped.
I needed to mill the cross head caps down and the question was how to set the height in the vise.
The parallels would set the part too high or too low.

So I printed something up. High enough so I could mill yet low enough so I had enough to hold onto with the vise.

What do you think? Good idea?

I'll need to print another one so I can flip the part over and spot face and drill.

[crueby]

If it worked, its a good idea!   

I've used rulers when the parallels were too thick, other times strips of wood, especially for angles. As long as its the right hieght and parallel, it works!

[crueby]

Thanks.
I managed to drill the holes in the cylinder mounts. I was pretty careful but both main holes are just slightly off center. Height is right.
Not sure what happened.
I'm thinking things will be okay though. We'll see once I do more on the cross head.

Thanks for the help.

What? No Pictures?   

You've seen the base. Now it's a base with a couple of non-centered holes. So what's to see? 

Holes!   

[zeeprogrammer]

Worked on the Cross Head Caps. Four of them.
I still need to get better at spotting and centering but they should be fine.

1st pic is drilling the oil hole and mounting holes. I won't be making oil cups.
2nd pic shows the caps installed.
3rd pic is the hole that Chris wanted to see.

[sco]

All looking good Zee!

Simon.

[crueby]

Worked on the Cross Head Caps. Four of them.
I still need to get better at spotting and centering but they should be fine.

1st pic is drilling the oil hole and mounting holes. I won't be making oil cups.
2nd pic shows the caps installed.
3rd pic is the hole that Chris wanted to see.

Thanks Carl, looks great!