Author Topic: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.  (Read 29067 times)

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #150 on: May 24, 2018, 10:13:32 PM »
Question...it wasn't clear to me when you faced the top. Was that done before doing the feet?
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Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #151 on: May 24, 2018, 10:42:13 PM »
Question...it wasn't clear to me when you faced the top. Was that done before doing the feet?

Hi Carl, I machined the feet square before facing the top. In the 1st photo with the guide upside down I have only filed the top flat enough so that it sits flat on the mill table and is properly vertical. Once I was happy the feet were level and perpendicular to the (unmachined) bore I turned it the right way to face the top and bore the centre at the same setting.

It's the first time I've done this so I'm not saying it's the best way but it seemed to make sense to me  :)

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #152 on: May 24, 2018, 11:31:48 PM »
Question...it wasn't clear to me when you faced the top. Was that done before doing the feet?

Hi Carl, I machined the feet square before facing the top. In the 1st photo with the guide upside down I have only filed the top flat enough so that it sits flat on the mill table and is properly vertical. Once I was happy the feet were level and perpendicular to the (unmachined) bore I turned it the right way to face the top and bore the centre at the same setting.

It's the first time I've done this so I'm not saying it's the best way but it seemed to make sense to me  :)

Thanks. It's the way I would have done it...but not from an experienced point of view...just (as you say) what would seem to make sense to me.
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Offline john mills

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #153 on: May 24, 2018, 11:54:11 PM »
looks like success with that part looks good.
I have not had a milling machine to do them like that  I and set them in the four jaw chuck and face plate to do the top face and bore .I can see were the out side of the casting round the trunk is .i want the bore to be in centre of the casting not in the cored hole if it is not in the centre.
The grub screws are probably metric ,the key needs to be in good condition and right size  see the key fits the socket  then don't over tighten .

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #154 on: May 25, 2018, 12:09:20 AM »
Thanks John, I did wonder about the accuracy of taking a reading from the rough cored hole but it did look like the original bore ran true.

Obviously I couldn't get a non fluctuating reading on the coax indicator in a cast bore but with care I could get to what I thought was the centre enough to try a very fine first cut  :)


Offline john mills

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #155 on: May 25, 2018, 12:16:37 AM »
The end result looks good .if you checked the hole was central at top and bottom you can't do any better.

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #156 on: May 26, 2018, 01:21:37 PM »
I've now turned my attention to making the cylinder for the 10v while I wait for my M12 taps and die to arrive. I want to make it from a cast iron block to look similar to a proper Stuart cylinder, I won't be able to make an exact copy and I do intend to add cladding so something reasonably attractive is my goal.

A piece of 40mm square cast iron looks to be just big enough



Incidentally it turns out the Stuart casting I bought as a full set has an undersize cylinder - the cast block is marked at the required diameter according to Stuart as is the trunk guide top but it is clear the cylinder casting is significantly undersize.



The wiggler and dial indicator are simple way to get the centre positioned accurately



With one end turned to match the trunk guide it is on to turning the 16mm bore. (it may look the wrong size but it just the way I'm holding it )  :)





With the part now turned around it's just a case of centering with the coax indicator and turning a matching end flange





That completes the lathe work for the cylinder and takes me to this point, I should have mentioned earlier but the bore is intentionally off centre to allow for the port face



I'll probably get the milling done on the sides and the ports drilled tomorrow but for now I think it is starting to take the shape of an engine  :)




Offline Jasonb

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #157 on: May 26, 2018, 01:36:27 PM »
Cylinder should be smaller dia at the flange than the covers and standard this is so that when the cladding is applied it comes flush. Just like the muncaster.

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #158 on: May 26, 2018, 01:40:54 PM »
Cylinder should be smaller dia at the flange than the covers and standard this is so that when the cladding is applied it comes flush. Just like the muncaster.

Ah - I didn't realise that  :facepalm:

That's a pain the backside, I'll need to take a bit more off the flange diameters  :(

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #159 on: May 26, 2018, 01:43:36 PM »
Decide what you will use as cladding and reduce by 2 x thickness.

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #160 on: May 26, 2018, 01:46:55 PM »
I had thought about just the metal sheet as used in Stuart engines, any idea what they use, what thickness etc ?

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #161 on: May 26, 2018, 01:59:31 PM »
It used to be blued steel but they now supply a black anodized aluminium 0.5mm thick, easy enough to spray up thin aluminium of that sort of thickness or slightly more.

Also make the port face smaller than the valve chest by the same amount so it gives you a nice edge to stop the cladding against


« Last Edit: May 26, 2018, 02:03:09 PM by Jasonb »

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #162 on: May 26, 2018, 02:10:16 PM »
Ok thanks, I'll order a sheet. I had thought about wood cladding the no4 but if I have a sheet of material the option is open.

The brass to make the bearings of the no4 has just arrived, I did think bronze may be a better option but wasn't able to find any square of a suitable size without paying the earth so went for brass. I'll make a 12mm dia crankshaft so I'm hoping over a reasonably large contact area that brass wont wear out quickly  :headscratch:

Edit - thanks for mentioning the valve chest, things like that are easy to overlook when you haven't done it before  :)

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #163 on: May 27, 2018, 10:17:26 AM »
Peter, I was thinking that you will end up with a shorter valve chest as you have carried the flanges all the way round, have you checked to see if you will have enough space for the valve and it's movement?

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Little and large - building 2 vertical steam engines.
« Reply #164 on: May 27, 2018, 10:49:49 AM »
Thanks Jason, I hadn't noticed but you are right - this one for the scrap bin  :(

I'll start again with a new cylinder

 

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