Author Topic: Quarry Bank Mill Engine  (Read 15914 times)

Offline Captain Jerry

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #60 on: March 22, 2019, 01:52:44 PM »

Quote :- I would like to thank Stew Hart for bringing this offbeat engine to our attention with his postings here and on his other forum.  I would also like to thank him for failing to mention what a nightmare it is assembling this thing and not mentioning that if  the builder was a little careless or forgetful that he would find himself repeating the process more times than he wanted too. Thanks, Stew.  I see now that I will repeat the process many more times before this is over.

You have to keep some issues to your self otherwise you make things to easy and there's is no challenge  :mischief: :mischief: :mischief:

Great work Jerry you'll forget all the trials and tribulations when you have it up and running.

Stew



There is always the challenge and maybe that's why we do these things.  One of the things that attracted me to this engine is that none of the individual parts seemed beyond my ability or my equipment.  Individually they a very straight forward. Had you made it sound too difficult, I might never have started.


There are a number of non scale fasteners on the engine now that will be replaced later.  Some are there because that's all I have but three of them are worth noting.  The nuts that secure the bearing caps were removed and replaced so many times that I had to find an easier and quicker way. Look closely and you will see rising from the bearing caps, a short rod.  These are special bolts, threaded #2-56 on one end that are easy enough to install finger tight.  On the top end is a very crude hex formed by three whacks with hammer and anvil that fit a 3/16" nut driver for making it tight.  These will be replaced on the model but I will keep them in the box because I think they will be useful.  One of the problems with age is loss of dexterity and loss of feeling in the tips of my fingers.  These thing are a great help for a temporary fit.
NOTARY SOJAK

There are things that you can do and some things you can't do. Don't worry about it. try it anyway.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #61 on: March 23, 2019, 12:08:56 AM »
Jerry--Your model is very impressive. I built a single cylinder version of that engine back when Stu published the plans.---Brian

Offline Captain Jerry

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #62 on: March 23, 2019, 01:06:08 PM »
Jerry--Your model is very impressive. I built a single cylinder version of that engine back when Stu published the plans.---Brian


Thanks, Brian.  I also built a couple of single cylinder versions when I first saw Stew's model.  They were very simple engines using Elmer style components.  The mechanism is simple, intriguing, with many subtle complications. 


Jerry
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Offline Captain Jerry

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #63 on: April 16, 2019, 05:51:45 AM »

It is very late. It took me all evenibg to get this video uploadwd to Flickr.  I will write a description In the morning.


IMG_0009 by captain.jerry Ginn, on Flickr
NOTARY SOJAK

There are things that you can do and some things you can't do. Don't worry about it. try it anyway.

Offline sbwhart

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #64 on: April 16, 2019, 06:49:02 AM »
Ho that,s cheating Jerry electric power tut tut  >:D

Looking good though can't wait to see the air run.

As an aside the boss and I visited Quarry Bank last week, just to have a look around after their refurbishment, to see what had changed all the steam engines and mill machinery were there including the over crank. But it wasn't running so I made enquiries why not,  the answer I got was:- the air compressor they use to power it kept breaking down so they removed it and have no plans to replace it, which is a great pity because its such a nice engine to see running, without movement its just a piece of dead metal.

Stew
A little bit of clearance never got in the way

Offline Captain Jerry

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #65 on: April 16, 2019, 02:52:23 PM »

Hi Stew

I have to agree with the museum. An air compressor is a noisy machine and the cheap ones such as mine are unbearable and totally out of character of the quiet majesty of steam.  Maybe they could drive the line shaft with an electric motor and backdrive the engine from the shaft, but as you said, that would be cheating. I have finally found a way to put mine out of the shop so when I get this engine ready to run, it won't be so intrusive.  The dogs have outgrown that old doghouse anyway.


The exercise with the with the Unimat driver is more than show off. The Unimat is so quiet, it emphasizes all of the little clicks and ticks of the mechanism that come from a loose screw or a poor fit.  An example that has not been fixed is a loose slide bearing on the second support in.  You can see the brass bearing move each way as the slide changes direction at BDC.


A few weeks ago, as I was beginning to assemble the engine parts, I posted the comment that I had found a dimension error in the length of the crank arms.  They were too long by .010" but I was confident that I would be able to work around it by making adjustments elsewhere.  FALSE CONFIDENCE.  I got so fed up with making adjustments EVERYWHERE that I bit the bullet and remade the crankshaft to the correct dimension.  Wasted more than a week of frustration.


I think that I am now on the right track. The mechanism now turns smoothly and freely. One feature of the cheap speed control I am driving the Unimat with is that at low speed it is also very low power so it has been a help in identifying tight spots in the rotation.


There is of course lots more to do but I have had to start allocating more time to grass mowing and cooking.  My wife, Katherine, has always been in charge of the kitchen, but her hand tremors have made the use of a kitchen knife a frightening sight. I know she is not shaking the knife at me but you never know for sure. We eat a lot of vegetable and veggies need peeling and chopping so I am now chief cook. She is still a big part of the process since I have to ask her where everything is.  Cooking can be fun and it means that I get an extra glass of wine.
NOTARY SOJAK

There are things that you can do and some things you can't do. Don't worry about it. try it anyway.

Offline crueby

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #66 on: April 16, 2019, 03:07:48 PM »
Love the motion on the model, well done!

Offline kvom

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #67 on: April 16, 2019, 03:37:07 PM »
By "crank arms" do you mean the throw?

Offline Captain Jerry

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #68 on: April 16, 2019, 04:51:50 PM »
By "crank arms" do you mean the throw?


Yes! Words fail me from time to time.
NOTARY SOJAK

There are things that you can do and some things you can't do. Don't worry about it. try it anyway.

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #69 on: April 16, 2019, 05:34:28 PM »
Look great Gerry, can't wait to see the finished model in action.

I've always like the look of these overcrank engines, there seems to be a lot going on which makes them interesting to watch  :)

Offline Captain Jerry

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #70 on: May 19, 2019, 10:34:04 PM »
Here is a first attempt to run on air.  It is very leaky, no packing on the piston or valve rod and the air supply is disgraceful but I havent posted in such a long period of time, I thought You might want to see some evidence of life.


Jerry


[youtube1]https://youtu.be/t9BdoZWuPPE[/youtube1]
« Last Edit: May 28, 2019, 04:33:06 AM by Captain Jerry »
NOTARY SOJAK

There are things that you can do and some things you can't do. Don't worry about it. try it anyway.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #71 on: May 20, 2019, 01:36:53 AM »
Jerry--that looks great. I built a single cylinder unit based on Stew Hart's drawings, and it gets a lot of attention when people come to visit my office/shop.---Brian

Offline crueby

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #72 on: May 20, 2019, 02:28:23 AM »
Even without the packing its a great motion. Excellent progress.   :popcorn: :popcorn:

Offline Kim

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #73 on: May 20, 2019, 05:55:58 AM »
Jerry, that's a really neat engine and it runs great! That second fly wheel is pretty interesting too :)

Kim

Offline sbwhart

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Re: Quarry Bank Mill Engine
« Reply #74 on: May 20, 2019, 06:30:39 AM »
Excellent work Jerry  :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:

Stew
A little bit of clearance never got in the way

 

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