Chris's Marion Valve Winding Engine

[steam guy willy]

More good work there and a really clean workshop space !!

Willy

[gary.a.ayres]

The mailman just dropped off the flywheel I ordered from Martin Model, a 5" curved spoke cast iron wheel, about 4 pounds. Looks like a good match to the rest of the parts size-wise, should work out well. There appears to be plenty of extra material to get the wheel trued up.

Before any cutting on it, it needs some fondling and aging time, according to the folks across the pond... 

All looking seriously and satisfyingly chunky!
 

[crueby]

The mailman just dropped off the flywheel I ordered from Martin Model, a 5" curved spoke cast iron wheel, about 4 pounds. Looks like a good match to the rest of the parts size-wise, should work out well. There appears to be plenty of extra material to get the wheel trued up.

Before any cutting on it, it needs some fondling and aging time, according to the folks across the pond... 

All looking seriously and satisfyingly chunky!
 

Yes I am - oh, wait, you mean the engine!   

[gary.a.ayres]

Well, I did mean the engine but if you are too, then no harm! 

[crueby]

The weather here has turned cold/rainy again, so back into the shop this afternoon. Got the clearance holes in the lids and 1 steam chest so far, then will drill the tap holes in the chest bases. Two of the holes in each end of the bases will be redrilled out to clearance size after using them to locate the holes in the flat on the cylinder.

[b.lindsey]

Progress is amazing as usual Chris. I fell behind again but am caught up again now. Love the flywheel btw.

Bill

[crueby]

Progress is amazing as usual Chris. I fell behind again but am caught up again now. Love the flywheel btw.

Bill

Hi Bill, glad you caught the shuttle bus from the back parking lot and are now caught up again!   

[Johnmcc69]

It's all looking good Chris!

 Nice work!

 John

[crueby]

It's all looking good Chris!

 Nice work!

 John

Thanks John, and thanks also for your help on the plans!

[crueby]

This afternoon got the steam chest bases tap drilled in a pattern to match the steam chests/lids:

Then got them positioned and clamped onto the cylinders (taking care to offset the top sides that will get shaped to the piping bosses correctly for left and right cylinders), and drilled for the mounting screws. The inner two studs on the base ends are drilled/tapped into the flats on the cylinders to hold the bases in place. Measured several times to be sure of the depth to make sure I did not drill through into the cylinder bores, was still nervous on that!

Tapped the holes in the cylinders, and then drilled out those four holes in each base to the clearance size:

Test fit in place - note that the wider side of the bases where the bosses will be shaped in (on edges between the cylinders) are in the right place for the left and right cylinders (whew). The ends facing up of the chests are also left long for now, those will get bosses for the valve glands.


Next step is to tap all the remaining holes in the steam chest bases. In the plans I posted at the beginning of the build call for 2-56 threads here, but that looked too small so I changed them to 4-40 - with small pattern nuts it looks more in proportion to the rest of the parts.

[crueby]

A bit off topic, but this IS a Marion engine and this is a photo of a Marion shovel... A friend of mine forwarded this photo someone in his photography group took of the Marion steam shovel in LeRoy. Stunning shot!

[Jo]

 

Jo

[Ye-Ole Steam Dude]

Hello Chris,

That is an awesome photo, you need a huge copy of that in a frame for your shop.

Have a great day,
Thomas

[cnr6400]

Great photo! thanks for posting it Chris. 

[crueby]

Not much to show today, got the holes in the steam chest base all tapped. Next step? Um, thinking out loud (well, the keyboard clicks!) I think will do the ports in the base next - will leave milling the bosses out till after that so there is maximum surface to clamp in the mill vise with.