Chris's Build of a Stanley 735 Engine

[petertha]

Nice work Chris. Can you 'expand'  on how the split lap is adjusted? From the picture it looks like the split is only on the one end like the style of laps with an end-tightening screw. But you have a threaded rod. Where is the taper?

I think I'm using the same diamond paste compound. Seems to work well & very reasonably priced on AliExpress/Ebay etc.

Re the lap itself. I know a lot has been written on this topic & I don't want to derail your build. You mention the relatively softer material will embed the abrasive. Brass (C360) has a hardness of about 78 RB.  Common 6061 aluminum is about 60 RB. So from that standpoint, wouldn't it be a better 'embedder' (and less costly)? Bronze for that matter (C544) is 40 RB. For the longest while I thought maybe aluminum had other properties that made it less suitable, weaker maybe or higher thermal expansion...? Then I watched a YouTube video where Robin Renzetti used aluminum for laps on quite hard parts & it worked great. Have you ever tried aluminum or something other than brass yourself?

[crueby]

Nice work Chris. Can you 'expand'  on how the split lap is adjusted? From the picture it looks like the split is only on the one end like the style of laps with an end-tightening screw. But you have a threaded rod. Where is the taper?

I think I'm using the same diamond paste compound. Seems to work well & very reasonably priced on AliExpress/Ebay etc.

Re the lap itself. I know a lot has been written on this topic & I don't want to derail your build. You mention the relatively softer material will embed the abrasive. Brass (C360) has a hardness of about 78 RB.  Common 6061 aluminum is about 60 RB. So from that standpoint, wouldn't it be a better 'embedder' (and less costly)? Bronze for that matter (C544) is 40 RB. For the longest while I thought maybe aluminum had other properties that made it less suitable, weaker maybe or higher thermal expansion...? Then I watched a YouTube video where Robin Renzetti used aluminum for laps on quite hard parts & it worked great. Have you ever tried aluminum or something other than brass yourself?

Hi Petertha, 


You may be right about the aluminum vs brass, but as I briefly mentioned I used the brass expanding arbor that I was using on the holding fixture as the lap. I did not use the expanding feature at all in the lapping process, it was already a close fit, and the paste filled the gap and there was enough resistance as it was. I was just smoothing it out, did not remove much diameter from the bore. So, my choice was purely based on already having a piece of brass the right size already there and ready to go, but st ran in a bolt and chucked on that.
I have never tried aluminum, be fun to try both and compare.

 

[Johnmcc69]

 
Great work Chris!

 John

[MJM460]

Hi Chris, you continue to astound every day as usual.  I make sure that I keep up every day.

That is a great way to make a manifold that actually fits, without requiring really complex jigs.  Thank you for providing all the detail on that.  It looks like a procedure I could actually successfully use.

MJM460

[crueby]

Thanks guys. MJM, having the separate cover plate really happened to make the drilling a no brainer. I was about to measure it all out when I realized that I could just visually line it up and clamp it down for drilling from the back. Saved a lot of work. The manifold itself was made easier by how Stanley laid it out with the larger cross pipe and the rectangular ends. As long as the silver solder penetrated the joints, it was all good.


 

[Flyboy Jim]

Thanks for the info on honing Chris..............very helpful. 

Todays plumbing project turned out great!

I hope the coming storm isn't too serious. Should make for some good shop time. 

Jim

[crueby]

Thanks for the info on honing Chris..............very helpful. 

Todays plumbing project turned out great!

I hope the coming storm isn't too serious. Should make for some good shop time. 

Jim

All we got coming here is a heavy rain. No problem, am at the high end of the street. We have our next pool run Sunday, sea trials for a new submarine.

[crueby]

Got to work on the valve and piston glands this afternoon. Started with the guide bearings in the piston glands, a length of bearing bronze drilled for the rod and turned to fit the inside of the gland. Good way to use up the short lengths of bronze left over from other builds.


Here the bearings are installed in the piston glands, on the far one you can see how the o-ring sits in a recess in the end of the gland, on the near one you can see the bearing below that. The gland nuts will compress the o ring for a good seal.

Then made up the valve glands from hex bar stock, these are threaded on the outside to screw into the glands, there is an o-ring at the bottom of those holes.

Then turned up the piston gland nuts. These are threaded on the inside, with half the outside turned round.

Then went to the mill, where the round sections were held in a 5C collet mounted in the hex holder, with the gland nuts turned so the flats were facing up when the holder was in the vise. Used a center drill to make the holes around the rim for tightening the nuts. Drill, turn the holder one flat, repeat. The front of the holder was flush to the end of the vise to index the holes, so no adjustment of the mill position needed for each hole.

And here it all is assembled on the cylinder block, with some lengths of the rods to be used for valves and pistons in place to test the fit, they allowed for good compression on the o-ring when snugged down, so I know the nuts are the right depth.


Just about done with the cylinder block itself, not including the pistons and valves!  Time to go celebrate with the elves, assuming the left me any cookies.

[zeeprogrammer]

so the flats were facing up when the holder was in the vise. Used a center drill to make the holes around the rim for tightening the nuts. Drill, turn the holder one flat, repeat.

How do you use the holes to tighten the nuts?
Since it's hex, why not use a wrench/spanner?

I saw a similar thing somewhere else and I got the impression it was because of space limitations (can't get hex tool in). Is that it?

[crueby]

so the flats were facing up when the holder was in the vise. Used a center drill to make the holes around the rim for tightening the nuts. Drill, turn the holder one flat, repeat.

How do you use the holes to tighten the nuts?
Since it's hex, why not use a wrench/spanner?

I saw a similar thing somewhere else and I got the impression it was because of space limitations (can't get hex tool in). Is that it?

I am assuming they used a hinged spanner with a pin on one arm, it would be a pretty big open end wrench to get around the full size one. With all the piping, oil lines, all that in place, maybe its too tight a space to get at?
Okay, some of you Stanley-operators out there, why?

[Flyboy Jim]

Wow..............you've been busy today Chris! It's always fun to make parts like that. 

Gotta love our 5C collet holders! 

My "Crubey Approved" steel faceplate arrived today. Big improvement over the aluminum Sherline one. 

Jim

[crueby]

Wow..............you've been busy today Chris! It's always fun to make parts like that. 

Gotta love our 5C collet holders! 

My "Crubey Approved" steel faceplate arrived today. Big improvement over the aluminum Sherline one. 

Jim

All it needs is to be trimmed on the back side - as they come there is a short un-threaded section of the spindle, it needs to be turned back to where the threads start so the Sherline spindle will grab it. They machine easy enough so no problem with that, think I just threaded it on with the plate backwards. After, took a light facing cut on the front side to make sure it was true to the spindle shoulder. I got a couple, since I know they will be drilled/tapped a lot for various parts and hold downs. Think I mentioned these on the Marion thread, they are made for wood turning lathes with the same spindle thread as the Sherline, but are a thicker steel, rather than the thin aluminum ones that Sherline sells, less flex and thicker to take threads. Amazon has them, as does Penn State Industries.

[Steamer5]

Hi Zee & Chris,

The engine that Dads working on, to adjust the piston gland, a length of rod in the holes, think pin punch, wiggle into the hole & adjust, repeat until you are happy! The ones he took out the pin punch had been put into the holes at an angle & beaten to move the gland, resulting in odd shaped holes!

Nice work on the glands Chris! Did you consider holes in the valve glands as well?

Cheers Kerrin

[crueby]

Hi Zee & Chris,

The engine that Dads working on, to adjust the piston gland, a length of rod in the holes, think pin punch, wiggle into the hole & adjust, repeat until you are happy! The ones he took out the pin punch had been put into the holes at an angle & beaten to move the gland, resulting in odd shaped holes!

Nice work on the glands Chris! Did you consider holes in the valve glands as well?

Cheers Kerrin

Thanks for confirming what they were for!


 I was about to drill the holes in the valve glands too, which I see in photos was done on the slide valve version of the engines, but when I checked the factory drawing for the piston valve version, they did not have the holes on the valve glands, so I am leaving them out.

[Steamer5]

Hi Chris,
 Bet the elves will curse you at its first service, just like the guys would have done in real life!! 


Cheers Kerrin