Author Topic: An Upshur Farm Engine  (Read 13644 times)

Offline RReid

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #30 on: September 18, 2021, 11:44:29 PM »
Once I got the first end fully round, and down to just under 0.5”, I turned it around and worked the opposite end down to 0.4”. The chuck jaw could no longer drive things once it was rounded, so I pressed the adapter I made for mounting 1/2” shank boring bars to the Taig tool posts into service as a drive dog.




Both ends fully down to the final OD of 0.3125”, and by George it's still straight!


Cleaned up, oiled up, and ready to crank!  :wine1:

Regards,
Ron

Offline Hugh Currin

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #31 on: September 18, 2021, 11:47:33 PM »
Sure looks like it worked. If it doesn't wobble you're golden.

Thanks.
Hugh

Offline Kim

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #32 on: September 18, 2021, 11:47:49 PM »
That's excellent, Ron!  I haven't had that good of luck with 1018, but glad to see it worked great for you! Well done!  :ThumbsUp: :popcorn:
Kim

Offline crueby

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #33 on: September 19, 2021, 12:00:46 AM »
Always great when they come out straight, a lot of work!

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #34 on: September 19, 2021, 01:16:45 AM »
I've not had good luck machining crankshafts from hot-rolled steel. However, I have found out that crankshafts in these smaller sizes are flexible little devils, so if you put one end in the 3 jaw chuck and use a dial indicator on the other end, you can usually tap them with a mallet until they are straight enough to use without a flywheel death-wobble.

Offline RReid

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #35 on: September 19, 2021, 02:45:43 AM »
Thanks Kim!
Thanks Chris! Yes, a lot of work, but a fun challenge. I really enjoy offset turning anyway, although I'm always glad to get past the interrupted cuts!
Good tip Brian, Thank you. Worry about flexibility is why I put in that temporary filler block. I do doubt that I would have had as good an outcome with cold-rolled if this had been a longer, multi-throw crankshaft.

Speaking of straightening a bent piece - In my youth working on well drilling tools, I did a lot of lathe work on 30+ ft drill collars and drill pipe, either of which sometimes came in bent. The collars could be up to 10" diameter. They were loaded into the lathe through a hole in the wall and through the so called "hollow"spindle of the lathe (try googling Lehmann "hollow spindle" or "oil patch" lathe for some idea) and supported outside by a roller jack that I could adjust for height and was on rails for placement. Sometimes these things got bent, usually when a threaded joint cracked and broke and the drill string got dropped (sometimes around a mile) to the bottom of the hole. When they were bent so bad that they were bouncing off the roller, we would have Dub's Welding bring their trailer mounted hydraulic straightening machine over. Watching this thing straighten a 10" OD x 30ft hunk of of 1040 steel or Monel, with no more that a 3" hole through the center, was a fairly impressive sight. Three jaw chuck and a mallet need not apply!
« Last Edit: September 19, 2021, 02:37:32 PM by RReid »
Regards,
Ron

Offline RReid

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #36 on: September 20, 2021, 12:17:51 AM »
More work than pictures this time! I got the bronze crank bearings made, then I worked on the aluminum cylinder fins. They're finished except for a light final facing cut of the fins and cylinder together. In the picture, the cylinder is not full seated down into the top plate, on purpose. It's snug, and I don't want to make it un-snug by playing with it too much!
Regards,
Ron

Offline RReid

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #37 on: September 22, 2021, 12:23:54 AM »
I figured a good next job would be to top the cylinder with a cylinder head. Basically a straight forward turning and drilling operation. I planned from the beginning to go with the side mounted spark plug option, but I haven't drilled the spark plug hole yet, preferring to wait until I have the plug on hand, or at least know for sure what plug I'm going to use.


With that done, I moved on to the connecting rod. This will be fun, with straight turning, taper turning, and milling operations, plus I can make it out of brass. I have a 3/4” round bar of brass that I've had so long I no longer remember where I got it from, but with the current brass prices I'm glad I still have it. It has a key slot at one end, so it was likely a shaft for something once. I cut off a 4” piece and chucked it up, then I remembered the taper turning and remounted it between centers.


I got the profile roughly roughed out before it got a little hot in the garage and I stopped for the day.
Regards,
Ron

Online steamer

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #38 on: September 22, 2021, 01:04:47 AM »
I don't think I've seen this engine before.    I like it.    Gotta second Chris's comment.     It is good when they come out straight

Dave
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Damned ijjit!

Offline RReid

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #39 on: September 23, 2021, 01:00:26 AM »
Quote
I don't think I've seen this engine before.    I like it.
Thanks Dave. I'm surprised you haven't seen it, it's been around quite awhile. Dates on the drawing pages range from 1977 - 2001. The version I'm doing was featured in ModelTec magazine March and April of 1999.

I've done lot's of taper turning in my day, but always with the luxury of a taper attachment. This was my first try at turning a taper by offsetting the tailstock. I did the math and it worked out just fine. It's over on the mill now to create the two flat, parallel sides.
Regards,
Ron

Offline RReid

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #40 on: September 24, 2021, 12:44:21 AM »
One connecting rod done. And since this is a single cylinder engine, I only have to do one!

Per my usual lately, I got so wrapped up in working and having a good time that once again I forgot to take many process. Just this one, of the second side getting milled flat.  :shrug:


Nothing like a close-up photo to reveal where a little more 400/600 grit sanding is needed.


It fits, and moves like it should. Now it needs a piston.



Regards,
Ron

Offline crueby

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #41 on: September 24, 2021, 12:59:39 AM »
Looking great Ron!

Offline Admiral_dk

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #42 on: September 24, 2021, 11:19:20 AM »
Quote
Per my usual lately, I got so wrapped up in working and having a good time that once again I forgot to take many process. Just this one, of the second side getting milled flat.  :shrug:

Well you got the most important part right - Enjoyment  :cheers:

The physical Parts are very good too  :ThumbsUp:

Per

Offline RReid

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #43 on: September 25, 2021, 12:39:53 AM »
Chris and Per – Thank you!

Instead of a piston, I elected to work on the cam today. This was fabricated in two parts, a main body and a lobe that was soldered onto the body.

What will become the lobe is the larger of the two parts shown here. After turning and boring it to size, I ran the cut-off tool in part way to mark it, but didn't cut it off yet. The smaller part is the main body. It is turned to match the bore of the lobe, and is itself bored to 0.375”.


Here you can see why I left the extra material on the lobe blank. It makes it easier to clamp to the mill table for roughing in the lobe-ish shape.


Then it was back to the lathe to part it off. The actual cam lobe was separated from the rest of the ring with a Dremel abrasive disc, ready to be tinned with soft solder.




The two parts were clamped together and heated to complete the soldering job.


Files, the disc/belt sander, and wet/dry paper were used to do the final shaping and polishing.



Regards,
Ron

Offline joe d

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Re: An Upshur Farm Engine
« Reply #44 on: September 25, 2021, 12:11:39 PM »
Still following along & enjoying this, Ron.  Clever idea for fabricating the cam, I would never have thought of that! :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:

Joe

 

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