Author Topic: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine  (Read 18133 times)

Offline Jo

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #60 on: December 12, 2021, 09:46:18 AM »
Morning Terry, I've just dug out my ME that contains that article to see if the pictures are any better and they are. The article jumps around a bit  :headscratch: he starts off by describing running problems - this is actually a good sign as it tells us the engine actually runs  :ThumbsUp:  I suspect he was running it too fast these are slow running engines.

Then he describes the known problem with Clarkson castings that some were made of some real  :censored: stuff and rather hard. A bit of heat treatment on hardened castings and the use of a modern,  preferably, carbide milling cutter will sort that. Blackgates foundries are rather better than the one Clarkson used.

Not sure about the crosshead hitting the pillars - I have seen a number of these and discussed them with their builders: no one has mentioned it hitting the columns  :noidea: .

The last bit of the article he talks about making a driving pulley - clearly missed that it is an early engine and these had a square shaft that would go through a wall into the main workshop area to drive the line shafts.


We all unintentionally add our own features to our engines and find ourselves having to overcome them  ::)

Jo



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Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #61 on: December 12, 2021, 12:27:31 PM »
Thanks for the interest Achim & Jo :cheers:

Jo,  as yet I have had no Hard castings,  but not got to small bits yet.           Terry

Offline ettingtonliam

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #62 on: December 12, 2021, 07:39:44 PM »
Presumably the castings described in the article will have been from Clarksons. I hope the modern ones are better, but has anyone done anything to improve the patterns?

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #63 on: December 13, 2021, 09:41:28 AM »
The pattern for the cross head guides is new as it had been broken. I had to wait a long time after the main castings arrived before I received these.   I can only assume mine are recent Blackgate castings but I have nothing to compare them with.  Some of the pattern "split lines" are not perfectly alligned. Overall they are adequate but not up to the quality of the Burrell ones I received from John Rex / Live Staem Models. But they were much bigger.        Terry

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #64 on: December 17, 2021, 08:42:42 PM »
I know not what order of build would be followed by others, neither do I follow a planned path myself :facepalm2:   I was going ot start on the crank asembly but decided to fasten the entablature to the pillars first.  (Those of you who know the engine will wonder about the hole on the centre of the entablature...simply a cock-up.....I was on "autopilot"  Fortunately realised in time to machine a recess for the cylinder base spigot. The cylinder base is blind so it is of no consequence.)   Setting up entailed LOTS of measuring, mucking about with squares and straight edges to confirm  my marking out, etc.  Finally holes were drilled, tapped and studded. Time will tell if  the moving bits line up ok.  I also milled out the apertures for the connecting rods.       Terry


Offline Jasonb

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #65 on: December 18, 2021, 07:07:48 AM »
Good to see some more progress recently.

I think a lot of the time we can simply make whet bit we fancy or have the materials for. Though there are certain items that are best done in sequence, for example any small items that may have a reamed hole and mating turned part I always try and do the hole first and then use that to gauge the size of the mating part. Once things bet bigger I mat work the other way round eg make the crankshaft and then bore the bearings and flywheel to fit that - the flywheel being a fractionally tighter fit than the bearings as we want the shaft to rotate in the bearings and not play in the flywheel due to an oversize fit.


Offline Don1966

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #66 on: December 18, 2021, 06:03:02 PM »
Which ever order Terry it looks good to me. Still following your progress.


Don

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #67 on: December 19, 2021, 05:52:28 PM »
Cheers Jason and Don :cheers:       Terry

Offline Double Dutch

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #68 on: December 23, 2021, 02:17:16 AM »
Annealed the casting in an oven at our chemical department at work.
I used 800 dgrC and let it slowly cool down over the night, so fingers crossed

After Annealing I sandblasted the castings

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #69 on: January 05, 2022, 05:22:17 PM »
Fingers crossed indeed.  I look forward to watching progress. :ThumbsUp:   :popcorn:    Terry

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #70 on: January 15, 2022, 05:12:22 PM »
My wife and I are just recovering from the worst "common cold" of our lives,  convinced it was covid we kept on testing but all negative.   As a result minimum shed progress.  I did make a start on fabricating the main bearings but put them down to make the crankshaft. ( it seemed an easier task for a fuzzy head)     Straightforward turning with a bit of milling at one end.  I know it's a small endmill for the job but it was all I had.
Hopefully more progress soon :)         Terry

Offline Jo

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #71 on: January 15, 2022, 05:45:41 PM »
Pleased to hear you are both feeling better again Terry and you are back on your engine  :)

Jo
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Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #72 on: January 15, 2022, 06:44:35 PM »
Cheers Jo :cheers:

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #73 on: March 27, 2022, 08:27:43 PM »
It would be nice to report lots of progress, etc, but life has a habbit of getting in the way.  Busy at work..(should I still be there at 76?). We have completely rebuilt our kitchen, and also prepared our campervan for the season.  I used to be able to cope with stuff like this much more quickly :old:      However I did get to the shed today and started on the flywheel. So far no hardspots :)  I was going to bore the centre but decided on the set up pictured...turn the flywheel by manually and feed the reamer by the tailstock. It worked fine.  I shall broach the keyway as soon as the wheel is finish machined.  Hopefully progress has restarted albeit slowly.        Terry

Offline crueby

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #74 on: March 27, 2022, 08:49:51 PM »
Nice job on the flywheel.

And at 76? No - should be playing more in the shop, house, camping!

 

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