Author Topic: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine  (Read 18121 times)

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #75 on: March 27, 2022, 09:57:20 PM »
BUT.....Three short  (5hr) days per week on vintage machinery.  I could be volounteering somewhere to do the same but not get paid!

Offline crueby

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #76 on: March 27, 2022, 10:05:45 PM »
BUT.....Three short  (5hr) days per week on vintage machinery.  I could be volounteering somewhere to do the same but not get paid!
Oh, well thats not 'working'!  I was thinking (shudder) about being in an office... Ick!

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #77 on: March 28, 2022, 08:36:28 PM »
I have managed to grab a little shed time and have cut the flywheel keyway.  Set up to end mill the slot in the crankshaft but ran out of time :'(
At best I may be able progress a bit more at the weekend.. :)       terry

Offline Craig DeShong

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #78 on: March 28, 2022, 11:01:14 PM »
Busy at work..(should I still be there at 76?). We have completely rebuilt our kitchen    Terry

To answer your question…. NO,  you should not.  Rebuild a kitchen?  Many years ago I jacked the house up to replace some sills that had rotted out.  Today, I call a repairman when the dryer goes on the fritz.  At 75, I just don’t have the pizaz I used to have.
Craig
The destination motivates us toward excellence, the journey entertains us, and along the way we meet so many interesting people.

Offline Laurentic

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #79 on: March 29, 2022, 11:34:53 AM »
Craig - couldn't agree more, happened to me too, am 76 in May, getting old is tough!  Mind is willing, body is weak and tired.

Chris

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #80 on: April 12, 2022, 09:27:12 PM »
Found time to cut the keyway in the crankshaft, then made the eccentric.   I have also fitted a depth guage on the tailstock. To suppliment the graduated handle on the mill I use this for the Z axis.  Having started on the crankshaft bearings I cocked up (again) and will start again soon.
Terry

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #81 on: April 15, 2022, 08:42:29 PM »
Usual routine for the crankshaft bearings,  making the split brasses first. The only material in stock was a bit too big, however I soldered two bits together and made a start.      Terry

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #82 on: April 16, 2022, 08:41:30 PM »
My shed session started wll enough :)  the scrap bin yielded some bits to make the bearing "pillars".   To avoid previous mistakes I decided to position the holes using dials on the mill. I then discovered that the x dial indicator was miss-reading. I set up the independent dial to check.....0.1" on this dial compared with a reading of 0.91" on the fixed one :cussing:     A factor in my earlier cock ups.  Dial in the bin I moved on.  My next discovery was that my machine vice was allowing my part to "tip" slightly and produce a few thou taper  :cussing: :cussing: Another lesson, learned the part was clamped direct to the bed after the vice was removed. I am annoyed that this is all basic stuff that I ought to have known.  Looking forward to better progress :) I also need to upgrade my end mill stock as most of the cheapies have not survived the Burrell and Charlesworth builds.       Terry

Offline Admiral_dk

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #83 on: April 17, 2022, 12:11:55 PM »
Never funny to discover that you can't trust your tools  :wallbang:
But now you know what not to trust - are any of those reasonable to cure / easy fixes ?

Per

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #84 on: April 17, 2022, 07:35:07 PM »
Sorted Per,   The faulty dial has been scrapped, the original leadscrew dials have been checked against a known gauge and are ok. I can work with the vice "tip" now that I know about it.

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #85 on: April 18, 2022, 08:12:14 PM »
A bit more done today,  bottom bearing pillar ready to silver solder. Top to do now.    Terry

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #86 on: May 20, 2022, 07:42:03 PM »
Been playing in the shed again......  finished the crankshaft bearings,   machined the crank and cut the base plate.  Could not resist bolting together.   I then realised that having drilled, reamed and taper pinned the crank to the shaft it has to come off again to fit the eccentric and the bevel gear. :Mad:       Not many pics as my setups are very basic and there are lots of proper stuff to see elsewhere on this great forum.     Terry

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #87 on: May 20, 2022, 08:11:25 PM »
That's starting to look a bit more like an engine now :)

Offline Kim

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #88 on: May 22, 2022, 05:04:44 PM »
Hey Terry,
I'm really enjoying following your build here. I've always loved the steeple engine!
Thanks for continuing to share your work!  :popcorn:

Kim

Offline scc

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Re: Murdoch-Aitken "Steeple" engine
« Reply #89 on: May 22, 2022, 07:52:21 PM »
I have decided to leave the crankshaft for the time being and have started on the crosshead guides. As they need to be an exact pair a jig is essential.  They are extremely tricky to hold. The flash was removed by Dremel and angle grinder :o   Several hard spots as expected. The bases on both guides have now been machined square and to size. Using the same jig I aim to mill the vertical slot and bring it to thickness.  I already have a jig for drilling the base fixing holes.     Earlier this year I had a bout of dis-interest and stopped  :shrug: Happily now back on it and enjoying the process.    Thanks to all.        Terry

 

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