Author Topic: Brian builds a Corliss  (Read 21293 times)

Offline JCvdW

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #15 on: February 21, 2022, 10:37:37 AM »
Great to see another one being built! I am in the final stages of completing mine, and am very satisfied with how smoothly it runs. I also made a 3D CAD model of mine using Fusion 360, where I added more and more detail as I went along. It can be seen here: https://a360.co/3FBqYpm.

I will certainly be following along!
There is no planet B ...

Offline steamer

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2022, 03:08:55 PM »
Bob did a great job on the design for that engine.  My only contribution was a print check.   Bob was a Chief Engineer in the AU Royal Navy.    I'll find a story or two about him and start a thread  ( Boiler watch on a Destroyer with a failed automation system was a doozy....he was at his post manually controlling the boiler of a very high strung plant for 48 hours non stop before being relieved )

He designed that engine pretty selflessly to promote comradery, and provide a fairly new model build with something they could get into without castings.    I think he did a great job! and I'm very grateful to have known him.

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Online Jo

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #17 on: February 21, 2022, 03:20:12 PM »
Thanks Dave,

It would be great to hear more about Bob's life and contributions. I can't remember what model engines he built.

It will be interesting to see if Brian can find any ways to improve on Bob's original design  :) .

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline steamer

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #18 on: February 21, 2022, 03:52:59 PM »
Bob would have loved to see someone take the model in their own direction, like a blank slate.   

I am sure Bob approves!

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #19 on: February 21, 2022, 06:45:32 PM »
I have went thru all of the solid models and mated them correctly, and I must say, they are done very good. I haven't found any errors and everything fits where it should. I don't think I'm going to bother with the governor, and I will stick as closely as I can to what has already been done. Some of the smaller connecting pins may be different, but as for all the large components, I see no reason to change them.

Offline gbritnell

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #20 on: February 22, 2022, 05:21:18 PM »
Brian,
You could build the MEM Corliss any size you want. Just scale it to whatever size you'd like. This is the one I built. It's half the original size.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3FOHkT5Z9o" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3FOHkT5Z9o</a>
« Last Edit: February 22, 2022, 05:57:20 PM by Jo »
Talent unshared is talent wasted.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #21 on: February 22, 2022, 05:42:47 PM »
Hi George--I'm going to go with the 1 1/8" bore version which I think is the size as originally built by MEM members. Now it's time for me to take on opinion pole!!---The cylinder for this critter is 2 1/8" square x 2 1/2" long. I have a piece of aluminum here that is bought and paid for, but as I understand things, aluminum has a high coefficient of friction, which I'd like to avoid. Mild steel would work all right, because I will be running on compressed air, not steam. Only thing is, there are a ton of #4-40 and #5-40 tapped holes in this thing, and a very real chance of breaking a tap. I find that cast iron is easier to tap, but a phone call to my metal supplier this morning tells me it will cost $30 for a piece of 3" diameter cast iron x 3" long. What material do you recommend that I use?

Online Jo

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #22 on: February 22, 2022, 05:59:24 PM »
You could use Bronze  :)

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #23 on: February 22, 2022, 06:09:35 PM »
Well if you were avoiding cast iron due to cost then that puts Bronze out the window.

Before you dismiss the Aluminium as having too much friction what will actually be running against it. You have a liking for O rings which will slide quite nicely against aluminium. That leaves the four holes for the valves which could easily be sleeved with brass, bronze or iron for not a great cost as the sleeves only need be about 1mm wall thickness.

But if it were me making it i'd probably go for the iron option but not that ductile iron your local supplier sells but good quality grey cast iron same sort of stuff you got for those piston rings.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #24 on: February 22, 2022, 08:31:55 PM »
Sing Hallelujah baby---we got the first part made!!! It still needs a bit of fettling and a few holes, but I'm off to see a man about a flywheel.

Offline crueby

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #25 on: February 22, 2022, 09:04:37 PM »
And the metal shaping has begun, where's that popcorn....


Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #26 on: February 23, 2022, 12:28:59 AM »
I drove across town to my metal supplier and gave up $55 of the Rupnow Fortune for material. The flywheel as it sets is 7" o.d. x 3/8" wall thickness, which is close enough for me. The 6" x 1/2" aluminum is going to be the main baseplate, the 2" round cold rolled is going to become the cross-head guide, and the rest of the stuff is to make "feet" that holds the cylinder up.

Offline Craig DeShong

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #27 on: February 23, 2022, 12:51:17 AM »
 :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:


And the metal shaping has begun, where's that popcorn....

You didn’t see it because I was getting it out of the microwave.  Don’t worry Chris, I saved you a bag and a front row seat.
Craig
The destination motivates us toward excellence, the journey entertains us, and along the way we meet so many interesting people.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #28 on: February 23, 2022, 01:44:54 AM »
I have changed the solid model to show the piece of 7" outside diameter pipe as a flywheel rim. I'm not going to show all of the notches around the flywheel rim, as they serve no purpose here and are not needed. I'm not 100% sure how to attach the spokes to the outer rim, but right now I'm thinking that if I can hold everything concentric I may make the spokes 0.100" too short and fill up the ends at the flywheel rim with tig weld. This will serve to hold the spokes in place and if I overfill the holes and then take a clean up pass on the outside diameter it should look okay.

Offline Bearcar1

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Re: Brian builds a Corliss
« Reply #29 on: February 23, 2022, 05:37:42 AM »
ahh, go for the baring over slots. that is what they were designed for. Plus, it would give a bit more of a visual attraction to the model.


Bc1
Jim

 

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