Chris's Build of Battleship Ohio Engine

[cnr6400]

 

Great start on the link bars Chris!

[Kim]

Those curvy bits are always rewarding to make! 

Kim

[crueby]

Got the link bars almost done. All of them have been shaped on inside and outside of the curves, and have started drilling the two last holes in them, these will have the posts that hold the eccentric arm ends.

This same jig plate will get used to make the eccentric arms as well, have to figure out the process for them. Next up will be to make the posts and spacers for the curved links. The posts will be silver soldered on. I may countersink the screw heads slightly so they get soldered on as well, and then mill/file off the heads.

[crueby]

Some time in the shop this morning turn-ing out parts for the reverse link bars. The pile of 8 on the right with the steps in the center are for the posts that go in the middle of the links, holding the control rod ends. The pile of short ones in the middle are the posts that will hold the ends of the eccentric arms. 16 of those. And the pile of8  slightly longer ones on the left will be the spacers at the ends of the links. The spacers will be drilled through 2-56 clearance, the rest need to be drilled/tapped on the inner ends to take the screws for holding everything together for silver soldering. Each link gets one center and two side posts soldered on, then two link bars will be bolted at the ends with the spacers.

The end result is to look like the links at the bottom of this page:

Note that the picture shows the link block and link block pin in the center - those parts slide along the link bars, the link block pin is not one piece with the posts 'A'.

[crueby]

Started drilling/tapping all the little pieces. The spacers are drilled, middle posts drilled and tapped. Next will start on the shorter posts...
Here are the first couple sets test assembled. On the inside of the rails you can see the screw heads sticking out - after soldering these will be trimmed off flush.

[cnr6400]

 

The links are taking shape fast. 

[steamer]

Started drilling/tapping all the little pieces. The spacers are drilled, middle posts drilled and tapped. Next will start on the shorter posts...
Here are the first couple sets test assembled. On the inside of the rails you can see the screw heads sticking out - after soldering these will be trimmed off flush.

Beautiful!

Dave

[Kim]

You just gotta love those gracefully curved parts!  Well done, Chris! 

Kim

[crueby]

Thanks  guys!   

[crueby]

The short posts all threaded, ready for silver soldering all the joints then will trim off the screw heads.

[crueby]

Yesterday afternoon I got the posts all silver soldered to the link bars, cleaned up, and milled off the screw heads.


Today have prepped the pile of bars for the yokes that go at the top of the eccentric arms and hold the bearing blocks that will go on the short posts at either end of the links. They have been cut into rectangels and all milled to the same size, ready to start drilling mounting holes top and bottom...

[RReid]

Lovely links, Chris!

[cnr6400]

 

[crueby]

Thanks guys!

Got the yoke blanks drilled at both ends to hold the top plates and bottom arms on for soldering, still need to tap the holes. Here they are with one of the blanks with the outline of the yoke sketched on, showing where it will fit over the links. The bearing blocks will bolt on after being slipped over the corresponding posts.

[crueby]

Whipped up a little holding jig for the yokes from some aluminum scrap. Milled in a recess for the blanks to fit into, and drilled 4 clearance holes in the ends to match the screw holes in the blanks. The bottom end has two holes so the blanks can be turned over when I get to rounding over the edges. Holding it in the 4-jaw on the rotary table so it can be spun around to the different angles for the sides. Milled the sides down on one blank while taking notes on angle and handwheel settings, now am going through the rest of the blanks doing the same cuts based on those settings (CNC = Count Number Cranks).


After the outsides are all cut, I'll do the cuts on the inside of the arms, then round over the corners with a corner rounding end mill. So far have 5 blanks to this stage out of the 9 made (one spare, the blanks were cut 3 across from a wide thin bar, so got 9 blanks, which means I won't need the spare!    )