Chris's Build of Steering Engine

[crueby]

very good 👍

What did you install in the motorcycle for the two of them instead of the roller chain?
A rubber band?

Yes!   

[cnr6400]

       

[steamer]

Both wall plates are now trimmed around the flanges, next step will be to set up on the rotary table to do the bits around the shafts. Thats enough cranking for today though!

I was able to sneak into the shop elves garage (why is THEIRS air conditioned and carpeted?     ) and steal some roller chain off their motorcycle:

Smallest I've seen, it has a pitch of .1475", should work great fort the steering engine output. The cost of sprockets for this stuff is crazy high, but I was able to find the CAD files for some and will copy those dimensions. It will need drilling a circle of holes on the right center distance then trimming around the tips of the teeth.

There's another way to make those cogs.......    Just sayin

[crueby]

Both wall plates are now trimmed around the flanges, next step will be to set up on the rotary table to do the bits around the shafts. Thats enough cranking for today though!

I was able to sneak into the shop elves garage (why is THEIRS air conditioned and carpeted?     ) and steal some roller chain off their motorcycle:

Smallest I've seen, it has a pitch of .1475", should work great fort the steering engine output. The cost of sprockets for this stuff is crazy high, but I was able to find the CAD files for some and will copy those dimensions. It will need drilling a circle of holes on the right center distance then trimming around the tips of the teeth.

There's another way to make those cogs.......    Just sayin

Theres several ways, which way are you thinking? The rollers are about .060" diameter. On clocks sometimes they use pins rather than cutting the teeth. Could also be sawn with a slitting saw.

[crueby]

Just had another thought, wonder if one of the involute gear cutters would work for cutting the sprocket??

[steamer]

Just had another thought, wonder if one of the involute gear cutters would work for cutting the sprocket??

It's actually not an involute, but an cycloidal cutter....but my 440 don't care.....
 

[ddmckee54]

You stole the chain off their motorcycle and replaced it with a rubber band?  GOOD GOD man, now they've got ammunition for their rubber band cannon.  Watch your back!

[crueby]

You stole the chain off their motorcycle and replaced it with a rubber band?  GOOD GOD man, now they've got ammunition for their rubber band cannon.  Watch your back!

[crueby]

The flanges around the shaft holes on the walls have been cleaned up and rounded off, held with an arbor on the rotary table:

Same with the smaller holes for the cross bars

Here are the walls so far, about half done.

Really looks different than it did:

Next step will be to lay out and cut all the 'windows' in each wall panel. Some were likely just to reduce weight and provide access on the original engine, others are mounting openings for the engine blocks and control valve. After that I can start in on all the inserts to be added to the walls...

[Kim]

That's looking sharp, Chris! 

Ton of work on each of those parts!

Kim

[crueby]

Thanks Kim!  Lotsa FUN work - you may have noticed I like working in brass, part machining, part whittling.

[crueby]

Michael, another question for you:
I noticed in your pictures that the rear wall has its mounting bolt holes slotted so the wall can be slid forward and back - same on each of the engines you showed. Here is a picture with arrows to the places I mean:

Do you think this was just to make assembling the engine easier, making it possible to slide the rear wall in with the front wall already in place, or is there also a need to adjust the position of the rear wall slightly?  I figure that since you probably had to assemble/disassemble yours during the restoration you would know!

Thanks again,
Chris

[cnr6400]

Frames are looking great! Whatever windows you add to the frames - my only suggestion would be not to use Microsoft windows or stained glass windows...
 

[crueby]

Frames are looking great! Whatever windows you add to the frames - my only suggestion would be not to use Microsoft windows or stained glass windows...
 

Hmmmm, good point.  Well, it's a steering engine for a ship, so I should call them portholes!   

[Michael S.]

Hi Chris, the rear stand has umten long holes that are open at the front.
It facilitates assembly and aligning / positioning of the shafts. The top two struts are also aligned with brass plates.
Since the parts are all heavy and cause problems when assembling them, it was probably done that way. With your model you can now work precisely and move the parts with one hand.

Michael