Chris's Build of Steering Engine

[cnr6400]

Looking great Chris! 

[crueby]

Looking great Chris! 

Thanks Jeff, its great to have it start looking the part!

[Michael S.]

Chris, brilliant work.👍

I just ordered this book on Amazon. Because it interests me myself.

Michael

[crueby]

Chris, brilliant work.👍

I just ordered this book on Amazon. Because it interests me myself.

Michael

Perfect - looks like a great book. A model of that engine would be a great companion piece to the steering engine (model and real one!)

[crueby]

I have decided to do the rest of the work on the lower shaft next, keyways for the worm wheel and the clutch slider, then make the slider and the amrs that move it forward and back.


This afternoon is a cold rainy one, perfect to spend time in the shop. First milled in the slots for the two keys on the lower shaft, one at the end for the worm gear, one farther in for the clutch slider.


Here is where the inner one sits for the clutch slider. The ends of the keys were rounded off on the sander to match the arcs left by the end mill.

The outer end of the clutch piece attached to the gear was relieved on the inner diameter to fit over the tip of this key. 



The key for the worm wheel was milled down along its length to be just over the size of the gap, then filed to a slight taper to make it capture against the wheel. A short length at the end was left full height to act as a stop.

The sliding half of the clutch was turned up, then the jaws milled in the same way as was done on the first half attached to the gear.

A few fine cuts got it to be a nice fit, needs to slide on/off easily.

The other end of the sliding piece was turned down to form the slot that the control rod will slide in. Here it is test fit on the shaft:

And slid into place against the other half. When in this position, the sliding half drives the large gear, since the sliding half is kept from rotating on the shaft by the key.  To assemble everything, the rear wall will have to be removed to let there be room to slip in the key under the slider.

That bracket visible in the background, sticking out from the wall, is used to pin the clutch handle in position and keep it from moving. There will be a post between that bracket and the shaft which will hold the pivot for the handle. That was all shown in one of Michaels videos.
 

[Michael S.]

Chris, sorry I can't help you there. I couldn't find any information in the old books from the time. All connections are cylindrical and have a lug wedge.

Michael

[crueby]

Chris, sorry I can't help you there. I couldn't find any information in the old books from the time. All connections are cylindrical and have a lug wedge.

Michael

No problem! I worked out the key and its taper, shown in the post I just put up. Don't know the angle I used, very slight angle filed onto the key to wedge it in.
 

[Michael S.]

Hi Chris, yesterday I sent some pictures of your steering gear to one of the paddle steamer engineers in Dresden. They are very pleased that someone from the USA is building a model of their steering machine. They admire your work very much.

Another question.
Would you mind sending me the blueprint again? But in metric?
Only if the work can be done with a mouse click.

Michael

[crueby]

Easily done in Fusion, just had to click on mm checkbox and save the new pdf files.

[crueby]

Getting started on the control arm for the clutch - bent up the shape from some thin tool steel bar stock, easier to bend it all the way around and trim off part of it later than to deal with two pieces to solder together. Drilled/tapped for two brass screws for the pivot points, the heads will be trimmed off later.


Turned up a handle for the end, and milled a little square stub on the end of the bar for it to fit onto

Got the handle soldered on and the end of the circle trimmed off. Its in soaking in some vinegar to clean it up, then I'll take it to the belt sander for final shaping...

[crueby]

After lunch finished up the clutch control arm, here it is after soaking in vinegar and sanding off the cut ends:

The post that holds it started as a bit of 3/16" square steel bar, with the end milled with a 1/16" cutter to make the slot.

Went over to the lathe to turn the shank of the post - first time I used the 4-jaw scroll chuck that came as part of the lathe/mill package I picked up (slightly, very slightly) used last year. Never thought I'd have a use for the little scroll chuck, but for square stock its much quicker than the independant one:

Trimmed the end and threaded it 2-56 to screw into the wall flange. Here it is ready for a trial fit on the engine:

After the first test it was clear that the post was too long, so trimmed it back and got a better fit. Here it is with the cluth disengaged:

and engaged

All it needs is a pin in the bracket to hold it in position, and the clutch is done.   

[Michael S.]

Great 👍

and the pin hangs on a little chain so it doesn't get lost.

[Michael S.]

here you see it

[crueby]

Ah - and that shows a slight bend in the arm at the pivot point, that would help the position of the end of the arm, I'll do the same on the model.
 

[crueby]

Aside from not being painted, got a pretty close match now!