Chris's Build of Steering Engine

[crueby]

After lunch I started in on shaping the indicator dial that sits on top of the engine. First was to drill some holes and mill the slot that the post from the moving block rides in.

With the part cut off from the bar, it was held in the 4-jaw on the rotary table for the bulk of the shaping.  A combination of the 1/8" end mill and a mini one (1/16") was used to get into the openings and around the arcs. Then the field around the slot was taken down to thin the plate.


Then turned it over and clamped it in the mill vise to take the top surface down to thin the part the rest of the way.

Some filing to remove toolmarks, and a test fit on the engine. The slot for the post really helps smooth out the motion and keep the block from tipping.

A lower angle view to better show the slot in the bottom of the plate, and the post from the block that it guides:

Last bit for that assembly to make is the indicator needle itself. I'll whittle that out of some small bar next time, then get started on the steering wheels.
 

[Michael S.]

Very good 👍

do you need a picture of the pointer?

Michael

 

[crueby]

Very good 👍

do you need a picture of the pointer?

Michael

 

It shows in ones you have already sent, so I'm all set.

[Michael S.]

The pointer is connected to the shaft with a small pin.

[crueby]

Before I make the indicator pointer, I decided to do the outer rim for the larger of the two steering wheels (used for manual steering without the engine, the smaller wheel is used with the engine engaged). Now, this involves the use of a material some of you may not be too familiar with, its a free range mined material called 'wood'. It comes from those big things outside that drop leaves in your yard and gutters every fall, you may have noticed them out the window now and then...   

Some of this work started a few days ago, to give time for the 'solder', also known as 'wood glue' to cool, or 'set up'. This part is about 6" diameter, so it required digging out one of the plates I used a couple times for turning cast flywheels. It bolts to the lathe faceplate. This type of wheel is usually made up of three layers of wood, with the joints staggered for maximum strength. If the spokes are also wood, then the ends of the middle layer would have a mortise and tenon joint to the sides of the spokes. The outer two layers surround the spokes and are usually pinned through with dowels, or countersunk screws covered with plugs.

For this wheel, the spokes will be steel, and the inner hub brass. First step was to saw out a pile of thin strips wide enough for each segment, with a little extra width to allow for trueing the circle after glueing. On the rim of the faceplate, a block was clamped in place to act as a guide for clamping the wood blocks to mill the end to a 60 degree angle.

After one end was done on all the pieces, another block was clamped to be a stop to position the blocks to mill the matching angle on the other end, and have all the blocks come out the same length.
With all the blocks cut to length and still extra wide, they were laid out on a flat surface, and a couple drops of superglue dripped into the seams. That held them enough for the next steps.

Next, a first outer layer was added with some dark colored wood glue (the dark color glue is handy since it does not show when dry, like a white or yellow glue does against the darker Mahogany). Glue was applied to the back of each piece as well as the ends.

When that set up, it was flipped over and the second outer layer glued to the other side of the first one. This sandwiched the original layer like a three-layer plywood. The joints of the two outer layers are aligned in the middle of the strips in the first layer.

That was left to set up for a couple days, and this morning I started the milling operations. The blank was first carefully aligned to the faceplate, took some spinning of the faceplate on the rotary table to get it centered well, used the tip of the end mill as a reference point. Once it was aligned, a set of clamps around the edge held it in place so I could mill the inner diameter. That was done with some lighter cuts to avoid splinters or chips being kicked out of the surface.

Then the outer diameter was milled in too - that required moving the clamps between each section.


Before doing that I should have glued in the guide blocks I added later, to allow me to flip the part over and get it realigned easily. Turns out it didn't matter, I didn't need to flip it over till later anyway, but it would have been a good insurance against slippage. After the rim was taken to size on both inside and outside, it was set up on the vertical rotary table to drill the spoke holes around the rim.

Then laid back down to finish the shaping on the rim. The ships wheels typically have the center layer larger than the two outer layers, so I used a small ball end mill to recess the edge of the inside of one side


then the outside of the rim. As before, working on the outside reuired moving the clamps to work my way around.


Then the part was flipped over, and the same cuts made on the other side. Here is the finished wheel rim (well, completed, finishing will require some varnish)

This gives a good idea of how it will look on the model...

The smaller wheel will be made the same way...

[cnr6400]

 

Looks like a great start! but what's that brown stuff? 

[Michael S.]

Chris excellent work 👍.

Can you please build the same wheel for me with a diameter of 1300 millimeters? You know, that's what I miss about the machine 😁

Michael

[crueby]

Chris excellent work 👍.

Can you please build the same wheel for me with a diameter of 1300 millimeters? You know, that's what I miss about the machine 😁

Michael

Actually, yes! 


As long as you make the hub, with the holes/slots for the spokes, to match your machine and send it to me, I can make and fit the rest - My metal lathe is too small for that hub, but I do have a full size wood shop and that kind of wheel is very do-able. I've done lots of furniture, full size boats, etc.

Chris

[Michael S.]

It's a shame that you live so far apart.
At some point I will rebuild the large steering wheel.
Only the big brass lump for the wheel hub is missing.

Michael

[Kim]

Super nice work on the wheel there, Chris!  Unlike many on this forum, I actually enjoy working with that brown stuff too!  You have some real skills there.

Kim

[crueby]

Super nice work on the wheel there, Chris!  Unlike many on this forum, I actually enjoy working with that brown stuff too!  You have some real skills there.

Kim

Thanks Kim!
I started out a woodworker as a youngster before expanding into metal/stone/etc later on. Most recent has been a replica of a Baker flintlock rifle, mostly done, just waiting on the castings for the sword bayonet, due in another month.

[crueby]

Started in on the smaller of the two steering wheels, same methods as the first one for the most part. Cut all the angles on the ends of the pieces on the mill, and superglued the edges of the middle layer to start the pattern:

and added the outer layers with wood glue:

Once that was cured, the center was milled out like the larger one (forgot to take a picture of that), then did the rest of the shaping on the lathe since it fit and its quicker:

Drilled the holes on the mill with the rotary table

and back to the lathe to trim down the sides and shape the corners inside and out

Here are the two wheel rims so far

The smaller wheel held up to show size


Next step is to move on to the hubs, which will be brass.

[cnr6400]

 

[crueby]

The hubs for the steering wheels were a pretty straightforward turning job, here is the one for the larger wheel in process:

and both ready for drilling the spoke holes. The inner one is bored through to match the shank on the spur gear on the upper shaft, the outer one is drilled partway through the size of the upper shaft itself.

drilled the spoke holes in each

then milled out the dog clutch lobes

Hubs so far - last steps on the hubs will be to drill/tap the holes for the screws to lock them to the shafts. When using the engine, the two wheels are disengaged from each other, and the small wheel locked to the shaft, the large wheel allowed to rotate freely on the shaft, but will have a bracket on the rear wall to keep it from turning and whacking the steersman. When not using the engine, and manually steering the ship, the small wheel is slid forward to engage the clutch on the large wheel, and both wheels are locked to their shafts. The clutch on the lower shaft from the engine is disengaged. That way, the steersman can use the large wheel to steer the ship - the larger diameter wheel gives more leverage to push the rudder back and forth.

After the locking screw holes are drilled/tapped, a little pair of brackets need to be made and mounted to the rear wall. These brackets will have flanges to ride in the slot in the larger wheel hub to keep it from sliding away from the rear wall on the shaft when it is unlocked. Then I can start making the spoke rods and handles for the outer ends.

[crueby]

Couple of side notes:

Michael: My copy of that plans book by Josef Reineck on the oscillating engine in the Diesbar arrived today. Looks quite interesting! As you mentioned thay changed the reverse gear to a slip eccentric, other than that it looks quite close to the original. It would be interesting to see if that could be changed back when you do your model (or if I do one as well someday).  In the meantime, some good reading!

All who may be interested in it: In the latest issue (Nov/Dec) of Live Steam & Outdoor Railroading, a note from the editor at the front says that they are going to be offering digital subscriptions as well as digital back issues of the magazine soon. No date given, but sounds like sometime in the next several months. It looks like Home Shop Machinist Magazine already has those options active.

Chris
Edit: Okay, I went back to the videos you posted links to, from two different ships with a similar oscillating engine. One uses a two-eccentric + stephenson link arrangement for reversing, the other one has a single eccentric with some other linkages down below it. I need to study the video more to try and figure out how that one works. I dont THINK it is a slip eccentric on that engine, but maybe it is?   

Edit 2: Aha! Yes, that one IS a slip eccentric, finally spotted the eccentric position changing as the engineer reversed the engine, it changed in relation to the cranks.