Chris's Build of Steering Engine

[cnr6400]

When Hayes did their plaque they forgot one important fastener type - "pre-stripped, for easy overtorquing" 

On the boss with the slot assy issue, I was sure you were going to cut a little channel on the flange, down to the keyway, to pour in lead or aluminum - the "perma-key". That'd be my story and I would be stickin to it! 

[crueby]

When Hayes did their plaque they forgot one important fastener type - "pre-stripped, for easy overtorquing" 

On the boss with the slot assy issue, I was sure you were going to cut a little channel on the flange, down to the keyway, to pour in lead or aluminum - the "perma-key". That'd be my story and I would be stickin to it! 

That would be a good story, but the spine is much shorter than the slot in the cover, so the nut can move forward and back. I'd have to get out the invisible mold walls...   




I've gotten a few of those prestripped fasteners over the years, I thought they just forgot to thread them but they were ahead of me and stripped the threads!

[cnr6400]

Er, ah, if you've got an extra half dozen of those invisible mould walls, or a hole mover machine for holes in the wrong place, drop 'em in the mail, willya? 

Those items are always handy. In my day job working with plastics much or my time I often wished we had a Magic Wand for adding draft to parts that wouldn't eject nohow, or doing impossible undercut holes or ribs or snaps to horrible parts the clients had designed and we had to somehow make mouldable.  Thankfully I don't have those wonderful tasks to deal with now! 

[crueby]

Last piece for the upper shaft is the limit nut. Its a round section with a flange sticking up, so easiest way to make it I could come up with was to mill in the round section with the bar held vertical on the rotary table, leaving the flange.


The chuck was taken over to the lathe to drill/tap the center hole, and part off the nut. A little filing to square the inside corner of the flange, and it went on the shaft

and the cover slid over. On final assembly, I'll add some washers next to the nut to limit the movement as needed, just like on the original

So, here are the main parts so far, all the little pieces taken off again to prep for painting.

Before priming, the areas to be left steel colored on the engine bed needed to be masked off. Tedious work!

Some more masking on the walls, to keep the bearing holes clear, and they can be primed.

[Michael S.]

Chris, the washers that go in front of and behind the nut are rubber on the big machine. That should soften the impact.

Michael

 

[crueby]

Chris, the washers that go in front of and behind the nut are rubber on the big machine. That should soften the impact.

Michael

 

Good to know! I can use o rings. Thanks!

[cnr6400]

 

[crueby]

Since yesterday, the rest of the parts were masked off


and given a coat of primer and of the green topcoat:

Now, I can hear Michael doing a double take and saying 'hey, I thought the gear spokes would be black!' . Well, I have been debating that color for the gears, and decided to give the green a try there too. I can always go back and re-coat the spokes in black, which will cover over the green better than the other way around. I wanted to get a look at having them all the same color first:

Still undecided at this point...      The engine parts will still be black.


Either way, I want to leave the parts for another day or so to let the paint harden up fully before starting any assembly work. The next parts to be made wil be the control valve, and I want to have the mechanism assembled before I start that so I can measure the actual travel on the control linkage in case I need to adjust the valve port spacing. This control valve looks a lot like a typical cylinder D valve, but rather than directing steam to either end of a cylinder, it sends steam to either end of the piston valves (aka spool valves) on each cylinder, to do the two jobs of throttle control and direction control.  While the paint is curing up, there are some things I need to get done on the RC models to prep for the next runs.

[Michael S.]

Oh, the gears in green look nice too.
The original engine was covered with sheet metal all around. You wouldn't have seen it there. I like the green. It's almost the same color.

Michael

 

[crueby]

I've decided to repaint the gear spokes in black like the original, the green just wasn't enough contrast to make the gears stand out well enough. So, they are down on the paint bench setting up. Did get the rest partially assembled, enough to measure the throw on the valve control lever. That is right in range for the designed port spacing in the valve, so that work can start without changing the design. No reason it shouldn't have been right, but better to take a measurement and be sure before cutting metal!
Here is a shot of the painted walls put together for that test. Its amazing how the color change makes things like the engine moutint blocks really stand out.


After the gears cure up, I can do the final assembly of the walls on the base. The valve body will bolt into the large opening on the lower right of the upper shaft, that can be done with the walls in place.

[steam guy willy]

Hi "C". looking really good the paint colour is nice as well..also I noticed the spider/ spiders on your 4 jaw chuck ! are the a propriety item? and are they plastic ? and are they all in one piece ? I have not seen these before , and they look like a really good item to have...and do they come in different thicknesses ?? Interesting fixtures ...had another look ...are the 3D printed ??..........................................................................Hi Just looked again and yes everything is explained !!!  Thanks  I might make some myself now ..and are they all in one piece ??



Willy

[crueby]

Hi "C". looking really good the paint colour is nice as well..also I noticed the spider/ spiders on your 4 jaw chuck ! are the a propriety item? and are they plastic ? and are they all in one piece ? I have not seen these before , and they look like a really good item to have...and do they come in different thicknesses ?? Interesting fixtures ...had another look ...are the 3D printed ??..........................................................................Hi Just looked again and yes everything is explained !!!  Thanks  I might make some myself now ..and are they all in one piece ??



Willy

Hi Willy!
Yes, Each one is one piece, they wrap around the ends of the jaws in the center, so there is a limit on how small a part I can hold with them in, but that has not been an issue so far. I drew them up in Fusion 360 and 3D printed them in PLA plastic (there was one set made before I had a printer, that set I had printed from one of the places online). Three pieces to the set for each chuck, three different thicknesses so I can stack them and get the part closer or farther from the end of the jaws as needed.
Chris
 

[Roger B]

Looking splendid as ever     

I like the spiders 

[Michael S.]

A nice compilation of the first colored parts!
When you build the valve box you can see that the valve push rod is guided in a bush in the lower area. But the bush is sealed to the outside.
I built it like this on the machine.
I don't know what was really on the lower thread.
But now that I see the original drawing from 1897, there is a pipe attached! For what? condensate drain?

Michael

[crueby]

A nice compilation of the first colored parts!
When you build the valve box you can see that the valve push rod is guided in a bush in the lower area. But the bush is sealed to the outside.
I built it like this on the machine.
I don't know what was really on the lower thread.
But now that I see the original drawing from 1897, there is a pipe attached! For what? condensate drain?

Michael

Huh.  I hadn't noticed that one either (always more to find in pictures!)

I think you are correct, a condensate drain there would make the most sense, it is the lowest point on the valve body, the exhaust is up in the middle at the back. I wonder if they would have had a valve there to let a little steam bleed through constantly, just enough to keep the pipes and valve body warm, since the steering engine is only used intermittantly?