Author Topic: Chris's Build of Steering Engine  (Read 52202 times)

Offline cnr6400

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #435 on: November 12, 2022, 12:37:25 AM »
:ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

But which port steers port?  :Lol:
Depends how much Port you drink!   :DrinkPint:

Or how much port the pipefitter drinks when he or she is connecting the valve block to the cylinders!  :Lol:  >hic<
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #436 on: November 12, 2022, 05:12:25 PM »
Made up the control valve slider this morning. I found aa small rectangular offcut from the bearing blocks on Sabino engine, so I didn't have to square up a piece from round, just trimmed this one down:

I left the blank square on the ends and a little long, the ends need to be angled slightly on the finished piece to give the engine less flow at the startup/shutdown. After trimming the outside dimensions, the recess in the bottom was cut with a 1/16" endmill:

Then drilled through for the valve rod. This hole is oversize from the rod to let the slider 'float' and settle against the valve port face. I located the hole by both measurement and double-checked by putting in a piece of the valve rod through its hole in the block, spun it, and checked the witness mark it left on the slider.

The slot for the adjusting nut was cut next. I cut the slot just under 1/8" wide, so I can make the nut from some flat bar then file it to be a close but not binding fit in the slot, so the spring bar can push the slider down to the valve face.

Then milled the slight angle on the ends of the slider. It was handy having the port plate seperate to check the spacings against the part, looking up through the ports from the bottom.

A picture of the parts so far:

Next up is to make the adjusting nut and valve rod, which is threaded for the nut, then make the spring plate, springs, and the bosses in the cover plate to retain the springs. The valve slider is vertical in the valve when assembled, and it would be a problem if the slider wasn't always against the face plate - no steering, that reef is coming up fast...


Hmmm, reminds me of the old joke. Its was supposed to be between the US and Canadian navy, though it never actually happened (goes around the internet once in a while anyway)
US Ship: Please divert your course 0.5 degrees to the south to avoid a collision.

  CND reply: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

  US Ship: This is the Captain of a US Navy Ship. I say again, divert your course.

  CND reply: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course!

  US Ship: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS CORAL SEA*, WE ARE A LARGE WARSHIP OF THE US NAVY. DIVERT YOUR COURSE NOW!!

  CND reply: This is a lighthouse. Your call.



Offline cnr6400

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #437 on: November 12, 2022, 05:38:05 PM »
 :Lol: re lighthouse avoidance command decision gag - always good!

 re new parts - :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Offline derekwarner

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #438 on: November 13, 2022, 01:52:06 AM »
I needed to rewatch this video twice [about 11:50+ minutes ] to make sure I understood this fundamental cockup    ....

Was it 1st Officer Murdock's Order [assumed as from the RN School of Navigation] or the Helmsman [Merchant training?] which caused the vessel to turn toward the iceberg?  ....was this ever referenced in the subsequent investigations?

It would also be interesting to understand just when our World Navies [both Merchant and Military] stopped using 'rudder orders' based upon a 'handheld tiller'

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZe-exu2RBU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZe-exu2RBU</a>

[PS....Chris is OK with this posting in his Ships steering gear thread] 

regards Derek
Derek L Warner - Honorary Secretary [Retired]
Illawarra Live Steamers Co-op - Australia
www.ils.org.au

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #439 on: November 13, 2022, 02:21:07 AM »
Its a great video, the steering engine and wheel setup is more complex, but same general idea as the one that I am building.


And Titanic didn't turn the wrong way, it just couldn't turn fast enough given the short distance the lookouts could see. Not that I want to turn this thread i to a Titanic conspiracy theory rehash! Still, lots of very interesting construction details in that video!

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #440 on: November 13, 2022, 03:03:19 PM »
This morning got the valve rod and adjusting nut made. The rod needed to have threads in the center for the nut, but I didn't want to have the threads go out to the end where it goes back into the bottom gland. So, started with a slightly thicker rod, turned one end down to size, then a middle section was turned to size for 2-56 threads, threaded, and then the other end turned down as well to fit the o-rings in the top gland. Since the rod is so thin, I did the turning operations in short segments close to the chuck.

Also turned the fitting for the top of the valve rod, where it will connect to the links from the crank arm.

Here are the parts so far. The end fitting has been loctited to the end of the valve rod. The adjusting nut was made from a piece of brass square stock, drilled/threaded in the center and filed to be a close but not binding fit in the slot.


Next steps will be to lap the faces of plate and the slider, and get the plate glued into the valve body. Then I can assemble it all and do a pressure test. Um, will need to make the gasket for the cover plate, and rig up some plastic tube to connect the inlet. I can do that test with the valve laying flat, so I don't need to make the spring bar first to do an initial test. Then I'll get going on the spring bar, and finally make the links to connect it to the crank arm and get a real test on the engine. Sounds simple, but I'm guessing a few days to get there.

Online Kim

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #441 on: November 13, 2022, 04:56:23 PM »
Nice little family shot of the control valve!  :ThumbsUp: Lots of little parts there.  :popcorn: :popcorn:

Kim

Online Michael S.

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #442 on: November 13, 2022, 06:22:03 PM »
Chris, looks great 👍

a small bathtub for workshop elves

no, the parts are in no way inferior to the big machine!

Michael

 :cheers:

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #443 on: November 13, 2022, 06:37:30 PM »
Chris, looks great 👍

a small bathtub for workshop elves

no, the parts are in no way inferior to the big machine!

Michael

 :cheers:
Great, thanks for giving the elves the idea of piping in compressed air to make the valve body a mini Jacuzzi!   :Lol:

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #444 on: November 14, 2022, 03:24:17 PM »
Some more little fiddly work this morning. Started with smoothing the valve plate and bottom of the slider on a diamond sharpening plate (got a couple grits of them years ago for sharpening chisels and planes, they work great for this as well)

Also made up the spring plate that keeps the slider against the valve plate. There is a flat bar that sits against the slider, and two springs up to the cover. I drilled/tapped for 2-56 screws at each end of the springs, loctited in screws, and cut off the heads. These will act as posts to retain the springs in position. The springs came from an assortment set of stainless springs from Wolff Gunsprings. They sell specific ones for different triggers, and also assortment packs of general springs, very handy and better quality than ones found in ball point pens.

I also made up the cover gasket and a short length of pipe for the valve inlet to use while testing the valve, I'll connect it to the compressor with some plastic tube on the end of the pipe.
The valve plate was cleaned up to remove the oils left from the lapping, and glued in place in the valve body. I was going to use some epoxy, but decided to use some 3M 5200 adhesive/sealant that I have instead. Its REALLY gooey stuff, sticks to everything, and if not carefully handled it gets ON everything. Its made for things like attatching fittings on boats that you dont want to fall off again, quite tough stuff. I would not recommend it for cover gaskets since it does not release like a silicone gasket goo does, but I don't want this plate coming loose. I buttered the bottom side of the plate with a thin layer of it, and pressed it in place with tweezers. I'll let it sit overnight to set up before assembling and pressure testing the rest of the valve.

Offline cnr6400

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #445 on: November 14, 2022, 09:21:13 PM »
 :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Offline crueby

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Offline ozzie46

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #447 on: November 14, 2022, 10:25:56 PM »
So your building it on a cobblestone street? :ROFL:

Great job by the way.

Ron

Offline crueby

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #448 on: November 15, 2022, 12:15:23 AM »
So your building it on a cobblestone street? :ROFL:

Great job by the way.

Ron
Yeah, I stole the street from the town the shop elves started to build!   :Lol:


Its actually a chunk of rubber floor mat that I have on top of the wood workbench, easy on painted parts plus tools and small parts don't roll away so easy.

Offline cnr6400

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Re: Chris's Build of Steering Engine
« Reply #449 on: November 15, 2022, 12:48:09 AM »
I thought for a while you were using your pet hippopotamus' back as a portable workbench - but I was embarrassed about bringing it up on the forum.  :Lol:  :cheers:
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

 

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