Author Topic: First Steam Engine Build  (Read 21114 times)

Offline pirmin

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #120 on: January 06, 2025, 05:47:43 PM »
how is it going with the crankshaft ? :thinking:

Online stevendavis

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #121 on: January 06, 2025, 08:30:39 PM »
Got the rough cuts done. Just have to file the corners down and make the center shim for machining. Then a lot of turning!
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Offline Dave Otto

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #122 on: January 06, 2025, 09:00:26 PM »
This is a little late, but I would have turned the throw first. You could have turned it between centers. Then insert the spacer and turn the main shafts.
Here is an example of that starting on post #27 of my Pacific build. I will be curious to see how your proceed.

https://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,1326.20.html

Dave

Online stevendavis

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #123 on: January 07, 2025, 05:50:53 PM »
Thanks Dave!
That would have saved me from having to locate the offset again, as I'll have to do now. I'll definitely keep that in mind for the next one.
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Online stevendavis

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #124 on: January 07, 2025, 06:11:20 PM »
Here's where I ended up late last night. Finish isn't as good as I wanted. This material wasn't the best machining material. As you can see, the bolt on the lathe dog slipped and gouged the end of the shaft. I'll have to work on the end of the bolt. Where the gouge is, is supposed to have threads, so It's not critical. I'm not sure if I'll add the taper and nut to the crank to hold the flywheel on, or just use the conventional method of a set screw to hold the flywheel on. If I use the set screw, the gouged area will be cut off anyway. I've got lost of video of the process to work through before I can post it. It will be a while!
I've also got a jig, you see on the left of one of the pictures, I made for the previous crankshaft. I have to modify it a little, but I think it will work good for machining the crank web.
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Offline pirmin

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #125 on: January 08, 2025, 12:16:12 AM »
when working with such jigs, make sure you dont use sharp tipped worm screws, they will leave nasty imprints on the crankwebs ! Have u thought about making a key to hold on the flywheel ? it would be a compromiss. i used set screws on my Mill engine and the crankshaft is now torn up beacuse it did slip a couple of times when we live steamed it, especialy when the engine accidently starts to quick, the momentum just takes over and spins the wheel free, unless u have a small countersunk hole for the set screw.

how true does the crankshaft run ? did everything go well ?

Online stevendavis

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #126 on: January 08, 2025, 04:03:37 AM »
when working with such jigs, make sure you dont use sharp tipped worm screws, they will leave nasty imprints on the crankwebs ! Have u thought about making a key to hold on the flywheel ? it would be a compromiss. i used set screws on my Mill engine and the crankshaft is now torn up beacuse it did slip a couple of times when we live steamed it, especialy when the engine accidently starts to quick, the momentum just takes over and spins the wheel free, unless u have a small countersunk hole for the set screw.

how true does the crankshaft run ? did everything go well ?

So far everything is going good and it runs true. I've not got the crank web finished yet. I'll be sizing the bearings to the crank once I get it finished up. And yep, it's a typical allen screw on the dog. I'm thinking about making a brass cap for the end. I still need to make a couple more lathe dogs different sizes. I've definatley thought about using a keyway and might go that rout. I'm working on a keyway cutter for the lathe, but don't know if I can get it done before I would need it. I might give it a shot with just a tool holder.
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Online stevendavis

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #127 on: January 08, 2025, 02:06:39 PM »
Here's a pic of the keyway cutter. Made from an Atlas compound slide. I need to make a base to addapt it to my lathe. I think it was used on a Myford last.
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Online stevendavis

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #128 on: January 11, 2025, 03:37:04 AM »
Got a little side tracked again. This wasn't my build, but I did machine a base to use it on my Vevor 7 X 14.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJeCNBFFH_8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJeCNBFFH_8</a>
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Online stevendavis

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #129 on: January 12, 2025, 11:06:47 PM »
Anyone seen one of these before??
A slitting saw table for the lathe.
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Online crueby

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #130 on: January 12, 2025, 11:25:42 PM »
That saw table looks a lot like the one I had  on my first lathe many many moons ago, a Unimat SL. I used it for sawing lumber for ship models for years.

Offline Bear

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #131 on: January 12, 2025, 11:37:23 PM »
Never seen one before. Interesting. Not sure I understand what turns it.

Online crueby

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #132 on: January 12, 2025, 11:50:54 PM »
On the old unimat one, the saw blade mounted on an arbor on the headstock, the table clamped to the cross slide with the slot in the table over the top of the arbor and blade. This one looks like the same arrangement.

Offline Bear

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #133 on: January 12, 2025, 11:59:29 PM »
Thanks, Chris

Online stevendavis

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Re: First Steam Engine Build
« Reply #134 on: January 13, 2025, 01:47:29 AM »
Yep, the slitting saw blade is turned on an arbor between centers. The table's height is adjustable to allow depth of blade above the table. The cross slide sets the Y position of the blade. Designed to cut accurate strips of up to 16 gauge sheet.
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