Project Vulcan

[Sanjay F]

Yes I'll round off the edges and then as Jason has suggested use filler to create a fillet.

I nearly forgot I had to cut out the crank and eccentric sections through top and bottom plates at the same time  They are now firmly bolted together in the very boring picture below, however a good relaxing job after a day's work! 

EDIT: that's the remnants of the super glue in case you're wondering

[Sanjay F]

I started drilling the holes to make the crankshaft cutout, I kinda wished I'd overlapped the holes but I didn't ...... the material between the holes is about 0.030" so I'm thinking of placing an end mill all the way down a hole and then milling across to connect up the holes ....... will bad things happen?

Alternatively I could use a 2 flute end mill and mill downwards to cut through the material?

Advice gratefully received ...... 

[crueby]

Overlapping when drilling can be an issue with smaller drills, can get sucked into the pervious hole. Milling through can work, if smaller end mill is used, like 1/8" diameter, can be better to make cuts shallower and take several passes. Or, mill through just one or two then feed a hacksaw blade through and use it to run down the row.

[Sanjay F]

Thanks - I had a not so good experience of overlapping holes before, but as you said that was probably with smaller diameters, these are 1/4" holes.

I'll make the last few holes tomorrow and try the various options suggested, and as with all these things short cuts can not be the best option, so if need be I'll take longer and make multiple passes 

[Jasonb]

For 1/4" holes I just space them at 1/4", or 6mm spacing for  a6mm drill. If you use a split point stub drill it does not need a spot drill to start and is less likely to wander. The waste material usually just drops out.

Put a 1/4" milling cutter in the mill and plunge down one side of each hole about 40thou offset from the drilled holes ctr and that will do the job. No need for a 2 flute as 3 or 4 will do.

[Charles Lamont]

For the hole in the baseplate I don't think I would have bothered with chain drilling. I find it tedious, and unnecessary for most jobs, Jason's examples being exceptions because of the depth. I see it as mostly being a way of reducing hand work with a saw. I would have used a slot drill, probably in several passes, leaving a few thou all round for a final pass at full depth.

[PaulR]

For 1/4" holes I just space them at 1/4", or 6mm spacing for  a6mm drill. If you use a split point stub drill it does not need a spot drill to start and is less likely to wander. The waste material usually just drops out.

And you get some nice fluted columns as a bonus if the material is thick enough 

[Sanjay F]

Those pictures look great and one for the future for sure. I've just Googled split point stub drill as I had never heard of them before and haven't got any.

I did think about the slot drill method, but thought it would take longer ... looks like lots of ways of doing the same thing and a few individual preferences.

I ended up using my newly bought coping saw to cut through the remaining material and then proceeded with the milling; just the smaller and hopefully less labour intensive eccentric cutout to go 

[steam guy willy]

Hi Sanjay. I have made quite a few of these early beam engines and the eccentric rods are usually horizontal rather than this angled up configuration  ?? looking ok and good with the restoration ..
cheers Wllly

[Sanjay F]

The only other beam engine I have worked on was the Stuart Grasshopper where the eccentric was horizontal. I'm not sure about actual full size engines but this Sanderson has an inclined eccentric.....

[Sanjay F]

The 1st main base plate is complete and crank and eccentric holes cut. A nice thing about remaking the base is I managed to align the standards & main bearing so the pin on the eccentric rod no longer strikes the standard; take a look at the original solution to this problem in the photo ...... not pretty! 

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDzSF4Fsz_w" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDzSF4Fsz_w</a>

Next up is the base for the outrigger bearing which is currently mounted on a jack

[PaulR]

Good progress (and infinitely better than looking at that bodge job)!

[Sanjay F]

The keyway on both the flywheel and crankshaft were not good, they looked like they had been filed or badly machined. Using the bad flywheel keyway as a guide I broached it to 3/32". Similarly on the crankshaft I used a 3/32" end mill to open up and extend the keyway as the flywheel will now be located a lot closer to the bearing.

I need to make suitable key (rather than the nail which was previously used!) and then it's time to assemble the engine and get it running.......hopefully 

[propforward]

Must be very satisfying to improve all these aspects. I am quite sure that this will turn it into a very nice and smooth running engine.

[Sanjay F]

Absolutely, it is most definitely satisfying trying to improve/correct it as I go

The key is now made and the flywheel can be locked nicely onto the crankshaft. I'm pleased with the way the outrigger bearing turned out. I had trouble with the Milliput filler so reverted back to the JB and credit to my wife for the nice job she did on the fillets 

When I eventually make a wooden base it will have a narrow deep slot in for the flywheel which you can see/imagine from the video - right let's assemble an engine ....... I'm sure there's something I've forgotten, but hey ho, only one way to find out 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XEI-jk225wQ