Author Topic: engine fro grandson  (Read 10466 times)

Offline hammer

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engine fro grandson
« on: March 06, 2013, 09:53:09 PM »
I have just finished a small engine & boiler  for number 1 grandson. I have another but he is only 18 months, but wile I am in the mood I will build a second now. Photo 1, the first one complete with its box.Photo 2. Raw materials, I was given the 2" tube just the right length. Also given 2.5" cut some of this for the end cops. Photo 3, The former .75" ply a bolt , nut & 2 washers, held in the vice. 

Offline stevehuckss396

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2013, 10:39:42 PM »
Very cool. I hope to make things for my grand children some day. Need grand children first.
Do not be like the cat who wanted a fish but was afraid to get his paws wet.

Offline AussieJimG

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2013, 10:59:25 PM »
That is beautiful and something he will value all his life. Things like that are passed down through the generations. Thanks for sharing.

Jim

Offline hammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2013, 07:54:56 PM »
This is just a simple build compared to all the great engines  :NotWorthy: :praise2: :NotWorthy: on this site.  My interpretation of a Tubal Cain design, using what I have to hand.  :DrinkPint: No 3/8" tube in stock, so drilled & reamed 3/8 bar, to 8mm for cylinder, turned end cap from same. I already had the port block, the other half of a 3/4"+3/4" block drilled down the centre then cut in half, used on other engine. I did silver solder the block to the  :ThumbsDown: cylinder before drilling & tapping 6BA for the pivot pin, so had to be very careful not to enter the bore doing it after.
Brazed the end caps in the   :zap: boiler tube, used Rothenberger S2, no flux required higher melting point than silver solder & I was given a box full. :whoohoo: Bushes turned & taped, bottom of flue flared, then all silver soldered in. Then into the citric acid for an hour, then wash off then time for dinner. :stir:
« Last Edit: March 07, 2013, 08:03:20 PM by hammer »

Offline hammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2013, 08:19:45 PM »
Only made the piston & con-rod today.  :shrug: I don't know what the piston is made off,  :shrug: some sort of brass very hard, had to sharpen lathe tool twice.  Almost copper coloured as can be seen against the con-rod. In the photo the swarf came of the piston like shavings from wood, but the brass the normal chips. The rod & big end turned in one piece from 1/4" brass hexagon.

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2013, 09:47:02 PM »
This is just a simple build ...

Not for many of us.  ;D And certainly not when it's a gift.  ;D

Very nice idea.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Offline hammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2013, 09:42:17 PM »
Had a couple hours play today.  :lolb: Made and fitted the fire box ( to grand a name really ), along with two mistakes.    :facepalm2:
First I cut the shape from a one (UK)gallon can, then I drilled the air holes on the wrong edge.  :cussing: I did get over this by riveting a strip of copper across the bottom to save the day. Cut a base from 1/16th M.S. plate soft soldered the two parts together, I find this harder than brazing or silver soldering.
I had fixed the bottom end cap 3/8" up from the end of the boiler tube, so not to have to tap (8 BA) into the joint when fixing the fire box. Tapping the third hole I broke the tap,  :cussing: :cussing: the first one ever on my home made tapping stand. Managed to get it out with a centre punch (not a tiny bit proud ether side). Then the hole was to large, but as it was below the cap joint I was able to dress the copper with a small hammer to close it over, saved again. Gave it a coat of BBQ paint on my home made rotating table which uses a motor from an old microwave.
« Last Edit: March 12, 2013, 09:46:03 PM by hammer »

Offline hammer

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Re: engine for grandson
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2013, 09:31:21 PM »
A little progress, turned the funnel cap from an odd end of 1" brass. Made the standard from 1/16 stainless plate, (acquired off a coffee machine). Cut & drilled the poet block, silver soldered them together. Never silver soldered stainless to brass before, worked OK. Also turned some plugs so I can pressure test the boiler.

Offline Don1966

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2013, 08:38:14 PM »
I know somebody's grandson is going to be excited. Great job Hammer you are making it look easy.

Don

Offline mklotz

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2013, 08:46:15 PM »
Quote
Cut & drilled the poet block, silver soldered them together.

"Poet block"? Never heard that term before.  What does it mean and what's its origin?
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Offline hammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2013, 10:34:22 PM »
I would have though some one as clever as you Merv would realise that the E is next to the R on a key board & it should be PORT. Beside the fact I never cood spel.

Offline Raggle

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2013, 11:02:05 PM »
Marv, poet block is a form of writer's block, notably when you can't find a word to rhyme with "orange"

It's been said nothing rhymes with orange. They're wrong. It doesn't.

Ray
All we're trying to do is combine a fuel and an oxidant in the combustion chamber and burn it in the hope of getting some useful thrust out of the back end. It's not rocket science.

Offline mklotz

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #12 on: March 16, 2013, 11:31:31 PM »
I would have though some one as clever as you Merv would realise that the E is next to the R on a key board & it should be PORT. Beside the fact I never cood spel.

Sorry, Hummer, I don't have the patience to do combinatorial analysis on what people write.  I'll deal with it another way.
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Offline hammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2013, 03:56:44 PM »
Turned the bearings from the same hard brass used for the piston. Completed the crank & shaft, threaded 3BA fixed with loctight. Just need oiling holes in bearings , polish and final alinement when bolted to the firebox.
Also in the picture springs from an assortment of ballpoint pens will find one for the safety valve. The 2 lumps of brass are for the flywheel, the smaller bar will have to be silver soldered into the hole in the other. This was found at the local scrapyard and had the centre removed. The plug is for the level hole, it is important to undercut the seat so the grommet can't push out under pressure. Not that much pressure will be involved here. But a lesson  O:-) learned when testing @ 50psi.

Offline hammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2013, 09:19:10 PM »
Mark 2 safety valve. Managed to reduce the size. First by hollowing out the underside of the adjuster to take the end of the spring.  Also lowering the ball seat down from the body into the thread area. Completed in an hour, by keeping the same thread 5/16"+ 32 for the adjuster as in the boiler bush. First thread to fit bush & centre drill, open out 3/16" for full length of body & part off. Drill & tap same thread in the piece left in the chuck & screw the body in.  Push back into the chuck, drill the seat with a 3/16"D bit , then drill & tap for the adjuster, carefully measuring depth each time. Pull out and remove the body, tighten & part off 1/8" for the locking ring.   I turned the plunger  from 3/16" hexagon this fits the hole but lets steam out.  Finally  thread 5/16" rod drill centre grind 4 slots  around edge then part off & assemble then set 20psi with air line.
 Lagged the boiler, where did the raw materials come from?? Sticks stuck on with 5min epoxy 12 at a time.  With approx 1.5" to go measure, then measure across the laid sticks to check the fit. reduce remaining sticks slightly if needed, no one will notice, thinking I worked it out mathematically.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2013, 03:40:09 PM by hammer »

Offline hammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #15 on: March 21, 2013, 07:14:34 PM »
The fly wheel, I had picked up a piece of 2" brass rod at the scrapyard (£3) recently. It had the centre bored out at one end, I also had a short piece of 1" rod.  Parted off 1/2" and opened out the bore and pressed the 1" rod in, then did the same for a 1/2" rod, this saved a lot of swarf.  :cartwheel: This produced three ratio for the take off belts. I intend to make a well with a pump, a hammer worked off a cam and a dynamo with a lamp.
« Last Edit: March 21, 2013, 07:20:04 PM by hammer »

Offline hammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #16 on: March 21, 2013, 07:35:14 PM »
There's more today. fitted the bands on the boiler. Found some 3/32" + 1/4" too thick really but it looks OK. Bent it by hand working around & around until it fit on the boiler with a 1/4" lap. Filed a tapper on opposite sides and  :zap: soft soldered together. Join will be behind the steam pipe.   The lower band has a plate over the fire hole to protect the timber. Polished & pushed on the acrylic varnish (this will not burn) hold them in place. The wood in the last 2 photo is the base, just stoping boiler rolling.
« Last Edit: March 21, 2013, 07:39:51 PM by hammer »

Offline hammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #17 on: March 22, 2013, 06:25:45 PM »
The pipes & the patterns (solder) A change this time the exhaust goes up the chimney. After saving making swarf yesterday being wasteful today. Boring out a bronze bearing for the burner. In the photo small bottles for the meths marked to the individual fills.  Finally the two models, won't be boring you any more. But I may post a video of them both working.

Offline tvoght

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #18 on: March 22, 2013, 06:32:33 PM »
That's a nice pair. Clearly brethren, but each with his own personality.

--Tim

Offline hammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #19 on: March 22, 2013, 08:11:41 PM »
Thanks to all who looked, and a special thanks to Tim for leaving a comment.

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: engine fro grandson
« Reply #20 on: March 22, 2013, 10:27:04 PM »
I don't know how I missed your last couple of posts. (I go between work and home and sometimes forget to hit 'mark as unread' so I can check again.)

In any case, those models look really good and will be a fine gift.
I'll be interested in the video you mentioned.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
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