Author Topic: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine  (Read 64003 times)

Offline scc

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4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« on: January 06, 2016, 09:53:30 PM »
Several years ago I purchased a set of secondhand wheel rims, some laser cut spokes and a set of front and rear hub castings. Then a set of drawings from Live Steam Models. With limited time and resources I pottered on slowly. I took few photos, never having heard of build threads. Having recently joined this excellent forum , member "Jadge" enquired about seeing some pics. I had put them onto www.picasaweb.google.com/terrybullard.  It seems that the site no longer works as it did. Instead I will try and get them in some sort of sequence and put them on here a few at a time. Anyone interested will have to be patient as my pc skills are limited. :Doh:

Offline jadge

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2016, 10:14:43 PM »
 :whoohoo:

Andrew

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2016, 08:42:11 PM »
As mentioned previously, I started with a set of hub castings and wheel rims.  The hubs have to be slotted to locate the spoke ends. At the time I did not own a dividing head. As you can see in the photo the solution was simple....fix the hub to an old gearwheel with suitable teeth, spigot the lot to the mill table and use a bolt as a register. It worked anyway!

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2016, 08:55:38 PM »
I soon bought a front axle casting and modified it to suit the prototype I was following. This entailed removing the steering chain bosses and shortening, plus replacing the cast wheel collars with removable ones. I also made the hubcaps.  I had made a start on what was to be a much longer project than I first thought.

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2016, 06:04:11 PM »
The next step was to build the front wheels, all straightforward stuff and probably of no great interest to most MEMers.  The pics explain themselves.    Terry

Offline jadge

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2016, 07:16:23 PM »
Thanks for the pictures - definitely of interest to me, even if no-one else! The welding looks a darn sight better than mine. And that's one heck of a faceplate.  :o

Andrew

Online Jasonb

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2016, 07:37:55 PM »
There are a few others who like traction engines who are quietly following along.

It's good to have something solid to rivit on you don't want to waste all that energy from the hammer into a bouncy bench.

Thanks, J

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2016, 08:55:50 PM »
Thanks Lads..... I realise I did not post a picture of the finished wheels, so here they are.......

Offline joe d

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2016, 09:27:32 PM »
Those wheels are looking good.  Keep on posting, I'll keep on following along.

Cheers, Joe

Offline Kim

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2016, 10:23:51 PM »
Hi Terry,
I'm also following along.  Those are great looking wheels!  They're BIG wheels!  You're traction engine is huge compared to the dinky little thing I'm working on. Its very interesting to see this big guy being built. Thanks for sharing!
Kim

Offline burnit0017

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2016, 10:27:59 PM »
Greetings, how are the rims centered to the hub when drilling the stoke bolt holes? Great project, thanks for posting.

Offline mal webber

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #11 on: January 10, 2016, 11:57:55 PM »
Hi Terry,  very interesting build ill be definitely be following along.
Mal.

Offline Steamer5

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2016, 03:20:39 AM »
Hi Terry,
Got the  :popcorn: &   :DrinkPint: to hand !

4" traction engine on a Raglan mill, way to go! I'll have to show & give dad a  :stickpoke: to show what he could be doing on his!

Cheers Kerrin
Get excited and make something!

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2016, 03:21:26 PM »
Hi Kerrin,        Don't get too carried away,  I have had to farm out the cylinder.......the casting won't fit in the throat, let alone any tooling!   I can cope with most other stuff though.               Terry

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2016, 03:48:35 PM »
Hi Burnit0017,    I machined a spigot to fit the centre of that big faceplate and the hub casting. The rim can then be centrallised to the hub with trammels, string or whatever. rim/hub is then packed up/down to obtain the correct dish or offset. The whole lot is then clamped. I predrilled the spoke ends but only with a tapping size on the hub end. The spokes next needed bending. I am sure that most engineers would make a jig for this. I have a VERY heavy  machine vice which lives on the floor in a corner, I simply put one spoke end in this  vice with the spoke vertical.....a sharp blow with a heavy hide hammer puts in the correct bend :facepalm: turn the spoke end for end and do the same. Once one spoke is set it can be used as a template for the others. On my Burrell all the spokes sit on the inside of the tee ring therefore the wheel has to be started upside down with all the inner ones fitted first. Once all is clamped in position the tapping holes in the hubs can be spotted through the spoke ends. Spokes then removed, hubs tapped spoke holes drilled to clearance size and countersunk. The whole lot re assembled with tempory bolts at the rivet end. Everything is then unclamped, turned over, and ditto for the other side. Obviously before final riveting a check should be made to ensure that the wheel spins true. I had to spread the riveting out so as not to annoy the neighbours! I apologise for not taking any pics of the process.                        Terry

 

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