Author Topic: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine  (Read 64052 times)

Online Kim

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #105 on: October 23, 2016, 11:07:48 PM »
earlier in this thread Kim and Zee were asking how I was going to move it and I outlined my plan :embarassed:  Unfortunately it didn't work :Mad: the bench is too long to sit at right angles to the door and there is too little garden width for the engine crane AND ramps. It looks like I shall have to make  a gantry.

Sounds like its time for a bigger shed!  ;D
Sorry to hear about the complications in moving your engine. I'm sure you'll get it worked out. 

Never mind, a visit from my great grandaughter cheered me up.            Terry
Great picture! That would cheer ANYONE up!  :ThumbsUp:
Kim

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #106 on: October 24, 2016, 12:09:57 PM »
Cheers Kim.

Sadly a bigger shed is not an option.......Terry

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #107 on: October 29, 2016, 11:02:52 AM »
Hello again,           Having got my cylinder assembly ready I couldn't resist dropping (wrong word...it's VERY heavy) it onto the boiler to see how it looked.    Another case of two steps forward and one back :ThumbsDown: #the reinforcing ring around the top mud hole is in the way of the slide bar support bracket which will have to be modified at it's base.
            At work waiting for restoration are two nice engines which I aim to model in much smaller scales than my current big lumps. One is a disc crank, slide valve single cylinder mill engine, and the other a small vertical stirrup or tuning fork engine.  All my 4" scale stuff was OK ten years ago when I started but is now too heavy :old: Never the less, I will finish them and I look forward to steaming them.

Terry

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #108 on: November 01, 2016, 09:29:08 PM »
I'm currently working through the valve gear. I have given up on the drawings and basically working it out as I go along. All you modern folk out there would be on the computer modelling by now ;)   My poor Raglan mill had to work hard to flycut the base of the weighshaft bracket but was OK with small cuts.          Onwards and upwards.    The ball ended valve rod link will be re-made now that I have a bit more experience in that area.

Offline jadge

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #109 on: November 02, 2016, 07:14:57 PM »
Terry: Looks like you're making excellent progress. I've modelled the cylinder, crosshead and slidebars in CAD and I recall that everything was pretty similar to the drawings. However, I missed out the 1° back slope on the cylinder, much too complicated, albeit I think the full size engine had the back slope. Smells a bit like a design foul up to me - "Oh fudge the cylinder is a bit high, never mind just file a bit of the back of the mount and pretend we intended it that way".  :D

I'm one of those nuts who will be re-designing the valve gear and porting using the old school diagrams, and 3D CAD, when I get around to that part of the build.

I've been taking a break from my engines recently to play with machining gears, but I did make my valve rod couplers a couple of months ago:



However, I cheated  :embarassed: by using the hydraulic copying unit and a CNC machined pattern in sheet steel:



As you can see I ended up making three; if you want the spare you can have it.

Andrew
« Last Edit: August 27, 2017, 08:52:25 PM by jadge »

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #110 on: November 02, 2016, 08:19:35 PM »
Cheers Andrew,   I'd love your lovely valve rod coupler but I feel that if something is within the capacity of my shed then I ought to have a go at it. I do appreciate your offer though.              Terry

Offline jadge

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #111 on: November 02, 2016, 08:56:47 PM »
I'd love your lovely valve rod coupler but I feel that if something is within the capacity of my shed then I ought to have a go at it.

Fair enough. I'll keep the spare for people to fondle when I show parts what I have made.

Andrew

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #112 on: November 04, 2016, 09:20:52 PM »
Hi Andrew,  The 1 degree back slope is very obvious on the big ones at work. I've never enquired about it but i suspect you are correct. The horn plates / crank position is probably designed for the single cylinder. Inclining the taller scc cylinder was the easiest option maybe.

I hope you are not offended by me declining your generous offer of your spare valve coupler.

Best Wishes                    Terry




Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #113 on: November 16, 2016, 08:34:24 PM »
Inspired by Andrew's lovely valve couplers I set to in the shed.............drew a half section on some ally plate and clamped to the lathe bed........bolted a pointer to the topslide.............worked two controls together with my eyes on the pointer/template, and there we go. Nowhere as good as Andrew's but made in MY shed.                   Terry

Offline fumopuc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #114 on: November 17, 2016, 06:14:29 PM »
Hi Terry, impressive your progress with this build.
Kind Regards
Achim

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #115 on: November 18, 2016, 11:40:17 AM »
Cheers Achim

Offline jadge

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #116 on: November 20, 2016, 12:03:08 PM »
Nowhere as good as Andrew's but made in MY shed.

Doesn't matter; they look fine to me. As long as they do the job, that's what counts.  :ThumbsUp:

Andrew

Offline scc

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #117 on: January 08, 2017, 08:25:12 PM »
Hi all and best wishes or 2017             

I have managed to progress a bit more, it involved rather a lot of drilling and tapping of the boiler. It's something I do not enjoy because of  the risk of drill/tap breakage.  It all went well and the cylinder is now fixed. Since taking the photo I have also bolted down the weighshaft housing. Having got everything in alignment  I started to assemble the valves/rods, etc. so I could progress to setting the eccentrics on the crank. Everything remains lovely and free when I tighten to a good finger tight but stiffens up when nipped up with a spanner. :cussing: I am trying the fixing in sequence to see where the fault lies.

Offline steamer

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #118 on: January 08, 2017, 10:44:00 PM »
Make sure the valve rods float vertically about the that tie bar.........

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Online Kim

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Re: 4"Burrell single crank compound traction engine
« Reply #119 on: January 09, 2017, 02:29:09 AM »
Hi Terry,
That IS a lot of drilling and tapping.  Looks very good to me!
Kim

 

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