Developing a Small Steam Plant

[gary.a.ayres]

Following a conversation with MJM460 above I refrained from opening the main steam valve right up at the start of the run. This seemed to make quite a difference, enabling me as it did to keep the needle off the peg (at about 20 psi) for a significant length of time. The newly lagged pipes may have helped too.

I was also able to test the Mamod grinding wheel:



Unfortunately, in my enthusiasm I forgot to refit the tiny grubscrew on the grinder's drive pulley after fitting the provisional rubber band belt, so the pulley was spinning on its shaft. However, even with that rather glaring omission the grinding wheels were flying round with a fair bit of torque. With the pulley held tight to the shaft, this contraption will perform wonders, I tell you.

In fact to be honest I later dropped the grubscrew on the shop  floor TWICE and somehow managed to find it both times, despite the floor being far from detritus-free at this point in time. And it is one very small grub screw...

The next step is to cannibalize and repaint the grinder and mount it on a cylindrical base of aluminium. Also, I have ordered a selection of different lengths of  1mm square section drive belts of the kind used in audio cassette players. Hopefully one of these of the right length will work nicely and look better than a rubber band.

[zeeprogrammer]

In fact to be honest I later dropped the grubscrew on the shop  floor TWICE and somehow managed to find it both times, despite the floor being far from detritus-free at this point in time. And it is one very small grub screw...

That's too lucky. In my life, things always seem to balance out over time. So be careful. 
(I don't mean to jinx you but stories like that usually end with "not to be seen ever more".)

[crueby]

In fact to be honest I later dropped the grubscrew on the shop  floor TWICE and somehow managed to find it both times, despite the floor being far from detritus-free at this point in time. And it is one very small grub screw...

That's too lucky. In my life, things always seem to balance out over time. So be careful. 
(I don't mean to jinx you but stories like that usually end with "not to be seen ever more".)

Wow - Gary is faster than a Shop Gnome! Bet you heard some grumbling from under the cabinet...

[gary.a.ayres]

Guys.

I know! And the next time I drop it will be the third...

And it will turn out that Mamod use a unique and esoteric thread and I'll have to faff around cross-drilling and re-tapping that miniscule pulley!

[gary.a.ayres]

Decided to have another go at running the plant on the pressurized alcohol burner a couple of says ago. Unfortunately I overestimated the amount of alcohol required in the preheating cup. This caused a minor inferno under the boiler which melted the end of the rubber supply pipe inside its braided wire sheathing, blocking the pipe. So, I got rid of the pipe and was left with this:




My idea is to replace the pipe with copper tubing which I will silver solder on to the two spigots (well, I'll call them spigots) that can be seen in the picture. I have two sizes of copper tubing - one too big and the other too small. I think I'll use a drill to widen the end of the narrower tube rather than turn down the spigots.

[crueby]

Do you have a way to fasten the tank and burner down to a common base or each other, so you can move it without stressing the copper tube too much?

[gary.a.ayres]

Good question Chris!
I have been mulling that very point, i.e. how to keep things stable to protect the tube.
No definite plan as yet, but will keep on it.
Cheers...
 

[gary.a.ayres]

Do you have a way to fasten the tank and burner down to a common base or each other, so you can move it without stressing the copper tube too much?

One thing I will have to do in any case is put a union in the copper tube as it will be impossible to shoehorn that burner in under the boiler with a long tube attached to it. There is little room to spare in there. So I'll have to put the burner in place then connect it up. That will help, but I reckon something of the sort you are suggesting would make it better still.
 

[crueby]

 

[gary.a.ayres]

From vintage Brit steam toy...



... to the Emperor Dalek of tiny grinders.

[propforward]

Ha - love the Dalek reference. I was a huge Dr. Who fan at one time, but I digress. Nice job on that little grinder, looks much better now!

[crueby]

Ex-Bur-iate!

[gary.a.ayres]

Thanks guys.

Good to know there are some fellow Whovians on the forum.

I go right back to the William Hartnell days... but Jodie Whitaker is fab too   

[crueby]

Workshop in a time machine - explains a lot of progress... 

[gary.a.ayres]

So that's how you do it...!