Chris's Diesbar Engine Build

[crueby]

Michael,  I  was just going through that steamship book you told me about, taking pictures to run through the translator  from German to  English. I noticed that inside the slipcover on the book there is a detailed map of the river. Is where you live on that map? I see where many of the ships were named after the towns along the river. Great information  in the book! Oh, and the copy of the book I have  has the big fold out sheets with ship and paddlewheel  plans.


 

[Michael S.]

Hi Chris,

I'm glad you like the book.
I didn't know the book had a dust jacket. Mine doesn't. I bought it at a flea market. You should take a photo of it sometime.

Michael

[crueby]

Hi Chris,

I'm glad you like the book.
I didn't know the book had a dust jacket. Mine doesn't. I bought it at a flea market. You should take a photo of it sometime.

Michael

I had to split the pictures up into 4 sections since it runs the full length of the dust jacket. If you like I can get a better scan of it tomorrow and email it to you. Its a very nice old style map.

[Michael S.]

Hi Chris, the map shows a section of the Elbe River around the city of Dresden.
The Elbe is approximately 1,084 km long; the river flows for 357 km through the Czech Republic and 737 km through Germany. Dresden is located at the 40 km mark from the German border, and I live at the 318 km mark. The distance from Magdeburg to Dresden is about 210 km by car.

Michael

[crueby]

Got the second counterbalance milled to shape, and got them installed on the eccentrics. Here is one test fit on the crankshaft. There is a slight interference with the guide tube for the valve link plate, will take that back next time I have the upper frame off.

With the eccentrics/counterweights done, time to make the stop blocks that limit how far the eccentrics can slip. There will be two blocks per eccentric, that fit into the T shaped grooves in the bearings on the crankshaft. All four were turned up from a bit of round bar, with the sides recessed to form the T shape.

Then drilled/tapped the rim and sides for the set screws and stops.

Ready to cut them apart from the disc...

[cnr6400]

 

[crueby]

This morning I cut apart and trimmed the stop blocks, got them test fit on the crankshaft. The ring they attach to can be spun around for gross level timing, and each stop block can be positioned in the slot for fine timing. The post out the side will keep the counterbalance disc from going past that point.

The shop elves were all excited about getting the eccentrics installed, but I pointed out that I need to get the center guide tubes trimmed at the top to clear the eccentrics better, want the upper frame painted first, and want the eccentrics off to make test fitting the follower straps too.

So, off came the upper frame (it had just been set in place, so only needed to unbolt the piston bearing caps)

then unbolted the bearing blocks to remove the crankshaft

so the elves could take the upper frame off to the paint booth in the basement. I first sprayed/wiped down with some degreaser to remove any oils from the crank bearings.

Tomorrow should have the painted upper frame ready to reinstall. I'm also going to do a little touch up on the lower frame, a few places where the paint has gotten chipped and the screw heads for the pump floor need to be painted.

[cnr6400]

  Great progress Chris! If there's any shop elf grumbling about remaining work, just pick up the paint sprayer and do a couple of squirts beside their general direction...they will likely remember the black paint overspray incident from the Mann truck build....

[crueby]

Great progress Chris! If there's any shop elf grumbling about remaining work, just pick up the paint sprayer and do a couple of squirts beside their general direction...they will likely remember the black paint overspray incident from the Mann truck build....

Yeah, there are still little elf footy prints on the basement floor from that one!   

[Kim]

Wow!  Great progress, Chris! 

I've been out for a week, and you just kept working (apparently).  Or you left the shop unlocked, and the elves got in! 

Kim

[crueby]

Wow!  Great progress, Chris! 

I've been out for a week, and you just kept working (apparently).  Or you left the shop unlocked, and the elves got in! 

Kim

Well, it was locked but they fit under the door...   
Welcome back!

[crueby]

After some coats of paint on the upper frame. Dry enough to handle, will let it cure up overnight before installing back on the engine...

[Sanjay F]

I love the newly painted and beautifully machined engine alongside the ancient and 'well-loved' tape measure! 

[crueby]

I love the newly painted and beautifully machined engine alongside the ancient and 'well-loved' tape measure! 

Thanks Sanjay!     Its amazing how different it looks now with the green paint.

I'd pull off that tape measure, not that useful as a measure anymore, but its a handy stop for round parts to keep them from rolling off the table! 

[Chipswitheverything]

As ever, I'm simply amazed at the terrific progress that you are making with another very complex and unusual engine, it's looking marvellous.  The paint job on the upper frame looks great, ties the multi part assembly into a unit very nicely.  The crankshaft seen just above it is a glorious work of art in its own right!