My A J Reeves Bolton Triple Expansion Engine

[simplyloco]

The Castings are a joy to behold!

All the castings -except three which I know about- arrived as promised. Each bag contains sticky parts labels so I don't get confused at a leter date! The detail is excellent: ribs are sharp, minimal flash, and what flash there was has been removed sympathetically. The main block is a peach!
Well chuffed and I can't wait to get on with it.
John

[Laurentic]

I'm no castings expert by a long way plus I have only been loking at photos rather than the real thing, but those castings do look to be in a vastly higher league from Reeves than from Stuarts.  The very fact they looks so good to you will put you in a good frame of mind and have pleased you from the off.  Enjoy the build!  I shall watch from a distance.

Chris

[Jo]

Those look much better 

Lets hope Reeves send the missing castings sooner rather than later.

Jo

[crueby]

Much better!  Swarf time!

[Jasonb]

Certainly a smoother surface finish and acceptable flash consistent with what I mentioned they had been posting images of on faceboox. It will be interesting to see how the main bed casting measures out as I wonder whether the original patterns were intended for the use of aluminium.

[Charles Lamont]

That plug wiring!

[simplyloco]

That plug wiring!

Keep plugging!

[simplyloco]

First cuts tonight. Some trepidatioon on my part as it's the first serious machining I've done since my right eye lost a little of it's effectiveness! Not to worry, I'm adjusting!

Bashing away at the cylinder casting on the FB2/V10P mill. The material machines beautifully!



Lovely finish. The centreline witness mark came off with a rub on the surface plate.



Turned over to find a 0.030" belly on the casting. I'll finish it tomorrow.

[crueby]

Just went to the Reeves site and looked up that engine, its going to be a beautiful one! Following along here...

 

[Jasonb]

Surely the "belly" is just the result of the draft angle needed to get the casting out of the sand. Also visible in the machining of the first surface.

[simplyloco]

Surely the "belly" is just the result of the draft angle needed to get the casting out of the sand. Also visible in the machining of the first surface.

Agreed.

[Vixen]

So how did you stop the raw casing from rocking, due to the draft angle 'belly', when you faced off the first side? Or did you not notice the 'belly' till later? 

Mike

[simplyloco]

So how did you stop the raw casing from rocking, due to the draft angle 'belly', when you faced off the first side? Or did you not notice the 'belly' till later? 

Mike

It was bellied on both sides. After cleaning up both sides with rough emery on the big surface plate I mounted it at the edges on two pieces of 1/2" HSS: there was no rocking.  In my post I should have said there was a 30 thou belly  instead of 'I found a 30 thou one'..
It is all very even and predictable.

[Vixen]

It was bellied on both sides. After cleaning up both sides with rough emery on the big surface plate I mounted it at the edges on two pieces of 1/2" HSS: there was no rocking.  In my post I should have said there was a 30 thou belly  instead of 'I found a 30 thou one'..
It is all very even and predictable.

Ah! I can now see the two pieces of 1/2"HSS;  a good way to prevent rocking.
Looks to be some good quality gunmetal to machine.

Enjoy

Mike

[AVTUR]

John

I have recently placed a number of orders on Reeves for castings. Two of these were delivered in stages. In both cases the "missing" castings arrived within a month without any reminders being sent.

I think, in general, the quality of the casting are good except for a few chilled spots in iron castings. I believe these are to be expected (however they are annoying).

AVTUR