B.Hick & Son oscillating engine

[Sanjay F]

I've made 2 x mods to the design and moved the holes 1/32" over from the centre line and cut slots rather than have holes in the standard which will gives me wiggle room for alignment. When everything is aligned I'll pack the edges so it looks like the full size engines which Jason sent photos of

[Michael S.]

As Jason has already shown us: simply wedge a thin shim in between. That would be very authentic.
Great work! 👍

(Chris can install it just like that on his engine, too! 😁)



Michael

[crueby]

That is a clever solution. I've seen ones where they slotted the bolt holes for small alignment adjustments, but never noticed the little wedges next to the bearing blocks. I need to look back on some of the full size engine photos I have!

[Sanjay F]

One pedestal is now complete with its cap, one more to go and then onto the 'interesting' brasses

[Chipswitheverything]

Coming on nicely Sanjay, with some good solutions to some of the snags that have arisen. I'm doing a bit of further messing around at times with the triple expansion engine, sorting out the cylinder block a bit, drain cock and flange connection threads and miscellaneous cleaning up operations.  But not much to be worth any pictures just yet. Dave

[Sanjay F]

I like pictures Dave, I think we all do even though they may seem boring to to the builder at times! Here's another one of mine, a second crankshaft pedestal which looks much like the first apart from needs a bit of a sand 

[Sanjay F]

Today has been bearing brass day, split some round bar, soldered it, over to lathe to bring in to diameter, drill and ream, over to mill to make the sqaure centre section and drill an oil hole, back over to lathe to part off ............sounds quick when I say it like that, but good few hours, but pleased with the result.................same again tomorrow

[PaulR]

Time well spent, looking good 

[Chipswitheverything]

Yes, there is a lot of work in those little split bearings. And the tricky bit of the square gets hidden!, so no one knows that it entailed the extra operations and fitting ...  Except for those who have made a similar engine, or are following a build, but such is model engineering life. On the whole, my friends, who mostly have no interest in this great hobby at all, spare about ten seconds to look without enthusiasm at things that have taken me years! Dave

[Jasonb]

You could have done square flanges too then we would all know the amount of work that went into them, or even knocked off the corners of the flanges to make it look like you had gone for octagonal bearings

[Sanjay F]

As Jo stated during her build the original etching (see below) shows round bearings, however, I'm going to end up having a mixture of round and square; square bearings coming next, for the main bearings 

I couldn't agree more, it's only those of us make these things who understand the intricacies but I guess that's the same with many things in life. I like looking at the completed engines and remembering what was needed to make each component, very satisfying..........

[Sanjay F]

Second pedestal completed with its brass bearing and I think I'll move onto the trunnion bearings next ....

[Sanjay F]

I thought I'd take on the smaller of the trunnion brass bearings.

Unfortunately exactly what I was hoping wouldn't happen, happened......... during the machining as I was milling the centre of the bearing down to size, the soldered joint came apart! 

I think it was because the joint was above the vice jaws so the full force of the end miil was on the very slight remnants of the solder. I managed to recover it by gripping the bearing the other way in the vice and machining each half of the bearing separately .............gently

Anyway here it is the little bearing, but in my joy of completing it and not having to start again I forgot to drill the oil hole, but I'll add that to the snagging list