I've always been fascinated by the things people do in their spare time when they can do exactly what they want to do. Men and sheds are a particularly fertile field. Women tend to do their thing in the comfort of the house.
I was delighted to see Andy's picture of the clock movement he has made.
It struck me that we could perhaps start a new topic devoted to spare time skill. So Andy starts it off and my contribution is this:
It's a small steam engine made from scratch and is based on the Stuart 5A but a longer stroke. One of these will drive a 14 foot boat with steam at 250psi. By the way, we don't like to call them models, it's exactly the same construction and materials as a full size engine, just smaller. So come on out there, let's hear about what you make in your spare time. I reckon we could be in for some surprises!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
Posted - 20/12/2007 : 07:40
Thanks for that Ringo, I'll talk to them. Malcolm, I looked at the specs of the Antonov a long time ago. Amazing machine, even has its own internal gantry crane. It sticks in my mind that someone has enough parts to build another one when it's needed.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
Posted - 20/12/2007 : 16:55 As of 14:00 today, all the engines have flywheels. The small ones are finished now apart from two pipe fittings for steam and exhaust. no rush so I went to bed for an hour....... Got to get my strength up for tomorrow night.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
Posted - 21/12/2007 : 15:52 Same as last night? Not quite. The two small ones have their steam and exhaust connections and are officially finished. All they need is a run on compressed air to put a shine on the bearing surfaces and cylinder. I'll do that before I do anything about the pipework on the big engine. One small slip up, I reckoned up how much 1/2" ply I'll need for the packing case and when I called in at B&Ds to order it the wimps had gone home for Christmas! Never mind, I'm sure I can keep busy.....
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
Doc came down this afternoon and we played out in the shed. We ran the 20 year old engine and then the two new small ones just to start the running in process. The valve and the first one wasn't seating quite right but it ran and this will soon sort itself out with a bit of running. Available light so you can see they are running.
Here's the line-up onj the kitchen bench, all except the red framed one made this year..... not a bad score. There is more.... I got the instruction book out for my Nikon Coolpix and we nade a video which Doc is going to put up on the site. Making steam engines is good and interesting but the most exciting bit is when you first put steam or air on them and they go like hell! Very satisfying making inanimate bits of metal come to life!
Doc and his little helpers sorting the video out. He tells me it will be up on th site very shortly....... A nice day.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
Posted - 23/12/2007 : 06:58
Thanks to all of you for the technical bits. Best Xmas present ever actually because apart from the excitement of seeing inanimate lumps of metal springing to life Doc brought me 100 CDs and a binfull of coal plus Xmas pressies..... I think he must like me.... Just for the record. No cheating here, both engines started as soon as the air was put on them so the timing is right. We only ran them for about five minutes each but that took all the initial roughness out of the bore and they turn over by hand like silk. The engine you see running is the second one we tried, the first isn't quite as good because the valve isn't quite settled on its seat. Faces are OK it's just tight fitting in the saddle block that drives the valve. An amateur would immediately pull the lid off and start fiddling but this is a big mistake. Just keep running it with plenty of oil going through and it will soon settle down and stop blowing. The one you see is running on about 50psi. We tried letting the compressor blow up to over 100psi and it ran like a motor bike, I reckon it was doing 1500rpm and that was before it had properly worn in. Fearsome sight actually! The job now is to fit the accumulator to the big engine and then we can have a real test! I think we'll be a bit more professional and bolt that one down! When we had this one running at full chat ther was more than a bit of vibration! This isn't a problem because under load they only do a max of about 500rpm, depending on the size of the propellor. Very, very satisfying........
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
Posted - 23/12/2007 : 13:00
Stanley, enjoyed the "Take your hand off now"' video! Nice to see and hear her running, it must be very satisfying. I like the control valve that Doc's holding!!
Posted - 23/12/2007 : 16:46
Did you see his little face when he saw it making a bid for freedom!
No rest for the wicked.... The big one needs an accumulator pipe between the HP exhaust and the LP steam chest. None of it in line or at right angles so the start will be a couple of blocks fotted to the ports and then measured up for cutting to take a flanged pipe between them. One of Dick Bonser's lumps of bronze cast from the bottom of the ladle came in handy, squared off, cut in half and then split again. Two handy lumps of metal that will soon look beautiful..... One of the engines goes tomorrow, Susan is calling in to collect hers......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
Posted - 24/12/2007 : 07:11
I can't wait for the big one. When Newton built his it was very impressive..... I'll bet there's a steam launch man watching and drooling somewhere..... Dream on..... I shall put it on the table in the front room and have it for eye candy......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk