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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted -  25/11/2004  :  14:20
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




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stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 15/11/2007 : 16:57

The day started well.....  I decided that I would depart from my usual method, attacking all four engines at once.  I would take one engine and take it right through being ready to run apart from the tiddly bits.  So I finished the drilling and tapping, opened out the holes in the lid and steamchest to 3/16" to clear the studs and got going making studs.  I had my first set back while opening one of the steam chest holes up.  There's very little clearance and the drill burst through the casting, grabbed hold and shattered.  Not the biggest problem in the world because The seal on the stud when finally fitted will keep the steam chest steam tight.  Then I noticed that when I was deciding on three studs down each side I had forgotten that the base of the drilling would hit the exhaust port.  Once again, no big problem because the stud has 1/4" hold and there won't be any leak back from the exhaust.  I found another 4.8mm drill and crashed on.....


All the studs made and it's beginning to look like an engine.  Time to take the lid off, fit the eccentric and the valve rod and see where we were at.


Here we are looking even more like an engine but I have a problem.  Look at the eccentric rod, it is too long, it's almost up against the gland when it'sm at the bottom of it's stroke.  There is a knock-on as well, it means the valve rod is going to be too short.  A bit of a rethink needed I think....


Only one thing to do, take half an inch out of the eccentric by cutting some brass away.  You can see the cutting mark passing through the number on the shank.  Refit the eccentric and measure again for the valve rod.  No big problem making new valve rods, they are easy to knock out.  At the same time I shall relieve the eccentric strap in the sheave as well, I've made it too well and it's not rotating as freely as it should.

So, your idol has feet of clay.....  but nothing that can't be easily rectified.  I'm really pleased to see this engine with valve chest and eccentric rod fitted even though there are problems.  It actually looks like an engine now and I suddenly realised how far I have come.  Quite satisfying.....  I shall sort out the wrinkles tomorrow.


Stanley Challenger Graham




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stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
softsuvner
Regular Member


604 Posts
Posted - 15/11/2007 : 18:02
Somebody I knew once said: "the bloke who doesn't make mistakes, never makes anything". He may of been quoting of course, but I knew what he meant. Starting to look very good Stanley!

Malcolm


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belle
VIP Member


6502 Posts
Posted - 15/11/2007 : 18:52
Am just sticking my head round the door to see how you are getting on...OOh.


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 16/11/2007 : 06:35
You're always welcome Belle.....  Malcolm, I'm not in a decline.  These things happen and it's all my fault, I just offered the eccentric assembly up to the bare cylinder and made a guess.  Usually works but not this time.  Looking on the bright side, the rods will look better if they lose some of the shank.  There won't be a lot done today as I am going to have a visitor later.......  She's bringing lunch as well!  Can't help adding that the engines are exciting me now.  I'm just realising how close we are to a steaming!


Stanley Challenger Graham




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stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
softsuvner
Regular Member


604 Posts
Posted - 16/11/2007 : 20:19
Stanley
Never thought that you were in decline, the engines are getting to the stage when you can begin to see the result of all that hard work. One more night shift and I might get back in my shed. What is going on in there is more in the nature of correcting a bad engineering decision made by Lucas and the British motorcycle industry in the 1950's. Or as me Dad would say, "bodging again"!

Malcom


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 17/11/2007 : 07:06

I got a morning in the shed while waiting for my visitor....  The con rod is half an inch shorter

The con rod in place and running freely.  I think the valve rod is going to be the right length......


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 17/11/2007 : 15:03

Might be the last chance to show you where the drill burst the casting.  It will be OK.  Another mistake I made was to drill the valve rod guides before I fitted the rods.  I have taken the easy way out, shoved a 1/4" drill up them, driven a piece of 1/4" brass rod up and re-drilled them 5mm which is just a shade above the 3/16" of the end of the rod.  Complete cure.

Here's the first engine as it stands at the moment.  The packing is in the face between the cylinder and the steam chest.  I haven't fastened the cylinder down yet.  The 3" square block of cast brass will split in two and one half should make 4 valves with care.  Cast is better than drawn for slide valves if you can get hold of some.  This brass is the remains of a melt of brass that was poured in an open mould by my mate Dick Bonser at Rochdale.  Sawn up into chunks and it is handy stock.  I've done all me measuring.  The valve will have no exhaust lap and only a touch of steam lap.  Not the most economical configuration but the easiest breathing and in a small engine, the easier they can breathe the better.

I decided to stop here, it's Saturday and I have some cooking to do.  4 blocks ready for making into valves........


Stanley Challenger Graham




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stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 18/11/2007 : 11:06
Popped into the shed before going back to bed for an hour, lousy morning here.  I realised that I had forgotten that the big cylinder valve is wider.  No sweat, plenty of metal and I can cut the cross bars out at the same time.  Onward and upward.


Stanley Challenger Graham




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stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 18/11/2007 : 16:29

Of dear!  What's he up to now?  He's supposed to be making valves!  I've always had a couple of gripes with the V miller, the belt guard rattles and on some belt settings the boss of the motor pulley fouls the casing.  This has never been more than a niggle but I suspect the belts have stretched a bit and it's got beyond a joke.  I cracked today and ripped it to pieces.

Half an hour later.....  If I was employing anyone I would be in trouble with Elfin Safety but I'm not and the mill now runs better than at any time since I bought it!  A joy to use, why didn't I do this years ago!


Later.....  The valve block for the big cylinder and one of the small ones are sized and squared ready for machining.  I shall do the other blocks tomorrow and then swap cutters and cut the slots etc in them.  Enough for today.......


Stanley Challenger Graham




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stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
softsuvner
Regular Member


604 Posts
Posted - 18/11/2007 : 21:25
Stanley

These far Eastern things are OK as far as they go, but they are built down to a price. My VM has a geared head so no belt rattles. But my drill has always been a "rattler". The tapers are none too accurate as well, several times the chuck has fallen off in the middle of a job. On my previous (bench) I got so fed up I fixed it in position with loctite.

Mind you have you seen the price of a fully dressed new Myford these days? They didn't even have a stand at the Midlands ME this year.

Malcolm


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 19/11/2007 : 06:20
I have no problems with the mill Malcolm.  Well built and accurate.  Plenty of meat in the castings.  I remember Newton was a bit sceptical when I bought it but even he was impressed.  Actually, I prefer them with no gears, they run a lot quieter.  All you can hear now as the mill runs is the motor.  The pillar drill has a two speed box and makes a lot more noise.  No, I've been lucky with me miller and it's a joy now the rattles have gone.  It seems to take up less room now that the guard case isn't looming over me!


Stanley Challenger Graham




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stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
jgb7573
New Member


44 Posts
Posted - 19/11/2007 : 10:34
I have a mill just like yours Stanley, but it is currently in storage after two house moves and a (re)-marriage in 18 months. It probably won't be back up and running for a year or so. It's done pretty well I think. The one problem I had was the head shifting on the column when I was being too ambitious with the cut and feed, but that was my error rather than the machine. The one thing I did that made life easier was fitting DROs on all three axes. This took an awful lot of uncertainty out of machining to size, particularly on the Z axis where there was a fair amount of backlash to be taken account of. DROs do make you lazy though. I was beginning to notice a lot of backlash on the X axis but didn't get around to doing anything about it as the DRO kept me accurate. It's something I must address as soon as the miller comes into the workshop.
John


JohnB,

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pluggy
Geek


1164 Posts
Posted - 19/11/2007 : 11:16


Love the bit of string holding the old sheep shears shut....  

Smile

 


Need computer work ?
"http://www.stsr.co.uk"

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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 19/11/2007 : 16:49
That's how it was always done Pluggy....  and if you look really carefully it's a piece of old fashioned tacklers band.  Best string ever made, it's what they used for operating the staves.  John, you're obviously a better man with a miller than me!  I don't even know what a Y axis is.....  The leadscrews aren't all that accurate and neither is the vertical feed, bags of backlash in that even when it was new.  I don't think I would ever trust the registers.  I just mark things out and cut until I get there.....

I started the day by finishing all the blocks to size.  I know I said I'd done them last night but I decided we could do with a bit less width as the steam chests don't have any finish on the walls, enough filing without doing what doesn't need doing.

I popped the partly finished valve in just to make sure I had the central slot deep enough, I don't want any contact between the valve rod and the valve, it has to have room to float off the seat if necessary.  That relieves the pressure if there's a slug of water in the cylinder. 

I forget who said it but I know one of you has been all agog to see how I like to fit valves so I took the big valve right through to milling the bottom face for the events.  Here it is fitted in the steam chest.  If you lift the steam chest the valve stays where it is on the surface plate.  The only thing that connects it to the valve rod is the 'nut' which floats in the slot.  The thread on the rod is 1/4BSF, 26tpi so it's easy to adjust the valve simply by taking the clevis pin out and screwing the rod in or out.  If you look carefully you'll see the bush in the valve rod guide that has been sized so that the end of the valve rod is a very good fit, no float in it.

4PM.  Knocking off time, that's enough for today.  All the small valves are milled out for the rods and nuts and just waiting to be fitted.  I'll check them all in their individual valve chests but I think they have plenty of side clearance.  The only measurement you have to be very particular about is the end float between the nut and the slot in the valve, the less play there the better but the nut needs to be free to float.  One tip if you haven't as much meat to play with as I've given myself.  If the threaded hole for the valve rod is very close to the edge of the nut, make the nut oversize, drill and tap and then machine the nut off to the clearance size.  That way you have a clean edge even if there is no meat at all.  If you make it to size and then drill and tap the thread will bulge the edge.  You lose a bit of metal but get a much cleaner job.


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
softsuvner
Regular Member


604 Posts
Posted - 19/11/2007 : 20:37
Digital Read Outs (DRO) are the latest thing even for amateurs, and the price is coming down. But on old machinery there is always that backlash to allow for. Bit too complex for me as well.
With old bikes, most of the fits and fasteners are in Imperial fractions. When I use a digital vernier, even though it shows Imperial decimals, the most used thing in my workshop is the wallchart that converts decimals to fractions!

My tapping tables also show imperial size threads with metric tapping drill sizes. I seem to go in and out of size regimes like a fiddlers elbow!

Of course, before CNC control, every engineering firm used to have at least one ancient machine that was so worn that there was only one old boy who could turn out accurate work on it.

Malcolm


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