SHED MATTERS 2

[Stanley]

I've decided to make the Fieldhouse engine. Kirk offered me a discount so I have mailed him this morning for Castings only and drawings. Time I made an engine from castings instead of scrap!
You're right about the parting tool. I'll set it up correctly and have a practice on something a bit meatier!

[Stanley]

Here's the tool in its holder. First job was to check all the nuts were tight, mount it on the toolpost and set it for centre height.



Then I tried a cut and yes, you're right, I made the first test on a piece of aluminium bar!



That went well so I tried it on steel. Absolutely no problems whatsoever. That's enough high stress for this morning!

[David Whipp]

What happens to the piece that's parted off?

[Stanley]

Depends on what you are making David. In this case it was just practice and the parted off bit is too small to be used for anything so it's scrap.

[Big Kev]

It was much worse than I expected. The metal was rotten, full of hair cracks and so corroded it was like welding smoke. My verdict, and Kev agreed, was that the stove top was knackered and needed replacing. However, I had a go.....



Kev did the grinding....



I did the welding. If you've ever tried welding a rotten car body with a stick welder you'll know what it was like! Amperage as low as I dared take it and build the edges up first then bridge the gap.



We finished up with the holes filled and when it gets a coat of paint it will look OK. Not the tidiest welding I have ever done but it'll probably last another few years.



The labourer cleaned up of course.....



He got his own back by doing this pic.... He always catches me looking fearsome!
Before anyone criticises, try doing it! It really was mission impossible but by starting the welds in the right place the shrinkage took the warp out of it and it went back to being flat. By the time I had done the front the weld had pulled the crack together at the back and when we finished, the cramp I had used to pull the top down was loose so there isn't any residual tension in it. Kev is pleased and that's the main thing.

Following on from Stanley's sterling work on my stove I have been under orders to polish it up and post a pic. I have again taken advantage of said pensioner and purloined a tube of Zebrite from under his sink, for which I'm very grateful (no pun intended). There's a bit more to the job besides the polishing, back in the summer I swept the chimney, removed the bird's nest and corpses and fitted a new stainless cowl and bird guard in readiness for firing up the newly repaired stove. I finally got around to firing it up last week only to fill the house with smoke, it would appear the chimney wasn't as clear as originally thought so out came the brushes again. There must have been a bit stuck around the bend near the top, it took a while to tease it out.


Another firing and we have smoke in the right location


Today I finally polished up the stove, it would probably benefit from a bit more time spent on it but it is now functional and pretty. Thank you Stanley, you are a gent

[Stanley]

Lovely! A nice result. Now all we have to watch is that the crack doesn't open up again when subjected to heat.... We certainly induced some stresses in that casting! If a crack starts to develop drill a small hole in the line of the fault about an inch in front of the crack. That could stop it and some more blacklead will seal it.

[Big Kev]

Lovely! A nice result. Now all we have to watch is that the crack doesn't open up again when subjected to heat.... We certainly induced some stresses in that casting! If a crack starts to develop drill a small hole in the line of the fault about an inch in front of the crack. That could stop it and some more blacklead will seal it.

I will indeed. Thank you again for your help with it, it's much appreciated.

[Stanley]

A [pleasure Kev as you well know. Being useful is good for me!
Apologies to the congregation for the seeming lack of activity in the shed. I have been finalising the details of the next project and yesterday sent off the payment for the drawings and castings for the Fieldhouse Winding Engine. It's totally different from what I usually do. The castings for the Doubleboost cylinder are in the treasure chest and will no doubt get used in due course. It might not be an engine next time.....

[Stanley]

The good news is that the castings have arrived for the Fieldhouse Engine. So small! and some fiddly machining! This will keep me busy for a while.....

[micktoon]

Hi Stanley, good timing , that lots looks like it will keep you busy for a while . They look like good castings from the photo.
Cheers Mick

[Stanley]

They vary, mostly excellent, some sponginess in one of the bronze beds but it's underneath so I can deal with it. The CI castings are good. I shall have a study of the drawings today and plan my campaign......

[Stanley]

I have spent about an hour and a half looking at the rabbit and I have to admit that my first reaction is panic! Building this engine is an entirely different kettle of fish and well outside my comfort zone..... For a start off the parts are tiny and I shall have to get used to making very complicated shaped little widgets mainly by hand because they are funny bloody shapes..... Then there is the fact that on close examination I have to make some relatively small gears..... I have done gear cutting before of course and dividing but I can see I am going to have to read up on both and probably take advice on sourcing smaller gear cutters than anything I have about my person.
Not to put too fine a point on it, it's frightened me to death! However, I have never failed to finish anything yet so all I can do is get stuck in and do the best I can. It's going to be a considerable learning curve! How the hell did I get myself into this position at my age?

[micktoon]

Hi Stanley, I would blame the silly bugger that came up with the idea in the first place . I think once you get started you will just find ways around the problems as you go, I have every faith in you and am sure you find a way around any problems. I have been doing a bit more of Tommy so will send you some update photos once I get to a stage where you can spot the difference with the naked eye.
Cheers Mick

[Stanley]

I'm sure you are right Mick. It's just that first sight is so intimidating. I remembered that I have a lot of gears I made for the 1927 lathe and It may well be that two of them will fit..... I have a very good range and will never use them for screw-cutting on that lathe. I'll have a calmer look this morning.

[chinatyke]

Seeing you pull things out of your treasure chest is like watching a magician pulling things out of a hat.

[Stanley]

I sometimes see it like that as well China. It's quite amazing how useful the stuff I collected over the years is. My instincts served me well! I remember thinking when I was having and orgy of gear-cutting for Johnny's lathe that it was quite ridiculous to have so many. It looks as though that overkill could come in handy......
Later in the morning. I haven't been into the shed but I have done some more thinking about how to go about this.... For a start I have stopped whingeing!!
There are two separate elements to this model, the engine and the winding drum. I shall attack the engine first and start from the ground up with the beds. That's it actually, just get on with making the parts.....

[Stanley]

The bad news is that Shed is on hold. Apart from the comms I have to write articles for the paper...... I'm supposed to be retired! I am actually working like a chain horse!

[plaques]

I remembered that I have a lot of gears I made for the 1927 lathe and It may well be that two of them will fit...

It seems such a shame to spoil a full set of gear wheels. Some time ago I made some gears for a long case clock using a Heath Robinson set up . Basically it was a fly cutter with an involute profile and an old gear wheel as the detent spacing reference. I'm sure that if you had a word with the design committee you would have the wherewithal to make a couple of gears.

[Magnu420]

Hi stanley if you after some gears i could enquire for
You,theres a place in colne that does gear hobbing
If you let me know the details of gears you needing
Il find out for you,also il get a discount as i know the guy
Owns the firm. Im always at there either helping out or
Doing a job for my self

[micktoon]

Hi Stanley, I am with Plaques it's a shame if not a crime to spoil that set of gears for the 1927 lathe, even if you wil never use they are there and part of the lathe now, plus soon as you use them for something else you will need them for the 1927 lathe for sure
There is a place called HPC gears that have a massive range I think they do gears just with pilot hole through the centre so you bore it to your shaft size too.
Cheers Mick

[Stanley]

Thanks for all that but that set of gears I augmented for the 1927 lathe is a bit over the top. There are some duplicates in it. There is also the fact that I know I need two gears for the model but the chances of me needing whichever two gears I use out of the set is remote. In the unlikely eventuality of it becoming a problem I can soon cut a gear or find a way round the problem. Using two for the model clears the log jam in my head....
Now all I need is the time to get in there, I am so busy at the moment with comms and articles, and this is essential, not just displacement activity. I will get there!
Later.....



I failed miserably under the load of comms and writing. This is as far as I got. Photocopy the section of the drawing that deals with the bed and clear the decks ready for actually doing something.

[Stanley]

I got all the writing and cooking out of the way yesterday and as it's Sunday the comms are less demanding so there is every chance we may see movement in the shed!
Later.....



As I was starting with the bed the first thing to do was tidy the other castings up out of the way.



I tackled the edges and ends first. I wasn't looking for size or finish just square and even, the finish will come later. Very light cuts because some were well hung outside the vise!



I decided to run the fly cutter over the underside of the base. I soon ran into trouble, it is such a light casting that it started to bow as I was cutting it so I stopped once I had a basis for a flat fit. It will have to be clamped down flat on the bed of the miller for the final cuts on the face. Very careful cuts.....



Knocking off time.....

[Stanley]

I managed to get in the shed and spent a good couple of hours getting some fitting surfaces and proper dimensions milled into the bed casting.









As you can see, I started with a bit of wood butchering and then set to to get some finish into the raised ribs. Than I tackled the fitting surfaces and a small tab on the side of the bed. I have the bosses to do yet but that will do tomorrow. Very fiddly milling, no meat to spare so no heroic cuts. One of the new 1/2" cutters I sharpened did a good job.....

[micktoon]

Good to see you back in the shed Stanley, looks like you are making progress and you will have plenty sharp cutters to fall back on for a while too .Its getting dark real early now and will be an hour worse after the weekend, I hate the dark nights
Cheers Mick

[Stanley]

Fiddly work and quietly away Mick. Everything is so small! I used the 9" Starrett dial calliper that you and John gave me for the first time yesterday, just the ticket..... I'm up and running now, it will start to grow.....
Later.... Apologies to the congregation. I have been snowed under with comms this morning.....