Shed Matters 3

[Stanley]

This morning I set the engine bed up under the pillar drill and after some very careful adjustments I bored the crankshaft bearings with a 1/2" drill. Note that I don't assume this means I have bored to 1/2" as the drill is an old one. Then I reamed the bore out with a 1/2" reamer. The crankshaft still doesn't fit the bores because I deliberately made the journals slightly over size. Tomorrow I shall adjust the journals to a size that fits the bearings. Right now the job is breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I massaged the journal on each side of the crankshaft until I had what I consider a perfect fit in both bearings. That is one that is too tight if the holding down nuts are dead tight but just right if they are only snugged. This allows for running in. Then I made a collar to space the flywheel away from the engine bed when it is eventually fitted. A good step forward with no mistakes. Now for breakfast!

[Stanley]

Only a short stint in the shed this morning. I stripped the build down from the stage it has reached so far because today I shall take advantage of the better weather to give the castings a coat of paint on the welding bench in the yard as that means I can use spray paint.... I can have my breakfast early!

[Stanley]

The paint I applied yesterday was dry so I got all the parts on to the surface plate. Then I cleaned the lathe because I fancied putting the flywheel in there and refining the finish after splashing it with black paint. By closing time I had a nice selection of engine parts looking black and shiny.... No I want my breakfast.

[Super_7b]

Hi Stanley,

I'm not sure who to direct this to, but since you're a moderator....

I noticed for the last few days that when I try to open the link to this site, Firefox complains that the security cetificate has expired (on the 26th, I think). I think it is supplied via the free service through Certbot (as I use for my own server), so will it be renewed soon? I trust this site, but it goes against the grain for me to use any https site with an expired certificate.

BR

Mick

[Stanley]

Yes Mick. Have a look at the topics on current SSL certificate. Something has broken and the lads re working on it. We are just as safe or dangerous as we always were!

[Stanley]

This morning I started by drilling all the clearance holes in the lugs on the bed and base to accept the 2BA holding down bolts and the six No. 6 3/4" brass screws that hold the base onto the plinth. Then I used those holes as the template for marking the positions of the 4 X 2BA threaded holes in the face of the base. I fit them one at a time so that I always know they are going to be aligned. As you can see I have two fitted and tightened down. I shall drill and tap for the other two tomorrow. At the moment my mind is on breakfast.

[Stanley]

Apologies for the intrusion, this is the image using the BBCode - Kev

More work building the engine up. First I drilled and tapped for the remaining two 2BA holding down bolts that fasten the bed to the base and fitted them Next, I dressed the bed of the crosshead down to get rid of the paint and milling marks on it and then re-fitted the crosshead guides. Next I re-installed the studs in the horns of the bed and re-fitted the bottom bearing brass, the crankshaft and the top bearing caps and checked for fit. They are perfect, just a shade too tight but that's how they should be before running in, so I fitted the collar on the shaft which acts as the spacer to give the flywheel clearance from the plinth and then installed the flywheel using Loctite 638. That's enough for one morning, I want my breakfast!

[Big Kev]

Hi Stanley,

I'm not sure who to direct this to, but since you're a moderator....

I noticed for the last few days that when I try to open the link to this site, Firefox complains that the security cetificate has expired (on the 26th, I think). I think it is supplied via the free service through Certbot (as I use for my own server), so will it be renewed soon? I trust this site, but it goes against the grain for me to use any https site with an expired certificate.

BR

Mick

Hi Mick

There's a new SSL cert in place on the domain now

[Super_7b]

Hi Kev,

Good to know that.

Thanks

Mick

[Stanley]

More this morning on the process of rebuilding the engine preparatory to continuing with the fitting. First I cut the slot in the back of the piston which I will use when fitting the rod and piston to the crosshead. Then I fitted the cylinder, the valve chest, valve and lid and then the back cylinder lid. The flywheel is running easy and dead true. I can go on now with the Con-rod, crosshead and the valve train. I shall start that tomorrow. Right now the task is breakfast!

[Stanley]

No point in an image this morning as it would only be of a block of brass.
This morning I put the slitting saw back in the vertical mill and used it to reduce the piece of stock Stuart's provide to the overall dimensions of the crosshead. Then I used a fresh piece of P50 emery paper to clean up the faces. Just one left to do but that will have to be on the mill so I finished the morning by taking the saw out of the VM and replacing it with a freshly sharpened end mill. I am ready now to carry on tomorrow! Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I have milled the crosshead to its proper dimensions and installed the 5BA bolt that will be the pin connecting the con rod to the head. I'm ready now for changing to a 5/16" end mill and completing the last cuts on the crosshead. I deserve my breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I started by milling the curve on the corner of the crosshead using a drill through the axis pin hole to set the radius. Then I measured and marked and milled the 5/16" wide slot to accept the small end of the connecting rod. Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

The first image is evidence that Colin Faulkner is a good friend. I asked if he could help with wood for my engine bases and two days later I have them. It doesn't get much better than that! The second image is evidence of my work this morning finishing the machining of the crosshead and then fine tuning it to fit in the crosshead slide, tomorrow I shall be drilling and tapping it to accept the piston rod but this morning the next job is breakfast.

[Stanley]

The sun shone so I went in the backyard and did some overtime. My three bases now all have an artistic Ogee curve on them and have been sanded. They are ready for a coat of oil.

[Stanley]

My first job this morning was to complete the marking, drilling and fitting of the piston road to the crosshead and the finishing touches to it. Once I had that done I replaced the flywheel and the bearing caps and then turned my mind to the three plinths that Colin made for me. I Replenished my ready use pot of raw linseed oil from the reserve in bottles squirrelled away in the far corner of the shed. That took more doing than it sounds and involved getting the stepladder out! When I had accomplished that and put everything away I gave the plinths a good coat of linseed oil and left them to soak on the bench. Then I looked for my breakfast! All told a good productive hour in the shed.

[Wendyf]

Great job Stanley,
Keep it up Colin

[Stanley]

Thank you Wendy! I moved them outside on to the welding bench where they could sit in the sun and later on to the window cill. The oil has soaked in well enough for them all to live on the bookshelf in the kitchen now. I have plinths and crankshafts for two future engines after the one I am working on now.

[Stanley]

My first job this morning was shed maintenance. I gave my small surface plate a good cleaning and then a rub down with very fine abrasives and Scotch Pad. Finishing up with a wipe down with WD40. It's such an asset, it deserves looking after. Then I set to to refine the crank pin brass.I've attended to the width and the two faces, I shall go further with it tomorrow. Right now I want my breakfast!

[Wendyf]

Thank you Wendy! I moved them outside on to the welding bench where they could sit in the sun and later on to the window cill. The oil has soaked in well enough for them all to live on the bookshelf in the kitchen now. I have plinths and crankshafts for two future engines after the one I am working on now.

That was Colin commenting when I showed him the picture.

[Stanley]

Then thank you Colin also.....

[Stanley]

My task this morning started with turning the outside of the top extension on the crank brass that takes the screwed plug sealing the lubricating hole and then drilling and tapping it for the plug. I have to admit to a senior moment.... I used the wrong drill for tapping, too small, as my eyesight let me down. I realised that and used the correct drill and then found that I had drilled and tapped it the wrong size. Luckily I can just get away with it but will admit to not covering myself with glory! Nevertheless, I am allowing myself breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I made and fitted the plug for the lubricator, marked and drilled the crank pin brass for the retaining bolts and put witness marks on for orientation before boring the brass to fit the crank pin. I'm ready now to make the connecting rod. But the next job this morning is to have my breakfast!

[Stanley]

The first job this morning was to finish refining the bore of the crank pin brass by chamfering the ends so that it doesn't bind in the corners of the pin. Than fit the brass to the pin and make sure it is an accurate fit but not tight. I will have to counterbore the drillings for the mounting bolts later. Then I measured and marked the stock for the con rod and got that set up in the lathe for turning. I made a mistake because I cut the rod to length, that's wrong you need the full length to be able to hold the rod in the chuck. Luckily I had a spare piece of stock. I took the first two cuts and then went looking for my breakfast.