Shed Matters 3

[Stanley]

I started the day by finishing the initial turning of the flywheel and putting the chuck back to the normal internal jaws. Then I turned my attention to the cylinder. This has to be machined and bored before the lids can be machined. I started by the first rough fettling with the grinder, and in the case of the flash in the bore, a punch a chisel and some convincing blows! Then a good measure up and marking for overall length of 2 1/8". Next into the vise on the VM and I started by rough machining both ends so I can check for being square before taking them down to the mark. That was 45 minutes so I stopped and am now chasing my breakfast!

[Stanley]

More work on the cylinder.... ready now for the finishing cuts, cutting the Exhaust port and Boring. All that is for tomorrow. Now I deserve breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning the task is to bore the cylinder. However, there were things needed doing first. I wanted to clean up some of the CI dust on the vertical mill and lathe but Henry, my shop vac, has been a bit short of suck lately.... Time to empty him! That's not quick and easy but it had to be done. Once that was out of the way I mounted the boring head on the mill and did some very careful measuring on my cylinder because I made a very small error when I was cutting it to length on the mill and wanted to make sure I was boring it in such a way that I would be able to compensate for that very small mistake. That took a bit of weighing up but once I had it done I mounted the cylinder in the vise and positioned the boring head ready for work. That's where I stopped for breakfast. My work tomorrow is quite clear, start the day by boring the cylinder to 1.5" diameter.

[Stanley]

I got a call from my old boss John Ingoe yesterday.... I had put the arm on him to find me some 2" steel for making crankshafts as it seems I am going to live for ever! He responded positively and is going to get back to me. Nice..... a bit of help is worth a lot of pity!

[Stanley]

Today I bored the cylinder, cut the exhaust port in the valve face and drilled and tapped the hole for the exhaust pipe. Now I want my breakfast....

[Stanley]

I started the morning by taking two refining cuts on the exterior of the Cylinder and then I moved on the the steam chest casting. I have made a good start on this but will finish it tomorrow. Now it's breakfast time!

[Stanley]

The remaining external faces of the steam chest milled square, smooth and to size. Then the internal faces of the chest cleaned up using the files and vise. Lastly I measured, marked and drilled the hole and counterbore for the valve rod gland. A good 45 minutes work. Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning was all about the steam chest lid. It's a good thing to avoid any heavy cuts or aggressive milling because, being thin, the lid can be prone to cold short, very brittle areas such as the corners. So I took it very carefully and had no problems. Now I want my breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I measured and marked the stud positions on the lid and drilled them clearance size for 4BA studs. Then I measured and marked for the tapped entry for the steam pipe. That is drilled and threaded. I'm multi-tasking this morning, doing a load of washing at the same time as shed duties. That's dealt with, now the task is find breakfast.

[Stanley]

Today I concentrated on machining the bottom face of the bed and the inside of the space between the two bearing pockets. Now I am after my breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning was spent on the bed casting. I wasn't pleased with what I did yesterday as the base of the bed wasn't level so I set it up again in the vise. Sharpened the cutter, brought the head down closer to the job and re-cut the base flat and level. Then I fettled the face and periphery of the target end on the grinding wheel. I am satisfied now, it is much better. Now I can allow myself to have breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I took the vise off the VM bed cleaned it up and then dressed it with a diamond hone to eliminate any dings or roughness. Then I mounted the bed directly on the table and spent a lot of time making sure it was square to the cutter. I dressed the bed where the crosshead will fit and then got set up with a long cutter and made sure I was ready to cut the face of the target end. That all took time so 45 minutes later I have left all that for tomorrow and as a change from my usual habit, I am going to cook a breakfast of two pork burgers and two fried eggs....

[Stanley]

This morning I finished the facing cut across the target end, faced the two lugs for the holding down bolts at the flywheel end of the bed, adjusted the thickness of the horns that contain the pockets for the flyshaft bearings and finally, cut the pockets between the horns for the bearing brasses. Then a chip chase and I shall come back to the bed tomorrow. Right now the project is breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I finished the milling of the bed and moved on to the base. I shall finish that tomorrow. Now for breakfast!

[Stanley]

A good 45 minutes..... Both the bed and the base are ready now for painting and further fitting. All the milling is done and the filing of the flash on the bed to finish fettling. I am happy and chasing my breakfast.

[Stanley]

I started on the lids this morning, first the back lid. If you did one small task a day well you would eventually end up with an engine. That's my strategy and what I have done this morning. I have a back lid ready for bolt holes and fitting. Tomorrow I shall concentrate on the front lid. At the moment my sights are set on breakfast.

[Stanley]

Another simple task took 45 minutes this morning. The aperture in the target end of the bed was ground out and brought to size, then the front cylinder lid was cleaned up turned to dimension and bored for the piston rod and gland. That's where I finished and went looking for my breakfast.

[Stanley]

45 minutes spent on one simple task. Measure and mark stud positions on lids and drill them so that they can become templates for drilling and tapping the other castings. That's done and now I'm after my breakfast.

[Stanley]

A slightly different morning. I often say the Design Committee works during the night and sends me messages in the morning. I got one such message this morning when it dawned on me shortly after I woke up that I had made a mistake yesterday. Remember me drilling the clearance holes in the front lid? I forgot to bore the bottom two 5BA and the rest 4BA I bored them all 4BA clearance. So this morning I had to rectify the mistake. The best way to do this was to find two 4BA CS screws and use them in the bottom two holes. So I started searching through the treasure chests and eventually found the right drawer in my bench top cabinet. I have two countersunk screws and I have countersunk the two bottom holes. Problem solved but that was a patient three quarters of an hour. I deserve my breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I first tapped for the two CS screws and fitted them. I marked the hole positions for the 4 remaining 4BA studs and then drilled and tapped them.I had done almost an hour by this time and so left the fitting of the studs until tomorrow. At the moment I am after my breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I started by finishing tapping the holes in the front end of the cylinder and fitting the studs that will connect it to the target end of the bed. Then I drilled the clearance holes for the 2BA holding down bolts in the lugs of the bed. Next, while I had the 3/16" drill in the chuck I drilled the holes in the lugs on the base for the holding down screws on to the wooden plinth. That got rid of 45 minutes so I am chasing my breakfast.

[Stanley]

More slow steady progress. This morning I drilled and tapped for the 2BA holding down bolts for the bed attachment to the base and then Mounted the base on a temporary wooden plinth for the remainder of the fitting. 45 minutes well spent and now I am chasing breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning the task was to mark and drill the clearance holes in the target end of the bed in such a way that the face of the valve is perpendicular to the base. I have achieved that and got a good first fit but more needs to be done later to ensure that the nuts bed properly in the back of the target. But this morning's 45 minutes is sufficient and now I want my breakfast.