Shed Matters 3

[Stanley]

No need for an image this morning because it would be exactly the same as yesterday's.... The difference is that I have stripped the piston and rod out of the cylinder, removed the soft packing and adjusted the fit until I had free movement. Then I replaced the packing and screwed the rod back into the crosshead. I also rethreaded the hole in the crosshead so that I could get full depth engagement. I am ready to make the connecting tod now.... The immediate task is breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I started by touching up my milling cutter and reinstalling it in the VM. Then I set to to make a connecting rod. I set the piece of rectangular stock provided by Stuarts in the lathe and started cutting. It was tempting to press on when I reached an hour in the shed but I managed to resist. I know exactly where I am starting from tomorrow. Breakfast is more important and there is no rush.

[Stanley]

Slow but accurate! The con rod is well on the way to completion. I was tempted to crash on and part it off but restrained myself. There is no rush and breakfast is more important.

[Stanley]

This morning I finished turning the connecting rod and marked it for drilling to accept the bolts that hold the crank bearing together. That's done now and I am ready to mill the sides off level with the brass and then fit it back on the crankshaft and measure where I need to drill for the crosshead pivot. That's tomorrow's work, right now the aim is breakfast!

[Stanley]

A combination of hand work and some very precise milling resulted in my con rod being refined to the point where it is ready for fitting to the engine. That will happen tomorrow. My goal at the moment is breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I made my measurements and cut the tail of the connecting rod to length and then rounded it off. Next U punched witness marks into the foot of the rod and the crank brass to ensure correct orientation and decided on the location of the hole in the con rod for the crosshead pivot pin. This was a balance between each end of the stroke. I marked the position I decided on and then drilled it. A bit more refining of the finish and I re-assembled the rod on the crank brass. Then the most important part of the process. I fitted the crosshead pivot pin and tried a rotation of the flywheel. I am happy to say it's perfect. I tightened my nuts up and went to find breakfast.

[Stanley]

The task this morning was to prepare the engine for building the valve train but I got a surprise as I surveyed the piste.... I thought I'd finished with the con rod and piston but realised I had forgotten to install the piston rod gland! So I started the morning by stripping the piston and rod out of the engine and installing the studs and fitting the piston rod gland. That done I cleaned up the face that the valve sits on, fitted the studs for the valve chest and then fitted the chest and its gaskets and the steam chest lid. I am ready now to go forwards and the first job will be to make the steam and exhaust pipes.... But first, I want my breakfast.