Shed Matters 3

[Stanley]

I filed and polished the two crosshead guides and then measured and marked them for the 5BA clearance holes for the bolts that will fasten them to the crosshead slide on the bed. Then I found the six bolts I shall need. Tomorrow I have a clear rite into marking drilling and tapping the be for the guides. We have another small but accurate move towards a finished engine. Right now the task is breakfast.

[Stanley]

I think I'm getting the hang of this game..... I have just had a lovely hour in the shed. I knew exactly what the goal was and how to get there. I put witness marks on the guides and the bed to identify the two sides. Then I mounted the bed under the pillar drill and drilled and tapped for the 5BA bolts which hold the guides on to the crosshead slide. Quiet accurate work using the guides as templates and the result is a bed complete with crosshead guides! Another small but accurate step forward. Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

The next job is to make the crosshead. This is because at this stage we have unrestricted access to the slide for measuring and fitting. The first stage was to mill the generous piece of stock supplied down to square and the correct overall dimensions. Another small step forward and a good 45 minutes. Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I have spent an hour carefully refining the crosshead stock, finding a 5/16" cutter for the slots and sharpening it and measuring and marking. Then some careful cuts leaving enough metal to allow for hand filing for a perfect fit. Another quiet accurate step forward. Now I deserve my breakfast.

[Stanley]

Half an hour of hand work filing and shaping the crosshead until it was a snug fit in the crosshead slide. Then I marked to hole for the con rod pivot pin and drilled for it. I shall use a 2BA bolt and cut one down to size. Then I set up for cutting the slot in the crosshead to accept the small end of the Con road. That was enough for this morning, another small accurate step forward. Now for breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I cut the slot for the small end of the con rod and rounded the end of the crosshead just because it looks nice. Another small but accurate move forward. I am ready for my breakfast.

[Stanley]

I decided today's task was making the piston and rod. Normally I make my pistons from bronze scrap but this morning I have nothing in the scrap box that will do so rather than cutting a piece of stock out of a virgin rod I decided to use the cast iron that Stuarts provide. I did my measurements of the bore of the cylinder, not necessarily dead on what the drawings demanded, and cut my stock to fit. All this took 45 minutes and rather than pressing on I decided breakfast was more important. There is no rush!

[Stanley]

I decided that if we were going to have a cast iron piston we might as well go the full distance and use piston rings as well so I cut a groove wide and deep enough to accommodate the rings Stuart provided. The I bored the piston and threaded it 2BA for the rod. Then part the piston off from the stock. Next job was reduce the 1/4" rod to the diameter needed for the 2BA thread on the rod and thread it. I could have crashed on and finished the rod but I'd done 45 minutes and that will do me for Xmas Day! Now for breakfast and second sleep.

[Stanley]

This morning I measured and cut the rod to length and threaded it 2BA which will be needed for connection to the crosshead. Then I checked that the piston plus rings fits in the cylinder, a snug fit. It was only 57F in the shed so I only did half an hour..... Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I got all the remaining non ferocious metal parts out and started work on the bottom brasses for the crankshaft bearings. That went well enough but I broke off to sharpen my two everyday cutters as both were dull and I have a lot of milling to do. I found I had been in the shed for an hour so I stopped and now I am going to attack my breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I completed the milling of the bottom crankshaft bearing brasses. 45 minutes of very careful measuring, setting up and cutting. All went well and we've taken another small accurate step towards an engine. That always makes for a good morning. Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

The target this morning was the top brasses. First I checked that there was enough room between the cheeks of the bottom bearing for the flywheel webs. Then I milled to top bearings adjusted them for width and last got them under the pillar drill and drilled both the oil holes and the clearance holes for the 4BA studs that locate the caps. That was a good 45 minutes of careful work. Now I want my breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I marked and drilled the holes for the 4BA studs that retain the top caps on the bearing, then I tapped the holes and fitted the caps. Not quite perfectly aligned but good enough and not bad for a 90 year old fitter! And now he wants his breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I finished fitting the bearing brasses making sure there was enough room for the flywheel and then I set up under the radial drill and bored the brasses 1/2" for the shaft. Next I shall fit the shaft but that's for tomorrow. Right now my sights are fixed on breakfast! A good hour with another positive step forward.

[Stanley]

I fitted the shaft, several small adjustments and the end result is a nice free fit.

[Stanley]

This morning I made a collar to set the distance from the bed of the flywheel rim. Then I refined the finish of the flywheel and mounted it on the shaft with Loctite 638 shaft fit. Now I deserve my breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I started by having a good chip chase with the vacuum. I cleaned the vise on the pillar drill, the VM and Mrs Harrison. Then i started building the engine up on the bed bolting the bed down on the base, replacing the crosshead guides and checking that the crosshead is running freely. I shall decide on where to go next tomorrow. Right now I have a fancy for breakfast.

[Stanley]

I braved the cold and did 45 minutes in the shed this morning. I started on sizing and refining the brasses needed for the crank pin bearing that will eventually be on the end of the connecting rod.Having made a good start on these I went looking for my breakfast.

[Stanley]

I went in the shed with the best intentions but by the time I had done a few cuts I realised I was not enjoying it, too cold still. So I have come out for my breakfast. No rush. The sky will not fall!

[Stanley]

First I refined the exterior of the two halves of the crank pin brass. Then I did some careful measuring and decided what I was doing. Next I went searching the treasure chests for stock that was very close to the 1/4" I was going to need for the plug that fits in the oil passage on the bearing. Next get the stock set up in the 4 jaw chuck. Harder than it sounds because it isn't square. Bit of a fiddle but once that was done I drilled the 1/16" oil passage into the heart of the bearing and then the 4.1mm tapping size. Next I tapped ready for the plug. That was an hour so I stopped there. I shall make the plug and fit it tomorrow and then I am ready to go on to finish the bearing. Right now I am looking for breakfast.

[Stanley]

Another small but error free step forwards. I spent Half an hour cleaning up the stock I dug out yesterday. It's at least 100 years old, I got in in a workshop clear out. Interesting that the 5/16" bar is cast brass. I made the plug for the oil way on the crank pin bearing and of course this included a bit of knurling for David! Now I am chasing my breakfast,

[Stanley]

This morning the last bit of refining of the crank pin brass. Some very careful measuring and drilling to fit the two 5BA bolts that will hold the bearing securely on the end of the connecting rod. Then I bored it 3/8" and it is ready now to be fitted after one last piece of refining but that's for tomorrow, right now I want my breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I did the final work on the crank pin bearing. This is always the most dangerous stage because a mistake now loses all the work that has gone into the piece. First I made sure that the oil supply drilling was correct, it wasn't and so I made sure there was a passage. Then I counterbored the bolt holes so that there was sufficient thread to attach the connecting rod. Then fitted the bearing to the crank making sure the bore was correct. Last job was to round the edges of the crosshead. I am now ready to make and fit the connecting rod. But at the moment my mind is full of breakfast!