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Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 11 Oct 2023, 03:31
by Stanley
Sorry lads, I am declaring a holiday in the shed today. It's been a busy week so far and I need a rest....
(It's a good place to pause!)
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 12 Oct 2023, 06:09
by Stanley
One very simple task this morning, make and install two interference fit buttons in the gap in the slugs so that when I apply pressure to the centre for the next cutting process, that pressure doesn't distort the shaft. They had to be exactly -505"wide. Not as easy as it looks but they are both done and fitted. Now I can think about the next stage, muck-shifting to get rid of the excess metal.... I don't mind it taking an hour.....
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 13 Oct 2023, 06:11
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 14 Oct 2023, 06:11
by Stanley
This morning I finished the now cool leg of the crankshaft exactly to size and polished it. Then I had another clean up and took all the chips out. Next I made sure the HSS cutter was sharp, burnishing it with a fine diamond lap. Then I put the crankshaft back in the chuck and set it up ready for tomorrow when I repeat the exercise and finish the other leg.
I know I am slow but I have been careful, avoided errors and ended up with a shaft that has a 1/2" journal and a 3/8" shaft, exactly.... I need to repeat that three more times.... Very enjoyable!
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 15 Oct 2023, 06:07
by Stanley
I left everything ready for more muck-shifting and so went straight into 50thou side producing blue chips. I finished up with a very hot workpiece ready for final finishing to it can sit and wait until tomorrow. I improved the shining hour by cleaning up the chips off the Lathe and the floor. I have a nice clean shop tomorrow to concentrate on the finish of the other leg of this shaft. A good morning!
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 16 Oct 2023, 06:18
by Stanley
Only one image needed today. Remember where we finished yesterday with a clean lathe and a workpiece that just needed some final touches to finish it. These 'final touches' are the ones where a mistake is made and many hours of work lost so the pressure mounts as we near completion. I started by honing the cutter with a very fine diamond hone, then carefully turning the journal to 1/2" and the shaft to 3/8" exactly. Then cleaning up the outside face of the web of the shaft. Finally polishing both sides and knocking out the spacer that has been protecting the i9ntegrity of the shaft under the pressure from the live centre. My picture is of the finished shaft and the piece of stock for the next one. That's right, I am a glutton for punishment (and an optimist!) as I am going to chop out a second shaft for the engine after the current one. That's what you call a vote of confidence!
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 17 Oct 2023, 06:19
by Stanley
Today's task is taking the first cuts to take the cuts towards the rough cutting the crankshaft to the correct target. I had to leave the cut to cool down in order to finish the cuts. I connected the chips and left the cutting until tomorrow when the metal is ready for final cuts.
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 18 Oct 2023, 06:05
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 19 Oct 2023, 06:12
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 19 Oct 2023, 13:02
by Stanley
Just out of curiosity I went back in the shed and measured my last cut to see how much it had shrunk since it cooled down. When I left it was 5075" on remeasuring cold it was 5072", it had lost 3 thou on the diameter. I want to measure it accurately at a reference temp of somewhere near 65F.
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 20 Oct 2023, 06:08
by Stanley
Only one pic needed this morning. I have finished the second crankshaft exactly to size and polished it. I now have two crankshafts for the Stuart No 9 Engine and both are chopped out of one piece of solid steel, not cobbled together out of round and flat bar and stuck together with either Loctite or silver solder as recommended by Stuarts. Anyone looking at my engines in 100 years will notice and nod approvingly I think......
I rounded the morning off by cleaning Mrs Harrison and sweeping the floor. Tomorrow I can start on the castings.... That'll be a bit of a change!
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 21 Oct 2023, 05:58
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 22 Oct 2023, 06:19
by Stanley
Complete change this morning. From lathe work to hand filing and some grinding on the wheel. The job was to clean up the castings, get rid of the worst flash and prepare them for machine finishing. After an hour and a quarter I have done most of them, just a bit more on the bed and the base to do but that can wait until tomorrow. Dirty work and reminded me of muscles I had forgotten about but essential work and very satisfying.
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 23 Oct 2023, 06:16
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 24 Oct 2023, 06:09
by Stanley
I concentrated on the cylinder and in a variation of my usual method I used the inherent accuracy of the 90degree relationship between the two axis of the mill and milled the face of the valve seat and the two ends of the cylinder. It worked well but was actually no more accurate than my usual method. I spent almost 30 minutes on the faces on a new sheet of 80grit emery and ended with perfectly acceptable surfaces. A good hour with concrete progress. Now for breakfast, I've earned it.
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 25 Oct 2023, 06:23
by Stanley
First I addressed the base and instead of removing the vise and bolting it directly to the bed I tried to take an easier way out by removing one of the jaws from the vise. I got the base cleaned up on both sides but it was harder and took longer. (Lesson noted!) Once the base was done I moved back to the bed. I need to cut out the horns where the crankshaft bearings sit 5/8" wide and 3/8" deep. By knocking off time I had this set up and was ready to start cutting. I shall leave that until tomorrow. I haven't made any mistakes but I'm not very pleased with myself for the time I wasted and the risks I took with the4 base. Not up to my usual standard.
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 26 Oct 2023, 06:06
by Stanley
This morning was spent entire;y on the bed casting, cutting out the pockets for the crankshaft bearing brasses, Cleaning the flanks of the castings inside the horns and outside. Cleaning the faces of the bosses for the holding down bolts and grinding out the aperture in the target face of the casting where the front cylinder lid and piston rod gland will fit. Now I can move onto the smaller castings but that is for tomorrow!
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 27 Oct 2023, 07:00
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 28 Oct 2023, 06:37
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 28 Oct 2023, 07:26
by Stanley
No sleep, I am off back into the shed.....

Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 28 Oct 2023, 08:44
by Stanley
Later...... I pulled the switch out of the mill, found the connection that had failed, remade it exactly as it was before but securely. Put everything back together and hit the button. Nothing but a kick and a park from the starter but no joy so there is evidently a fault elsewhere in the motor wiring, perhaps caused by the short when the connection failed.
So I need a competent electrician used to dealing with motors. Can anybody recommend someone please. I'll put this elsewhere on the site, not everyone follows Shed Matters.
I am now annoyed!
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 29 Oct 2023, 07:03
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 30 Oct 2023, 07:10
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 31 Oct 2023, 07:09
by Stanley
Only one pic needed. It took me an hour to turn this rough casting into a back lid for the cylinder with a register that closely fits the bore, the thickness adjusted and the PCD of the bolt hole circle marked on the end. Slow but accurate and no mistakes and if you think you could do better go to it. You'll find that it's surprisingly difficult and you have to get quite inventive to hold it.
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 01 Nov 2023, 07:26
by Stanley