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Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 12 Jan 2024, 07:24
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 12 Jan 2024, 12:47
by Stanley
I had decided that it was clement enough for a short walk but then it struck me, if it's good enough for a walk it's good enough for a bit of wood bothering in the back yard.... So I got my router out and then the orbital sander and a pot of raw linseed oil and here we are Three oak engine plinths sat there soaking the oil in slowly.....
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 13 Jan 2024, 06:56
by Stanley
Today I finished fitting the steam valve in the steam chest. This entailed drilling the driver block and tapping 4BA to accept the valve rod. Then I put witness marks on the block and the valve to ensure proper orientation. Then I opened the drilling of the steam valve enough to allow the valve to float, even when driven, and to be able to sit down flat on the valve face. That took the whole of the hour.... Now for breakfast!
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 14 Jan 2024, 06:56
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 15 Jan 2024, 07:07
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 16 Jan 2024, 07:21
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 16 Jan 2024, 13:12
by Stanley
The castings have arrived for the next engine after this one. I haven't opened it yet. It can wait unyil the current one is finished.
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 17 Jan 2024, 07:08
by Stanley
This morning was a succession of adjustments to get to a point where I had a functioning steam valve. It started with finding two 4BA bolts to fasten the valve support to the casting. Once I had that I had to make sure the clearances were right to allow the use of the 4BA bolts and then make sure I had the valve a good fit to the support. Then I had to make sure the steam valve was right to the right size and also adjusted the size of the valve support was allowing the valve had enough to enough free to allow full adjustment. At knocking of time I had it all correct and what I need to do now is make the last fitting of the valve train. I will do that tomorrow, today it is time for breakfast!
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 18 Jan 2024, 07:20
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 19 Jan 2024, 07:43
by Stanley
This morning was simple. Finish building the engine and put it on the kitchen table. You can't have too many steam engines!
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 20 Jan 2024, 07:12
by Stanley
One engine went out of the shed yesterday as a gift to a young friend of Mine, Vicky Barritt. As I am sure you remember I am convinced I cannot die while I am building an engine so immediate steps needed to be taken. I have already spent £633 on a fresh set of castings and so I unpacked them this morning after putting the detritus that is always left after a build into the various boxes I have waiting for them. As you can see I have everything out of its shrink wrapping and ready to be worked on, the smaller items being in their own plastic box. All the packing materials in the bin outside. I also spent a few minutes cleaning up and sharpening an old and very well worn US army knife which I have decided will be OK as a bench knife.
That was a good and productive hour. I am ready now on the starting blocks of another steam engine. And yes it's the same as the last but I know my limitations and there is less chance of cock-ups due to senior moments because I know the build so well.
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 21 Jan 2024, 07:17
by Stanley
The first job was to clean up my bench and oil the surface plates before putting a clean tablecloth on.
I intended to start work on the engine proper by hand fettling the castings with a big rough file but when I looked at the flywheel casting I saw I had my work cut out because it was far worse than usual with Stuart castings so I put the big 3 jaw SC chuck on, changed to the outside jaws and set the casting up as well as I could, then starting to turn it so that it became concentric and accurate. By knocking off time I had one side done and bored for the crankshaft. That's right! I am off to a flying start with this engine as the crankshaft is chopped out of the solid already. I have the oak plinth ready as well looking a long way forward. Tomorrow I shall reverse it in the chuck and turn the other side to match. Not a bad start so it was a good morning.
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 22 Jan 2024, 07:04
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 23 Jan 2024, 07:22
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 24 Jan 2024, 07:13
by Stanley
This morning more work refining the steam chest casting. Making sure it was all square, the correct shape and machined to size. I also marked it with the witness mark that ensures it is always oriented correctly and cleaned out the interior to size by hand with the biggest files I could get in there. At knocking off time it was ready for final fitting when I get round to it. Another casting clean and sized.
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 25 Jan 2024, 07:15
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 26 Jan 2024, 07:34
by Stanley
My goal today was to bring the cylinder in to the point where it could be bored, So that's what I did. I ended up with the cylinder having an exhaust port and having been drilled and tapped for fitting the exhaust pipe. It took almost an hour and a half, long time since I did overtime!
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 27 Jan 2024, 07:10
by Stanley
Still pursuing the boring of the cylinder. First I took the 1/4" slot drill out and put the normal cutter back in the mill. Then I did a bit of wood-bothering to make a plug I could drive into the cylinder and cut back to give me a surface I can measure and mark on. You can't make an accurate marking on an empty bore. I finished up with the cylinder marked and ready for boring and tomorrow I'll set it up in the mill.
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 28 Jan 2024, 07:13
by Stanley
The full hour in the shed was taken up by getting the mill set up for boring and then setting the cylinder up after taking the plug out without losing the accurate positioning. At closing time I have it ready for boring. Not my finest hour but everything has been done without error and we are set up for tomorrow. Now for breakfast!
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 29 Jan 2024, 07:22
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 30 Jan 2024, 07:08
by Stanley
I started this morning by finishing making the small pipes that are the steam and exhaust pipes. Then I drilled and tapped the steam chest to accept the steam pipe and fitted them both. That's as far as I want to go with the cylinder and steam chest at the moment. I need to look at the other castings. I started with the bed, I mounted it in the vise and cleaned up the base and the ends. Then I started setting up for milling the target face on the bed. doing it now ensures that it is at right angles and perpendicular to the rest of the bed. That was knocking off time so I left it at that for tomorrow morning. Now for breakfast....
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 31 Jan 2024, 06:47
by Stanley
Sorry to say that there will be no post this morning in Shed Matters. I had a domestic emergency and declared a holiday in the shed..... I shall be back tomorrow.....
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 01 Feb 2024, 07:16
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 02 Feb 2024, 07:25
by Stanley
Re: Shed Matters 3
Posted: 03 Feb 2024, 07:22
by Stanley