OneGuyFromBarlick

I started the day by completing the refinement of the steam chest and then moved into the pillar drill to drill the passage for the 5/32" valve rod and the counterbore for the valve rod gland. Then I put a face mask on and did the first rough fettling of the cylinder casting followed by milling the backside of the casting to give me a good basis for mounting the cylinder to mill the valve face. My first job tomorrow will be to turn a wooden plug for the bore to aid centre finding. But now the job is breakfast!

I hate woodturning, it's so messy but I had to start the day by making a plug for the cylinder so that centres could be accurately marked as their position is essential for making other measurements. As soon as that was done I cleaned up the wood chips on the lathe and the mill and then set to to measure the depth of cut needed for the valve face and then cutting it to that depth. Next I milled the sides of the face and put the witness mark on for orienting the steam chest and valve face. That will do for today and I can have my breakfast!

This morning I started by facing both ends of the cylinder square with the valve face and giving me a stroke of 2 1/8". Then I marked out the 1/4" wide exhaust port and cut that. That was enough for this morning, now I shall treat myself to breakfast!

This morning I measured, marked, drilled and tapped for the inlet and exhaust pipes. Then I made them and fitted them. That's enough for this morning. I deserve my breakfast.

Only one image needed this morning. I set up for boring the cylinder and have almost reached my target but I hit a problem and that cost me some time. I haven't tried to make that up. Don't ask me what the problem was it was down to old age and stupidity! I have to factor that element in nowadays! Now for breakfast.

Just one task in mind this morning, finish boring the cylinder and clean the mill, reverting to the normal cutter. That meant an early breakfast but that won't worry anyone. All done and I am ready for tomorrow.

One task this morning. Prepare the front lid for fitting. That's all I aimed for and made a good job of it. Slow and careful is the quickest way in the end! Now for breakfast.

This morning I had to decide on an ethical matter before I did anything. The question was whether to correct a fault I had identified in the parallelism of the bore or ignore it and carry on as though nothing was wrong. I could have easily got away with it by making the piston undersize and abandoning the idea it could ever be a runner. I decided it had to be right and so I set the cylinder up in the VM and adjusted the boring head. I took particular care over making sure I had the cylinder mounted correctly and then bored it again to correct the fault. This means that the piston will be oversize at 1.6" and the engine more powerful! It all turned out well and so it was the correct decision. Now for breakfast with a clear conscience.

This morning the target was to make the packing gland for the piston rod. Slow and careful turning and I am ready to mark the cylinder cover and drill and tap for the 5BA studs that will attach it to the cover. The sharp eyed amongst you will have noted that I have marked for the two countersunk screws that holds the front cover on the cylinder. Now for breakfast.

Just one image needed. An hour of careful work. I have marked and drilled the front cylinder lid for the studs and the two countersunk screws that are in the bottom. Then I marked, drilled and tapped for the 5BA studs that hold the piston rod gland in place. I marked the gland to show the correct orientation. That'll do nicely for this morning. I put the belly pork in before I went into the shed so it can have a slow roast while I have second sleep. Now for breakfast!

Another gland this morning, this time the one for the valve rod on the steam chest. The gland has been refined from the rough casting, fitted and drilled for the 5BA studs that will hold it. I shall mark, drill and tap the steam chest for those tomorrow. The job now is breakfast!

Just one task this morning. Finish fitting the valve rod gland to the steam chest, The gland marked and drilled clearance for the studs and then given a witness marl to endure correct orientation. Then the positions of the stud holes transferred to the steam chest, drilled and tapped and the gland test fitted. All is well so instead of starting on another task I have been kind to myself and stopped for breakfast. There are no prizes for speed!

This morning the task was to drill, tap and fit the studs and CS screws in the cylinder and fit the lid. Quiet careful work and I have achieved that. Tomorrow I shall transfer the stud positions to the target end of the bed making sure the valve face is perpendicular to the base. But now the goal is breakfast!

This morning's task was to fit the cylinder to the target face and ensure the valve face is perpendicular to the base. Once that was accomplished I sought out a piece of bronze big enough to make a piston. I never fit cast iron pistons these days because I am conscious that they can rust and seize in the bore if the engine is run on compressed air and moisture left in the cylinder. Much less chance of any problem if the piston is bronze. Now for breakfast!

This morning I made the piston and drilled for fitting the piston rod. I threaded that hole 2BA and then moved on to make the rod. I cut it to length, reduced one end and threaded that 2BA. I fitted it to the piston and started the process of fitting the rod and piston in the cylinder. I finished my hour in the shed at that point and now it's time for breakfast!

First thing this morning I Threaded the front end of the piston rod 2BA for the crosshead connection. Then I refined and adjusted the piston until it was a perfect fit in the bore and properly aligned with the crosshead guide.
Then I stripped the cylinder out of the bed and measured and marked it for the 4BA studs that will attach the back lid. My start tomorrow will be to tap these holes. Right now I want my breakfast.

This morning I threaded the holes already drilled in the cylinder casting. Than I fitted the studs to check my work. Once that was done I moved over to refining the lid casting and fitting it to the cylinder. Much of the turning done using friction hold only and that meant that it too half and hour overtime to get to the stage I was aiming for, ready for marking and drilling for the studs. Now for breakfast.

Using the paper gasket I marked the lid for the 4BA clearance holes and drilled it. Then I fitted it to the cylinder and out witness marks on the periphery of the lid and on the cylinder casting to show the correct orientation. Next, again using the paper gasket, I marked the lid for the clearance holes for the 4BA studs that will fasten it down. Once those holes were marked I drilled them and then used the lid with a transfer punch as a template for marking the cylinder for drilling the holes for the studs tapping size, No. 32 drill. I am ready now to tap for those studs but that's for tomorrow. I have done a good 45 minutes this morning, made nice progress and have earned my breakfast!

My aim this morning was to tap the holes I had already drilled in the valve face of the cylinder, fit the studs, drill the walls of the steam chest and fit the steam chest and lid to the cylinder. All accomplished without any adjustment to the studs or the clearance holes. A perfect fit and tomorrow I can address the matter of the valve and valve rod. Next job is breakfast!

The focus this morning was the valve train and I started by cutting the stainless steel vale ro to size and threading it 4BA at both ends. Then I shifted my attention to the steam valve and started machining the faces to make it square. Once that was done I started on getting it to size. I was in the middle of that at knocking off time..... Now for Breakfast!

The first order of business this morning was to finish reducing the steam valve to size. Once that was done I cut the slot for the driver bar and fitted it. All that remains now is to cut the exhaust cavity in the base of the valve. I shall do that tomorrow. Now for breakfast.

I started the morning by assessing yesterday's work and deciding the driver needed to sit a bot lower in the steam valve so I mounted it in the mill again and cut more out until I was satisfied. Next I marked the base of the valve for the exhaust passage that has to be cut out of it. Once that was done I cleaned the valve up and mounted it in the valve chest. I marked it and drilled the clearance hole through it for the valve rod. Then I mounted it again and marked the driver bar before drilling and tapping it 4BA to accept the valve rod. Then I fitted the valve rod. This involved easing all the various fits until I was satisfied I had a viable valve. I then took the 1/4" cutter out of the mill. I shall remount my usual cutter tomorrow but will touch it up in the T&C grinder first. A good morning with accurate progress. Now for breakfast!

My first job was to breathe on the everyday cutter to make sure it had a good edge and then re-install it in the VM. Then I stripped my engine build down into the individual castings, took them outside on to the welding bench and painted them. They are now back in the shed under cover drying and tomorrow I shall refine them where necessary and mount them on the plinth that is ready for them. I shall then be ready to continue the build. Now for breakfast!

I started the morning by Mounting the engine base on the wooden plinth that was waiting for it. Next I machined the bed of the crosshead guide and then set about converting the stock supplied to the profile needed for the crosshead guides. Some very careful milling needed to produce the correct profile. I finished the first side. One more matching profile to cut tomorrow. The next job is breakfast.

Only one image this morning. I spent 45 minutes carefully producing a replica of yesterday's crosshead guide and then cut them both to length to fit the casting. Some very fine and careful milling.... Tomorrow I shall fit them. Now for breakfast.