Shed Matters 3

[Stanley]

Only one pic this morning. The finished engine after a check over, all nuts checked for tightness and studs that were over long shortened. I didn't check it for being a runner though there is no reason why it shouldn't, the valve is set correctly. It's on the kitchen table now. I put tools away and oiled my surface plates before putting a clean tablecloth on. Later this morning I'll order a set of castings for the next engine. I want my breakfast now.....

[Stanley]

I declared a shed holiday yesterday and today while I wait for my next set of castings, I expect them tomorrow.....
Nowt wrong with having a rest!

[Stanley]

Back to normal this morning. I got all my components in their correct place and started this morning on the first rough fettling of the castings using the grindstone and files. 45 minutes later I have most of the flash chipped ground and filed off and I am ready to clean up the spokes on the flywheel. That will be the first job tomorrow but now I need a clean shirt and my breakfast!

[Stanley]

The first half hour of the morning was spent on working to refine the internal structure of the flywheel the old fashioned way, with files and britches arse steam. Then as you can see I mounted it in the chuck and got to the stage where I had most of one side rough turned and had bored it for the crankshaft which I already have of course. The flywheel was a bit short cast and hard but I have managed to clean it up. The crankshaft is slightly oversize so I shall have to deal with that in the morning. The job now is breakfast.

[Stanley]

A bit of a change this morning. I preferred not to disturb the flywheel until I have finished cleaning up that side but needed to refine the crankshaft until it was a good fit in the flywheel so I mounted it in Johnny's 1956 Lathe, used file and emery to reduce the shaft slightly and checked progress using my Roebuck number drill gauge plate. A rare bird but just the thing this morning. The shaft is now exactly the right size for the flywheel and I have put a witness mark on the shaft so that I keep track of its orientation as I am fitting. I spent the rest of the morning working on the flywheel. It is very hard and I shall finish the refining of it after I have painted it but until then it will do. It is dimensionally correct, it's just the finish that needs attending to later. Now for breakfast!

[Stanley]

I wasn't satisfied with the finish on my cold short flywheel so I went back to it this morning and tried a big old Wimet cutter. After 45 minutes I had got a better finish and that will do. Then I cleaned Mrs Harrison of CI chips and dust and put some tackle away. I am happier now and looking forward to my breakfast.

[Stanley]

I started on the valve chest. First I spent about twenty minutes on hand work in the vice with files to clean up the interior surfaces and get them to size. Than I started in the mill to get the outside surfaces to size and square. As you can see all did not go well. I got careless and the cutter jagged into the casting. Half an hour of careful measurement and milling and I have retrieved the situation, still work to do but we are on track again..... Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I did more work on the steam chest. I finished the rough milling to size then measured and marked for the valve rod and the valve rod gland. I drilled for both of them and then used the gasket provided to drill the walls of the steam chest clearance for the 4BA studs that will attach it to the cylinder. I marked the chest with the witness mark that will ensure it is always correctly oriented. That's enough for this morning. Now I deserve my breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning was more work on the steam chest. I finished the cosmetic work on the exterior with the file and then measured and marked for the steam inlet pipe. I drilled and tapped for that 1/4" X 32tpi and made the pipe, I also made the duplicate that will eventually be the exhaust pipe at the bottom of the cylinder. Now I want breakfast.....

[Stanley]

I spent an hour on the steam chest lid. First to make sure it was square and then to get it to the right size, marked with a witness mark and drilled in the correct places for the six studs that will hold the assembly together. Now I'm ready for my breakfast!

[Stanley]

I spent an hour on the steam chest lid. First to make sure it was square and then to get it to the right size, marked with a witness mark and drilled in the correct places for the six studs that will hold the assembly together. Now I'm ready for my breakfast!

[Stanley]

I started the morning by milling the base of the bed and the tops of the horns. Then I took the vise off the VM, cleaned the mill and rubbed the bed down with a diamond hone to make sure there were no dings and then bolted the bed down directly on the mill. Next I fitted the 5/8" cutter and I am ready now to work on the casting tomorrow. Now the task is breakfast!

[Stanley]

I spent an hour this morning milling the parts of the bed accessible to me and finished up with a lot of improvement. There is more to do yet by hand but this is a useful move forwards.

[Stanley]

I started the day by making some final small refinements to the bed and then started on the base, I have milled the bottom level and also milled the tops of the lugs for the holding down screws. Tomorrow I shall get hold of it differently and mill the top surface flat. But at the moment I am interested in breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I finished the milling of the base and bed then spent time on them in the vise filing by hand to further refine the finish. When I was satisfied with them I cleaned the bed of the mill and put the vise back on, tramming it in using a long piece of ground gauge steel. It is now ready for the next milling job, the cylinder casting. Before that there is more work on the base and the bed but that's for tomorrow. Right now the job is breakfast.

[Stanley]

I spent over an hour on the cylinder milling it in the VM. It is now squarer and the correct length. Much more is needed of course but this is a good start. Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

I spent over an hour this morning on the bed and the base. First I drilled the lugs on the base for the screws that will hold it down onto the wooden plinth. Then I drilled the lugs on the base clearance for the 2BA bolts that will fasten it to the base. Next I transferred the holes for the bolts in the bed onto the base, drilled the holes and tapped them 2BA. Finally I bolted the bed to the base and mounted it on the temporary wooden plinth it will sit on while I am going forward with the build. A productive hour and a quarter, now for breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I set up the cylinder and bored it as I have to do that before I can address the lids and the piston. I spent a quiet and careful half hour boring it to size and then broke the setup down and reverted to my normal collet chuck on the mill ready for the next step. Then I measured the cylinder bore and found out two things, first that it was almost perfectly parallel in the casting and secondly that my eyes had let me down and I'd bored it to 1.4" instead of 1.5"! My first instinct was to set up again and bore that small amount out but then I thought no, we're not driving 300 looms! 1.4" is fine, leave it as it is. So I shall have breakfast and the engine will have a slightly smaller piston!

[Stanley]

This morning I concentrated on lids. Very careful turning as I had minimum hold on the lids. All went well and I turned one face of each of the two lids. Tomorrow I will have a different set up for turning the inside faces but now the focus is on breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning is turning the inside faces of the lids which requires a different set up. Outside Jaws on the chuck and four button magnets installed to act as setting stops. Then some careful measuring and fitting to finish the back lid and install it on the cylinder as a check. Then get the front lid set up for the same treatment. That was a good hour, I have to be so careful when working in two planes as I get confused! All well no mistakes so I deserve a sit down and breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning's task was to put the chicken in to roast and then finish refining the fit of the front lid. Both tasks accomplished but the lid demanded more care and accuracy. It's done now and as you can see the fit is good enough for both lids to remain in place on the cylinder with no external help. Now I deserve my breakfast!

[Stanley]

The first thing I did was clean Mrs Harrison, I like Cast Iron but have to admit it's dirty stuff! Then I found a piece of scrap brass and made a piston to fit the cylinder. Tomorrow I shall make the rod. Another small step forwards.... Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

Sorry for the hiatus.... It's been too cold in the shed but we are now into more normal temperatures. I spent 45 minutes in the shed. First I harvested the non-ferocious chips left on Mrs Harrison after the making of the Piston. Then I took a 1/4" length of stainless steel rod and made the piston rod and fitted it. Not a lot but that's a start back in the shed and a useful step forward.

[Stanley]

Just one task accomplished in the hour I spent in the shed. I sharpened two end mills and ensured that the cylinder had a good base to sit on by milling the opposite side to the valve face and then Marking the face using the lid of the valve chest. Then drilling and tapping. I fitted the studs and did a test fit of the chest and lid. A perfect fit, no adjustments required. Now for my breakfast!

[Stanley]

More work on refining the cylinder. This morning taking the rough casting and making a presentable Piston Rod gland to fit the boss in the front lid. Much of the turning has to be done with the gland held by friction alone so the work has to be slow and delicate. Here's where I finished after 45 minutes, ready to drill the stud holes 5BA clear, the PCD is marked ready. That's for tomorrow and now I want my breakfast.