Shed Matters 3

[Stanley]

I got set up for making the connecting rod this morning out of the 1" X 3/4" stock that Stuart provided. (Big enough to make the foot of the rod....) I've done all my measuring and have finished the first major cut. That took me 45 minutes because I check everything at least three times! I know my limitations.
Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I finished cutting the connecting rod out of the stock and marked and drilled the holes in the foot for the bolts that hold the crank pin brass together. Tomorrow I shall counterbore the holes in the brass to give me enough thread to attach the rod. That was a quiet and careful hour with good error free progress. The next task is to find my breakfast!

[Stanley]

The task today was to counterbore the holes in the crank brass so as to give enough thread to get the nuts onto the bolts on the foot of the connecting rod. Part of that was reducing the thickness of the foot. Once that was done and the holes adjusted to fit the bolts I mounted the con rod and brass in the mill and cut each side down until the foot of the rod matched the thickness of the brass. That done I am now in a position to cut down the thickness of the small end of the tod and fit it to the crosshead. That's for tomorrow. At the moment my sights are fixed on breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I did some careful measuring and then cut the small end of the con rod down to fit the crosshead and drilled it for the crosshead pivot bolt. Then I pulled the piston out and started building the crankshaft end up ready for fitting the brass to the bearing and then checking things like the stroke of the piston. But first I want my breakfast......

[Stanley]

This morning I fitted the three components of the con rod/piston group and adjusted the stroke to endure that the piston clears at both ends of the stroke. The fit is tight but accurate. This is to be expected at this stage and will ease as fitting continues. Now for breakfast after an hour of honest endeavour!

[Stanley]

You might well ask what have I done this morning. I had decided I wasn't satisfied with the work I did yesterday, whilst it was accurate and effective it was too tight so this morning I stripped the crank bearing and con rod out of the engine and re-fitted them. It is much better now, the fit is just as accurate but slightly easier so the crankshaft turns freely. I don't see this as a waste of over half an hour.... Just a necessary refinement. I have earned my breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning was small things. A few tweaks to the fit of the con rod and then a measure up and stock find for the connecting link between the eccentric and the valve rod. This included a final sizing of the slot in the valve rod clevis to suit the thickness of the connecting link. This was careful and slow work but we have got there. Only half an hour in the shed but that's enough, there is no rush! Now for my breakfast.

[Stanley]

You can have a good laugh at me if you want but it took me over half an hour to adjust the dimensions of the stock for the Eccentric rod. Then I had to shape it and mark it for the clearance hole for the 7BA bolt which is the pivot. Then drill the hole and finish the rod and fit it to the clevis without excessive play. That's done and it's a bit of a victory when you can't see! Now I can have my breakfast.

[Stanley]

No need for a pic this morning..... I set to to make the eccentric as I need that before I can make the eccentric sheave accurately. I decided to use the cast iron stock provided by Stuarts and so this morning was taken up with thinking, drawing, careful measuring and then some bog standard turning in the lathe. No point boring you with that. It's gone well so far with no mistakes and after 45 minutes I decided it was time for breakfast.

[Stanley]

Today I finished turning the eccentric out of the CI stock. It is ready to be drilled for its set screw but that will do tomorrow. I've spent a productive 45 minutes in the shed and now I'm ready for my breakfast.

[Stanley]

First job this morning was to drill and tap the eccentric for the grub screw that will lock it onto the shaft. Then I sharpened my mill cutter because I have some accurate milling to do of the strap. I ended this mornings stint with the strap faced each side to the required thickness. Much more to do of course but that's OK for this morning. I can enjoy my breakfast now!

[Stanley]

I spent over half an hour this morning refining the finish of the strap. Mainly milling the edges square ready for drilling for the two bolts that will hold the two halves together when it is bored to size. That's for tomorrow, there is no rush and I am ready now for my breakfast.

[Stanley]

I had a bit of a hold-up this morning. I drilled the strap for the oil hole and then the two bolts that hold the two halves together but then Stuarts let me down, there should have been two 4BA bolts for the eccentric strap but they weren't in the kit so I had to go searching through the treasure chests and it took a lot of time. In the end I made two out of 4BA studding, what a good job I had some in stock! I ended up after 45 minutes with the bolts fitted and I am ready to split the strap. Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

This morning I marked the strap for splitting and then had a good chip chase before I set the VM up and slit the strap in two. Then I gave it witness marks so the cuts mated up properly. The next job was to mark the eccentric rod and drill it at the correct length for the 5BA countersink screw that will fasten it on to the strap. Here I was held up by Stuarts again, there was no 5BA CS screw in the kit. But I was lucky, I found a spare in the first treasure chest I searched. So I am ready to mark and cut the strap for the connecting rod. Now for breakfast!

[Stanley]

Nice 45 minutes..... I like boring, it is such a good result! I set the boring head up and bored the eccentric strap to a fit on the eccentric. Then i changed the setup back to a 5/16" end mill because my next job is to mill out the slot in the strap for the eccentric rod and drill and tap for the 5BA CS screw. That was enough, I deserve my breakfast!

[Stanley]

The task this morning was to cut the channel in the eccentric strap into which the eccentric arm fits, then mark and drill and tap for the 5BA CS screw that connects it to the strap. This has been done accurately. That's all I wanted this morning and now for breakfast!

[Stanley]

I almost declined the shed as I had spent twenty minutes putting my chicken in to roast but then changed my mind and did 30 minutes refining the finish of the groove for the strap in the eccentric and then fitting the strap. It's a nice free fit but without excessive play. I have earned my breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning I set about refining the worst casting in the kit, It is an almost impossible shape and much of the work is by guess and rack of the eye. I decided to do most of the work with the vertical mill and as you can see from the first image, it was sketchy to say the least. I finished up with the governor bracket ready for drilling and fitting onto the pad on the engine bed. I deserve my breakfast!

[Stanley]

Just one task this morning but it took almost 45 minutes to do it. I drilled the clearance holes in the governor stand for the two 5BA set screws that hold it onto the pad on the engine bed. Then drill and tap the bed, and then install the set screws. We are ready now to time the steam valve..... But that's for tomorrow. I am looking towards my breakfast now.

[Stanley]

A nice quiet half hour spent on final touches, valve setting and lacing the engine up. Where necessary studs cut off at nut level and a final lube with thick oil to last a long time. Now I have to think of where to go next. At the moment it looks like a good tidy up and making three crankshafts out of the solid..... (I have found I have some shafting that will do.) I shall have to work up to ordering another set of castings...... Enough, I go to breakfast!

[Stanley]

Later.... It just struck me. Graham would have liked this morning. He loved seeing another engine born.

[Stanley]

Half an hour spent starting on the next engine. First a tidy up of the bench then some measuring and marking and then Mrs McMaster came out to play and I ended up with three billets of 2" shaft 6" long. The raw material for the next job, making three crankshafts for the next three engines! This will take up the time nicely until the next batch of castings arrive. A good start! Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

Today I started into chopping three crankshafts out of solid. The first task was to get a centre in one end of each billet and using that mark the 3/4" offset so I could punch a centre for the crank pin. Then I took the vise off the VM and cleaned the bed. Next I took the large cutter out and sharpened the 7/16" cutter before installing that in the mill. I am ready now to clamp each billet down while I chop out the excess metal from inside the webs of the shaft. Newton taught me this trick, it's a lot easier than cutting it out on the lathe using eccentric turning and an interrupted cut. That got rid of an hour so I have stopped and am looking for my breakfast.

[Stanley]

More work this morning on preparing for crankshaft turning. First I went through all three billets to make sure the centre holes were good and the centre for the crank pin was also a good one. Then I mounted the first shaft on the VM bed and made a trial cut with the cutter I sharpened yesterday. It was bloody terrible! I spent 15 minutes going through all my cutters and realised that I only have one 7/16" cutter, the one that has failed. I have two courses open to me. Completely re-sharpen the existing cutter or use a 1/2" cutter. I think I will end up doing the latter but first I will give the 7/16" cutter a chance. I am set up ready for a complete regrind tomorrow. Too big a job to do it this morning..... Besides, I am ready for my breakfast!

[Stanley]

This morning's task was to find a milling cutter that works. As I suspected, I couldn't get the 7/16" cutter to cut and so I went looking for a good 1/2" one. I eventually found one and sharpened it before trying it out and it works. This took almost an hour. This is the penalty of milling on the cheap like I do. All my cutters are someone else's cast offs and came out of scrap yards. Never mind, I have a cutter that works and there is no rush! Now I want my breakfast.