# my first steam



## jimmybondi (Oct 27, 2008)

Hi,

i'm very new to engines at all but done lot of metal work in my small home shop.

now i'ld like to present my very first steam engine
the whole engine is done in roundabout 350 hours, made of
cast iron (no castings), brass, steel, few gun metal and little stainless

here some pictures of building - but: sorry - i don't have made pics every station of progress

my machines are 
- mid sized mill (few bigger than Sieg X3) DIY - retrofitted to CNC
- mini lathe (like Sieg C6) - CNC retro too - DIY too 

here's the base and first stander - material steel except bushes:
(initial start of building in August '08)






front standers (stainless) 





cylinder plate (stainless) and crossheads (C.I.) 





cylinders (C.I.) - milled from a block with a 1/4" ball mill





rod (?) - C.I. from block





steam chest - C.I.





some more parts added





and little bit more:





detail:





and now only external links as the pictures are high resolution at the end of build in September '08:
(hope that's not prohibited)

http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig00.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig01.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig02.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig03.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig04.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/Fertig05.jpg

and last but not least a video as DivX and MPG:

http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/DM.AVI
http://irc.global-radio.ch/img/DM.MPG

some data:
bore 5/8"
stroke 3/4
piston: C.I.
piston rings: brass
cylinder bushes (2pcs per piston): gun metal
pressure in that video: 2atm
turning at 2500rpm with open valve
min. working speed at video 280rpm
(today - after several minutes of running: 190rpm)
max power at 8atm: 0.4kW (only with load - otherwise overturning)

the sound isn't good as i have forgotten the opened pressure control and
open the valve - you wouldn't believe what its running - like a sewing machine :-(
result: 2 damaged bushes on crank

i hope this post isn't too long as you get boring 

Regards
Frank


----------



## compound driver 2 (Oct 27, 2008)

Now thats a nice build, good to see a well designed engine and well made. thanks for putting that lot up


----------



## malcolmt (Oct 27, 2008)

:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

           AWESOME

Kind Regards

Malcolm


----------



## jimmybondi (Oct 27, 2008)

found a picture at (provisionally) final stage:






i'ld like to add a pump and a gear oder any load like generator

but first there are another projects (V12 w. 4 OHC ... / valve steam engine )

@Malcolm:
as engineer there's nothing to be afraid of 
when a bakerman would build it it's another side ...

both: thanks for that praise (?)

Regards
Frank


----------



## crankshafter (Oct 27, 2008)

jimmy...


FANSASTIC WHAT A BUTY. :bow: :bow:

CS


----------



## ChooChooMike (Oct 27, 2008)

That's your *1st steam engine* ? :bow: :bow: :bow:

WOW !! Beautiful !! :bow: :bow:

Great pix !

How about more details on the build. Is this your own design ? Which parts manually made vs CNC ? I'm sure there's more of us that love that kind of info !

Congrats again 

Mike


----------



## Maryak (Oct 27, 2008)

Puts my effort well and truly in the shade

Bloody Bobby Dazzler, Ripper, Bonza Mate, Flash as a rat with a gold tooth; and I'm sure Tel will be able to add to this list of superlatives. :bow: :bow:

Regards Bob


----------



## Mcgyver (Oct 27, 2008)

nice work JB, with the price castings, bar stock and durabar is the way of the future me thinks


----------



## Paolo (Oct 27, 2008)

Perfection!!!!! :bow: :bow: :bow: A master piece!!!
Cheers paolo


----------



## Philjoe5 (Oct 27, 2008)

That's one beautiful engine. Awesome as a first engine, :bow: :bow: :bow:

Cheers,
Phil


----------



## max corrigan (Oct 27, 2008)

Frank that is one hell of a beautiful engine that has definetly pushed the marker up a few notches, fantastic!!
Max............


----------



## Macca (Oct 27, 2008)

CNC or not, that is a fantastic effort!
But please tell us where you got that giant lighter in the third photo. ;D


----------



## jimmybondi (Oct 27, 2008)

ooops

i'm a little bit overwhelmed at such a lot of ... words.

about making:
of course i can give some explanations within the next days or weeks.
(to describe it will take the same time for me as i build it ...)
best is you ask on any part of your interest

about cnc or not:
all parts are done on cnc - but none with a CAM - all in shop programming at the machine.
greatest used utility was a CAD to calculate endpoinds of circulars and tangents.
all other has been done by mirroring and copy and shifted paste - no more strategy or something like that

first engine:
of course - it is.
my first great project was a bonelle TCG
http://irc.global-radio.ch/Bonelle/15_03_2008_1.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/Bonelle/15_03_2008_2.jpg
http://irc.global-radio.ch/Bonelle/15_03_2008_3.jpg

and finally an air spindle http://irc.global-radio.ch/Forum/Luftlagerung.avi
this spindle takes double as long as the whole grinder alone - because
air bearing was absolutly new area for me.

thats what i've done before - and without it my steam engine was a lot more expensively as it has been now:
all tools for grooving the parts i have grinded on it - most made by using broken tungsten carbide tools

the design:
no - its not complete on my own.
in germany there is a book-shop where you get steam plans - and this machine is doubled of
one of these plans - orig. 2cyl -> 4cyl. with necessary changes and lot refined details

usually i planned to build another engine but as i see what stuart call for castings ...
(esp. major beam - my dream  )


for now i hope you got some answers.

i've planned to imitate castings as good as possible - dosn't matter of time to spend - but has to look like 
castings. i think it's halfway succeeded
And furthermore - more important: using material as an original engine 100 years ago would be made of too.
and it has to get used, old, worked and dirty finish - just like in a factory or on a boat in operating condition 
on the pictures it is new and clean - i'll made a photo next days (the brass has now got the right patina) ...

Regards Frank


----------



## Brass_Machine (Oct 27, 2008)

Wow that is a nice engine. The craftsmanship is a amazing.

Eric


----------



## joe d (Oct 27, 2008)

Frank:

Wunderbar! That is an amazing job for a 1st engine. I look forward to seeing your next project. Perhaps you could post the details of where one could order the plans?

Cheers, Joe


----------



## tel (Oct 27, 2008)

An awe inspiring bit of work there! ONYA Frank, Bewdy Newk.


----------



## jimmybondi (Oct 27, 2008)

Joe

i'm not sure if it's allowed to offer plans which are sold in germany.
the law looks anywhere :-(

the plan is take from this book:
http://www.buchhandel.de/detailansicht.aspx?isbn=978-3-7883-0653-3
(click on the book for a little better view)

i've changed a lot changed - but not all
and that what i changed i've progressed in my head and few handy sketches on some sheet of paper 

the different parts i'll sketch & export to dxf2000 and pdf - that can't become calamity.
the rest is standard

Frank


----------



## joe d (Oct 28, 2008)

Frank

Don't get yourself in trouble with copyright infringement, but any sketches of modifications you have made will be useful alongside the my copy of the book once I've bought it!

Thanks, Joe


----------



## BobWarfield (Oct 28, 2008)

The CNC opens whole new vistas of possibilities. Magnificent engine, and thanks for sharing it with us. I look forward to your DOHC 4-valve. 

Cheers,

BW


----------



## steamer (Oct 29, 2008)

WOW!

Nice engine Frank....even better machining!

Dave


----------



## BobWarfield (Oct 29, 2008)

BTW, Frank, in your quest for a better "casting look", there are threads out there to be found on how to do that with a bar stock engine (though I regret not having any links at the moment). I recall various kinds of sand/bead blasting work. The one that made the most sense to me was to mix very fine sand into your paint. On a real engine, the cast surfaces would be painted and the machined surfaces probably not anyway, so it works out pretty good.

Great work again!

Best,

BW


----------



## BobWarfield (Oct 29, 2008)

PS For those that haven't seen Frank's T&C Grinder because the images were too big, I resized and rehosted them on cnccookbook:

















Frank, I don't know if you'd be willing, but we'd love to see more of your shop and the CNC converted machines. Post a few snaps in our section of member's shops:

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?board=6.0

Cheers!

BW


----------



## jimmybondi (Oct 29, 2008)

Hello Bob,

your hint about painting to get the casting-look i knew.
but - i've tried to get it this way, because it has to be milled anyway.
At the last pass (finish) i play around with feed and speed until the mill began
to flutter 

the pictures:
i don't insert the pictures direct because it's a forum for engines like steam or gas i thought.
and the links are in high resolution that everyone can zoom in (most details only visible in closer look)
but thank a lot
(when i came new to somewhere i didn't shoot more than the destination - thats another reason for links only)

pictures of my shop:
few days after finish of the steam i placed my location.
a few distance only but i have disassembled all machines and none assembled completly
(and its very cold in my shop - no heater because 80m² and 4m high are expensive to heat all time - so i go to assemble when really funny and lucy and need a stress reminder 
But i will shot some pics next days and upload - and some project-part-pictures too

next machine: yes - it will happen - but take some more time.
Yesterday i ordered a book for the 270 offy to see the 4-valve head
and this - the next - project will get alu castings
most details are fixed: injection, 4valve, oil sump, 4 OHC, spark ignition, ...
only the count of cylinders (and maybe the angle between cylinders) will depend on ... (don't know - maybe sound)
also a charger i'm thinking about - like roots

i was asked via PM how long the TC Grinder has taken to build
in working hours between 300 and 400
in days: below 26 (there are weeks there i can't sleep more than 3 hours a night - over a distance of a month or 1.5)

Frank


----------



## jimmybondi (Nov 2, 2008)

it's me again - nothin' on engines but related to my machines 

sometimes my wife ask "what the hell you do all the time ..."
or "where did you spent all the energy time and money ..." and so on

to get a little bit more contingent i milled a christmas toy (40" tall)
but it has to be finished next days ...

(please click on image)




Frank


----------



## Dhow Nunda wallah (Nov 8, 2008)

Beautiful work Jimmy.
What is that valve gear called? I'd like to research it.

Rgds, Lin


----------



## jimmybondi (Nov 8, 2008)

Lin,

it's called Marshall gear

Frank


----------



## Dhow Nunda wallah (Nov 8, 2008)

Thanks Frank, I'll go google


----------



## BobWarfield (Nov 8, 2008)

Frank, I had a question that occurred to me late in the game:

Your cylinders have such nice flowing curves. Was that a 5 axis (or perhaps 4 axis) profiling job done on your swing table (we call 'em trunion tables here I believe)?

If so, I'll bet that was interesting g-code to write!

Their shape is lovely and makes the engine look even less "bar stocky".

Congrats on your Engine of the Month. Well deserved.

Best,

BW


----------



## jimmybondi (Nov 8, 2008)

Hi Bob,

the GCode for was written manual and has only few lines.

the outer dimensions of the cylinder you a meaning are milled in 3 axis
and 4 setups (4 times viced)
The rest is step over a few distance and repeat the code - i think
more than 100 times - and at last mirrored for other side.

sample in metric setup, radius 15mm, only "casting look-face":
G40 G90 G18
M3
G0 X0 Y0 Z1
G91
M98 P9999 L180 (call O9999 180 times)
G90
M30

O9999
G1 Z-1
G2 X-15 Z-15 I0 K-15
G0 Z16
G0 X15 Y.1
M99

this short code is nearly enough for back side
benefiz of this kind of code: Mach3 Demo will work this code - not reached 500 lines of code  
i have a licence - but to lazy as to write 700 lines ...

but it was the last object i've done without CAM - i'm awaiting for my access code
(bobcad-cam)

Frank

BTW: thanks


----------



## oldboatguy (Nov 10, 2008)

That is beautiful engine!!
Well done and please do not let your first one be the only one. We all look foward to what will come next!
Your valve linkage does not appear to be the common stephenson setup normally seen on vertical marine engines. Could you please give us some information on how yours works, especially how the action is reversed.


----------



## compound driver 2 (Nov 10, 2008)

If you want to get cast looks from a machined cast iron component blast the part hard with a sand blaster. works very well


----------

