# My First Build!!! Or (Will It Ever Get Done)



## ozzie46 (Jan 24, 2009)

I have started Elmers # 24 Beam Engine. It will be a slow build as I can only
 get in the shop about once a week and I am ssssloowww. ;D

 12 hours to make a flywheel! : It may not look great but its mine.

 Here are some Pics.


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## ozzie46 (Jan 24, 2009)

oops posted 1 pic twice, should have been this one. oh:
 Ron


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## 90LX_Notch (Jan 24, 2009)

Congrats. It looks great.


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## Maryak (Jan 24, 2009)

Ron,

Looking good. who cares if it's 12 hours or 12 days ??? - ENJOY 

Best Regards
Bob


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## ksouers (Jan 24, 2009)

Ron,
Nice work. I like Elmer's Beam. Well, any beam engine actually.

I'm another one that only gets one day a week in the shop, if I'm lucky, so you are not alone.

Be sure to keep us posted on the progress.

Kevin


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## deere_x475guy (Jan 24, 2009)

Those look great. How did you figure the locations you needed to cut the spokes out?


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## ozzie46 (Jan 24, 2009)

deere_x475

Elmer tells how in instructions, here are the plans.

http://john-tom.com/ElmersEngines/24_beam.pdf

Ron


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## ozzie46 (Jan 24, 2009)

My main problem was trying to figure out how to use a rotory table. :

 Also I drilled axle hole before laying out spoke line and rim so I had to make 
a mandrel to put in axle hole to get center point for compass. :wall: 

 Ron


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## kustomkb (Jan 25, 2009)

There will be many times to relocate the position of a piece...

you are doing great!


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## b.lindsey (Jan 25, 2009)

Ozzie,
Whatever time it took was worth it, those spokes look spot on and if memory serves, you probably have the hardest part done now. Keep up the fine work, Elmer's little beam is a great one to start or add to any collection.

Regards,
Bill


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## JMI (Jan 25, 2009)

Looking good. Finished the same model a few weeks ago and and it is a real gratifying engine to watch run.
You did the smart move by getting the fly wheel out of the way first. I saved it for last and look to doing it with a sense of dread, although in the end it was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be (as most things generally are).
It is a great learning project cause it requires several types of procedures. Before you turn the eccentric you might want to consider making a "pump center":
http://www.homemetalshopclub.org/projects/pmpcntr/pmpcntr.html
This was my first "homemade tool" and it has proved itself very useful since.

Good luck

Jim


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## ozzie46 (Jan 25, 2009)

JMI  said:
			
		

> Before you turn the eccentric you might want to consider making a "pump center":
> http://www.homemetalshopclub.org/projects/pmpcntr/pmpcntr.html
> This was my first "homemade tool" and it has proved itself very useful since.
> 
> ...



  Jim 

  I made a pump center a while back. I enjoy making as many of my own tools as I can. Still have a lot to go. 
  Thanks for the encouraging words.

 Ron


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## ozzie46 (Feb 7, 2009)

Well I have a little progress to report. Very little! : :

  Made the cyl and the head, actually made 2 heads. Drilled piston rod hole oversize on the first one. I read the wrong dimesion. 

 I started to make the piston, turned it undersize on first one.
  It was brass. Thought I would make one out of steel as I didn't have anything close to 3/16 in brass. Didn't want to turn down from 1 inch. Brass is to expensive for that.
  I broke 2 drills and 2 carbide cutters and called quits for the day.   

  I learned a long time ago when things start to go south one right after another its time for me to back off for awhile.  


  Anyway here is what I have so far.

  Sorry its going so slow.

  Ron


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## Shopguy (Feb 7, 2009)

These things take time, there is no reason for any apology. It's not like we'll all drown if you don't get the pump engine built quickly. You are coming along fine. Also agree that when it doesn't work out, it's better to walk away for a while, things have a way of going better on another attempt. . 
Regards
Ernie J


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## Maryak (Feb 7, 2009)

Shopguy  said:
			
		

> These things take time, there is no reason for any apology. It's not like we'll all drown if you don't get the pump engine built quickly. You are coming along fine. Also agree that when it doesn't work out, it's better to walk away for a while, things have a way of going better on another attempt. .
> Regards
> Ernie J



Absolutely and Most Definitely Correct 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Best Regards
Bob


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## stevehuckss396 (Feb 7, 2009)

ozzie46  said:
			
		

> 12 hours to make a flywheel! : It may not look great but its mine.



As long as you enjoy doing it who cares how long it takes.


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## kvom (Feb 7, 2009)

I have been working on Brian's double size version since September, and your doing it in the original scale is quite a bit harder. Once piece at a time and eventually they're all there. 

There are at least 10 parts that I had to make over during the process. I think many of the do-overs were a result of keeping on in the shop when I was tired. I have made it a principle that if I screw up one part, I don't work on it again until I finish a different one.


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## rake60 (Feb 7, 2009)

I started on Elmer's Mill Engine in November...... _*2007*__*!*_
It's about half way done _already_.
 :-\


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## ozzie46 (Feb 7, 2009)

It occurred to me that somebody might be interested in how I machined the offset projection on the cyl head. 

 I don't have any collets so I made a, (I guess you would call it a collet),fixture to hold the stock for the head. I turned up some steel to 2 different diameters so that the smaller diameter would go in the 4 jaw and the larger diameter would butt up against the chuck jaws to keep it square. I then drilled it thru 1/2 in. Then I bored it to the diameter of the cyl head, 5/8 in. for a depth of 1/16 in. The 1/2 in. hole was then bored so it would clear the offset projection on the head so that once it was turned I could flip it around to face off the backside to complete it.
 I then slit it lengthwise on my 4x6 bandsaw.

 The only critical dimensions are the 5/8 dia. and the 1/16 depth.

  I left a wide lip on the larger diam. so I could use my dial indicator to set it true to center for any operations after the offset turning was done. 

 It worked really well. Actually I was surprised how well it worked. Thm:

  I hope this is useful to some one.

  Ron


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## steamer (Feb 7, 2009)

Think smiles per hour and not hours per part

Hell took 4 years to design and build the engine in my boat! :big:

ya doing just fine! 

Dave


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## ozzie46 (Feb 13, 2009)

I made the piston and piston rod assembly to day. I used steel for the piston and 
1/16th music wire and silver soldered them. My first ever silver solder job. ;D I made 2 assemblies just in case.  One assembly I had to do over. But it is good now.

 I used white vinegar as a pickle and it worked great. I left the parts in for approx 45 min. and the wiped off very clean. 

 I used a standard Bernzamatic propane torch ait worked well to on the 1/4 in. piston and 1/16 in wire.

 I did learn a lot about small hole drilling, went thru five 1/16th drill bits before I learned though. :wall: :wall:

 Ron


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## ozzie46 (Feb 14, 2009)

Got some more done with Pics this time. ;D

 I have developed a great deal of respect for those of you that build the small stuff. I didn't know how really difficult it was to machine these small parts til I tried it. MY hat goes off to all of you. :bow: :bow: :bow:

  I made 3 spool valves to get 1!! (See pics)

  Pic 1 my first try. Dimensions are off :wall:

  Pic2 fell apart as I was turning it!!

  Pic 3 Success finally but need a lot of clean up.

   Next post has Cyl assembly

  Ron


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## ozzie46 (Feb 14, 2009)

I quit trying to turn a one piece valve and went with a built up one of music wire and brass silver soldered together. 

 Here are the Cyl pics.

  Ron


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## ozzie46 (Feb 14, 2009)

OOps wrong pics


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## Philjoe5 (Feb 14, 2009)

Ron,
Nice work. You're doing some fine work there. Don't sweat the time...it's all good (or should be). Remember, no deadlines in the hobby shop 

Cheers,
Phil


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## Maryak (Feb 14, 2009)

Philjoe5  said:
			
		

> Ron,
> Nice work. You're doing some fine work there. Don't sweat the time...it's all good (or should be). Remember, no deadlines in the hobby shop
> 
> Cheers,
> Phil



Agreed,

Keep up the good work Ron :bow:

Best Regards
Bob


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## kvom (Feb 14, 2009)

I tried building the valve using a threaded rod between the two rounds. Unfortunately there was no way to get the rod straight enough so that the valves would fit into the bore correctly. Hopefully the wire is flexible enough.


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## ozzie46 (Feb 14, 2009)

kvom

   The music wire is very bendable after it is heated in the silver soldering portion. In fact I wish it was stiffer.

 Ron


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## ozzie46 (Mar 21, 2009)

I haven't abandoned the engine, just been making tooling. I am not satisfied with the valve I made. To do better I figure I need a set of collets. I cant afford to buy them so I'm making them. Will be posting in the tools section as soon as I can get it all up loaded.


  Ron


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