# Elmer's Geared Steam Engine



## vascon2196

O.K. everyone....this is my 5th engine and for me it was definately the most difficult. I chose the engine (not because I was drunk) but because I had never seen one. I wanted to build something unique. Being a draftsman by trade and only CAD as a background I may take a little longer than the everage guy to make these parts but I get by. Some of you "old school" machinists may cringe when you see how these parts are made but try and remember the only machinin experience I have are my 5-small steam engines.

The first few pictures I am posting are of the flywheel. I documented (everything) so there will be plenty of pictures and videos to follow. Yes, the engine ran......but not on the first try, or the second, or the third, or when I almost threw it across my shop, but after two weeks of re-work and carefull thinking (about what I did wrong) I had it running. What a learning experience this engine was.

Hope you like the build...here goes.


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## vascon2196

The finished base and bearing blocks.


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## Metal Butcher

Hi Chris. Your making real good progress! Going all out too, with the use of ball bearings. Your getting a real nice finish with the lathe work.

What kind of lathe do you have?

-MB


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## kendo

Hi Chris
      Looks like your doing a really good job so far,looking forward to seeing the
      rest of the build.
                    Ken


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## dreeves

Have you priced out the internal gear yet? th_confused0052 They are a bit salty in price. I started the engine about 1 year ago and stopped when I found out the price.

Dave


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## vascon2196

Metal Butcher  said:
			
		

> Hi Chris. Your making real good progress! Going all out too, with the use of ball bearings. Your getting a real nice finish with the lathe work.
> 
> What kind of lathe do you have?
> 
> -MB



Thank you MB, I did end up finishing the engine about a month ago but have had no time to post anything on the forum. It took about 6 months on and off to finish this engine plus another 2 weeks to get it running properly. I'm kind of burnt out at the moment.

Thanks again for your comments. My lathe is a Grizzly G0516 combo. It's not the greatest machine in the world but for what it cost and what it came with...it was worth it.


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## vascon2196

kendo  said:
			
		

> Hi Chris
> Looks like your doing a really good job so far,looking forward to seeing the
> rest of the build.
> Ken



Thanks Ken!


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## vascon2196

dreeves  said:
			
		

> Have you priced out the internal gear yet? th_confused0052 They are a bit salty in price. I started the engine about 1 year ago and stopped when I found out the price.
> 
> Dave



Dave,

I bought the gears sometime last summer and yes they were expensive. I was making extra cash at the time and it wasn't an issue. However, now that I'm laid off I couldn't justify spending that kind of money. I ran into an "old timer" who made the gears himself and suggested I do the same. Having only 2 years of self taught machining experience under my belt, I decided to buy the gears.

Chris


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## vascon2196

Here are pictures of the cylinder being made.













































ready for mounting holes and valve holes





Finished cylinder


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## Maryak

Chris,

I see you have a vernier protractor. :bow:

I have been after one for a while but the only one I could find was a Starret at some $US450. Just a tad over my budget. : :

Would you mind a bit of detail about yours. ??? or if your not using it.............................. 

Best Regards
Bob


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## BigBore

Hi Chris. Love the photos. Easy to follow.  Thm: Where is this engine documented? I'd like to do a bit of reading about it. I'll be following, for sure. Thanks for posting!

Ed


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## spuddevans

Maryak  said:
			
		

> Chris,
> 
> I see you have a vernier protractor. :bow:
> 
> I have been after one for a while but the only one I could find was a Starret at some $US450. Just a tad over my budget. : :
> 
> Would you mind a bit of detail about yours. ??? or if your not using it..............................
> 
> Best Regards
> Bob



I've seen one like that *Here* its a lot less than $450, more like $65ish


Tim


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## Blogwitch

Here's another one Bob, second from the bottom, slightly different type.

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Measurement/Squares-Angle-Gauges-Protractors

Far eastern of course, and mine is very well made indeed.


John


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## Maryak

Tim & John,

Thank you for the information, my bank manager thanks you too. :bow: :bow:

Best Regards
Bob


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## vascon2196

Maryak  said:
			
		

> Chris,
> 
> I see you have a vernier protractor. :bow:
> 
> I have been after one for a while but the only one I could find was a Starret at some $US450. Just a tad over my budget. : :
> 
> Would you mind a bit of detail about yours. ??? or if your not using it..............................
> 
> Best Regards
> Bob



I wish it were mine! I borrowed it from a machinist at my old job who's tool collection is worth a small fortune. Starret would be nice to have but I have the same budget issues and would have to settle for something less. Good luck.

Chris


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## vascon2196

BigBore  said:
			
		

> Hi Chris. Love the photos. Easy to follow. Thm: Where is this engine documented? I'd like to do a bit of reading about it. I'll be following, for sure. Thanks for posting!
> 
> Ed



Thanks Ed!

I found the engine on the "Jhon-Tom" website under "steam engine plans". This engine came out of Elmer Verburg's famous book and the website scanned all of the plans and posted them for downloading.

http://www.john-tom.com/html/ElmersEngines.html

This is the link to the website and to the page with the "geared steam engine".

Hope this helps.

Chris


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## BigBore

Yep, helps a bunch! Now I can really follow this closely and watch for your modifications. It nice when you guys show the results first so I can understand and appreciate the journey. Or maybe it's because I'm anal retentive?  ???

Ed


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## Brian Rupnow

I believe that is whats called an "epicyclic" gear train. When James Watt built his first successfull beam engine, he used that method because someone else had patented the conventional crankshaft, and he didn't want to get into a patent fight.---Brian


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## vascon2196

Here are some more pictures...





Eccentric Strap





Inboard and Outboard Heads





Piston rod assembly


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## vascon2196

Steam Chest Pics


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## wes

I was wondering where a good place to buy the gears is, I know the plans have a company listed, but I would like a few other options.

Thanks,
Wesley


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## vascon2196

Wesley,

I purchased the gears from a local distributor in Rhode Island (Motion Industries) because they are an authorized distributor for "Boston Gear" which is the gear manufacturer. You may want to check McMaster Carr, MSC Industrial, or Grainger for those gears as well.

Depending where you are located you may be able to find a Boston Gear distibutor in your area. If you go to the Boston Gear website there should be a list of distributors that you can search for using your zip code.

If I have time later tonight I will try to cross reference the Boston Gear part number with someone elses.

Chris


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## gbritnell

Hi Wesley, you might try these people. I have purchased from them in the past with very good luck.
https://sdp-si.com/eStore/
gbritnell


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## zeeprogrammer

Wow. Completely missed this thread.
Very nice project Chris. Nice work.
I'm very interested in seeing it run. Should be cool.


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## vascon2196

gbritnell  said:
			
		

> Hi Wesley, you might try these people. I have purchased from them in the past with very good luck.
> https://sdp-si.com/eStore/
> gbritnell



I also have purchased a gear from this company in the past...completely forgot about them. It was a micro-gear for a remote control helicopter and they had it in stock.


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## vascon2196

zeeprogrammer  said:
			
		

> Wow. Completely missed this thread.
> Very nice project Chris. Nice work.
> I'm very interested in seeing it run. Should be cool.



Thank you Zee! As soon as I have a video it will get posted....


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## vascon2196

The final pictures...a video will follow hopefully this weekend. Thank you to everyone who found this engine interesting...it was the most challenging one for me yet. After working on it for 6-months or so I brought it in to show my wife.....well..........I'm pretty sure her reaction was like every other home engine machinists wife's reaction so I won't go in to details. She pretended to look interested which was good enough for me!





















(This was how I fixtured the small gear to face the hub off)
















Well...that's it. Designed by Elmer Verburg, modeled in Solid Works, machined and assembled by me.

Hope everyone liked it!


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## 4156df

Chris,
That is one cool engine! Nice job. Can't wait to see it run.
Dennis

_Note to self: learn more about cutting gears._


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## vascon2196

Here is the video of my engine running! I failed to tighten down the cylinder which is why it rocks slightly...hopefully everyone will be looking at the straight line to rotational motion instead. If those gears are off just a little it won't turn over. 

Enjoy...


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## rake60

Nice runner Chris! :bow:


Rick


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## zeeprogrammer

That is COOL! Really cool!
Thank you for posting that.
Really neat.
Can you tell I'm at a loss for words?
Nice example of linear to rotary motion.


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## BigBore

WOW!

I want one. I wish I could figure out how to watch it in slow motion. That is just hypnotic. Kudos squared!

Ed


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## vascon2196

Thank you VERY much guys...it means a lot.

Chris


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## black85vette

Certainly high on the "Cool factor" scale.  :bow:


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## gbritnell

Very nicely done Chris. I have seen that type of connection on several different engines over the years. I think there was a vertical at the NAMES show a few years back. What do you have planned for your next project?
gbritnell


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## vascon2196

Thanks again guys...

My next project is a tough one. I purchased plans last summer to build Henry Fords first internal combustion engine but I'm not sure if I want to attempt something like that just yet.

I really should build a small vertical boiler so I can run my existing engines using steam power!

Once I get the shop cleaned up and my machines oiled I should have a better idea.


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## Maryak

Chris,

Wow, love the action. :bow:

Best Regards
Bob


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## vascon2196

Additional gear information for anyone attempting to build this engine.

The original plans call out for an Internal Gear, Boston Gear P/N: Y4872 but it appears that they change the part number to read "YI4872" to help designate that it is an "internal" gear (I guess). The Orbiting gear remains Y4836 for Boston Gear. McMaster Carr, MSC, and Martin gears did not have a cross reference part that I could find...I will keep searching for one though.

Here is the gear information.

Boston Gear P/N: YI4872-Brass
- 72 Teeth
- 48 D.P.
- 20-degree pressure angle
- 1/8" face width

Boston Gear P/N: Y4836- 36 Teeth
- 48 D.P.
- 20-degree pressure angle
- 1/8" face width


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## SAM in LA

vascon2196  said:
			
		

> Additional gear information for anyone attempting to build this engine.
> 
> The original plans call out for an Internal Gear, Boston Gear P/N: Y4872 but it appears that they change the part number to read "YI4872" to help designate that it is an "internal" gear (I guess). The Orbiting gear remains Y4836 for Boston Gear. McMaster Carr, MSC, and Martin gears did not have a cross reference part that I could find...I will keep searching for one though.
> 
> Here is the gear information.
> 
> Boston Gear P/N: YI4872-Brass
> - 72 Teeth
> - 48 D.P.
> - 20-degree pressure angle
> - 1/8" face width
> 
> Boston Gear P/N: Y4836- 36 Teeth
> - 48 D.P.
> - 20-degree pressure angle
> - 1/8" face width



Chris,
Do you recall how much the gears cost?
I have put this engine on my bucket list.

SAM


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## Deanofid

Surly interesting to watch it run! Thanks for the video.

Dean


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## JMI

Nicely done!
And thanks for the source for the gears.
Add this engine to my already impossibly long "to do" list :-\

Jim


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## vascon2196

SAM in LA  said:
			
		

> Chris,
> Do you recall how much the gears cost?
> I have put this engine on my bucket list.
> 
> SAM



Sam, The internal gear was about $30.00 and the orbiting gear was around $15.00. I was very surprised how much they cost but without them...


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## gbritnell

A lot of us machinists can make external gears but without some type of broaching setup you're limited to purchasing gears of the internal type. 
gbritnell


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## Kaleb

If I'm not mistaken, this engine is a hypocycloidal type, like the current Project Of The Month, only in a horizontal arrangement.


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## mklotz

You're correct.

From the Greek...

epi- = outside (e.g., epidermis)
hypo- = inside (e.g., hypodermic needle - beneath/inside the skin)


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