# Oliver Evans The Columbian Steam Engine



## marksavoca (Mar 8, 2020)

My build of 'The Columbian Steam Engine' designed by Oliver Evans in the early 1800's. 

From Wikipedia:
*Oliver Evans* (September 13, 1755 – April 15, 1819) was an American inventor, engineer and businessman born in rural Delaware and later rooted commercially in Philadelphia. He was one of the first Americans building steam engines and an advocate of high pressure steam (vs. low pressure steam).




IMG_7367 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr



I based much of my research on this image:  



Oliver_Evans_steam_engine by Mark Savoca, on Flickr

From the above image and other research I built a 3D model in Fusion360:



The Columbian Steam Engine v606.1 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr

I started by building the wooden components:



IMG_E8411 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr

Then the cylinder. Because it is dual acting, I attached a tube to feed the top of the cylinder.



IMG_8513 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_1471 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr

The valving was simply described as 'a rotary valve'. It took a couple of prototypes to get to what I imagine was inside the valve.



IMG_5235 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr

The valve body was one of the more complicated items I've machined



IMG_4927-2 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_4930-2 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_4934-2 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_4939-2 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_4944-2 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_5234 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_5237 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr

more to follow...


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## marksavoca (Mar 8, 2020)

I built the flywheel from 3/8 x 3/8 steel bar.



IMG_5492 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_5552 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_5598 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr

For the gears, I started with commercial gears and machined to the design.



IMG_6331 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_6856 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr

More components



IMG_6838 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_6952 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_5738 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_6948 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr

All metal components were Blued.



IMG_7228 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_7230 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr

Finally, I assembled all of the parts to complete the engine.



IMG_7355 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr




IMG_7357 by Mark Savoca, on Flickr


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## larryg (Mar 9, 2020)

Absolutely superb.

lg
no neat sig l;ine


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## Picko (Mar 9, 2020)

larryg said:


> Absolutely superb.
> 
> lg
> no neat sig l;ine



Yeah, that's very well done.


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## Charles Lamont (Mar 9, 2020)

Very nice. What wood did you use?


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## bigal2749 (Mar 9, 2020)

Interesting engine with an interesting design

I am lost as to how the rotary
gear works


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## marksavoca (Mar 10, 2020)

Charles Lamont said:


> Very nice. What wood did you use?


Just some Douglas Fir I had laying around.


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## marksavoca (Mar 10, 2020)

bigal2749 said:


> Interesting engine with an interesting design
> 
> I am lost as to how the rotary
> gear works



The valve body has 4 ports, an input, output, bottom of the cylinder and top of the cylinder. The rotating brass valve has an inner chamber and an outer chamber.  The input port is always in the inner chamber, the output port is always in the outer chamber. As the valve rotates, the top and bottom cylinder ports switch from the inner to outer chambers.

A picture:







I hope that helps.

Thanks for the feedback!
Mark


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