# Tandem Compound Poppet Valve Steam Engine Build, ala Cedge



## Cedge (Apr 5, 2010)

The shop is now hospitable again and I'm back in gear for this season's first build project. I'm hoping to stretch things enough to do a couple of different builds, but time will tell. 

I've spent the day turning out cylinders, so I'll share a bit of what was accomplished today. 

I started out by cutting and cleaning up 3 pieces of junk yard brass that turned out to be some really sweet 360 free machining metal. I turned and faced the pieces to get rid of the bumps and warts and then drilled them to within 1/16 inch of the finished bores. Since one of the engines.....(yeah, there will be two when I'm finished) is a compound arrangement, the two bores will be .6250 and .750 inches. 

I then broke out the HSS boring bar and got serious. In the photo below, you'll notice a lighter area just inside the bore, indicated by the red arrow. 







This is a trick that Zeusrekining (Tim) taught me on my last project. Rather than blindly boring the whole length of the cylinder from the start, I bored about 1/4 inch in and used a "go/no go" gauge to get a close running fit. This particular cylinder is a 3/4 inch bore so I used a 3/4 inch slug for testing. 






This left the rest of the bore untouched and the lip of the step up was easy to see while using the boring bar. The diminishing step up served as a visual indication for when things began getting close and resulted in a dead on .750 bore when the last pass was made. Nice tip, Tim...thanks.

Once the bores were done, it was time for the fun stuff to begin. Those of you who saw the recent 3D image, already know these cylinders will be contoured in a number of places. I'm nowhere near Gbritnell's level, but Ive definitely learned that I enjoy an engine with somewhat fewer hard edges. 

The process began with a bit of marking up which was done on the lathe using a digital caliper that has had one tine shortened. This made easy work of locating the various elements I'd need to turn. 






For those who haven;t seen this trick, the long tine gives you a means to indicate from an edge while the shorter tine marks the metal. This mark out was done with the lathe turning slowly. The long tine was held against the end of the work piece and adjusted to the needed dimensions for each mark. This also trick works well when working on the mill. (just remember it's an inside measurement so you cut *TO* the line)

The first cuts were made using a parting tool. It was used to make sure the corners were clean and square. This also took the worry out of aggressively removing the remaining metal between features. The flanges were filed on the lathe to round them. as were the rounded contours that flow from one flange tot he next.






The photo below shows the "before and after" of the process. You'll note things get a little close near the chuck. You'll want to give your undivided attention to filing this close to the spinning jaws. I use small needle files for this work and stand away from the chuck as much as possible.






Here is today's harvest after a bit of polishing has been started. The heavy bases will stay attached for some of the upcoming mill work ans then the cylinders will be transfered to mandrels for some further lathe work. Two of these will be used on the compound engine while the third will become a single cylinder version. Stay tuned.... lots of things to do before these are ready to run.







Welcome aboard.....
Steve


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## joe d (Apr 5, 2010)

Steve

This is looking good already... and you've only done two parts. Looking forward to following along!

Cheers, Joe


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## Deanofid (Apr 5, 2010)

Nice candle sticks! ; )
Really, they look quite nice already, Steve. Nice to make something pretty on the first day of a new project.

I have a boring bar like the one you show there. Mine is quite bendy!

Dean


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## Maryak (Apr 5, 2010)

Nice start Steve. 

Best Regards
Bob


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## Philjoe5 (Apr 6, 2010)

Nice work Steve. You've introduced some new tricks to me, and the journey has just begun.  :bow:

Cheers,
Phil


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## SAM in LA (Apr 6, 2010)

Steve,

Shoot, you just started and I have learned several new things from your build.
Keep up the great work. My learning curve is nearly vertical and my head is starting to hurt. I'm looking forward to following your build.

SAM


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## cfellows (Apr 6, 2010)

Looks Good, Steve. Thanks for the tips. I, too, like the engines with curves and valleys or maybe those are called beads and coves?

Chuck


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## Cedge (Apr 11, 2010)

Chuck
Beads and Coves it is..... my head didn't supply the needed words when asked...(grin). Thanks.

Things got a little delayed this week as I needed to clean about 20 engines for the first showing of the season. Saturday was spent with a few machining friends, 50 plus engines , loads of warm springtime sunshine and a great crowd of friendly onlookers. I'll have to say I didn't really miss being in the shop....(grin).

Today I got back to things and made a bit of progress with the cylinders. 

The photo below shows one of the cylinders after it's first trip to the mill. I machined flats on all 3 bases to give me a proper datum point for the first few modifications. This trick proved to be a life saver on my last project and has since been adopted as a regular thing. 






This flat face, along with the substantial "base" gave me plenty of meat to grip while working with a lot of overhang in the vice. It also helped me assure that all the cuts would be square and at 180° in relationship to each other. The flat does require a bit more use of the wiggler when things are repositioned, but it is a lot easier than many methods I've seen.







I chose to use a 5/8 inch end mill cutting to 0.100 in depth so that the hole would have a slight wall along the outside edges. I accepted that the holes would be slightly oversized and made up for it by turning the valve bases to a press fit in order to match the holes.






The valve basse was then soldered into place using the 3/16 inch hole that was drilled in each piece. These holes will also be used as indexing points in later proce3dure. By soldering from the inside, there was less overflow to clean up on the outside. Since these pieces will see very little pressure, I chose to use a silver bearing solder for convenience.






The work pieces were then taken back to the mill to even up the surfaces of the valve bases. This surface now becomes the new datum point for future operations such as drilling and tapping the ends of the cylinders. After a bit clean up and removing the heavy base, the cylinders look less like candle sticks and more like parts of a steam engine.







Steve


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## Blogwitch (Apr 11, 2010)

Those bits are starting to look rather delicious Steve.

Envy is setting in already.


Bogs


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## Deanofid (Apr 11, 2010)

> After a bit clean up and removing the heavy base, the cylinders look less like candle sticks and more like parts of a steam engine.



You knew I was kidding, right, Steve? You do beautiful turning work, not to mention the rest of your talents.
Keep up the fine work.

Dean


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## Cedge (Apr 11, 2010)

Dean
No offense taken, they looked like candle sticks.....LOL. Thanks for the kind words.

John
If all goes well, I hope to have you absolutely green before they're running.... LOL. It looks like they are going to be an easier project than I first suspected. the thought of making 12 of everything is still a bit daunting, but I just keep repeating my mantra.... "just make one perfect part at a time".

Steve


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## Blogwitch (Apr 12, 2010)

Steve,

You know I have always admired your work and flair since you started to make these one off's, and now that my time is unfortunately over in that department, I have to have something to hold in high esteem and to follow along with, even though it does make my mouth water at times.

Your mantra BTW is spot on.

I'm not trying to teach you how to suck eggs, but if making more than a couple of the same part, don't be afraid of wasting a little time making up a holding fixture or jig, they usually save time in the long run, mainly because you spend less time putting things right due to slippage etc, also, if you are soldering things up, you can safely use a bit of ali bar for lining up holes etc while you solder it all together, even if it gets stuck in there, it is usually easily removed afterwards without any damage.

John


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## gbritnell (Apr 12, 2010)

Hi Steve, nice progress on the cylinder so far. One thing I have found when having to silver solder parts. I try to do all the machining, drilling and tapping before I do the silver soldering. Usually the silver soldering anneals the metal somewhat and it doesn't like to tap as well as when it's in the hardened state. If all your holes are bigger than 2-56 it's not a real concern but I do a lot of holes smaller than that so this is the procedure I have taken.
George


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## kvom (Apr 12, 2010)

Good start on this one!

I need to make another field trip to see it in person.


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## Cedge (Apr 12, 2010)

George,
Thanks for the tip. I'm a bit past the point of no return on this projecy but I'm filing that one away for future reference. This bit of soldering was not true silver soldering since i used a silver bearing solder with a low content. The heat requirement was not quite high enough to put me in the range to do much annealing. Keep your fingers crossed for me... eh?

John

Thanks for the show of faith....(grin). I've already been contemplating a bit of "jiggery" for some of the pieces. I'm also looking at a couple of profiling cutters to shorten up steps on a couple of others. With a bit of luck, I'll post a few more photos this evening, as I get a few more things done.

Kvom....
All ya gotta do is give me a call and let me know when you want to come. Just need a little time to tidy up.... LOL. I'd hoped to be down in your area by now, but life keeps getting in the way.

Steve


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## steamer (Apr 12, 2010)

Looking great Steve....I think I found a German reference showing that style of valve gear......Maybe sometime this week....

Dave


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## Cedge (Apr 14, 2010)

Finally got back to the shop after a small lapse in motivation. I've managed to get a little done, so the break was not a total loss. 

The cylinders have now been drilled for the steam ports. Patience and an easy touch got the #43 holes deep enough to match up with the larger 3/16 holes coming in from the valve bases.






The 3/16 holes were drilled last to avoid the chance of breaking a drill while entering another hole from the side. 

If you recall, I mentioned the valve bases became the new datum point in a previous comment. This is where they came in quite handy. Locating the various holes in relation to each other became as easy as you could ask. A simple flip of the work piece was all that was required to get perfect alignments. These indexing points still have a couple of functions to serve before they too will be replaced. 






The cylinders will require a total of 5 gland nuts and two different sizes since one cylinder on the tandem uses two different diameters cylinders. Here is one of them show early in the turning phase. You can see the markup / caliper trick was used here as well as the cut off tool for heavy metal removal to depth. (keep practicing with the cutting off... its a very handy skill)







Here the photo shows one of the glands, threaded at 3/8 x 32 tpi. The piston rod will be 3/16 inch dia. so there will be plenty of room for the graphite string packing to fit in the wells. The gl;ands will be concealed by the spool, also shown in the photo. This will serve to connect the two cylinders. 






Here you can see the gland as it fits the collar. The 1/16 lip was left to give added support to the piston rod and to aid in positioning the gland in the end of the cylinder. 






I still have glands to make, but here is how the combination of parts will fit together. I'm currently awaiting an order from www.microfasterners.com before I begin drilling and tapping the nearly 50 holes required to fit ti all together. Hopefully that project will begin tomorrow. 






Steve


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## Deanofid (Apr 14, 2010)

You progress pretty fast, Steve. Everything looks good.
I don't envy you those 50 holes!

Dean


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## Cedge (Apr 14, 2010)

Dean....
The 50 holes are 2-56 threaded, which won't be too bad as long as I remember to baby the drill and use only sharp taps. 

The pain is the other 96 smaller holes to be drilled for small rivets..... on turned surfaces....LOL Those might prove to be some fun.

Steve


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## Blogwitch (Apr 15, 2010)

Steve,

I would suggest you get yourself a small 120 degree spotting drill if you can, for all those small holes on curved surfaces. The dimple left will be more accurate and less prone to slippage than a centre drill dimple.

Just a suggestion.

John


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## Cedge (Apr 15, 2010)

John
I'm hoping the 118° cobalt drills will serve the same way. They tend to be less likely to travel but I'll be setting the marks with a tiny rigid center drill and a mark one mod one bio eyeball calibration system....... as well as the DRO. 

The things I do to make me happy..... sheesshhh.....LOL

Steve


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## Deanofid (Apr 15, 2010)

Cedge  said:
			
		

> The things I do to make me happy..... sheesshhh.....LOL
> Steve



Well, they sure seem to work well for you, Steve. No one would argue that!

Dean


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## Cedge (Apr 15, 2010)

Today was no time to be impatient. I took on the drilling and tapping of 48 holes for the 2-56 head studs. Since the last thing I wanted was a busted drill or tap, I took several precautions. 

The Chinese DRO system really paid its way, by making several things easier. The "hole circle" mode was used to keep things uniform as the holes were first center drilled. This makes sure the drilled hole can't wander, as the "pre-drilling" acts as a guide to keep it running true. I know.... we all do it, but some of this is meant for the new guys....(grin)







Since there isn't much room for error, I went a wee bit overboard with the DRO, shooting for .00005 on the read outs. No.... it isn't required, but the heads and glands have to fit quite close to true concentricity, so it was just one of those precautions I just mentioned. At 5 decimal points of accuracy, it should all work out fine.







After being center drilled, the holes were drilled using a #49 drill instead of the #50 which the books recommend. The blind holes are 5/16 inches deep and had to be tapped to depth. By using the #49 drill the chances of damage to the tap was reduced. Marv Klotzs was the source of this tool saving tip in a previous discussion of tapping on this board.







Tapping was also done using the DRO to make sure the tap was in perfect alignment with the holes. While it might strike some as being overkill, it took very extra little time and it made a tricky job much easier to accomplish. Notice, the tap guide is being used. Hey MA!!.... 48 cleanly tapped holes and no busted tools!!!







Here are the three cylinders with the holes.... posed with a coke can to give a better feel for scale of things. When you look at the alignment of the valve bases, you'll see a few of the reasons I value that cheap Chinese DRO. 







Family will be priority one, this weekend and into the first part of the coming week. I won't be getting much shop time. I'll post more when I've gotten back in the shop and to work again.

Steve


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## Cedge (Apr 19, 2010)

Not a lot of photos tonight, since it's all been drilling and tapping tiny holes. Not much entertainment value, but it sure makes assembly much easier. Here is the first test fitting of the cylinders, glands and head. I'll be fitting the pistons and rod next so I can begin measuring the elevation needed to mount the assembly. Still need to make the glands for the 3rd cylinder but needed a break from making tiny holes.

The file is there to compensate for the 1/8 inch difference in the diameter of the two cylinders. 

Steve


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## Cedge (Apr 24, 2010)

Tonight's installment deals with working oneself out of painted corners. Once in a while, I wind up realizing I've removed the part from its base too early and no longer have a way to mount it back in the lathe for one more needed operation. It can leave you scratching your head and muttering things the kiddies shouldn't hear. 

That wasn't the case in this particular instance, as I chose to make the cut off early, rather than risk life and limb by working right up against the spinning chuck with a hand file. I knew I'd have to revisit the problem, but since I already had newly established indexing surfaces for the milling and drilling requirements, I took it in stride. I have Philp Duclos to thank for the solution. (I'm really beginning to like this guy)

A short chapters in one of his Shop Wisdom books shared a down and dirty, easy to make, quick release mandrel that can be made on the fly, for just such situations. His tip was to turn a shaft to a close running fit, notch it with a shallow cut and place a small round dowel in the slot as a locking pin. This pin has to sit about .002 lower than the overall diameter of the shaft. 











A gentle twist of the work piece in the counter (anti) clockwise direction will lock the cylinder on the shaft and hold it for turning operations, as long as you don't try to make too heavy cuts. The lathe will actually tighten the work piece as you work. When finished, a gentle twist in the clockwise direction will unlock the work piece and allow it to easily slide off the shaft.






This trick allowed me to finish rounding off the bead on the cylinder end and to clean up the flange surface where I'd had to restart the cut off and missed the original cut by a few thousandths. Since this prevented the glad from seating seamlessly, it had to go. As I said before.... easy, quick and one of those down and dirty little tricks that can save your bacon.....eh?

Okay.... I'll admit to miscalculations when I make them, but this one was more of a midstream design change that had to be compensated for. The spacer that goes between cylinders had to be remade after I decide to have hex heads on the gland nuts, instead of recessing them. This meant the first one was suddenly short by a full 1/4 inch. No sweat, but it did add to the number of already very plentiful holes to be drilled. 

I popped the new one into the mill, drilled the first 8 holes. Since these holes are critical to alignment, I decided not to drill on through and risk the drill point wandering off on its own. So how would one flip a round part and match up the holes in the same locations as the ones on the other flange? Nope.... I couldn't leave a flat spot on this piece so another means of indexing was needed. 

I've already turned the pistons and the piston rod was simply a piece of 3/16 drill rod, so I placed the piston in the cylinder, slid the gland in place along with the spacer. I then bolted them in place using four 2-56 hexhead screws. Before I tightened things down I moved the gland around a bit to find the point where there was least friction on the piston. (more on this in a minute). Once all was free, I tightened the bolts and put the whole assembly in the mill. The photo below shows it awaiting wiggling to center the quill before drilling the 8 holes.






As you can see, having the flat indexing points is proving to be invaluable to this project. They have made the hole placements painless if no less boring....LOL They will remain until the cylinder section is ready to bolt to the engine base, which is not that far away at this point.

I mentioned "moving the gland around" up above. Since the glands serve as the "head" for these cylinders, they are critical to the overall alignment of the pistons and piston rod. This engine will have to almost perfectly align at 6 separate points and still remain low friction if it is to run at all. Since the glands are "trapped" by the spacer assembly and the cross head guide, they were made with slightly over sized holes to allow them to "float" a few thousandths while being aligned. They will be locked into position once the other components are installed and locked down. This will take some of the sweat out of being "close" but "not quite there" as things progress.

Steve


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## Deanofid (Apr 24, 2010)

Thanks for the thorough write up, Steve. The assembly from the earlier post, which I missed, looks really great.

Maybe I didn't glean it from the text, or just flat missed it; How are the gland packings between the center spacer and "middle" cylinder ends going to be adjusted? I mean, on a conventional type steamer, the gland is screwed in or squeezed by screws, compressing the packing material the needed amount to stop steam/air and still let the engine run. Just curious about that.

I like your demonstration of PD's roller locking arbor setup, (I don't remember what he called it). I recall reading his article quite a while back, and have used it to get me out of a fix of my own making a few times. He was such a crafty guy!

Dean


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## Cedge (Apr 24, 2010)

Dean
If I understand the questiion, the gland nuts "can be adjusted" during assembly. I'll run them in a bit "too tight" at first and then use the running in procedure to loosen things up. 

I left the conical cut from the drill bit, rather than trying to flatten the bottom of the well. When the gland nut is tightened, this will force the graphite string to compress toward the piston rod, giving me a good seal. The over sized bolt holes simply gave me a bit of fudge factor just in case I did miss on the hole patterns.


Sounds a bit outside of the "official steam engine builder's book" but it worked perfectly on the Water engine, so I'm using the tricks again here. Besides.... I never read that particular book anyway....(grin)

Steve


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## ariz (Apr 25, 2010)

Steve, first of all compliments for this great job: very very nice :bow:

a question now... you said that for soldering those pieces you have drilled a hole in the upper part
then? did you put the solder in the hole while heating the assembly?

sorry for the trite question, but everything that can improve my silver soldering attempts is important for me ;D


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## Maryak (Apr 25, 2010)

Steve,

I've always used a tapered mandrel but that's a neat trick and one worth adding to anybody's set up repertoire. Thanks for sharing. :bow:

Best Regards
Bob


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## Cedge (Apr 25, 2010)

Thanks guys...
I'm trying to catch the small things that help as I go along. It's easy to forget that things you do almost automatically are not always common knowledge. I'll admit it is the first time I've used the mandrel trick, but it worked so well I had to share it.

Ariz...
I clipped a couple of small lengths, maybe 3/16 long, and dropped then in the holes before heating, along with some flux. When it hit melt point I used the torch to draw the solder from all sides. Feeding it while heating is messy and gets it all over every thing you don't want it on....(grin).

Steve


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## Cedge (Apr 26, 2010)

Finally, I got to stop drilling holes for a bit. Still more to drill, but I finally got to do something that felt like progress....(grin).

The collar that joins the two cylinders also houses the gland nuts, which in the real world, would need to be accessible for maintenance purposes, so I decide to give this little engine a port hole.

The spacer was bolted up to the cylinder and placed in the mill vice for drilling. I wanted a 9/16 inch hole which would have a "collar" around the opening. After drilling to 1/2 inch, I switched to a 9/16 inch end mill to finish the opening. 






A small piece of scrap box brass was then turned to a light press fit and fitted into the spacer's new opening, using a small arbor to hold it in alignment. Since the quill was already centered from the previous operation, things went quite smoothly as I used the quill to seat the cross piece.






The Spacer was then removed from the cylinder for soldering. You'll note the cross piece has a light groove cut into it. This was done to allow the solder to flow more easily. The other "trick" is less obvious. By choosing the 9/16 inch measurement, the cross drilled hole was about 1/16 of an inch larger than the bore of the spacer. This gave me a solid piece within the bore to accept solder, assuring that the piece is not going to get knocked off anytime in the future. 






Once the solder cooled, the spacer was once put back in the mill to remove a bit of the new metal. Since the next operation will be to turn the piece using the cam locking mandrel, I didn't want to put a lot of stress on the tool with extended interrupted cutting. I like the mandrel idea, but it's too new to have my full faith and trust quite yet.






Once the cylinder was put back on the lathe, the spacer needed a several different operations performed. First off it was a wee bit out of alignment, so I broke out my hand alignment wheel. I slightly loosened the four 2-56 hex bolts, turned on the lathe and then ran the wheel into the side of the spacer. This nudged the spacer into alignment so I could tighten the bolts to hold it there. 

Once the alignment was done, the cross piece was center drilled and then drilled to 3/8 inch, so a small HSS boring bar could be brought into play. Light cuts were the order of the day until the cut began to get close to the bore size. At this point I once again employed the little wheel tool, just to make sure all was well before making the finishing pass within the bore. The results are such that you can't see where the joints are anymore... even with the new metal transecting the bore at two places.






The cross piece was turned down to match the cylinder contour and then put back in the mill for opening of the port hole to 1/2 inch. A bit of deburring and some filing later, the port holes are looking like a good addition to the project.






Steve


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## Deanofid (Apr 26, 2010)

I didn't get just what it was you were up to with that cross piece, Steve. That's slick!
Looks very porthole-y, indeed. Just right for the tiny maintenance man to reach in there 
with his spanner and do some adjusting.

Very good!

Dean


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## SAM in LA (Apr 26, 2010)

Cedge,

I appreciate the detail you put into your posts.

I am learning so much.

I am not sure what it is that you do with your "wheel tool".

Thanks again,

SAM


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## Cedge (Apr 26, 2010)

Sam
That little wheel is worth several times its own weight in chocolate....LOL. It hates wobble. When I remount a work piece in the chuck, it often wobbles when the lathe starts up. By running the wheel up against the work piece, it nudges it back into axial alignment. You can nudge form the side or it can do its job by running against the end of the work piece. Very handy.

In the sad saga of the Cam Gear disaster in the Victorian build, I managed to nearly destroy a gear that had many hours of work in it. A stupid mistake on my part had the gear twisted to about a 20° angle to its axis. After the dust settled and my heart began beating again, the wheel tool was applied to remove the damage. I ran the wheel against the "end" of the piece to get it turning straight, then I nudged the rim back into concentricity from the side.


This wheel tool is made of a simple round on a shaft. My next one will probably be made with a bearing.

Dean...
Thats the spirit. I like to imagine those little tiny guys running amuck around my machines....LOL.

Steve


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## Philjoe5 (Apr 26, 2010)

Steve,
Absolutely beautiful work you're showing us here. The photo documentation is top notch and I appreciate you taking the time to stop in the middle of some of this intricate work to take a photo for everyone to enjoy. :bow:

Cheers,
Phil


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## Captain Jerry (Apr 26, 2010)

Cedge

The devil is in the details. Devilishly clever detail!!!!

Jerry


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## Cedge (Apr 26, 2010)

Jerry....
What can I say?... The devil made me do it....LOL :noidea:

Phil....
It's all about giving something back. I've learned far more from the guys on the board than I'll ever be able to share.

Steve


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## kcmillin (Apr 26, 2010)

Steve, I too am learning alot from your posts. Those are some extremely nice cylinders. It appears that you are becoming a "teacher" of sorts. Thanks for posting pics of the entire process.

Kel


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## SAM in LA (Apr 26, 2010)

Cedge  said:
			
		

> Sam
> That little wheel is worth several times its own weight in chocolate....LOL. It hates wobble. When I remount a work piece in the chuck, it often wobbles when the lathe starts up. By running the wheel up against the work piece, it nudges it back into axial alignment. You can nudge form the side or it can do its job by running against the end of the work piece. Very handy.
> 
> This wheel tool is made of a simple round on a shaft. My next one will probably be made with a bearing.


Steve,
Thanks. I'll make myself one for my quick change tool post.
SAM


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## Cedge (Apr 30, 2010)

Tonight is going to be a bit photo heavy, so bear with me. These engines have a longer than usual cross head guides. Each of them will have long openings , similar to the one I put in the spacer section. Building them has proven to be a bit frustrating as I managed to make the same mistake, not once, but twice, resulting in the openings being rotated about 8.5 degrees off plumb. That is what happens when you are using hex bar and forget which face you used to index in the vise... nuff [email protected]#$&%*!! Simple solution.... use round stock with one flat spot....LOL.

The first successful cross head guide is shown below, after it was turned, faced and then milled. The opening was drilled and milled to 9/16 just as the spacer was made. The elongated part of the cut was done using an end mill in small steps that were milled through, top to bottom in small bites. This procedure will be shown, in a few moments.






Once things were deburred and some file work was completed, a pair of small 9/16 rounds were turned and drilled with a 3/16 hole. The reason for the hole is for an easy alignment later in the process. The rounds were left slightly over sized, perhaps .002 so they would fit snuggly in their respective radii. 






The space between them now needed to be filled, but the piece had to fit around the rounds snuggly.as well. This was accomplished by carefully milling a piece of 3/4 square stock 9/32 deep with a 9/16 end mill and then using it to bore through the square for the other arc. The piece was then milled down to fit the gap.












Once this were fitted properly, a session of soldering was next on the agenda. I even took time to use a pencil lead around the areas where I didn't want solder to puddle and stick. Solder won't adhere to pencil or even smoked metal, making for less clean up.






The work piece was left to cool and then moved back to the lathe to turn down the new metal. This also let me inspect the solder joints which proved to need a little additional work. Once a couple of solderless joints were addressed, it was time to see how the windows were going to turn out. This is the step where those two 3/16 holes in the end pieces proved their worth. By putting a 3/16 dowel pin in the chuck, I was able to easily center on the holes and align everything for the next step. Note the pencil lead can still be seen in this photo. 






After centering the quill with the dowel pin, the next step was to bore a couple of 7/16 holes to begin opening up the window ports. Then the end mill was used to "nibble" out the remaining metal a bit a time. Run it all the way through and then advance it a few thousandths until toy remove the unwanted metal. Then you want to make a quick pass back along the opening to clean things up.






Once the milling operation was finished, it was back to the lathe to make the bore round once more. First step was to use the half inch end mill to get everything back to the original bore dimension. I then widened the first 1/2 inch using a boring bar until the 9/16 end mill would just barely sip into the opening. It's no fun trying to use a boring bar in an interrupted cut. Just trust me on this...(grin). The missed alignment of the port wasn't the only headache this adventure produced. The end mill made a nice substitute and soon had the bore where it needed to be. 






There is still a bit to do to the piece, like adding a pair of ribs which will need to be soldered in place, but the next one should be a breeze after feeling my way through this one. The little single cylinder has become somewhat of a test bed as I work through the ins and outs of some of the parts. I only hope it won't suffer from all the abuse, when things are completed.






Steve


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## Blogwitch (May 1, 2010)

Steve,

When you come to make your new wheel aligning tool, make it double ended, so you have a wheel sticking out of either end of your tool holder.

That is so you can straighten up from both side and face, just by dropping the holder onto whichever face off the toolpost you need to use without having to turn the tool around in the holder. 

I am still threatening to make mine.

Are you using silver or soft solder in all those joints? If it is silver solder, you have really got it down to a tee now, very nice work indeed.

But on the other hand, that is just what we would expect from you now, perfection and close control of fine detail.


John


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## Cedge (May 1, 2010)

John
Great idea on the wheel tool. Now if I can get a round tuit....LOL

Since there is no structural or pressure related stresses on the parts, I've opted to use a soft solder with moderate (7- 10%) silver content. I'd use silver solder if it were otherwise. I've not had any failures so for the difference in price alone its been quite a workable solution.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. It's always good to hear a mentor say something nice....LOL

Steve


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## Blogwitch (May 1, 2010)

Not a mentor any longer Steve, you are surpassing me every new day, and it will stay that way, I am slowing down just too much nowadays to keep up.

I can remember your first tentative steps into making things, and once you had things nailed down, there was no holding you back.

The saying about old dogs and new tricks has definitely been proved wrong. You are teaching me new things all the time.

Keep up the great work.


John


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## kcmillin (May 1, 2010)

Wow...Wow....I am speechless.
Thanks for the detail, thats and incredible process.

Kel


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## Deanofid (May 1, 2010)

That sure turned out pretty, Steve. This is going to be another one of those threads where we run out of 
superlatives right quick like. Such nice work, here.

Dean


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## Philjoe5 (May 3, 2010)

OK Steve, I know how you feel about those of us using dial-up, but I have to tell you it is the best way to get maximum enjoyment from your posts. While the picture is downloading and I have only your words to read I find myself trying to figure what it is exactly that you're doing. 

Then all of a sudden, bingo, there's the photo and I'm totally amazed at the work you had to do on those crosshead guides to get that really elegant relief (is that the word?) effect. 

Truly a master at work here :bow: :bow: :bow:

Cheers,
Phil


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## Cedge (May 3, 2010)

Phil
Glad we got that all worked out....LOL I didn't get to take a photo yet, but the hand filing is done and the edges are all nicely rounded off now. I'll shoot it tomorrow and post the finished look. 

Steve


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## Cedge (May 4, 2010)

I didn't get a lot done today, but what was accomplished tied up a few loose ends that were bugging me. The windows on the cross head guide are now filed and rounded to their final size and shape. They turned out to be a somewhat delicate feature that added a nice bit to flair the project. The second engine's guide will begin tomorrow and I'm hoping it will turn out even better than this one.






http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/guide-13.jpg

The rest of the progress was limited to getting the gland nuts made and fitted to the glands. These were turned from a 1/2 inch piece of hex brass that made it easy to make.... you got it.... hex nuts....(grin)





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/gland-2.jpg

You'll notice the gland nuts are flat on the thread ends. When I drilled the holes to thread the gland body, I left the taper the end of the drill bit created. The flats will press the packing into the taper and against the piston rod as the gland nut is tightened. Since I used a 3/8 x 32 TPI this arrangement will allow me very fine adjustment to control how snug the packing is compressed. the nuts were drilled .010 over the size of the 3/16 piston rod. Since the gland was reamed to size, it will hold the rod concentric, negating the need to add additional friction points in the nuts. 






http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/gland-1.jpg

Here are the two gland nuts were what had me a little worried about the length of the original spacer between the cylinders. They even added something to look at through the small windows. Looks like I'll need to center them up a bit before I'm done.






http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/gland-3.jpg

The strange silver looking string is the graphite impregnated material Zeusrekining shared with me during the Water Pressure Engine project. This stuff makes perfect stuffing for the glands and acts as a lubricant was well. It remains low friction even after it has seated and worn in. It's available from McMaster Carr as well as Smallparts.com.





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/gland-4.jpg

Here are the pieces all fitted up and awaiting the stuffing.... among other things....(grin) 





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/gland-5.jpg

Steve


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## Philjoe5 (May 5, 2010)

Steve, thanks for the updates and the heads up on the packing material. :bow: I'll be in need of some of this stuff shortly as I plan to run a few of my model engines on steam.

Cheers,
Phil


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## bearcar1 (May 5, 2010)

Steve, I am blown away by how you so effortlessly (yeah right ) have fabricated those elegant rims around the crosshead guides. I have scratched my *ahem* head for quite some time in an attempt to figure out a means of doing that and you have just delivered the answer on a silver platter. My thanks :bow:. Your project is turning into yet another epoch display of machine work and talent. Well done.

BC1
Jim


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## kustomkb (May 5, 2010)

Super nice work Steve!

Coming along ever so nicely.


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## Cedge (May 5, 2010)

Jim...
That was my reaction to seeing how it was done, as well. I'd scratched both ends raw trying to come up with a solution until I saw how it was done. Definitely an AHA!! moment. 

So many people have shared tips, tricks and techniques with me that I'm trying to document some of the things I've learned as I go along. The difficult part of that is to spot when I'm doing something a new guy might not have seen before. Some things become habitual enough that you do them without really thinking about it, while some poor schlub is out there struggling with the same technique. If it seems I'm over detailing my comments, at times, this is the reason for it.

I'd like to say it's all effortless, but like anything else, it takes a bit of patience, some brain sweat and copious amounts of elbow grease. The end product usually justifies the expenditures.

Steve


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## 4156df (May 5, 2010)

Steve,
Please don't worry about overdetailing comments and pictures. I can't tell you how often someone's "routine" comments and photos have helped me over a rough spot. The only problem is tips like these rims make me want to start over on my cross head guide.  No wonder projects go on forever.
Dennis


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## Maryak (May 5, 2010)

Cedge  said:
			
		

> You'll notice the gland nuts are flat on the thread ends. When I drilled the holes to thread the gland body, I left the taper the end of the drill bit created. The flats will press the packing into the taper and against the piston rod as the gland nut is tightened. Since I used a 3/8 x 32 TPI this arrangement will allow me very fine adjustment to control how snug the packing is compressed. the nuts were drilled .010 over the size of the 3/16 piston rod. Since the gland was reamed to size, it will hold the rod concentric, negating the need to add additional friction points in the nuts.
> Steve



Steve,

Beautiful work. :bow: :bow:

Just a suggestion - gland nuts/ followers usually have a matching reverse taper to the stuffing box base. That way the packing is more evenly and easily compressed against the shaft.






Best Regards
Bob


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## Cedge (May 6, 2010)

Bob
Thanks for the tip. I typically deburr holes with a countersink, which leaves a taper in the end of the hole.... so I guess I do add a bevel in the nut without really thinking about it. See what I mean by habitual things are difficult to document?

I'm trying to keep these two engines fairly close to the same level of completion, as I go along. That means that I have to consciously stop and assess what is falling behind on one or the other as I work my way through test fits and such. Today I managed to bring both engines to the same place and got a lot of small things accomplished. 

The second crosshead guide is almost done, needing only a bit of hand work on the window and some cleaning and polish. It was a little tricker to make since the bead on the end of the cylinder was intentionally cut smaller than the rest of the ends by a full 1/8 inch. Lucky for me my calculations were right on and I didn't have to change the hole pattern to make it work. 

While the engines are of the same basic design, I've decided to give them different details. The single cylinder version will have the piston rod exposed on both ends just to give it a bit more motion when running. The tandem engine now has a longer crosshead window which will hopefully allow me to use a novel oiler system. Other small things will receive cosmetic differences as things progress.

Here are the two engines as they sit a the moment. Sorry, but the things I accomplished over the past couple of days were simply repeats of things in previous posts. No one wants to see photos of all of the nearly 150 small holes the project has required so far....LOL


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## gbritnell (May 7, 2010)

Steve, I haven't responded much to your build but I have been following it. As per your other work it has the Cedge touch to it, by that I mean it has that Victorian style with the radii and fillets. Your work is first class and I enjoy your documentation efforts as I know how much time it takes to do this. 
George


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## SAM in LA (May 7, 2010)

Cedge,

Beautiful work.

SAM


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## Cedge (May 7, 2010)

George...
I do love the old Victorian stuff. It's a tough style to emulate but I'm having fun trying. As you know, putting it all out in the open, on line has its own challenges. You can easily wind up being the bug instead of the windshield if you aren't careful.....LOL Thanks for following along. Nothing like having a master of the trade looking over your shoulder..... no pressure.... LOL

Sam.... 
Thanks.... the positive comments keep these projects going.

Steve


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## Philjoe5 (May 7, 2010)

Steve,
I'm following along and what can I say? Beautiful work and an inspiration to us all to do our best. It really is in the details and you're showing us what is possible. :bow:

Cheers,
Phil


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## RichD (May 8, 2010)

Codge,

Nice job! I guess the world still has a few Master Craftsmen around. Just like the other comments you've received, I'm learning new things with every post you make.
Thanks,
Rich


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## Cedge (May 9, 2010)

The engines in this project are what are known as side rod style. This means there are cams on an independent shaft which runs down the side of the machine, rather than the more familiar steam chest / D valve system. It also means there has to be something to support the shaft and I've got to make them. 

I've studied a quite number of photos of these little machines around the web and there are generally two ways to mount them. Some use the head bolts on the cylinders while others bolt up or are riveted to the exterior wall of the cylinder. After some consideration, I chose to go the latter route on at least one of these engines.

While I've been doing all that drilling, I've also been working through how to best duplicate some of the repetitive parts this project will require. It finally struck me, while running my pirated Crap O' Cad that there might be a simple way to do things. A simple sketch was undertaken and what began as a single arm drawing, soon became four. 






http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-1.jpg

Once the brass was squared, the lay out was made using a center drill to locate the holes. I removed the moving jaw on my Phase II vice and bolted back on the end of the sliding body and clamped in a piece of scrap yard aluminum tooling plate I had laying on the shelf. This too was drilled at the center point and another hole was added to match the radius of the outer holes. The would become the pivot and locking points during the milling process. 

The metal strip you see is a piece of 0.01 inch shim stock that I use for locating the end mill. Run the end mill down until it just begins to "scratch" at the shim. You are now 0.01 inches above the work piece. Set your Z dial or DRO to zero, run it down an additional 0.01 and you are exactly at the surface level of your work. Reset the dial or DRO to zero once more and you're ready to go to work. The reason for doing the Zero thing twice is so if you miss the mark on the way to the surface, you have a place to begin again without going through the whole procedure.





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-2.jpg

Before we go any further, a small warning is in order. This is a hand controlled operation and requires you to work in relatively close proximity to a small very sharp cutting tool that cares not one whit if it is chewing on metal..... or on you. Awareness of where your hands and fingers are at all times is not to be taken lightly, even for a moment. If you aren't comfortable with the idea, please do not try it. You will do so at your own risk. It's a process that requires very small diameter tools (no larger than 3/16 here) and very light cuts. You'll also want to avoid making climbing cuts as if they were the plague. Climbing cuts WILL run away on you and do damage to the work piece and quite possibly..... YOU. DON'T DO IT!!.

Once the tooling/ jig and such were complete the first cuts were made. As you can see, center pivot for center cuts, outer holes were the pivot points for their own radii. Since the dowel pins allow easy repositioning of the part, it's a fairly quick procedure to rotate or flip the work piece. Both sides were given the same treatment to create a mirrored effect. One quick note..... The final finished depth of cut on this part will be .0625. At this stage of things, I'm only cutting own to about 0.040. This gives me a chance to correct mistakes as well as play a bit with a couple of visual ideas that might become part of the final version. Thus the reason for the ball end cuts. 





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-3.jpg

The phioto below shows the reason for the holes drilled at the 45° points. They are the pivots for the long cuts from one arm to the other, as well as for cutting the openings I'll soon add to the arms. Still not working to final dimension on any front. the Z is still at 0.040 and I'm working 0.020 from any of the final side cuts. If I screw up, I'm still going to be able to fix quite a lot of stupid...(grin)





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-10.jpg

Once I had a good visual grasp, I began to work toward the final design. The arms were freed along the long arcs, but the ends were left attached. The excess metal was removed along the edges as well as the surfaces. I'm still working above the final dimensions but things are moving quickly to the point where the final elevation and side cuts will be made. Both sides of the work piece are still getting identical cuts, so there is a lot of relocation happening between photos.





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-4.jpg





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-4.jpg

Here the final elevation was finally cut, leaving a thickness of 0.125 inches. Plenty to work with when it comes time to do the hand filing. The webs will be opened, so I've center drilled the ends of the opening with a #30 drill, which is just slightly larger than the 1/8 inch end mill I'm using. This will let me center the mill as well as giving me just a tiny bit of room to exit the cuts without crashing into metal I want to keep. 





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-5.jpg

Here, the small openings are being cut in the web of the arms. These engines have a rather delicate appearnce when they are completed, so I'm avoiding having large flat areas for both the delicacy idea as well as being able to see through the parts. 

Something not quite obvious.... The initial idea was to leave the inner "rim" intact and square the ends. I began cutting and realized the cuts would be easier to make as a single arc, if I let the cutter run through the edge of the rim. Instead of a squared edge, the bases of the arms would flow right into the cylinder walls for a nice clean effect. I watch for small changes like this to add a bit of flourish. It also made the final separation much easier, since a single cut around the inner rim would free all four arms. 





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-6.jpg

All cuts have now been made to final dimension. No fresh metal to work with if I screw up now, it'll take luck and hard work to correct things if anything goes pear shaped. The piece has been cleaned up a bit with fresh ball cuts to blend the corners and shape the ends of the arms. The final arm is waiting to be released from the spare metal and all is well. Here is a good time to make even lighter cuts than normal, just so the end mill doesn't get that last nasty bite at your work. 





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-7.jpg

The part is now free of the original metal. I've heard it said that there is a part hiding within each piece of metal. All we have to do is remove everything that is not part and we get to liberate the part. You've just made that journey with me. My wife wandered through as I was making this photo and I almost lost the part to her. She now wants me to duplicate this stage of things in stainless steel so she can have one to wear on a chain. The hazards of metal machining are not all blood and stitches.....LOL





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-8.jpg

Here are the final parts, awaiting my hand and a small file. They are not nearly as rough as the camera makes them look. Between the sharp focus of the camera and the harsh light of my shop, the small machine nmarks look like the are of Grand Canyon scale. A little work with the needle files and these puppies will be ready to bolt to the tandem engine. Now if I can only come up with something a little different for the single cylinder.





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-9.jpg

Steve


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## SAM in LA (May 9, 2010)

Cedge,

You are a creative one, aren't you?

Very clever. Your work is fantastic.

Thanks for sharing.

SAM


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## Cedge (May 9, 2010)

Sam...
I call it lazy.... One part vs 4 separate pieces... I shoot for one....LOL

Steve


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## zeeprogrammer (May 9, 2010)

I've been following along but tonight I was cruising a little slower and got struck by the craftmanship.
Fabulous stuff.


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## Blogwitch (May 9, 2010)

Hi Steve,

What you are really missing are the timings. Now gently tell all these kind folks how long all this actually took to make.

My guesstimate is about four to five hours, but it could be a lot more.

Most people don't seem to realise how long all this great work takes, all because it only takes a couple of minutes to read about it.

When making works of art, as you surely are, everything takes time, and lots of it.

Absolutely wonderful work.


John


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## kcmillin (May 9, 2010)

Incredible work. A 1 job. :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

what els can I say.

Kel


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## Deanofid (May 9, 2010)

Well done on these supports, Steve. You're working to a high level of detail here, and it's impressive.
I like the way you chose to do them, too. 

Dean


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## Cedge (May 9, 2010)

Thanks all.... 

John...
you nailed one of the drawbacks to the build log format. It's hard to convey the time it takes to do things, espcially when you try to balance the number of photos to the minimum possible. I weeded through about 50 shots to get it down to even this many. 

You're not far off the mark. I actually started the first cut about noon and with quite a few interruptions, finished up about 2:00 am. With frequent breaks and a trip or two to check the forum, it probably ran to about 6 hours of actual work. It was one of those "lost time" things where the clock makes huge jumps between glances, yet it felt like an hour or less had passed each time. 

I suppose not everyone would put the effort into such small things, but it makes the experience a lot more fun when the project is finally complete and even I can look at it and wonder how I did it.....LOL.

Steve


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## Philjoe5 (May 9, 2010)

Steve,
I'm enjoying your build immensely. My wife, who is in charge of cultural affairs at our house, recently signed us up for a home course in the Dutch Masters painters. As I'm watching your build and the Dutch Masters work from this course I'm struck by a parallel.

Example, here is a portrait done by Franz Hals, a well known Dutch painter:






Some of us, if we were painting this subject would have adorned her with a plain red scarf, and a solid blue dress. The Master, though, suffers the details. Portraits, model engines, same thing!

Thanks for posting, it's a treat to follow.

Cheers,
Phil


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## Cedge (May 10, 2010)

Phil...
Interesting analogy and one with some truth to it. I'm just glad my wife thinks Dutch Masters are a brand of cigar and therefore banned from the household....LOL She did manage get me go with her for a Photography class a while back, for which I'm quite grateful, but so far I've dodged her latest idea of taking a course in conversational spanish.

I spent today sitting on the back deck in the sun with a small file and four small pieces of brass in hand. I decided to take it easy, after having broken a rib (the short floating one at the bottom of the left rib cage) over the weekend. Standing in front of the mill just didn't have a lot of appeal for, some reason. I did manage to get most of the tool marks removed as I hand shaped the pieces. Unfortunately, this turn of events is likely to slow my progress for a few days. I'll get to a few minor items, but I'm going to give the next push some delay to let some of the soreness diminish. Anyway.... here is what the pieces look like with a bit of hand work and a spot of polish. they'll still need a minor modification to the bases, but they do fit nicely.





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/arm-11.jpg

Steve


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## Deanofid (May 10, 2010)

Excellent, Steve. The delicate look of the pieces is a very attractive element.
Nice work. Do they get soldered on?

Hope you're a fast healer, and that rib isn't putting you in too much discomfort for your
every day living. You know, breathing, and that kind of thing!

Best wishes for a fast recovery!

Dean


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## Cedge (May 10, 2010)

Dean...
These will be bolted on with a pair of 1-72 studs and nuts between the supports. I though about soldering them but didn't what to gamble on the clean up if the solder got away from me.

Luckily, the rib that is affected is low enough not to cause the well known catch in breathing, but a good cough, laugh, or sudden strained gas attack do not go un-noticed. The worst so far is the damned thing can't find exactly where it wants me to sleep and my wife has a wonderful habit of draping an arm across me, in her sleep.... right where the thing hurts... everytime.....LOL. Thank the gods, I love her.

Steve


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## steamer (May 10, 2010)

Hi Steve!

Great build man! lots a brass!...I love brass

There is no comfortable side with a broken rib....ask me how I know this...

Sorry my friend....you just suffer through.....get well soon!

Dave


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## gbritnell (May 11, 2010)

Very, very nice Steve. There's plenty of machinists out there but the thing that separates a lot of them is the ingenuity of making parts most efficiently. Yours is a fine example.
George


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## Cedge (May 15, 2010)

Thanks George..... if lazy counts as an efficiency, I'm all in....LOL. I simply didn't want to have to make each part individually.

The past week has been a bit of a grind. The rib has gotten less sore, but only because I haven't given in to it. Teeth are now fully ground and my reflexes are quite highly honed to any movement near the damned thing. I still managed to get a few things done, but this morning was the first time back turning the dials on the mill. Most of my time has been spent cleaning up solder spots, fine tuning some of the hand filed stuff and cussing the cat. He likes it when I'm doing bench work and tends to land in my lap at the most inopportune moments. 

Today I tackled a small conundrum. The arms need two small but accurately placed holes in each of the small webs at the big ends. The snarl comes when you realize there are no straight edges to clamp in the vice. Add to that the fact the the hand shaping was done to visual standards rather than to specific measurements and you've got to think out of the box, down the block and around the corner to find your solution. Ok.... so maybe not quite that far, but I've still got to drill the holes and they have to be uniformly located to match up to studs and against a solid edge.. So what's an overbeard, nearly no haired, former leaping gnome to do?






Two points in the making of the arms were rock solid.... the two pivots. Everything I did to the arms was based on them, so we know they are indexable. That is where it begins. I drilled holes to fit 3/16 dowel pins in a small chunk of aluminum, on the same centers as the original tooling plate. 






I touched off the bottom edge of the stanchion to establish my cut line and then removed it so nothing untoward happened to it. I then made a light cut and replaced the arm to check the fit. With one minor move of the X axis, the fit was nice and snug without needing any significant force to seat the dowel pin in the head hole. If you've noticed the small notch on the bottom side, you'll have to forgive me for taking you along on the second run through of this process....(grin).







Here you'll see the slot I added to give the drill bit access to the brass part when the drilling begins. The part was simply too narrow to allow drilling guide holes, so the open galley was Hobson's Choice.







The addition of a hold down was not a choice but a requirement. There isn't a lot of meat holding the base of the stanchions so some support in the way of a 6-32 screw will help ward off the gremlins from attacking during a delicate bit of drilling.







The extra metal on the "big end" will have to go if I'm to be able to access the part with a center drill. I do not drill holes without having center drilled them even in nice open easy work spots. I'm certainly not going to miss doing it in a tight spot like this. I've got one shot at getting it right, so I'm giving things a lot of ounces of prevention here. My handy dandy carbide tipped arbor saw made quick and clean work of the task.







Here is the jig after both sides were cut and the excess metal removed. The reason for needing both sides may not be obvious. The two cylinders are of different diameters. This is because they combine to form a compound system where the larger cylinder accepts expanded steam from the smaller high pressure cylinder. Expanded steam requires more room so the low pressure cylinder has a larger bore and therefore a larger outer diameter. 

The arms were cut to fit the larger diameter for convenience, knowing that a modification would be needed. A .060 rim was then cut and soldered to the bases of two of the arms. This gives the holes in the heads the same elevation so they accept the 3/16 shaft without binding. Two different diameters means I had to cut two different sized arcs in the jig. 







This little jig will serve double duty as I continue to hand fit the stanchions. It will give me a good reference for keeping things square as I continue to remove tool marks and head for the final polishing phase. I like it when one tool can do more than one thing. As George said.... a bit of efficiency laziness never hurt anyone....LOL.

This project didn't make any major advances in the engines, but it does give me a chance to share jig making with the new guys. There are many ways to skin a cat and setting up a jig is one of them. Don't let yourself get stymied by a vise and clamps when a part is not an easy set up. Look at it and see if you can secure it with something that is easier to tie down.... and then make your own jig.

Steve


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## kcmillin (May 15, 2010)

Well Done Steve. :bow: Your ability to think outside the box is astounding. Thanks for the lesson. Everything is looking great.

Kel


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## arnoldb (May 15, 2010)

Steve, I've been following along quietly.

I finally summoned enough willpower to force my jaws and mouth closed to function a bit - WOW :bow: :bow:

Thank you :bow: Your build is very, very informative, and inspiring!

Kind Regards, Arnold


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## SAM in LA (May 15, 2010)

Steve,

Thanks for sharing. I learn so much from posts like yours. Part of the learning process is trying different ways of skinning cats. The way it goes for me is after making a part, I look at it and wonder why I didn't do it a different way. I'm rambling.

I'm looking forward to future posts from you.

Thanks again.

SAM


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## Cedge (May 15, 2010)

Thanks guys...
I remember lots of late nights when a quick tip would have been welcome. I'm trying to share tricks as I use them. The hard part is realizing when I'm doing something that might help. I've spent enough time in corners to never forget those who helped me get out of them. If this thread helps only one poor guy to escape the alligators then all the time and typing is worth it.

I apparently lost my "box" at a very young age. It's cost me many a trip to the office, whether in school, the military or work place. Luckily I never worked for anyone but my self, after the first few years of my working life. Not having a "box" didn't mean my solution was always right, just that it was "different". That kind of "uniqueness" wasn't always understood or appreciated by those who still had boxes....LOL.

Steve


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## Cedge (May 19, 2010)

The rib is still pretty sore so I've been doing hand work and some of the details that would normally wait until later in the project. I'm really not enjoying the lathe or the mill at the moment, so no huge dramatic tricks in this post. 

The original engines of this sort had added support for the long cross head guides. I had planned to leave this detail off the engines, but since I'm stuck with doing detail work so early in the project, I decided to give it a go. This meant reheated an already complicated solder job for more soldering. The "fin" was cut on the mill for a snug fit on the ends. making it a little easier to position the piece and get it centered. I turned a plug of aluminum to fit the bore so the window pieces were supported from within. Once the fin was in place, the whole cross head guide was wrapped at 3 points on the outer surface with thin mechanics wire to lock the window against the plug. This assured nothing was going to move, even if there might be some new solder seepage. After sweating the piece in, a bit of hand work was called for to clean the joints and polish out some file marks, here is what I had when it was all over. 





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/detail-1.jpg

All the stanchions are now fitted and their tiny studs trimmed to size. The studs were a bit of a challenge mostly because of the 1-72 threads wanting to strip the first time I tapped them. A bit of minor adjustment to me, the operator, soon sorted things out as I once again learned the need to be patient when working with tiny things. The stanchions fit just as hoped for and the shaft alignment is dead on centerline and free enough to turn with two fingers. The fit is such that the arms are not yet bolted down in this photos. Did I mention that I really do love the DRO on the mill?





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/detail-2.jpg

Almost all the 2-56 studs have been trimmed and will get their nuts when I begin the final assembly phase. The valve ports are now opened up in the low pressure cylinder and have received some hand work to give their edges a nice rounded shape. This was done using small needle files and 400 grit sand paper to keep things smooth and properly shaped. It only takes a tiny bit of misplaced sanding to show like a sore thumb, so great care is being taken to get it right. After all... I've got the time, while I'm not getting to make bigger parts....(grin)

The cylinder head was given a 3/8 ball to finish it out. This was made using my handy dandy ball turning attachment. I think it added just the right touch to the overall look. 





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/detail-3.jpg

Here is the obligatory test fit photo. Nothing but the cross head guide is bolted on. The joints are all nice and tight, the graphite packing is installed in the stuffing boxes of the glands and the pistons and cam shaft are aligned well enough to move by hand. Once it is all secured, a bit of run in time should loosen things up nicely.





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/detail-4.jpg

Steve


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## SAM in LA (May 19, 2010)

Steve,

Awesome, just awesome.

SAM


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## mklotz (May 19, 2010)

It's freaking beautiful...even if it does look like a part for some sort of crazed Victorian saxophone.

Just kidding, Steve.  Your work is awe inspiring. If you could bottle and sell your artistry, skill and patience you could retire to some tropic isle and spend the rest of your life making (more) exquisite engines.


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## kcmillin (May 19, 2010)

My forehead just grew two inches from raising my eyebrows.

Excellent work on the 1/72 threaded rods, they look perfect

Well Done Thm:

Kel


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## Cedge (May 19, 2010)

Marv...
Thanks for the kind words. Make an offer and I'll send you a bottle or two.....LOL. The island sounds good, but I'd never get a tan building engines like these. I had already thought about it looking like part of a steam powered oboe....LOL

Steve


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## Deanofid (May 19, 2010)

Alright... fess up. You found someplace to buy these beautiful castings, and all the construction pics are simply Photoshop fakery! 

They're too good to be real.

Dean "I'll have what Chuck's drinking..." Williams


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## Philjoe5 (May 19, 2010)

Steve,
What can we mere mortals say th_confused0052 ?

As usual, thanks for the progress report.

Cheers,
Phil


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## bearcar1 (May 19, 2010)

Ah, you are just killing me here!! Steve, I thought your last creation was outstanding but Gees Louise give us a break! Truly, truly, fine detail work. I LIKE IT Thm:


BC1
Jim


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## Maryak (May 19, 2010)

Steve,

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

(words fail me)

Best Regards
Bob


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## ariz (May 21, 2010)

I don't post anything in this period because I'm a bit busy and don't want to hurt anybody (I think that if I write only in one thread, the others could feel offended... a strange way to think, I know it ;D )

anyway, I must do an exception here Cedge
words fail me too, I'll only say GREAT GREAT WORK :bow: :bow: :bow:

many thanks for sharing it Steve


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## Cedge (May 21, 2010)

You guys are way too generous with the praise....LOL. Thanks to all for the flow of encouragement. Half the fun is sharing an experience that also still amazes me with each new step it takes. I'll have to admit it is turning out far better than I'd imagined it would. 

Ariz...
I know the problem. There are so many good threads and builds going on that I can't get to all of them, like I used to, and I don't want to leave anyone out. This place has grown to be an amazing resource for learning new things, finding the hard to find and for just hanging out with like minded friends. It has also become a monster for reading every post, if one is ever to get any work done....(grin)

I can't imagine that Rick could have had any thought this place would become what it has. IMHO.....THE premier model engineering site on the net today. Thanks for inviting us!!

Steve


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## compressor man (May 21, 2010)

Steve this is shaping up to be one beautiful build. It is so over the top (in a good way!), it reminds me of something that should have been on Captain Nemo's Nautilus. It just has that old/modern Jules Verne look to me. Super good work here.


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## SAM in LA (May 21, 2010)

Steve,

I have been hand filing some of the brass parts for my Beam engine. How are you removing the file marks from your parts?

Thanks,

SAM


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## Cedge (May 21, 2010)

Sam
I'm using fine needle files, relatively heavy strokes to start and go lighter as I get close to the final elevation. Then I switch to 320 or 400 grit sand paper. The paper rapidly removes the tool marks and works out the small imperfections of the contours. I then polish it on a buffing wheel using a product called MAAS metal polish to get it to shine. (good stuff)

You'll be surprised how little metal you'll need to remove from an edge to get the "casting" look everyone seems to notice.

Chris
That is about as good a compliment as one can give me. I'm a huge fan of things Jules Vern.

Steve


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## SAM in LA (May 23, 2010)

Steve,

Thanks.

There is so much to learn sometimes I think my head will explode.

It wouldn't make much of a mess though since sometimes it seems to be pretty empty. :big:

SAM


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## Cedge (May 24, 2010)

Posted while dodging bits and pieces of Sam's head.....LOL

Still taking it easy, but I did manage a little time on the mill.... for which I duly paid the toll. I'm ready to begin establishing the elevation for the crank and flywheel which will soon need to be made and fitted. The project for the day became making the first of two stands that support the cylinders. As the photo below shows, things began with a bit of layout work. The design was scribed into the brass as a guide, although some adjustment would naturally occur during machining, as needed to please the eye.






http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-1.jpg

The first step was to drill a couple of pivot points. The marks were center drilled after the wiggler was used to locate them. 





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-2.jpg

 This piece does not have but a couple of critical dimensions, height and the radius that will support the cylinder, The other radii were cut using an end mill and were simply aligned according to the marks. This allowed me to sneak up on the lines before milling the holes. These holes serve a dual function by creating a nice curve at various places on the part while giving me escape points for the straight cuts.

Here you see the web being milled, using a small 1/16 ball end mill. This is where the visual adjustment came into play. The original layout was for 1/16 flanges, but this proved to look a little clunky so they quickly became 1/32 wide.

The small table in the photo is a modification of the Rounding Table Marv Klotz introduced to the forum in days gone by. Mine has a round top making it perfect for not only rounding ends and cutting arcs, but for things like these web cuts on angles. The stops make it easy to align the cut and hold in in place. 





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-3.jpg

Here is the "finished" stand, needing only a little more tool mark removal and a couple of holes to secure it to the collar of the cylinder assembly. The flat base and The edges of the flanges were rounded a bit and the feet were blended into the base.





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-4.jpg

Amazingly, the cylinder assembly is almost perfectly balanced and will sit atop the stand with no assistance. I'll still need to add a second support under the cross head guide to compete this phase. I'm quickly running out of things to do that don't require working on the machines, so lets hope some significant healing begins real soon.





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-5.jpg

Steve


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## kcmillin (May 24, 2010)

Incredible work Steve. You never cease to amaze me. I hope you feel better soon, cant wait to see more.

Kel


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## SAM in LA (May 24, 2010)

Steve,

No need to worry about an explosion, my powder got wet. :big:

The stand you made is really nice.

How do you get a smooth finish inside of the webs?

Get well soon, I'm ready to learn more.

SAM


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## Deanofid (May 24, 2010)

A thing of beauty, Steve. We're coming to expect this kind of work from you.
Maybe we should!

Dean


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## Cedge (May 26, 2010)

Sam
Polishing is a no holds barred exercise here. Nothing is out of bounds, from files, sandpaper (100 - 2500 grit), steel wool (up to 0000), valve lapping compound, lapping paper ( 10 - .5 microns), cotton polishing mops and wheels, metal polish, automotive rubbing compound, toothpaste....the dremel tool... even down to cotton swabs. 

The webs got a little working over with the Dremel and rubberized polishing tips before I took the 320 grit paper to them. The sandpaper was folded to give me a nice stiff corner to work with and refolded as it wore away. The last step was to use the wooden stick cotton swab and Maas metal polish. 

One tip when using the Dremel tool.... Keep the touch light and never let it stop in one spot. Keep it moving or you'll find small dimples appearing as you work. Once the are there, its darned near impossible to sand them out. Some small amount of irregularity to the surface of things like the webs is not going to take away from the effect and sometimes even enhances it, as long as you can keep it to a minimum.

Steve


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## Chazz (May 27, 2010)

This is the kind of work that inspired me to get in to model machining. If I could only but aspire. :bow:

Hope your well soon.

Cheers,
Chazz


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## SAM in LA (May 27, 2010)

Steve,

Thanks for sharing the polishing tips.

You mentioned rubberized polishing tools for your Dremel.

I'm not sure what those are. Are they an actual Dremel accessory or are they available from other suppliers.

SAM


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## Cedge (May 27, 2010)

Chazz...
Perhaps the most elegant compliment of all times.... thank you. I got the same inspiration from surfing the German builder sites. They had what I wanted but couldn't justify spending the money it required to get them. Hobosn's choice... I began learning to build my own with an eye toward one day being able to match what they were doing. I'm not quite there yet, but I'm working on it....(grin).

Sam.... Dremel doenst offer a wide variety of polishing tips and those the do are sometimes expensive for my tastes. Check out the catalog at www.dedeco.com . You can sometimes find these at Harbor Freight for a few bucks for 6 pieces.

Still getting bits and pieces done here. The cross head guide support is done, but hardly warranted a post after the last support was already documented. It came out nicely and fits well enough that I'm hoping no shimming will be required for final assembly.






http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-7.jpg

The next photo is somewhat of a teaser, as it shows a bit of the thought process going on about things in the future of the build. I've been waiting for Birchwood Casey to ship me the Brass Black I'd recently ordered. This stuff is basically a tarnishing agent that will produce a deep black finish without changing any dimensions. Paint could have been used, but it doesn't adhere to brass very well.I had considered Japanning the surfaces, but that technique is hard to control and getting it off unwanted surfaces is a challenge. The Brass Black was the next best solution. Why not use natures own process?. We al know how stubborn that surface finish can be....LOL

Oh yeah... you noticed the bricks.....(grin). This engine will be displayed as if it were on a factory floor. The bricks are from the doll house department of a local hobby shop. Doll house guys are quite demanding, where materials are concerned, and these bricks are no exception. They are made to 1:12 scale and are actually made from real clay. they come in sheets and can be cut to fit the need. More on this subject when it comes time to use them in anger.





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-6.jpg

Steve


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## mklotz (May 27, 2010)

Looking really,really good. 

I can see it now. A teeny-weeny brass trowel with a suitably decorative solid walnut handle and an equally beautiful pointing tool.


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## Cedge (May 27, 2010)

Marv....
You forgot the teeny weeny little illegal... the only skilled masons left in the US....LOL Speaking of teeny weeny...I'm about to begin drilling the first of 96 holes with a #54 drill bit.... sound like fun?

Steve


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## zeeprogrammer (May 27, 2010)

Nice!
Once again you've whetted the appetite for more.


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## ozzie46 (May 27, 2010)

Beautiful,  It looks like a cannon off of Nemo's Nautilas.

  Ron


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## Deanofid (May 27, 2010)

Better and better, Steve!

Dean


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## Maryak (May 28, 2010)

Steve,


SUPERKALAFRAGALISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS

Best Regards
Bob


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## tel (May 28, 2010)

I too, stand in awe at this build - something really special.


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## SAM in LA (May 28, 2010)

Maryak  said:
			
		

> Steve,
> 
> 
> SUPERKALAFRAGALISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS
> ...



Bob, I still can sing that song. Mary Poppins was the first record album that my parents gave me.
DOCIOUSALAEXPIDECIOUFRAGAKALARUPUS
sam


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## Cedge (May 29, 2010)

Jeeze guys.... LOL.

Didn't get a lot done tonight, but a little progress beats none at all. I spent most of the day at a local tractor and engine show and met lots of miniature engineering fans and even a local hobby machinist or two. 

The valve bases on one cylinder are now ready to receive their bosses, so that I can move on to the other cylinder for some catch up. Once all the new bosses are installed and I have fresh indexing points, I'll switch over and catch up on the third cylinder, before moving on to the cranks and flywheels. 

Not sure if the rivets will stay brass or if i will wind up blacking them. They are actually escutcheon pins (small brass dome head nails) that were trimmed and then red loctite was used to secure them. 40 down, 80 more to go. 






Steve


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## bearcar1 (May 29, 2010)

My vote is to leave the rivets au natural. Simply beautiful Steve, Capt. Nemo is proud of your achievements and efforts thus far.

BC1
Jim


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## Cedge (Jun 4, 2010)

Thanks Bear. I had to agree with you... the rivets are gonna be a bear to keep polished, but I like the look too.

Not much in the way of new tricks or tips of late since everything has been pretty much reapeating things already posted. Lots of holes drilled and filled to get where things are now. the pistons and cross head are now in place, the bosses have been turned and loctited into place to receive the valves and the brass black has crept onto some other parts. I'm well pleased with the finish this stuff rendered and will definitely make use of it on other projects.

The vertical stubs on cylinder #2 are only there to give me some idea of elevations and angles for the push rods and eccentrics that will control the valves. From here it's time to attack the other engine and bring it up to the same point in the build, before beginning the cranks, con-rods and flywheels. Other items like governors, shut off valves and mechanical and cup oilers are also beginning to creep into the master plan, so there is a lot left to do. 

Steve 





http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/guide-fita.jpg


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## Deanofid (Jun 4, 2010)

It' an impressive assembly, Steve, even at this early point. Looks _really_ good!

How's the rib mending? Hope it's not giving you so much trouble.

Dean


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## Cedge (Jun 4, 2010)

Thanks Dean... I find myself sitting and staring at the darned thing and wondering how its going to turn out in the end. The rib is healing pretty well. turns out it was a separation of the cartledge which apparently takes a bit longer to heal then a broken bone. A few more weeks should have me back in shape. It's not really slowing me down all that much now.

Steve


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## Philjoe5 (Jun 5, 2010)

Incredibly awesome work Steve. Thanks for sharing your work. Wow :bow: :bow:

Cheers,
Phil


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## ChooChooMike (Jun 11, 2010)

Daaaaaannnnnnggggggg, missed a LOT in my time off from here !!! 

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


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## Cedge (Jun 11, 2010)

Thanks Mike.... I was just about to post an apology for the delay in updating this thread. Two weeks back, the Medicos informed me that I am now a type II Diabetic. I've spent the time since adjusting to the new meds and getting the sugar levels balanced out. So far it's been a very easy transition and my numbers are settling into a respectable range that is pleasing to the sawbones.

It's amazing, the new level of energy I'm experiencing. I'm actually enjoying being able to vigorously tackle physical labor once again. Now that a couple of long delayed real world projects are out of the way, I should be back in the saddle and moving this project forward over the next few days.

Steve


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## ksouers (Jun 11, 2010)

That "gettin' old" stuff ain't for wimps, is it, Steve?

Glad the docs were able to get you tuned up proper.
Now if mine would just get it in gear...


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## Deanofid (Jun 12, 2010)

Glad you found out about your condition so you can treat it, Steve. It's not exactly a club you want to 
join, but many of us find ourselves in it. 

I remember being shocked when the doc gave me the same news. Must have been about 9-10 years 
ago. Heck, I hardly think of it now days. Just take my meds, get the blood work done regularly, and 
keep an eye on the BP. 

Watching for your next project update. Stay well!

Dean


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## steamer (Jun 12, 2010)

Steve,

Glad your feeling better, and on the right road.  Looking forward to the next installment of this little gem!

Dave


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## Cedge (Jul 13, 2010)

Gentlemen
It is with great consternation that I post this. This thread is being put on hold for the time being. A series of health issues have sort of cascaded on me since early June, taking me out of the shop for safety reasons. None of the issues are life threatening but it does require me to take medication that makes it too dangerous to operate the machines. A fuzzy head and spinning devices are simply incompatible here.

I've got high hopes that things will soon be under control and that I can jump back on the project before cold weather arrives again. Thanks for the wonderful support everyone has shown and please accept my apologies for the unavoidable delay. We'll get her done, but only when it can be fun and safe again.

Steve


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## ksouers (Jul 13, 2010)

Steve,
No apologies necessary. Take care of yourself, first and foremost. The project will still be there when you are ready.

And we'll still be here waiting for the next installment ;D


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## joe d (Jul 14, 2010)

Steve:

what he said... take care of yourself first, the rest will come when it's time. And we WILL be waiting ;D

Best regards, Joe


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## zeeprogrammer (Jul 14, 2010)

Take care of yourself.


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## ozzie46 (Jul 14, 2010)

Steve:

  Your health comes first. Take care of yourself and we'll be here when you feel ready.

   Ron


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## mklotz (Jul 14, 2010)

It's a hobby. There's no schedule. You should be commended for having the good sense to stay away from machinery when you're medically stoned. 

Take care of yourself. The engine can wait.


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## larry1 (Jul 14, 2010)

Amen to every word of MKLOTZ, Take care of yourself. Larry1


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## Philjoe5 (Jul 14, 2010)

Steve,
Take care of yourself and when you return we'll be tuning in. Speedy return to good health

Phil


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## ariz (Jul 14, 2010)

yes, take care of yourself Steve, we (and the engine) can wait for you to come back to the shop again
good luck


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## Deanofid (Jul 14, 2010)

Don't worry Steve, we'll be here when you get back to this fantastic build.
Take it easy and do what the sawbones says. Get well soon!

Dean


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## Blogwitch (Jul 14, 2010)

You just keep in there mate, things do and will get better.

I've been thru what you are going thru for the last six months or so. After the quacks have finished, only time and self confidence to get better will cure your ills, so as soon as you see the light at the end of the tunnel, start to run a bit faster towards it.

John


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## o.h.cam (Sep 8, 2010)

New to model engineering and to this site Steve.Disheartened to hear of your health situation but keep the faith.Watching the build here with anticipation.
I have also seen with great appreciation your handiwork elsewhere on your steam gallery site.Especially enthralled by your Victorian elbow engine.
May be improper to ask here but wondered if any plans exist for that particular build???
Don't know of any other venue within which to ask.
Regardless,best to you and take care of yourself,,,,,,ya got a lot of folks rootin' for ya here.
   Just a thought,,,but if you were within a hundred miles of Michigan I'd be glad to swing by sometime and turn the crank for ya while you direct from the La-z-Boy!!!!!


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## Cedge (Sep 8, 2010)

O.H....
Thanks for the kind words. Sadly making drawings is not among my talents. I tend to prescribe to Bogstandard's Crap O' Cad school of design. Scraps of paper with a quick sketch and no real organization. littlemachinmeshop.com did have drawings for a 10 cylinder elbow, but I've not looked recently to see if they still offer it. 

I'm back on the beam where health is concerned, but local show schedule has me hopping for the next few weeks. I'm hoping to get back on the project in the near future... if I can get past doing repairs to keep all the damned things running a the shows....LOL. Had to do some minor repair work on 3 today, after this past weekend show. 

Shame about the distance... always got an extra bucket of steam on hand for just such visits....(grin)

Steve


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## BenPeake (Sep 8, 2010)

I hope your health returns swiftly Steve! I love watching your builds. 

I recently had to take time out from my shop, though not for health reasons, and I ended up doing a heap of research about this and that, and when I finally did get back in the shop, I was full of ideas and plans and have since been chipping away at them. As a result my lathe has been totally transformed and I've added engraving, spherical cutting and grinding to my capabilities. I'm sure a man such as yourself will find many a productive pursuit whilst out of the shop, but once again, hopefully that is not for too long.

Ben


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