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I got started on building a 4 unit batch of valves. Due to some small interruptions, some poor planning, some easily avoided mistakes, I didn't get as far as I should have. I am going to salve my self esteem and ease my pain by reporting the positive result of the days effort. Here are 5 valve...

Stew The stem is a #4-40 thread. The gray part in the model represents the max thread diameter. The stem cap, shown in green, is threaded for its full length which is .410" which is about 16 threads which seems to provide a good seal without a gland. The stem cap is threaded #10-32 into the...

Lew I sealed this one with Locktite (Red). The bottom of the insert is flat and the bore was finished with an endmill for a flat seat for the insert. I don't plan on using this for steam so Locktite will do just fine. I have tested this with 85PSI Air with good results. In the following video...

Keep going Ken. The proof is in the pudding. I still have mixed feelings about the flexy wire elbows. I think your center bracket will eliminate flex in the frame and make the flex unnecessary in the elbows. Waiting for the results. Jerry

Nice job Ramon! This thread will be re-read and referred to many times. The bar of excellence, always high on this forum, has just been kicked up a few notches. Your great photos and clear descriptions make it seem within the reach of anyone and will encourage all of us to try more and to aim a...

??? So now that it is running, is it reversible? How? Seems like it ought to go either way ??? Jerry

Thanks for all the interest. Sorry the post did not happen. I forgot it was Friday (Pizza and beer!) and I fell asleep on the couch after dinner and woke up just in time to go to bed. I will try to get to it over the weekend. There may be a slight revision. The valve seat and porting on the...

Chuck While I was typing, you got it running! See, I told you it would. Congratulations. Nice action and nice "outside the box" design. Thm: :bow: Jerry

Chuck Don't give up. That thing will run! If I understand the valving, it ought to oscillate without even needing the crank and flywheel. You said it was leaky, but without a load, even a leaky cylinder should show some reaction if there is any pressure at all. If a cylinder doesn't move, it...

I just got in from the shop. All day to make two little globe valves. One is 180 degrees and the other is 90 degrees. Like this: I took some pictures and I will try to organize them for a post tonight. Jerry

Two enter - One leaves! This has been my primary occupation for the last month. A thirty year old concrete pool that needed serious resurfacing and painting. The end result is shown above and points out a major safety hazard when dealing with 2 part epoxy paint in a closed environment. I...

Ken I have been watching from the start. Your plan is clear and your goal is noble. The hopes and fears of future elbow benders are on your shoulder. I have a piece of cast iron bar set aside for pistons and bushings waiting for the completion of this project before I start mine. Most...

I hope you don't mind a little update on the vertical back acting engine. I saw a thread on making globe valves with the PMResearch kit and that reminded me that George Brittnel had posted a thread sometime in the past about buillding globe valves from bar stock so I looked it up. Great stuff...

Wrist Pin Most, if not all of the problem of head drop can be resolved by careful and regular gib adjustment. In my shop the first day of every month is "GIB DAY"! All gibs, mill and lathe, are cleaned, lubed, and adjusted. On the mill, the top gib screw is the most important. Put an indicator...

Brian A very interesting mechanism and a lot of lessons learned. The problems with the connecting link reversing would have trapped me too and the simple solution of an elongated hole at one end is a good one to remember. The trouble that you had with the chain links jumping and the fix of...

Stew Thanks for the kind comment. My son-in-law stopped by during the photo session and was surprised when I told him the engines weren't finished. "Looks finished to me. What else do they need?" So I showed him your finished Popcorn engine. "Oh, can you do that?" he asked. I could only try...

Brian Thanks for the comments. There is still more to do on both of these engines. Proper piping is clearly needed and maybe even a governor and certainly som clean and buff. Neither of the engines have any gaskets on the heads or steam chests but I may just play with them as they are for a...

For the past few weeks my shop time has been limited to short visits and the camera work suffered but I was pushing to get the second engine running so I could put it out of my mind for the holidays. The functional details of the vertical engine are the same as the horizontal one so It was just...

Thanks Rick. It's not the first time I've broken a solid carbide end mill but as of now all busted shanks get saved. I'm not sure how they will be used but it's another trick to have in the drawer. I don't know how well it would have worked on any other material. Cast iron is so nice to work...

Ken That's a nice design. You didn't leave much room for improvement. Jerry