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Part 4 - Bearing Journals Next job was to mill out the bearing journals. This involved setting up the sole plate horizontally. To minimise any errors I bolted my fixture plate directly to the mill ways and aligned it carefully using the end flange as a reference. This took considerable time...

Here is a set I designed and built a few years ago for my Dad. There are also some videos available on my youtube channel detailing the construction Creasey's Workshop

Rustinox made an engine from an old air compressor.

My brass bar was used to ensure that the casting was reasonably straight and that the middle of the journals was in alignment with the center of the cylinder flange. Obviously from a casting it can never be exact but there is little room for plus-or-minus 1/8" on these castings. Not in the...

Part 3 - Boring the Flange Now that we have some good reference surfaces we can finally make some impact on the castings. The first job is to figure out the best way to attach things to the mill. I have a nice angle plate which I previously ground to be as accurate as I could get it and which is...

I appreciate the advice. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

I thought about dowel pins but I wanted to hold it down in 4 places to be sure it wouldnt lift. I also thought about making only two precision studs but if you are making 2 it's easy enough to make 4. Getting it on there is a bit tricky as it has to be exactly parallel but it worked out ok and...

I did try both. I think it would have been fine actually. When I got the gauge plate it's got a thou or two of variation anyway. When I ground the aluminium it loaded up the wheel and I think it caused issues because of galling. Probably a softer wheel would have been better. I don't trust...

Very interesting idea! I should have done the bearings first and used v-blocks to set it up before boring the end flange. Oh well it's too late now. Hopefully my fixture plate idea will be good enough.

Part 2 - The Fixture Plate Before I could proceed any further with the sole plate, I needed to bolt it down to a fixture plate so that I would have some repeatable reference surfaces. Of course before I could bolt it down I would need to drill some holes into it to bolt through. And of course...

Unfortunately these things have a nasty habit of outliving their owners. I'm determined to avoid that if I can!

Thanks for the tips. My crosshead casting is bronze so that should be ok. I made a little PM Research generator for my last steam plant, so I am definitely interested in your Edison plans! Paint is a long way away right now but I think it will probably be a bit of a shelf queen so I will have...

Part 1 - Flattening the Base Today I finally made a start on my No.9 I have had the castings for a few years now but I wanted to finish some other projects before starting it. Also to be honest I am always very nervous about starting a new engine and I have been procrastinating quite a lot...

One engine is a Stuart 10V and the other is a Bolton Mill Engine. The feedpump is a really old Stuart one. They haven't made it for a long time. I snagged the castings on Ebay. Haha my wife knows better than that. Next big project is a Stuart No9. which will probably need a bigger boiler...

After 4 years I of tinkering I finally got my steam plant to the point where it can do something. I hesitate to say it's finished because I am still thinking of things to add. I made most of it myself with the exception of the safety valves, pressure gauge, and a couple of the other fittings...

Thank you very much!

I think I did them separately. It's a while ago now.

Hi Ed, I have often thought about making one of these little diesel engines. My biggest concern is where to find the fuel for them. I notice you are in Sydney, is there a supplier in Sydney that has suitable fuel?

I have been told that the very best thing for piston rings is a plastic called peek. I haven't tried it because it is insanely expensive but it is reportedly very low friction and very good resistance to heat.

I thought a guard rail would look good so I built one. I turned the posts from 1/4" stainless using a half-round form tool. Because they were so spindly I worked from the end towards the base turning it down to size about 1/4" at a time. This worked out well and I managed to make 6 posts. I...