1/4 Scale Rider-Ericsson Pumping Engine

[b.lindsey]

Today's progress finished up the beam pivot assembly bu drilling and reaming the .251" through hole and adding oiling holes in the top of each cap as shown in the first two photos. Then I wanted to get a little done on the firebox. There was a good bit of flash on the parting lines of the casting which were filed off and a few other areas smoothed out. After getting a square bottom on the belt sander the casting was put in the vise so the top end could be machined parallel to the bottom and again machining off substantial flash on the top end of the casting (photo 3). The the firedoor opening was opened up as it was pretty well flashed over (photo 4).

 

[b.lindsey]

The last two shots for today are the semi-finished firebox and the underside of the base plate which now has its hole pattern drilled. Nore tomorrow hopefully.

 

[lazylathe]

Coming along nicely Bill!!!

I think i need another mock up pic though... ;D

Andrew

 

[Blogwitch]

Sorry Bill,

I live so far in the past, I didn't know such tools existed, it's marvelous what they can do nowadays with a few wiggly amps, silicon and a bit of plastic.
I do have one that was bought for me by a good friend, that converts automatically between metric and Imperial, and was very far ahead of it's time a few years back.

Looking very good indeed.

John

 

[doubletop]

Bill

This project looks interesting, I'm going to lurk along with it. With the pace of progress so far it won't be a long lurk.

Pete

 

[b.lindsey]

A little more progress yesterday evening and this morning. Yesterday I got the bolt hole pattern drilled into the mounting flange at the base of the cylinder (photo1) and the got it bolted on at home (photo 2). Using the base with the cylinder bolted to it in order to keep things square and to make it easier to hold in the vise, the top portion of the cylinder casting was machined down to the correct height (photo 3). The next step will be to bore the top opening out as called for and then machine the "pads" where the flywheel bracket and pump housing will bolt on.

 

[b.lindsey]

Just for some variety I went back to the firebox and cleaned things up enough to get the firebox door to fit nicely and drilled through for a hinge pin. The photos belog show the drill bit as the hinge pin but will replace that with a piece of 1/16" brass rod at home tonight. That's all for now...thanks for checking in.

 

[mh121]

Coming along nicely, I really enjoy firing mine up, if I am having a bad day in the shop the cover comes off and I fire it up. It is so relaxing to watch the various motions in action. Keep up the great work.

MartinH

 

[b.lindsey]

Thanks Martin, I look forward to being able to do the same. Mind if I ask what you use to "fire" yours?

Bill

 

[mh121]

I built the burner to the drawings that were supplied. I could not get it to burn correctly, so I bought a propane jet from a supplier and it ran fine with a good blue flame. I think the jet was a number 5. The engine requires very little heat to keep it going and I can run mine on about 1psi of gas.
Hope this helps.

MartinH

 

[b.lindsey]

Thanks for the info Martin...must be working from a diffrent set of plans as mine have no drawing for a burner.

 

[b.lindsey]

Andrew, the first two shots below are for you...this is larger than anything i am used to building but it hasn't been an issure with the larger machines at work. The last picture is of the brass piping and fittings I had ordered from PMR which will be used in the plumbing for the water jacket and pump.

 

[lazylathe]

Thanks Bill!!!! ;D
It is looking great so far!!!
You have done a lot of work on it since you started!

When you say you do some parts at work, what kind of equipment do you have the use of??
Nosey me!!!

Andrew

 

[b.lindsey]

Andrew,
In the machine shop lab here at school we have 6 full size Jet knee mills, 3 Jet 13x40" lathes, 1 precision surface grinder, MIG/TIG and stick welding, sheet metal shear and finger brake, horizontal and vertical bandsaws and other assorted pedestal grinders, belt sanders, etc. In May we will be adding both a CNC lathe and vertical machining center (both Haas machines).

Here's a quick and dirty picture of the shop:

 

[vcutajar]

I have just turned green with envy.

Vince

 

[b.lindsey]

Didn't get much done over the weekend other than making the shaft which will locate the beam and allow it to rotate in the beam bracket (photo 1). This is shown temporarily assembled in photo 2 with the rouch beam casting in the background. Have been working on the beam some today at least getting the finished surfaces milled to width. Now ready to locate and drill the holes so more on that later today or tomorrow.

 

[b.lindsey]

I did get a little more done on the beam this afternoon and also located the permanent home for the beam bracket and shaft sub-assembly. As soon as I can get the 1/2" hole drilled for the shaft I'll mount the beam and hope to get the flywheel support bracket attached tomorrow whoch shoudl get the basic skeleton of the engine pretty well done.

 

[lazylathe]

Some more impressive progress Bill!!

Love the workshop you have use of!!!
Also green with envy!!!
Especially when the HAAS machines arrive!!

Andrew

 

[b.lindsey]

Thanks Andrew, the Haas machines will go against the far wall in that picture. I hope to have most of the summer to get used to them and to work on some simple projects the students can use to get some hands on CAM and CNC experience. Though we are not trying to produce CNC operators by any means, prospective employers have indicated that exposure to CNC would be a nice thing to see on graduates resumes. Non being that CNC literate myself, I will need the summer to get a bit of a head start before next fall !!!

Bill

 

[b.lindsey]

Today I got the two mounting surfaces on the cylinder machined to the specified distance from the centerline of the bore. One of these is where the pump will mount (photo 1) and the other on the opposite side is where the flywheel bracket mounts to the cylinder casting (photo 2). There was a little extra tab on the casting which the plans say to remove so that was done also (photo 3). Finally in this post the holes in the cylinder and the base were located and drilled/tapped for attaching the flywheel bracket (photo 4).