A BEAM ENGINE

[firebird]

Hi

Thanks Mike, Ron, Arnold.

Here's a better bit of video

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGFnCLVtDNM[/ame]

Cheers

Rich

 

[firebird]

Hi

Well this is where it all started really. The cylinder is the first part that made me think that some of the stuff I was throwing in the scrap bin at work could be usable. Brake cylinders are either aluminium or cast iron. I decided to go with the aluminium, less likely to corrode, also I wanted to keep as many features of the parts as possible. I had decided not to paint or lag or cover anything. This brake cylinder came from a Rover 400 and has a bore of 3/4 inch. The bore is very nicely finished, honed I imagine, and is probably much better than I could machine.



There are 4 unwanted holes, one for the bleed nipple, one for the brake pipe and 2 for the fixing bolts. I turned up some plugs from aluminium that would screw into the bleed nipple and brake pipe holes and go through into the cylinder and plug the small holes all in one go. these are threaded 10mm X 1mm. The 2 mounting holes were similarly plugged with aluminium threaded 6mm X 1mm.



They were screwed in tight with a drop of loctite then the excess then cut off.



The cylinder was then mounted in the mill and machined flat. Then the ends were turned flat in the lathe.



Which gave me this.





Cheers

Rich

 

[tel]

Unique engine and beautiful execution, wot more can I say. A credit to you and your mentor!

 

[Philjoe5]

Neat engine Rich. Sort of reverse evolution - building a steam engine from IC engine parts. Cool

Cheers,
Phil

 

[SAM in LA]

Rich,

What a cool engine.

It reminds me of some figurines made of nuts, bolts and washers welded together which looked like people working in different fields.

I am looking forward to seeing how this build progresses.

SAM

 

[lathe nut]

I like dat me, please show us more, my favorite scrap yard closed a few years ago, you could go there and find just about anything you wanted, I sure miss digging for treasure, your project brings good memories of those days, Lathe Nut

 

[firebird]

Hi

Thankyou Tel, Phil, Sam and lathenut

Here's a bit more from way back when.

I made a brass plate for the slide valve to work on, running it straight on the aluminium face would result in too rapid wear I thought. the plate had 10 holes drilled for the studs.



I then used a centre drill to chain drill the 3 ports.



I then used this plate as a guide to drill the 10 holes in the cylinder and then tap them 7BA. I have used 3/32 stainless steel rod for the studs which takes a 7BA thread nicely.

With the brass plate screwed to the cylinder and the cylinder fixed to an angle plate I milled the 3 ports. The centre port which is the exhaust port is milled deeper than the two outer ports which are the inlet ports



The two inlet ports are then extended.



The cylinder was then mounted on a tilting table in the mill and the angle set so when drilled from the end of the inlet port the drill would break through into the very end of the cylinder.



Here the port is being drilled.



Ok now back to the present and today's progress.

I made a couple of pins for connecting the eccentric rod and the slide valve rod from 3/32 stainless steel with 7BA nuts.





I have decided the engine needs a flyball governor. It won't actually function as a governor it will be purely cosmetic. Brian Rupnow posted some plans for just such a governor (they are in the download section) so I printed out his picture to give me something to work to, many thanks Brian. In keeping with my plan to use as many old car parts as possible I have used a couple of ball bearings salvaged from a wheel bearing. They are 3/8 diameter, slightly smaller than on Brians plan but will do for this job. By heating them up and then allowing to cool it softens them sufficiently to be drilled. I held the balls (no silly comments here please) :big: :big: :big: in a 3/8 collet in the lathe and drilled in about 1/8 with a 1/8 drill.



A piece of 1/4 square brass bar has a 1/8 slot milled into it.



And then has 2 1/16 holes drilled.



2 pieces of 1/8 stainless steel each have a 1/16 hole drilled in them 1/16 from the end.



Each piece was then pushed into a ball and measured then each was turned to equal length.



Each piece was then clamped into its ball and silver soldered in.



After a clean up with wet and dry the look ok.



Here I am rounding the ends.



A trial fit with a couple of pieces of 1/16 brass rod as pins.



The 1/4 square brass is held in the 4 jaw and profiled with a round cutter and parted off. Then re-chucked, drilled through and tapped 1/8 x 40.



The assembly so far.



Here endeth today's installment.

Cheers

Rich

 

[SAM in LA]

Rich,

Thanks for posting your build.

When you held the ball bearing in the collet, did you have anything inside the collet to keep the ball from being pushed to far in?

SAM

 

[firebird]

Hi Sam

No nothing, it gripped it ok. I started with a small centre drill then went in about 1/8 with a new 1/8 drill.

Cheers

Rich

 

[zeeprogrammer]

As expected, I found some tid-bits of learnings here. Thanks Rich.
I'm glad the thread will continueth.

 

[firebird]

Hi

Carl, no problemeth.

The wife went to church this morning so I went out to my own little place of sanctuary. I continued with the flyball by making a start on the arms. A piece of 1/4 stainless steel about a 2 1/4 inch long was held in the mill and had a 1/8 slot a 1/4 inch long machined into each end.





Drill a 1/16 hole in each end



Then cut in half and each piece machined to length.



Each piece has a 1/16 hole drilled in the other end



I have turned one piece down to an 1/8.





I had to pack it in then.

Cheers

Rich

 

[firebird]

Hi

Here's a few more pics from the olden days.

The cylinder bottom cover is a straightforward turning job.



Then transferred to the rotary table and mill to have 5 holes drilled.



Before parting off I turned a small lip on the face that sits inside the cylinder bore.

The top cover incorporates the gland for the piston rod.





Matching holes were drilled and tapped in the cylinder, 7 BA.





Studs of 3/32 stainless steel threaded 7 BA were made and fitted.



A trial fit of the 2 covers. You can see in this shot where I have drilled across for the exhaust outlet, it connects with central port on the cylinder face which was machined deeper.



Cheers

Rich

 

[bearcar1]

That is just too 'cool' 8) A fine looking engine.

BC1
Jim

 

[Julian]

Excellent model....the best I've seen for a long time. It's better in person than on the pics and videos. They do not do it justice.

Keep going mate. there's plenty to do.....the driven water pump, the generator, any other spinney twirly bits that can look good and enhance it!!!!

julian

 

[firebird]

Hi

Thanks Jim.

Spinney twirly bits :big: :big: :big: :big: I like that.

Cheers

Rich

 

[firebird]

Hi

A little bit more done to the flyball. The 2 arms had their ends milled flat.



Here's the first one done.



Then both arms had another 1/16 hole drilled.



A trial assembly.



Cheers

Rich

 

[arnoldb]

Good going Rich

Now I know what to do with some of the bearing balls I've collected after turning the races into parallels ;D

Kind regards, Arnold

 

[lowietje]

in some mouse balls are softsteel ball bearing balls to

 

[ChooChooMike]

:bow: :bow: what a whimsical looking engine !! A GREAT JOB !!

Neat engine Rich. Sort of reverse evolution - building a steam engine from IC engine parts. Cool

DE-evloution, or RE-evolution !

Mike

 

[tel]

Viva le Revolution!