An old man newbie

[Kermit]

I want to say hello to everyone. I'm a lifelong electronics technician and QA inspector. My company makes jet engine test cells for several military and private firms as well as valves for the RL10 rocket engines. I've inspected parts for a long time but have NEVER made one. For some strange reason steam engines are all I can think about lately, so I'm gonna do something about it. I've got a Lathemaster 9 x 30 on the way!

I'm gonna be totally lost without good people like yourselves to show me the way. I dare not ask my workmates for help. I'm the one that wields the reject stick and I don't want to give them guys any advantages. They are cut throats!

Always "rejected", Never "accepted"
Kermit

 

[GailInNM]

Welcome Kermit.
You have come to the right place. If you need help any time, all you have to do is ask. In most cases all you have to do is hint.

Let us know what your first project is going to be. If it is a popular set of plans, probably some one here has built one and can offer suggestions.

Gail in NM,USA

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Welcome Kermit!!! There is a wealth of information, some very nice people, and some great plans in our down load section here.---and by the way, you're not green with a fondness for piggies, are you??

 

[Kermit]

I've been busy downloading every available book I can find on the subject. So far about a hundred of them, and about 50 more dealing with lathe operation and tooling. books.google.com is a wonderful website and service. I don't have any particular plan in mind. I do know that I want to build a vertical engine first. I'll probably make a sliding D valve chest as this appears to be a simple design. I would like to create this engine completely from "scratch". Using what I like from whatever plans appear close to what I have in mind.

FIRST however will be a month or two of just plain simple turning and tooling exercises to get me acquainted with my new lathe.

As for size, I want to build something in the one horsepower range. Nothing too big, but certainly not a tiny model either.

Thanks for the welcome. I'll be bending plenty of ears in the coming months.

Kermit


P.S. I have a fondness for only ONE piggy. (lest she find out what I said. Piggies are sneaky)

 

[Brian Rupnow]

A bit of profound advice. If this is your first ever steam engine, most of us more experienced types will point you in the direction of a single acting "wobbler". This is a very simple engine which has an oscillating cylinder with no valves required. They are a very simple build, with a high success ratio. Elmer Verburg designed many, many simple engines (do a web search--you can find the plans free). The only complaint with his stuff is that it is very small.

 

[CrewCab]

I don't want to give them guys any advantages. They are cut throats!

Welcome aboard Kermit, you'll find us a lot more forgiving .............. Wobbler's are a great place to start as Brian has suggested, Dave Goodfellow has a few nice plans, have a look Here ......... about 2/3 of the way down the page.

CC

 

[Philjoe5]

Welcome Kermit . If you find an engine design you like but don't like the size, some model engines scale up quite easily. I've built a simple mill engine at the scale of the plans, and also 25% and 50% larger. I just multiplied all dimensions by 1.25x and 1.5x respectively and scaled up screw sizes accordingly. They all run great. Good luck with the new lathe and success with your first engine. Caution - you'll be hooked ;D

Cheers,
Phil

 

[Jadecy]

Welcome to the Asylum. You're one of us now!!! ;D

No need to try to run away. There is no known cure.....not that we want one! ;D ;D

 

[Maryak]

Welcome to our forum

You don't say if you are a newbie modeller, a newbie machinist or both. ???

In the iron age of my youth we gave all our wiggly amp types a basic machining course on the lathe.

If you fit into the both category then best a wobbler to start and as Phil says you can always scale up to a level acceptable to your eyes and machinery.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Kermit---I am new to this hobby as of last March. My first engine was a very small single acting wobbler designed by Elmer Verburg, and I built it on my new lathe. To my great delight it actually worked. This thrilled me so much that I immediately began work on a double acting wobbler--I realized the limitations of working on a lathe, alone, so I went out and bought a milling machine. This second engine ran twice as good as a single acting wobbler!!! I found that I was having trouble machining parts smaller than a gnats third member, so I designed and built a beam style engine at double scale, which although based on Elmers beam engine was built twice as large, with a few mods thrown in. This one was a great runner, so I felt justified in buying and refurbishing a band saw to cut metal with. Then with all this new machinery setting around, I decided to design and build my own twin cylinder horizontal engine---which lead to the Slinky Machine---which lead to the flyball governor---Blah, Blah, blah----Now I am thinking of going for steam engine addiction counseling---

 

[Kermit]

I'm a stick and glue modeler of the first class. Built a complete USS Constituion model ship when I was 10 years old. Model building has always been in my blood if not in my life for these last few decades.

I am a newbie machinist! So new in fact that as I write these very words, the stock room man, Henry is here standing by my desk with a little piece of paper. It's the invoice for my lathe! All 388 lbs of it are sitting on a pallet on the back dock.

(Kermit does a little dance of joy)


Christmas is all about the gifts!!!

Kermit

 

[rake60]

Welcome to HMEM Kermit

Rick

 

[Kermit]

350 lbs is ALOT!

I guess I was kinda in denial of some sort. I KNEW that was what it weighed, you know, so now I've got this box in the back of my car and between me and the dog and the cat and the old lady; there it will stay until I get some help from someone with a properly functioning spinal cord and of an easily persuadable mentality.




Don't make me feel stupid guys. :-* That's my wifes job and she'll get jealous.

Appearantly this would be a good place for the application of some tools I don't currently own. I have a four wheel dolly but nothing strong enough to use as a ramp.
???

Ha this is funny. Here I am, the newbie. So freakin green I'm asking you guys for suggestions on how to get my first lathe out of my auto.

I'm gonna be an unending source of laughter for many here. ;D I should know. I've been living with me for most of my life.


Steppin in it, then stopping to go back to see and falling in it,
Kermit

 

[baldrocker]

Welcome Kermit
You've joined the absolute best forum of it's type Warm and friendly guys always ready to help
(watch out for the guy in Hawaii).
As one newbie to another the best thing I can think to tell you is if your lathe is brand spanking new or
old for that matter run every test you can to ensure it is running true, pays huge dividends. Brian's advice about a "wobbler"
is sound, your first runner is a huge impetus to yourself. The other discovery i think you will make is
the stupendous amount of tools for the lathe you will find yourself making, good fun in itself.
Welcome and enjoy the group and the hobby.
BR
(Jeez got carried away with the superlatives).
PS
Never be afraid to ask newbie ?s they are very happy to pass on knowledge here

 

[baldrocker]

Hire an engine hoist long boom can reach in while the rollers fit under the car.
BR

 

[CrewCab]

Tools for lifting lathe out of car ............

1) Do you have kids ............. they have their uses in addition to emptying your wallet.
2) Good neighbours can be useful
3) The 2 guys in hoodies, slip em $20 and tell em to sneak the box out of the back of "that car" into the garage over the road :
4) if all else fails ............ engine hoist


Just a few thoughts .............. Good luck Kermit ................ I actually managed a 400lb lathe out of mi' van into the workshop with the help of a sack cart, some 2" x 4" timber and bits of 3/4 ply ............. but lifting the lathe onto the stand ??? that waited for my two sons to come home 8)

CC

 

[bentprop]

Hi,Kermit.I think that you'll find more than a few of us will never see 50 again,so can be classed as "of a certain age".I'm sure you'll find many helpful people here,with a vast amount of knowledge on anything and everything.If it's not always useful,it will be entertaining :big
I'm currently building John "bogstandard"s twin cylinder piston valve engine from scrap.I'm not saying you should build it as your first engine,but if you look and read through his build,you will get some idea of the type of operations required in building steam engines.John doesn't assume too much skill on the part of the builder ,and his explanations are straightforward and to the point.
You will also need to have a digital camera,cuz' we like pictures,lots an' lots of pictures ;D
Welcome to one of the most fascinating hobbies known to man,chewing metal into unrecognizable shapes which confound and puzzle the onlooker.They will be even more flabbergasted when you turn these bits into something that actually makes noises and runs!
Regards.Hans.

 

[Philjoe5]

I picked up my 400 lb lathe at Grizzly. They placed it on our trailer. When I got it to my house, I used an engine hoist to place it on the ground. From there I had riggers put the lathe on my basement workbench. Their advice for moving anything over 400 lb is sound. Never lift that much off the ground (even with 3 guys). Use mechanical things like engine hoists, come-alongs, levers, ramps etc. to raise it from a lower level to a higher one. Its been sitting on the bench for over a year. Hopefully it'll stay there for a loooooong time ;D I'd guess you have something like a 10x22 ???

Cheers,
Phil

 

[Kermit]

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions. I've been sitting in the arm chair purusing the various tool and equipment catalogs(wife calls them my 'porn') while the news idiots argue inside the idiot box thats always blaring!
Hard to get any thinking done in here; boy I'll be glad when I get the garage whipped into shape. Got me some big plans and I'm curious to see how they turn out when they hit the grind stone of reality ;D.

The cell phone of my oldest son went straight to voicemail. I'll keep my fingers crossed that he show tonight. I haven't been this excited about anything in a long time. It may have to ride to work and home with me again tomorrow.

The 'hoist' looked like a good idea until my check book spoke and told me "No, dear."
;D

I'm up to the hurrying part of the big wait. Thanks for the help on the hoist everyone 8). I think there was a moment there when the weight of your endorsements held sway over the keeper of my fortunes and happiness.

Goodnight Gracie,
Kermit

 

[Brass_Machine]

Hey Kermit! Welcome to the club. Too bad you weren't closer to NJ or I would offer to help move the lathe.

Eric