An Unusual Steam Engine from Live steam magazine Oct 1977

[va4ngo]

Now its time to make the crankshaft assemblies there are 4 of these and a re a simple cutting, filing and drilling.The outside dimensions do not require a high degree of accuracy. The holes of course need to be dimensionally correct for od. location and to be perpendicular. These are approx 7/8" x 3/8" x 3/16" brass and I am cutting them from a partially completed block of brass which was at hand. I have 8 of these blocks and they look as if they could be handy for some sort of vise. They have been very well machined with a slot. Any Ideas for a use for these?

Photo 1.. The scrap block from which the parts are to be made.
Photo 2.. All 12 holes drilled (3 per crankshaft assembly) Centre drill holes hand held for drilling in drill press (better feel for finding the pre punched centres as I have a very large gargantuan vice ) then transferred to machine vice for ldrilling arger holes. I hope to purchase a smaller vice for these smaller jobs.
Photo 3.. Holes drilled to size and ready to cut, face and file to shape.
Photo 4.. Blocks separated into pairs for finishing. This photo also shows part of the drawing. Note that the drawing is in imperial measurements and the handwrittten dimensions are my metric conversions. All sizing was kept the same just direct conversion to metric. Metric screws will be used.

Cranks need to be fitted and a fine sawcut made to clamp the crankshaft and con rods (there are 4 con rods)

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Following with high interest Phil. Good progress.

 

[va4ngo]

The pairs were next placed in 4 jaw for facing. It was here I began to question my decision to make the parts from a flat block instead of going looking for a piece of material the correct size. This would have saved at least 4 lengthy steps. Better to spend more time making parts than non essential machining.

Pairs were faced to cotterct thickness then sawcut to width and again to 4 jaw for machining to length

Here I am working very close to chuck jaws and I was finding it very difficuly to place a parallel behind jaws to machine squarely


The 4 cranks were then held together and a 45 deg chamfer added in the Bench vice. Here I used a 45/90 deg square to eyeball when the part was sitting at 45 deg in the vice and filed horizontal to produce the chamfer.

Just for good measure I again reamed the large holes with the home made reamer.
Next I will tap the 2mm holes and provide a fine sawcut in ends of cranks.

 

[va4ngo]

Thanks Josep

I am building as per the plans and am being held up by the cylinder which is a block of brass 1" x 3/4" x 1 1/2". I may need to silver solder 2 pieces together as they need to be separated later

Thanks for your interest and encouragement

Phil

 

[4wheels]

Hi Phil,
I have several lumps of brass from the bin of a shop which uses approx 2"dia in a turret lathe and has zillions of 2-3" bits left foe scrap. I'm happy to send a bit over but I wonder if postage is more than a bit of silver solder??
Let me know.
Cheers,

 

[Deanofid]

It's getting more and more interesting, Phil. Still watching, and enjoying your build.
Keep 'er up.

Dean

 

[va4ngo]

Thanks Brian for your kind offer of 2" Diam brass

Yes A little expensive to send Downunder.

Dean,
Thanks also for hints to keep going. I am just tidying up a few small jobs ( cutting down 2mm screws, 2mm taps, removing broken taps when I buy the Alum , then back in to build)
i am also looking forward to finished engine.
Phil

 

[4wheels]

Hi Phil,
I AM downunder but there's still a Tazzy in between. Mind you the Tazzy is usually more expensive than the rest of the world.
Keep the build going - most interesting.
Cheers,

 

[starnovice]

This should put your thread back in the Recent Threads list. It is a good thread and I hope you are able to finish it.

Pat