Building a Factory Engine, Elmer's #41 (Finished on 2-28-10)

[Metal Butcher]

Rick, can you provide the name of that ebay seller? Seeing what you're really getting will help loads.

Thanks,

Dean

Here's the link. His stock of 1/2" thin wood is down quite a bit since my purchase. But, you can save him as favorite seller and check for new stock a little later. The pieces are numbered and photographed before being listed. What you see is the exact piece you get. Both sides are smooth enough to finish as is, Although I'll sand the top surface lightly with 120 grit prior to trimming and routing the four sides. I consider it really nice lumber that's very reasonably priced.

http://shop.ebay.com/danddhardwoods_1-2-Lumber_W0QQ_fsubZ702541017QQ_rssZ1QQ_rssstoreZ1

-MB

 

[Deanofid]

Great. Thanks!

Dean

 

[Metal Butcher]

Rick, can you provide the name of that ebay seller? Seeing what you're really getting will help loads.

Thanks,

Dean

So.... What do you think? Did you see what I got?

-MB

 

[Metal Butcher]

#13 Its my nature to change plans, make spur of the moment alterations, and last minute decisions. When I originally checked my raw material stock pile I had all the metals needed to build the #41. When I took hold of an aluminum square bar for the cylinder I felt the need for a more durable material like brass. A quick look told me there was no 1" square bar on hand. No problem I'll just order in a foot or two. A price check told me big problem! The 1" x 1" brass is nearly $40 per ft plus shipping! My only other option was to saw out the needed size from a big chunk of scrap yard brass hex.

Below is the unconventional set up I used to band saw cut the stock from the brass hex. Its not a very rigid set up, but it worked.

#14 When the saw blade reached just past the vise jaws I stopped the cut and test fitted a square brass shim equal to the width of the blade.

#15 After lifting out the blade, the shim was taped in place and the work piece flipped end over end. I then finished the first of four cuts needed to rough out a rectangle that the cylinder could be cut from.

#16 I milled all four sides to size and square up the rectangle. After marking out at 1" a piece was sliced off, and then the cut end was finished up with further milling.

#17 I used a precision square and a granite check stand to verify squareness and parallelism before proceeding with the next steps.

#18 After plotting out all the machine coordinates, I marked out all the center lines on the work piece as a way of double checking the machine moves.

#19 Everything went well with all of the milled, drilled, and tapped holes. The two angled ports between the top of the cylinder and the slotted face ports will be drilled after the cylinder is bored.

I set up the cylinder in the four jaw chuck to turn and face the first round end. After wards I drilled and reamed the 1/2" bore. After reversing the piece in the four jaw, the bore was used in conjunction with a tenths indicator to set up for turning the round end. Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the setup in the four jaw. It was an intense experience due to my limited knowledge with setting up and using a four jaw for this type of machining operation.

#20 I used two angle plated taped together to give me the 16&1/2 degrees specified in the plans. Double sided tape held them in place against the fixed jaw of the vise. Not a great looking set up, but I was very careful and it worked. Note the tape sticking out past the side. This is a matter of habit since it can be very difficult to remove taped angle plates if they do not stick out past the jaws. In this set up the angle plates were easy to remove.

#21 The final step on the cylinder was the out side profile. I personally didn't care for the conventional profile shown in the plans. Covering up the cylinder with plain lagging was not appealing either. After a little Milling a simple profile was found to be very appealing to me.

Below is the adjustable angle block I used to set up the cylinder for milling the profile.

#22 The picture below shows all the machining finished on the cylinder block. All that's needed now is some finish up work with files and sand paper.

Back to work! :big:

-MB

 

[gbritnell]

Hi Rick, you're making great progress on this engine. As far as the bandsawing goes, necessity is the mother you know!!. I have a couple of home made v-blocks (30 degrees) for holding hex stock. I have run into the same situation so I just clamp it between my blocks and mill off the extra stock.
George

 

[Deanofid]

So.... What do you think? Did you see what I got?

-MB

Oh, yes. The "see what you're getting" part of my question was meant, as in, "I" could see what I would get if I bought some. (I wasn't being nosy.) : )
I looked for the species you mentioned, though. He had most of the types you got. Some nice looking wood, there.

Looks like a good way to shave down some stock you showed here. Probably faster than milling it all away!

Dean

 

[BigBore]

M.B. - I follow (OK, kneel before :bow all of your builds. Love the numbered steps. Makes it a breeze to copy/paste the info for referencing to Elmer's plans and for studying.

I was reading the #41 build from Elmer's book, pages 193-197. In the beginning narrative he refers to "fairly hard jig-and-fixture grade of aluminum". I understand the idea of 6061 possibly being "gummy" but what alloy would Elmer be referring to and what would be an effective one to use in this type of application? I guess anyone could answer since I got my kudos in to M.B.

Ed

 

[rudydubya]

Really enjoying following your progress MB. Easy for a novice like me to follow, plus great photography. Another example of why I think this forum is the best on the 'net.

Regards,
Rudy

 

[kvom]

I was wondering why you needed to keep the angle plates in the vise once the piece is clamped. (Or was it just posed that way for the photo?) I was taught to wring the plates together, but the tape looks to work too.

Enjoying the build.

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Great post MB. The tips are very helpful.

 

[Metal Butcher]

M.B. - I follow (OK, kneel before :bow all of your builds. Love the numbered steps. Makes it a breeze to copy/paste the info for referencing to Elmer's plans and for studying.

I was reading the #41 build from Elmer's book, pages 193-197. In the beginning narrative he refers to "fairly hard jig-and-fixture grade of aluminum". I understand the idea of 6061 possibly being "gummy" but what alloy would Elmer be referring to and what would be an effective one to use in this type of application? I guess anyone could answer since I got my kudos in to M.B.

Ed

Hi Ed and thanks for the compliment!.

I was at a bike show today and spoke with the owner of a shop that fabricates a tilting and sliding motorcycle bed for use on pick up trucks. I asked about different grades of aluminum and also what would be considered a good grade for making fixtures. His answer was 6061. I have seen elaborate fixtures at the scrap yard with 6061 marking still present on the aluminum. The grades that I consider gummy (soft) are 2024 and a few other pieces of unknown that seem worse.

Hope this helps.

-MB

 

[Metal Butcher]

I was wondering why you needed to keep the angle plates in the vise once the piece is clamped. (Or was it just posed that way for the photo?) I was taught to wring the plates together, but the tape looks to work too.

Enjoying the build.

Hi Kvom. In this drilling set up it was easier to leave them in place since the part needed to be indexed to drill the other port from the opposite side. Taping them in place also avoided the problem of trying to locate all 3 pieces in the vise while closing down on the work piece.

My Jo-blocks will wring together, but my angle plates set up side to side don't stick. Another reason, and something I didn't mention was that a shim was added at the bottom between the two plates to add (roughly) a 1/2 degree to make the 16&1/2 degrees specified. With the set I have half degrees are not possible.

-MB

 

[Metal Butcher]

#23 Its time to report the progress I made yesterday and today. I used my collet chuck for the first time, and after the trial use I have to say, I like it a lot and I wouldn't want to be with out it.

The picture below shows the 'inboard head' being machined. I decided to eliminate the 'pack nut'. I used them on my last two builds and don't feel that they are of any benefit on such a small engine that will run on a pound or two of air. Its seems to me that they add a significant amount of unwanted friction. I will add a faux detail that mimics its presence. This is not my original idea, I saw it used by one of our members and wanted to try it out. The groove being cut is the first step.

#24 I started to cut-off the head and realized its best to add the pack nut detail first. The collet and work piece were transferred to a collet block that would be a simple cut and index for the next cut, creating the illusion of a pack nut.

#25 I added a 1/2" x .100" raised detail to the top of the 'outboard head'. This allowed it to be cut off the 1" stock and reversed in a 1/2" collet to turn the line up spigot that enters the cylinder bore. After turning the spigot the piston rod hole was drilled and reamed assuring its concentrically with the cylinder bore.

#26 Below the 'inboard head' is set up in a collet block to drill for the six head bolts. I drilled with a #51 drill for the 2-56 tap so that the head would act as a fixture to drill and tap the 12 holes in the 'cylinder' for the 'inboard' and 'outboard' head bolts. After the cylinder was drilled and tapped the same set-up was used to finish up the head with a #43 clearance drill.

#27 With the collet block already zeroed out and off-set .375". I switched out the 3/8" collet used on the 'inboard head' for a 1/2" collet to hold the 'outboard head'. I drilled the head with a #43 clearance drill since the inboard head is drilled with a #51 to act as a drilling jig. I hope I'm not confusing you with my lengthy explanations.

#28 Below is the 'inboard head being used as a drill jig on the 'cylinder'. This method was a little tedious. I started by drilling a clearance hole through the head after the first #51 hole was drilled and tapped in the cylinder. Now I could use one 2-56 screw to keep the head from a possible rotation while the other five holes were located using an eye-ball method to be drilled and tapped individually in the cylinder. The tedious part was removing and replacing the bolt and head to tap each hole immediately after drilling them, and the good amount of chucking and un-chucking the drill and tap. It took nearly an hour for all 12 holes, which had me bored silly and talking to myself towards the end.

#29 Ta-Da! There it is all tapped out, just like me. ;D

#30 Same part just a different angle shot. After all that work I felt a need to post two pictures of it.

Wow, I'm still talking to myself... No, wait... I'm typing a post on the forum. :big:

-MB

 

[stevehuckss396]

I'm telling you, I don't know about this butcher thing anymore.

Very nice work!

Will I see you at names again?

 

[Metal Butcher]

I'm telling you, I don't know about this butcher thing anymore.

Very nice work!

Will I see you at names again?

Hi Steve. Thank you for the compliment! As far as N.A.M.E.S. goes, I'm not sure at this point.

I would like to go if my co-pilot will come along and instruct me as to the speed limits and other such minor details that she feels need my attention. :big:

-MB

 

[BigBore]

My Jo-blocks will wring together, but my angle plates set up side to side don't stick. Another reason, and something I didn't mention was that a shim was added at the bottom between the two plates to add (roughly) a 1/2 degree to make the 16&1/2 degrees specified. With the set I have half degrees are not possible.

-MB

What does "wring" mean?

Ed

 

[Metal Butcher]

What does "wring" mean?

Ed

Precision pieces like quality gauge blocks (Jo- blocks) are so true and flat that placing them together and twisting (wringing or wrung) pushes out the air molecules creating a vacuum that holds them together!

Really neat stuff!

-MB

 

[BigBore]

Gotcha. Thanks.

Ed

 

[Metal Butcher]

#31 For today's post I started by making the piston. Since my 'cylinder' is made 'of brass I used aluminum for the 'piston' and steel for the 'piston rod'. I believe in using dissimilar metals on moving parts. Any time I've used identical metals they begin to score (scratch) almost immediately and never get a "polished" surface. That's been my experience but yours may be different.

#32 I band saw cut and then milled to exact dimension the 'valve plate', 'cover', and 'steam chest'. The 'valve plate' material seems to be a different grade than 360 and was difficult to file and drill. The cover was made from copper plate just to be different than the rest if the visible parts on the cylinder and valve assembly.

#33 I milled out the opening in the 'steam chest' using scribed lines to guide me. I'm making it as a build up of three parts rather than machining it in the lathe using a four jaw chuck. For me this is a quicker way, since I have had a bit of previos experience, and survived without a four jaw for a long time. I now have a four jaw and enjoy using it immensely when its necessary.

#34 In the picture below the four screw clearance holes have been drilled in all three pieces. I drilled the 1/8" intake hole for a press fit intake connection, and reamed a 5/32" thru hole for the 'valve rod' guides in the 'steam chest'.

On the right you can see the 'valve plate' laid out with scribed lines for verification, and on the paper you can see all the machine moves plotted out for accurate placement of the nine port holes.

#35 I like drilling and tapping small holes and consider it the easiest part of any step in building an engine. I never have any trouble using my mill-drill, and drilled the nine #57 holes at slow speed.

#36 To make the 'valve' I milled down 1/4" square brass bar to 13/64" in height. The next step was milling the 1/16" x .141" deep groove length wise for the adjusting 'nut'. I milled down in .025" steps per pass. On the opposite side I laid out the recessed area to be milled out .031 deep to act as a transfer port for the intake and exhaust on both ends of the cylinder. I flipped the work piece over to mill out the rectangular port.

#37 After the bar was positioned back to the face up starting position the cutter was advanced at .001" rate till it just scraped off the layout dye and the hand wheel dial was zeroed out as a start position. The 1/16" end mill was advanced to .158" and a cross cut of .025" deep at a time was made till the .133 depth was reached. The next cut was at .1854" using the same .025 depth steps till .133" depth was reached. This left a groove .090" wide for the 'valve rod'. After raising the end mill the table was moved over to .3437" to cut off the finished 'valve' using the same .025" downward steps til the part fell free of the parent bar stock.

#38 The process although a little slow went well. I decided a little practice would be nice and produced a few "spares".

#39 The picture below shows the progress so far a on the piston and valve. All that's needed to complete the assembly is to make the 'valve rod', 'nut', and intake fitting.

-MB

 

[Deanofid]

You're making progress, Rick, and it's looking like your usual good work.

I have a number of pieces of thin brass that don't exhibit the good cutting qualities of regular 360. Most of that thin stuff is 260. Quite hard, but drills and cuts producing a stringy, kind of gummy chip. Also, a slightly different hue from 360 brass.

Usually, if you order brass "sheet" under 1/8" thick, 260 is what you get. If you order brass "flat bar", you usually get 360. If we have to scrounge it, we take what we get, and like it!

Dean