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

[1hand]

Looking good..... :bow: You make it look easy.

I've been busy with the prosthetic parts here, so haven't done much with the #33 since the flywheel.

Matt

 

[Metal Butcher]

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

You hit the nail dead on. With the recent posts that mentioned 260 brass I was thinking he same thing while drilling it. In one of the above pictures you can see a long stringy chip still on the drill bit.

Its too dark in the indoor scrap yard to see a color difference in brass. As a matter of fact I bought a 'brass' bar that turned into 'bronze' on the way home. But like you said "we take what we get", and 1/16" brass is 1/16" brass as far as I'm concerned.

Dean, are you currently working on any engine project?. If not how about a One Day wobbler, build-and-post? Their always a fun way to clear your mind!

Keep it simple, so I can build it too! :big:

-MB

 

[gbritnell]

Hi Rick, I use the softer brass plate for mounting pieces, or framing for an engine. If I need to make small flat items say up to 2" wide I buy a piece of 2" square bar and cut some strips from it. I really don't like working with the gummy stuff any more than I have to.
George

 

[Metal Butcher]

Hi Rick, I use the softer brass plate for mounting pieces, or framing for an engine. If I need to make small flat items say up to 2" wide I buy a piece of 2" square bar and cut some strips from it. I really don't like working with the gummy stuff any more than I have to.
George

Good tip, thanks George. Unfortunatly I'm not confident enough to fly cut or mill a square piece down to 1/16" in thickness. Not much in the vise to hold on to, so I don't think I better try it! Unless of course your talking about a finish facing on one side, then cutting off a little over in thickness, and gluing or taping to another flat piece already in the mills vice, and then facing it down to the proper thickness?

It was a really small piece so no big deal, but I did notice quite a difference from the usual 360 brass. I wouldn't want to make a complex piece out of the stringy 260 stuff though, unless I had to.

-MB

 

[Metal Butcher]

Looking good..... :bow: You make it look easy.

I've been busy with the prosthetic parts here, so haven't done much with the #33 since the flywheel.

Matt

Hey Matt. We'll be here when you get ready, or have some time to get started on your build of the #33.

I'm struggling with the small parts on my build of the #41. Your original ideal of doubling the size is starting to taunt me. I just can't see well enough to judge machine moves on tiny parts like the 'valve'. I managed, but it was a bit tedious.

-MB

 

[Deanofid]

Dean, are you currently working on any engine project?. If not how about a One Day wobbler, build-and-post? Their always a fun way to clear your mind!

Keep it simple, so I can build it too! :big:

-MB

I have an engine on the list, but it has to wait until I get some of the paying work out of the way. I earn some extra dough working on old cameras and shutters. They seem to come in bunches, and I've been up to my elbows in them last few weeks.

Dean

 

[Metal Butcher]

This build is becoming more challenging as I go along. I just spent the better part of an hour looking over the plans for my current build (#41) and many more of Elmer's plans looking for a drawing of the intake and exhaust port fittings. It seems the detail was over looked in drawings for the #41, #45, #32, and #33, and maybe more. In frustration I reamed out the intake and exhaust ports with a 1/8" reamer. Using the 5-40 threaded holes didn't seem to leave enough wall strength for comfort if I drilled the fittings with a 1/16" air passage. Any drill smaller than this seems too small. And even the 1/16" passage seems a bit questionable.

Elmer!, what are you doing to me!

-MB

 

[1hand]

Hey Matt. We'll be here when you get ready, or have some time to get started on your build of the #33.

I'm struggling with the small parts on my build of the #41. Your original ideal of doubling the size is starting to taunt me. I just can't see well enough to judge machine moves on tiny parts like the 'valve'. I managed, but it was a bit tedious.

-MB

Man I'm telling ya, second geussing my decision on scale for sure. Not sure I'll be able to finish mine at that small. I'm like a bull in a China shop. :big: Need a 3" flywheel? I'd love to see it a good home.

<Matt

 

[Metal Butcher]

Man I'm telling ya, second geussing my decision on scale for sure. Not sure I'll be able to finish mine at that small. I'm like a bull in a China shop. :big: Need a 3" flywheel? I'd love to see it a good home.

<Matt

I apologize for sticking my nose in, but you might enjoy the build more if you up size it a bit. Like...say 50% to 100%. Thanks for the offer of the flywheel, but I have a need for the machined parts to be my own. I hope you understand this logic.

However, off the shelf items and cash are always acceptable! :big:

-MB

 

[1hand]

LOL....................... ;D

 

[Metal Butcher]

#40 A little more progress was made yesterday and today. To finish up the valve parts I made the 'nut', intake fitting, exhaust fitting, and the 'valve rod'.

In the picture below I'm machining down a 1/8" brass rod to the first diameter which is .086". The next diameter was 1/16" to fit into the tail end valve rod guide on the 'steam chest'.

#41 After cutting off the excess used for tail stock support using an Exacto saw, the specified area for the 'nut' was threaded 2-56. There is an additional 1/2" of material inside the collet. The collet was transferred to a square 'collet block and mounted in the milling vise to mill the flats and drill the 1/16" pin hole. Then back to the lathe to cut-off the excess used for holding it in the collet. As they say, "Easy squeezy, lemon peezy". What ever that means!

#42 In the picture below you can see the 'valve rod', with the 'nut' installed. The exhaust fitting is a strait 1/8" pipe drilled 1/16", and the intake fitting is a standard 3/16" diameter drilled 1/16" that I use for slip on air line tubing. The smaller diameter on the intake fitting is 1/8" to fit the reamed hole in the 'steam chest'. The intake and exhaust holes are shown in the plan as threaded 5-40 holes. I changed this with a 1/8" reamer yesterday to eliminate my concern tha the pieces would be to weak and subject to easy breakage due to the thinner wall thickness created by threading the fittings. I made them a light press fit that will seal up nice with a little RTV silicone gasketing compound.

#43 Here's a picture that took some courage on my part. Above I showed the "Good", and below I show the "Bad and Ugly". This is my seriously silly approach to machining an 'eccentric strap". It looked good on paper, but after a few cuts I realized it wasn't what Elmer had in mind. I punished myself by machining it all the way around, took an hour ending with what looks like a horrific tempt at 'micro splineing' a shaft.

#44 I should have eliminated the detail and stuck with my ' simplify it' way of doing things.
So... on to plan "B", which is to mill a 1/16" pocket in the ring and solder or braze together the two parts without that pesky little detail on the ring and shown in the original plan.

"A butcher's poem"

Any old way,
Just to get it done,
Grab the money,
And run!
:big:

-MB

 

[Deanofid]

"A stitch in time saves nine"
"Your fingers are too clean for a machinist;
I believe you are in league with the butcher"

Well, I'm not a very good poet...

Your second method for the eccentric looks more sensible, Rick. We all learn the hard way, even after we've "been there, done that".
This is also a good job for the R/T, if you want to make it to print.

The steam chest looks very nice. Neat and clean, crisp edges.

Dean

 

[Metal Butcher]

#45 HI guys, I'm back. for today's post I made a few more parts and took a few pictures.
In my last build post I decided to go with plan "B" and simplify the 'ring' part of the 'eccentric strap'. I added a milled slot to the 'ring' and increased its diameter to provide some surface area for soldering the two parts together. I made a simple fixture to line up the parts, and to assure the 3-1/2" center-line spacing.

#46 After cleaning and fluxing the parts were soft soldered together. The picture below shows the assembly cooling off.

#47 I added the rounded end and tapered detail with hand filing prior to soldering. For me this is a much quicker method than doing a set up in the mill.

#48 If I made this part again a wider stance at the ring would probably look a little nicer.

#49 Here I'm milling a 3/8" square bar to make a 5/16" x 5/16" angle stock.
I thought this was a standard off the shelf item. I couldn't find it, gave up the search, and machined it up.

#50 After milling out a 1/4", the angle was flipped over for a better grip in the vise to reduce the wall thickness down to 1/16".

#51 Below is the finished 'angle'. After rough cuting two pieces I milled them to Length. I finished up the two pieces with file and paper after drilling the eight #43 clearance holes. Sorry I forgot to shoot a picture.

Sombody, shoot ME! :big:

#52 To make the 'fork' I milled up an accurate rectangle and reamed the 3/32" pivot hole and tapped the 2-56 set screw hole. I milled the 3/32" and the 1/16" slots by using .025 deep steps to reach the specified depths. Easy does it here and no broken end mills.

#53 I included a Polish coin for size reference. Its a '5 Grozy' aluminum coin. Probably like a nickle or dime. Its slightly smaller than a north American penny at .535" in diameter. And it came attached to a bottle of Polish brand vodka. It was good stuff! Kind of a neat 'cash back' idea that could have an added benefit. It would allow you a way of calling for a taxi, after the bottle was finished. With the growth of this forum its getting harder and harder to come up with unique "crowd pleasing" photo prop ideas. :

#54 At first I wasn't sure what I was making in this picture! Its good that I wrote up a few notes. This is the first step to make the "rocker shaft'.
I milled down some scrap brass to make a 3/16 x 5/32" rectangular bar.

#55 Below I'm drilling and reaming the 3/32" and 1/16" holes. Its a good idea to do this while the part is easy to clamp in the vise.

#56 In the picture below and to the left of the end mill you can see the area I milled out with the stock clamped in the vise. The profiling of the radius is much safer now with the small amount of material that needs to be removed. The taller out side radius was carefully cut in .010" steps by advancing the cutter towards the pivot point. Then I raised the cutter to clear the thinned area, and with out moving the cutter horizontally, I cut the inner profile with one careful pass.

#57 In the plans it looks like the 'rocker shaft' is tapered down in width at the 1/16" pivot pin hole. I added a slight taper and the rounded profile on the pin end with a 1"x60" belt sander, and finished it up with a file and #400 sand paper.
I could be a very successful 'safe cracker' now, with no way to leave identifiable finger prints! :big:

#58 To make the 'cross head' I milled up an 5/8" x 7/16" x 7/32" accurate brass block. When I said 'accurate' that means I fiddled with a file till it was within two tenths of dimension. I learned an important lesson when I built a horizontal mill engine of my own design a few years ago and before I joined this forum. It took an entire winter session to complete the build and it was well worth the effort. Unlike a lot of designs, the line up of an engine with a separate 'cross head guide' needs to be dead nuts on.

#59 And there it is. As close to perfect in dimension as I could get it, and I'm thrilled with the out come. ;D

I think I'll celebrate with a cold one! Ice tea that is. :big:

-MB

 

[Deanofid]

The eccentric rod came out nice, Rick. Other parts did too, but the rod catches my eye. Svelte and nicely finished.

Dean

 

[BigBore]

I'm really enjoying this one. Could be that I'm actually learning more stuff and understand "in my head", what you're doing. Thanks.

Ed

 

[ksouers]

Great work there, MB.

I really like the way you've tackled many of these tiny pieces.

 

[Metal Butcher]

Hi guys. Thanks for stopping by to see my progress. 8)

Deanofid, Reading your reply with the word "Svelte" had me a bit confused. What word could be so badly misspelled? I Googled the word to find. Svelte; French from Italian. Slender in figure. Attractively thin. Thanks for the compliment.

BigBore, Its good to hear that you are getting benefits from my build posts. As a relative new comer to machining I can only offer some ideas of how parts can be made or modified. Going at it alone is very difficult for most beginners and maybe even those that already have some experience. Posting is helping me to develop my basic skills too. With posting viewed by members at various skill levels from all over the world, brings on a pressure for me to put forth my best effort. Unlike a live stage act, a part that you don't like can be made over, or improved with additional finishing before the final presentation to the viewing audience.

Ksouers, Thanks for the compliment! Those tiny parts can be quite a handful!
I'm getting them out of the way, one by one. If they were easy, it wouldn't be any fun.
A "little easier" would be O.K. though! :big:

Thanks.

-MB

 

[Troutsqueezer]

The steam chest looks very nice. Neat and clean, crisp edges.

Dean

I've noticed that about all your work MB. It gives me something to strive for. :bow:

-T

 

[gbritnell]

Rick, you're going to have to try and pace yourself my friend. This building an engine every two weeks has got to stop. Just kidding! Very nice work as usual. I have found some brass angle but with very thin walls. I have been known to resort to making angle stock the way you did.
George

 

[Metal Butcher]

Hi George. I know you were kidding with what you said. But seriously, my streak of a complete build every two weeks has come to an end with this one. Soon it will be three weeks since I started, and I don't see the end getting near. I think I loafed around too much the first two weeks. And under estimated the time it would take to make the smaller parts. Oh well, I guess it doesn't really matter when I finish it up.

I was down in the shop most of the day and only made one part!
If I had a boss, he would have been deep in the bottle today! :big:

-MB