Duplex Vacuum, (Heinrici type stirling)

[ksouers]

Dean,
Sorry about the boo boo. I thought it odd to be sticking the bottom like that, but hey, you have the plans. Glad it was something easy to fix. Another reason to recommend Locktite adhesives.

I had trouble visualizing how the linkage worked. Seeing the assembly shot made it all clear.

 

[b.lindsey]

Not a bad boo-boo at all Dean. I'm happy you were able to fix it so easily and that now "too short" piece will no doubt be useful somewhere else in this or another project. I'm really looking forward to the firebox too, and how that is done. I have to admit that this was never one of my favorite of Jerry's designs...it just seemed kind of tall and gangly...but you have changed my mind. Can't wait to see this baby run!!!

Bill

 

[Deanofid]

Bob, Kevin, Bill, thanks again for your comments.
There have been a few scrap parts made during this project, but not too bad, yet.
Experience isn't free. You have to pay the scrap box for it.
; )

Dean

 

[kcmillin]

The more you put into the scrap box, the more potential it has to creat you something nice. Just think of it as not throwing parts away, but storing them for future use. ;D

Lookin great Thm:

Kel

 

[Deanofid]

Back at it for a bit, today.
Precious little done for time spent, but a couple of things, at least.

The sides of the burner are a triangle thing with the top cut off, and four of them will
form a pyramid shape that acts as a base for the engine.
I started off cutting one out with a hack saw, but what a slow way to go! Plus, I still
had to clean up the edges on the mill. Why not just do it all on the mill in the first place??
Duh!

On the second one, I got smart. Better late than never! I'm just milling to a line here.
Not my usual habit, but in this case is appropriate. Got two of the firebox sides cut
out, two to go, and then more milling on them to form a few more shapes in the pieces.

The material is 1/8" thick CRS (1018) flat stock. Just for folks who like to know this stuff,
the end mill is a 1/4" four flute carbide, feed on the Z was .050", spindle speed 1350 rpm,
and to make the 4¼" long cut took 3½ (edit 1½ minutes. I timed one of the cuts, 'cause I'm
sure somebody will ask. ; )

That's it. Short post. Easy reading. More soon.

Thanks for looking.

Dean

 

[kcmillin]

Great post Dean. You read my mind. I got one question though. Are you hand cranking, or is there a power feed?

Kel

 

[Deanofid]

Hand cranking, Kel, and this is on a little Taig mill. Bigger machines will take all you can put on the cutter.
Thanks for the comments!

Dean

 

[zeeprogrammer]

If you answer questions before they're asked, then you provide the opportunity for people to ask the harder questions. ;D

What's the meaning of life?

Your answer should include the following:

family
friends
casseroles
chocolates
sunsets
a soft chair
some kind of drink
sunrises
shiny things
toilet paper
Paula Prentiss (oh wait...that's on my list)
a favorite smell
breakfast
at least one but no more than three secrets you'd never put in an autobiography
...
I'll stop there. I have many more but we're talking a book.

 

[b.lindsey]

Hey Dean,

So what is the plan for joining the four sides of the base....silver soldering? welding?

Bill

 

[Deanofid]

Hey Dean,
So what is the plan for joining the four sides of the base....silver soldering? welding?
Bill

I dunno yet, Bill. Silver soldering has been first on the list for a while, but I'm not sure my torches will get this hot enough. Welding would be an easy way, for me. We'll see!


Zee, you already got my Greer Garson part.
I don't care for breakfast much, and sunrises come awful early in the morning.
My "drink" is usually diet soda. Otherwise, I've got most of it covered. God has to be there, just ahead of family.
Your list pretty much suits. Maybe replace casseroles with pizza and burgers.
Add an occupied mind.

Dean

 

[Deanofid]

Again, a short post today.

I need to make a correction to something posted yesterday. I had mentioned that
each cut when milling out the edges on these took 3½ minutes. That was a mistake!
It only took 1½ min per cut. When I had timed it previously, the timer had been
set to start on two minutes, and just added up the time when I pressed the "start" button.
So, it should read 1½ minutes, for those of you checking up on me.

Finished cutting out the remaining sides for the firebox/base.

Then started filing the edges to bevel them for 45°.
I used a protractor to check my filing, and used a double cut mill ******* for quicker
material removal. Only got two edges done today, and will finish these bevels up
tomorrow. Then move on to cutting some holes and arcs in the pieces.

Thanks again, for checking it out.

Dean

 

[kcmillin]

Thanks for the correction Dean.

Did you file it down from square? Or did you remove any material with a mechanical machine first?

Kel

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Add an occupied mind.

Perfect! That's what drove me to starting this hobby. I was so afraid of turning into my uncle who sat on the porch watching the world go by. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It just wasn't for me. ;D

 

[Deanofid]

Did you file it down from square? Or did you remove any material with a mechanical machine first?
Kel

Kel, the first two, I filed the 45° bevel all by hand. The last ones, I put on the bench grinder to knock off the hard edge, then finished with the file. A fair bit of metal to remove, and my wrist needed some help after a bit!

Zee, the rocking chair is a death machine. You know what I mean..



Well, seems I'm turning into a two shot post-er. Someone gave me a case of the "RATS", though,
and just a little ways into my work day, things came to a halt. I had intended to have more to show,
and this base is starting to drag a bit. Sorry for that. Really!

Got all the edges filed to 45, and now you can see how it comes together. There are a number
of holes and things to be milled into the pieces, yet.

All of the pieces have one feature in common. There is a nice arc in the bottom of each. The
pieces are all sandwiched together and clamped to the mill table so I can cut them all at once.
An end mill is used to cut out a half moon in one edge to make room for the boring head cutter.

Everything was going along hunky dory until I dialed in a bit too much feed and popped the tip
off the cutter. Only short one I had, and it needs to be pretty short to run on this machine.
I tried another bar that has a 3" reach, but it's too long to make this much of an interrupted
cut, and chatters badly.

These things always happen Friday afternoon. My parts order won't even be seen until Monday
morning, so this project will be on hold for a few days. I'm just leaving that setup until
the new boring bars come in!

Guess I'll do some yard work to kill time 'til then.. Maybe order a load of mulch!

Thanks again, for checking it out.

Dean

 

[zeeprogrammer]

A case of 'rats' isn't contagious. If you got them...you created them. :big:

Mulch however, appears to be contagious. I started with one load and ended up with three. So be careful.

I'm looking forward to seeing how you put this together. You mentioned welding? Details!

 

[b.lindsey]

Hey Dean,

That Friday afternoon thing is probably one of the corollaries to Murphy's Law but in any event is a real bummer!! Hopefully they wil process your order first thing this morning and get that big brown truck headed your way. You gotta find something better than yard work though to fill in that wait time :big:

What will the heat source be by the way? Alcohol burner or other?

Regards,
Bill

 

[Deanofid]

Zee, I think it's going to be hard soldered.
I could weld it, but that's no fun, for me. I mean, it's like tying your shoes after you worked at
it as long as I did. The only details I can think of, since you asked, (and sent rats), would be that
these plates are 1/8" thick. Could stick weld them easily, or wire feed 'em. I have both, and would
probably just wire them up with MIG or gasless wire.

You can't fool me about rats. You had them first, and now I do. That's conclusive ev'dence.

Bill, I made the Jerry Howell burner some time back. That will do a nice job of running this, I think.


Now, y'all, check it out: I ordered a set of boring bars late Friday afternoon. The order went to Little
Machine Shop. I've bought a few things from them before. They're nice people.
They're serious about getting a priority order out, too!

The boring bar set happened to be on sale for $15, (the Lord smiles on me, again!), and I put a
few HSS bits on the order, too. Paid $7.50 for priority shipping via USPS.
Everyone did what they were supposed to do, and the order was here today when I got home from
seeing the doc. Really good service! LMS mailed my order on Saturday.

Funny how it goes. Tomorrow I'm headed to the airport to pickup family, and have had the week
planned out for me by relatives. So, I don't get to continue with the project for some time to come.

Could be a lot worse than that. Could have had a load of rat infested mulch dumped in my yard.
Whew! Dodged the bullet again!

Back at this next week sometime. Thanks for hanging in there with me.

Dean

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Could be a lot worse than that. Could have had a load of rat infested mulch dumped in my yard.
Whew! Dodged the bullet again!

I am happy to be the dipstick by which people measure their happiness. ;D

I take it the news from doc was good? Off the antibiotics?

I've done some (quite a bit) of business with LMS. Their service is great.

Enjoy the family.

 

[b.lindsey]

Wow, that is amazing service and a fair price for priority shipment too. Wishing you a pleasant week with the relatives, and a speedy return to the shop.

Bill

 

[Deanofid]

Bill, we'll enjoy ourselves. There's gonna be a wedding and a lot of people moving about for a few days.
I'll look in the door of the shop a few times this week, but not much more.
All fun 'n games.

Zee, yer a funny person. Don't suppose you can help it.
Different doc, different thing. He wasn't worried, so I won't either.
Thanks!

Dean