Elmer' #29 - Mine, all mine

[RonGinger]

You have some fine sand sticking in the joint between the letter and the base. Your patter does not seem to have a finish on it. I was told by a foundryman once that he would never give me a casting that was smoother than my pattern. Try giving your pattern a few coats of some finish like Krylon clear, or even a color- all you want is a very smooth surface that the sand will not stick to.

 

[Sshire]

Thanks,guys
Ron
That's a great idea. Considering I know next to nothing about casting, I'll gladly take all suggestions. My total knowledge at this point was make a hole in the sand, melt metal, fill hole with melted metal.



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[mattty]

Hi
what is the name for your auto file machine? it is the first one I have seen. if possible could you take some photos and post. Thanks Mattty

(Can you buy them or is it home made?)

 

[barnesrickw]

We have one of the filing machines at the Muskegon Heritage Museum. It runs off of a line shaft run by a 90 hp Corliss. It is a work saver.


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[RonGinger]

They are called Die Filers and I guess the original use was to file the small relief angle on dies. They can be found here in the US at many model shows and used tool vendors. They usually sell for about $200-300.

The machines are not hard to get, but the files are next to impossible. They cut on the downward pull stroke and have different tangs for different machines. I was able to find a box of files of rectangular section, but a friend has a whole set of various round and oval sections. Those are much more useful.

 

[Sshire]

Matty
My die filer is an Oliver S-4. Although the company, Oliver of Adrian, is still in business, the die filer is no longer manufactured. There were a number of companies who made die filers in the heyday of tool and die shops.My guess is that CNC has eliminated much of the need for that machine. I'll bet Ron can confirm this.
That said, the people at Oliver were very helpful with information about the original buyer of my machine, the fact that it was a special order with their largest table, a manual and a PDF of the drawing for a missing lower file clamp.
They still have most parts and files.
The machine tool dealer in New Jersey where I got my Bridgeport has a shelf full of die filers. Many look to have been "unloved" where they worked. My S-4, which I got at Cabin Fever last year, is in beautiful condition. I also bought a large selection of files. I've later discovered that Victor Machinery Exchange in Brooklyn, also has files. A simple solution is to take a "normal"" file, grind or cut off the tang, and make a flat at the other end for clamping. This then cuts on the downstroke.
One of the vendors at Cabin Fever (Martin ) makes a casting set for a small die filer.
Some pics of mine here
http://s1126.photobucket.com/user/sshire/library/Oliver die filer?sort=3&page=1

 

[Sshire]

It does run. Now I have disassemble and polish, paint, etc

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h79BhTMnxaU[/ame]

 

[aonemarine]

Stan, if you keep going at your current pace you will run out of engines to build before 2016!!

 

[Sshire]

I have a feeling that the number of plans out there far exceeds my lifetime.

 

[cheepo45]

Nice work, Stan.
Did you let Cabin Fever know that they will need another compressor for all your models?
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at Cabin Fever next week.
cheepo45

 

[ShopShoe]

Stan,

I really enjoyed this one. You're making it hard for me to decide what my next engine will be. Every time you do another one I change my mind.

I also have to say thanks for doing such good interpretations of Elmer's plans. It seems that a few years back there were some comments that looked down on them as being rough and not "real" models. I like them and you have proved that individual expression can really enhance them in individual ways.

While I'm writing this, I have to say I have enjoyed your explanations of your shop build-out and rational discussion behind choices of what to learn and what to buy and what to build to learn.

--ShopShoe

 

[Sshire]

Shop shoe
Thanks for the kind words. My philosophy with Elmer builds is that as long as I'm not screwing with a critical dimension, the design is a starting point and I let it take me wherever it goes. Some of my ideas never get to an actual part, some get that far and then I decide that I don't like it, or it does something unforeseen with the operation of the engine. Then there are some that work well and I really like them. My favorite departure from Elmer so far is replacing the ladder on the pumping engine with the spiral staircase. A close second was the 3 cylinder rotary. Elmer's had square cylinders; my "interpretation" has round cylinders with internal air passages.
As far as explaining what I did and why I did it is easy. When I started learning to do machining (about 2 1/2 years ago), most of what I learned was from reading build logs and other posts here. HMEM was my apprenticeship. I'm just trying to give back a little of what I learned.

 

[cheepo45]

I appreciate your efforts, Stan. I really liked your spiral staircase idea on your pumping engine. I'm looking forward to seeing it run at Cabin Fever next week. Soon you will be designing your own engines and marketing your plans.
I hope to see many of my engine building friends next week. Stop in at the HMEM tables and say hi!
cheepo45