european team build?

[Blogwitch]

Richard,

I don't want to hijack the post any more, but it is a little difficult to remember the exact details, but I am sure it was to do with where all the rod ends meet on the crank pin.

Stew's version, makes everything a lot easier to make and is correct.


John

 

[Richard1]

Thanks, will have a look at it and another look at Stew's. One day I am going to build that. I won't make it reversible like yours though.


Richard

 

[ChrisB]

Great to have you back Bogs, hope everything is OK with you.

Perhaps a good way to Start would be to find and list interested parties with equipment available and experience, this gives us a better idea of what the group would be able & willing to build before we get carried away with something too complex / big.

Might be an idea to edit the first post with details so we have an easy way to see what is going on?

So to start:
Interested: Yes
Experience: Limited - but willing to give anything a good go. You don't learn by hiding from it!
Equipment: Large lathe and Mill, small rotab plus the usual tooling etc.

I will not be online much for the next couple of weeks, but am interested in seeing if this can get off the ground so will check in as and when I can.

Cheers

 

[SBWHART]

If you do decide to build the radial, the guys over the pond are doing a team build on it as well:- bin shaking down the drawings with them one or two anomalies, but I can pass these along to you guys.

And I would be pleased to help but not take part in the actual build itselve.

Stew

 

[pcw]

i already partucipate in the radial team build.

for this one i was thinking a simpler engine. in the other one im stuck to making wooden bases and brass plates and screws. i only have small lathe, not completetly done with the overhaul of it and thus limited in what i can fabricate atm.

love the ideas you guys put up, but that will be over my head for now fabrication wise. maybe a wobler? :-[ :-[
Pascal

 

[Blogwitch]

Thanks for the welcome back Chris. The answer is no, but just about coping, hence lack of major posting.

Just as a bit of interest about this engine (and I expect Stews version will be exactly the same).

If you wanted to make a pair, that run in the opposite directions to each other, it is only a slight modification to one very small component that makes the engine reverse, just a slight change when you set the part up in the 4 jaw. DAMHIK.

BTW, mine ran great on 30 psi of live steam, but it does take a while for the engine to warm up. It eventually ended up in a live steam model boat after I passed it on.


John

 

[Richard1]

I'd be happy with a simple wobbler if that is what others want to build. I have a reasonably equipped workshop so can cope with most things.

Richard

 

[ChrisB]

Right,

Back from the hols so ready to get back on track again, lathe being repaired this week so should be ready to start doing some work soon ;D

Wobble is fine with me, does anyone have any preferences as to what wobbler? As this is a european build I am assuming we are looking for metric plans. Or at least converted plans.

I have just completed the EJS Wobbler, thats nice and easy to build.

 

[pcw]

my mini lathe is still not in working order. the main shaft isnt straight friend of mine is will be making a new one for me, but since he is busy with his own shop it can take a bit. he already made me some new trapezium thread rods and nuts to get rid of most of the backlash. (cnc conversion is in planning)
pascal

 

[diegolopez]

Hello from Spain.

In this moment i am setting up the workshop but i am interested to be part of the European Team.

 

[Thegsey]

Hello,

Has this project got off the ground yet? I would be very keen to join in. I have milling and lathe capabilities all ready to go and just about know what to do with them. I'd be interested in whatever project really but I would have thought keeping it simple will be the best way to get a result.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[skyline1]

Hi Chaps

I'm Mark and I'm in the south of England

I would love to join the team.
In my little workshop I have and elderly but usable Myford ML7 lathe, A reasonably accurate pillar drill and all the usual hand tools and measuring gear
I also have silver soldering and brazing gear, A forge and I was running my own little foundry which could be recommisioned if the need arose so I could
make simple castings for us.

I am A fairly experienced Model Engineer with a passion for steam turbines in particular. I have also built two or three Oscillating engines, wobblers as they tend to be called here. I tend to build my models using jigs and fixtures a lot so mass producing several of the same component would be no problem in fact I've just done so. The new switchboard on my steam turbo generator needed about 15 indentical copper switch components so I made jigs and just production lined them.

Regards Mark

 

[Bastelmike]

Hi All in Europe,
I am Mike from Germany and pretty new to this site. A lot of interesting stuff here, worth to read and look at. Especially the download section with its dozens of designs!

The idea of an European team built is attractive, I must admit that. Though I don't think I am yet ready to join one. Just because there are for me still a lot of issues with it.

1. Size of engine to built
I am not really a model builder yet, because my projects have been 1:1 scale mostly until today. So my shop isn't really suitable for miniature parts; with second-hand industrial machinery. Making a large team built would be very expensive for raw material and freight rates to ship parts. Doing it in a small scale would be cheaper; but I'm not well equipped for tiny parts.

2. Engine design to choose
There are several nice looking engines in th downloads. But here too, several problems are obvious for me.
The quality standard of the drawings isn't always up to industrial standards, enhancing the difficulties in parts manufacturing. Taking a closer look to a few designs I also discovered several errors in drawing sets leading to spoiled parts.
Most designs are imperial. I think my homeshop is well equipped with drill bits, reamers, taps etc., but I wouldn't have the tools to do these imperial designs. And buying imperial tools in Germany is usually very expensive because there aren't many suppliers with imperial stuff. Same applies for raw materials in imperial sizes. Therefore I wouldn't want to build an imperial design

3. Number of builders in a team
IMO that the number shouldn't be very large. While a larger number would make it possible to build a more elaborated design, it would also mean that everyone has to produce a large number of identical parts. As very few home shop owners have automatic (CNC) machines for large production runs, doing more than 8 or 10 identical parts is something where the fun ends and it becomes simply a unbeloved work to be done.
Thats a reason why I would hesitate to join a team built with 10 or more members, resulting in the need to do a dozen or more of the same parts.

4. Sharing of costs for Materials
To my understanding, everyone in the team has to buy the materials needed for his parts himself. This approach isn't always fair. :wall:
People, who supply large parts or parts from expensive materials like, let's say gunmetal or bronze, are at a severe disadvantage.
So Job allocation has to take both material and labor requirements into account.

Think much depends on choosing a competent team captain for a build !
So these are just my personals reasons why I don't want to join now - my attitude might change in the future

Mike

 

[rsendys]

Good idea, I'm willing to join the European team
Robert