Horizontal Steam Engine

[Jack B]

For the connecting rod I used a piece of steel 1/4 by 5/8 by 3 inches. I turned 2 1/2 down to 190 thousands that left a little extra for trimming at the final fitting. I threaded a small section of the .190 end 10-32 thread. This will screw into the crank shaft rod end. I faced the rectangle end to a 1/8 thickness which is being shown in this picture.

Starting to machine the crank shaft coupler. Closest to the size I had on hand was a piece of round brass so I am machining the rectangle shape in the Index VM.

Starting to take shape.

.311 was the size called for. I tried to get every dimension as close to perfect as possible. I want all parts to fit.

 

[Jack B]

 

[Jack B]

Used edge finder to get hole locations.

Center drilling.

Drilling holes.

One end is already sawed about to cut second half.

 

[Jack B]

Bolting the two halves together I drilled and reamed the hole. Then I turned a boss diameter on both sides.

Here are the assembled parts to date. Complete Connecting rod, cross head assembly with the traveler. The traveler is two pieces on the print. I made it from one piece. The brass guide on the side of the bed is supposed to be two pieces soldered together. I made it out of one piece. There are also two motor mounts at the end of the base.

 

[Jack B]

A piece of squared up brass 1/8 inch thick laid out with a .875 bored hole is placed in the V.M. vise.I am starting to machine it to form a radius. The hole for the rod has also been drilled.

Pick up the center with the edge finder.

Center drill hole for the 2-56 tap.

 

[Jack B]

Drill for the 2-56 tap.

Tap use plenty of air and Cool Tool.

Here is what I am making.

 

[Jack B]

Place in the soft jaws of my 1867 Parker vise and file round.

Yard sale files will be perfect for the job. The rod will be connected later.

 

[Jack B]

Steel blank for the Steel Eccentric is in the four jaw chuck.

Turning step diameter.

First diameter must be a slip fit for the Brass Eccentric.

Shift part off center and line up punch mark with center.

 

[Jack B]

Fine tune with wiggler.

Center drill.

Drill and ream hole.

Set tool bit depth with gage blocks.

 

[Jack B]

Adjust micrometer stop.

Faced to length

Looks just like drawing.

Drill and tap in old Buffalo drill press. Both Steel eccentric and end cap is shown awaiting to be drilled and tapped.

 

[Metal Butcher]

Look-in good Jack!

I'm impressed by the way you tap as shown in your picture. You obviously have a good amount of experience, along with steady hands.

Every time I use one of those T-handle-tap-breakers I have regrets.

The way you machined the eccentric is probably a faster and better way to go than my method. I just did one yesterday using a boring head running in reverse. Very slow and tedious! And watching the head spinning out of balance while making an interrupted cut makes me just a bit nervous.

My four jaw chuck is not exactly a quality piece that can be trusted, so I avoid using it.

Keep hitting those garage sales, they pay off with big dividends!

-MB

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Very good detail Jack. Thanks for all the pics. It's very interesting!

 

[Jack B]

Thanks Carl I am glad you are enjoying it. This is a total first for me posting progress pictures. Also this is my first ever steam engine. So yours and others comments are important to me. Jack

 

[Jack B]

Hi MB Many years ago I was working in a very small job shop. We didn't have a decent size 4 jaw chuck. The owner came in with a job for a friend. He had two sets of row boat oar locks. They had to be turned down an 1/8 of an inch on the shaft diameter. I put them in a Bridgeport vise and did what you did. I turned the cutting tool on the Bridgeport Boring Head in board and use a slow feed and light cuts. They were some kind of a alloy material brass I think but they came out great.
I am very pleased with my Clausing lathe it has never failed me in the years I have owned it. Thank you for the nice comments. Jack

 

[Deanofid]

Hello Jack;
You're coming right along with it, and well done too!
The eccentric and strap came out great. It's going to be a fine looking engine.
Do you plan to run it on steam?

 

[Jack B]

Hello Jack;
You're coming right along with it, and well done too!
The eccentric and strap came out great. It's going to be a fine looking engine.
Do you plan to run it on steam?

Hi Dean: I went to the New England Model Show at the Charles River Museum last Feb. All the craftsmen there were running on air and I thought that was the thing to do. Steam sounds interesting I don't recall seeing any plans for a rig to produce steam however I will look into it. I will try air when I get done just to see it run. Jack

 

[Deanofid]

Hi Jack;
I plan to run mine mainly on air too. It's just the convenient way to do it.
I do have a small boiler, and may try it with this engine, but I doubt it has enough capacity to run it.

Dean

 

[Jack B]

Making the brass valve back. Straight forward milling.

Valve face. My wife Claire is using the die ball to square up the hole. After I realized I would have to solder it to the valve back I made a single valve back from a solid piece of stainless steel, no soldering.

 

[Jack B]

The four jaw chuck was on the lathe so I am using it to make the cylinder. This will be a different approach than called for in the original plans. However the dimensions will be the same.

Drilling

Boring using homemade tool.

Important dimension hole gage is just for getting close. I want a close sliding fit on a piece of drill rod.

 

[Jack B]

Extremely close fit on piece of drill rod. Part will be milled square. Drill rod will hold it's bore size.

Just tight enough to hold part, no squeezing.

Square part one side at a time. Maintain concentricity of bore and counter bore that are complete.

I am checking concentricity of bores to outside square.