Newbie and the Elbow Engine

[Foozer]

Hi Robert

I found the best way to make the cylinders was to make the two together from one bit of bar then when you've got the bores done part them off but don't forget to mark them first so you connect them up in the same orientation they were drilled in, also take care to get them concentric with the bore and evenly spaced.

Good luck

Stew

Doing the bores as a one piece then separating really would reduce the error margin. At first I knew drilling a 2 inch deep hole using my tailstock wasn't going to work for me, its got alignment issues. Had forgotten that I made little holding plate for the carriage, when I ran across it the Ah Ha! thats what i need chime dinged.

Seen that Arnold, I believe, had to do a patch up after he separated the pieces, process looks sound. My reference point that I'm using to work around are the central pivot holes, know that the error increases as one moves out from that point so care is to be taken getting that index set. Wouldn't be the first time I shot myself in the foot

Have a little 3 inch RT if I need to, but am trying to build this thing with as few store bought toys as necessary. I've always bounced between "If its too hard make it easier and if its too easy make it harder"

Its the journey that's the adventure, once there its just another place. Bride thinks I'm nuts when I come in with the Old "Look what I made" grin, and for some reason is quick to leave the room as I begin to explain how.

Leaves just me and the remote, works every time

Robert

 

[Foozer]

Let me just dust off this last little bit . . . OOPS

Each piece hosed is a lesson learned.

Lesson 1: Dont trust your eye sight
Lesson 2: see lesson 1

Items to get
1: a real spotting bit
2: an optical punch
3: find that flipping DI holder for the cross slide

Things to do

Vacuum up the stairs afore the Bride gets home and, well Gee Dear, I have no idea how that chip trail got there

When I drilled the long holes into the upright, I missed one of the cross hairs by just a itty bitty bit. Ok by a mile, 0.020 or so. Of course in boring out the curvy feature it gave me the ol TSK TSK TSK. Can just make out the kiss in the photo.

Ah good thing I have more of that stock, getting easier each time I do it Backing off on the radius might help too.

Robert

Least I'm getting a better finish on the bore operations, all is not lost

 

[Foozer]

Third time Charm? so far so good. This go around, got the deep holes drilled, Lord that's, well, in one out one, clear chips dap lube, in 2 out 2, clear chips dap lube, in 3 . . . in 36 out 36. A few dozen more of those and I might have the muscle memory down as to which way that wheel turns for Left - Right travel.

Managed to get her skinny in the waist without exposing her innards, kept the radius within 0.003 of each other. Still have to chop off the base to size but that's awaiting.

Time now to jig up something to drill the piston bores which will also have to serve as the jig to mill the slots in the upright and cylinder base to feed the pistons.

So after some 3 days with the lathe and cold metal in hand, (did I say I hate cold metal?) I ended up with this.

Sure glad I'm retired, gives me plenty of time to nap

Robert

 

[Foozer]

After much dinking around time has come to drill the piston bores. Came up with a way to do it on the lathe, clunky but should work.

Took a block of AL and mounted it to the cross slide, used a small flycutter to square up the face, drilled and tapped a 1/4 20 hole which will hold the piece in position. Put a dead center in the spindle and dragged a scribe mark across the face of the block. This mark will be the index mark to the 3 that are upon the piece to be drilled. Ran the slide off the center by 0.350 (had to fudge so the final 0.250 reamer would clear the bolt).

Just to convince myself that things were square (loose term) I ran a piece of rod that I know spins straight real close to the side of the piece and checked the light gap. Looks good to me.

Started the process of drilling the holes. If you hear a loud "DARN" followed by hysterical laughter you'll know something went OOPS

Now Elmers Engines seem to be geared towards those with minimal equipment, right up my alley. Piece really looks bad, have to see how it cleans up after this process.

Robert

 

[1hand]

I think your flywheel is sick! Thats a good thing, so my son says. :

Matt

 

[Foozer]

I think your flywheel is sick! Thats a good thing, so my son says. :

Matt

We'll see how it looks when I put the brass ring on, be something like one I tried making last year but a three spoke version.

Robert

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Why am I suddenly hungry?

It's them sardines. You gotta open the can to get at them.
See that tab? Just like a beer can. Shouldn't be a problem. ;D

Looking good Robert.

 

[Foozer]

It's them sardines. You gotta open the can to get at them.
See that tab? Just like a beer can. Shouldn't be a problem. ;D

Looking good Robert.

Tab? Tab? what tab? AH there it is, no wonder, I been looking for key thing thinking I got a bunch of defective cans. If I drank beer I'd know. Boy is my face red Ah little soldiers, your fate awaits, Rye and mustard seeks ya out

Robert

 

[Foozer]

Well that was interesting, Lesson, dont lose your index mark.

Got the piston bores drilled up, did some clean up on the cylinder portion. If it warms up a bit I'll get the flywheel hub cleaned up to size.

Robert

 

[Foozer]

Cleaning up what will be the flywheel hub. Bring the inner curvy features to size. Piece is located upon the faceplate via the center bolt and a scribe mark. Trick is to not skim the scribe mark off, Oh well does say newbie in the title.

Know the boring bar could of been stuffed up closer but once I got it to travel the length with hitting I wasn't going to move it without a Presidential Order to which NO! would still apply. Running about 150 rpm and 0.0025 feed. A HSS insert and a cup of coffee.

Stone axe and flint knifes. Even if I had a mill I wouldn't know how to use it

Robert

 

[zeeprogrammer]

I'm thinking you're a magician with a face plate.

I noticed the box of ZEE. Somehow seems appropriate but don't know why.

 

[Foozer]

I'm thinking you're a magician with a face plate.

Oh No, what you guys do with a mill is magic, I'm just stumbling round in the dark.

I noticed the box of ZEE. Somehow seems appropriate but don't know why.

:shrug: Me neither


Don't know if this thing will even run, That stage is a ways off yet, but it is fun trying to make it. Be a lot easier if I just stuck to the plan, but what fun is that!

Robert

 

[Foozer]

Trying a trial look and see, Just set what will be the flywheel ring against the web piece. Web piece needs a good debur but sometimes looking at a piece other than in hand gives another perspective. So in a moment Ill see and go from there.

Could also I suppose leave it rimless. Looks like the way the elbow engine is powered it is not so dependent upon the rotating mass to keep it going.

Robert

 

[Foozer]

Figure what the heck, put the rim on. But first give it a bit of clean up. Where the soft jaws come into there own. Once the dia is found and an appropriate plug put into place the jaws get a little clean up cut. Now this old lathe has sleeve bearings and its little quirk is it really likes a bit of pre-load against the spindle so the plug is long and the tailstock provides the pre-load.

One of these days I'll address the issue but for now blah

Now that the jaws are true a couple, three, four thou clean-up cut on the Id of the rim takes place. It'll get a skim cut all way round.

Soft jaws and the use is thanks to Bogs by his post on flywheels done some time ago.

If nothing else this wheel wont be a wobblier

Robert

 

[Foozer]

So after diddling with the flywheel rim twas time to tackle the web. Finish ID of the rim came out to be 3.000 +/- .001 as best as the callipers would measure so shooting for 3.004 OD on the web. Thinking a heat on the rim and chill on the web for a good fit. Really didn't want to use up another 10 bucks worth of soft jaws so went back to the face plate. Used the live center to locate piece, small bolt to drive and cuts of 0.005.

Ended up at 3.0045 at least 2 of 3 measures say so. Ill take it. Have to make up a small bit to keep the rim and web aligned when they get put together but thats a tomorrow job.

Seeing as how this is but my 2nd built up flywheel I really have no clue.

Robert

 

[mklotz]

Ended up at 3.0045 at least 2 of 3 measures say so.

I'm puzzled by how you managed to measure the diameter of a tri-lobal structure to half a thousandth accuracy. Would you mind writing a few words about how you did that?

 

[Foozer]

I'm puzzled by how you managed to measure the diameter of a tri-lobal structure to half a thousandth accuracy. Would you mind writing a few words about how you did that?

Ouch, Very Carefully, do I actually believe the numbers? does the 0.0005 count, ah No, I hear you on the tri-lobal bit, my salvation is that the tips still go past the centerline so for all intents it is still a circle. Prior to this turning down to size the Diameter was in the 3.150 plus range if I remember so the tips were way past the center line. Took a couple of measures and used the DI on the cross slide to get me down to the target. Process should be good. Are the tools I have accurate enough to just go by the dials? No No No, not by a long shot. Its a creep up and measure measure measure. Now If the tips were above the centerline, well, I know it can be done, but that math is way beyond my ability. Then what is it, chord to dia relationship, my head hurts even thinking about it.

Chepo calipers, I measure a few times, if the numbers match I gotta take it as close. So this photo shot measure comes up as 3.004. Even this number is just infield using what I have. Proof will be in the fitting so if you hear a loud holler . . .

Robert

 

[mklotz]

Thanks for the clarification, Robert. Good planning that, having the lobes extend past the centerline.

 

[Foozer]

Thanks for the clarification, Robert. Good planning that, having the lobes extend past the centerline.

Planning? Did I forget to mention this was web number 2?


Robert

 

[Foozer]

So Marv got me to thinking, or at least an unanswered question that I lucked out and did not have to address. What if the tips were above center line? How to measure the dia on a piece unable to get a direct reading from.

Do not know if this is an acceptable means and I lack the tools to test it. Would seem that a known flat surface is number 1 and a round gauge block is also required. With the gauge against one of the lobes the measurement could be taken from inner hole point "A" to gauge block point "B" Take away 1/2 the dia of the center hole and the radius AB should be found.

Robert