PM Research "Rebuilt" Engine

[vascon2196]

I teach at a local technical college in Rhode Island. It is also the college I graduated from. Just before you enter the Mechanical Engineering lab there is a display case with projects the mechanical students have done over the years. Four of these projects are PM Research engines EACH with their own boilers. For those of you who have purchsed these kits you know they are not cheap.

My boss gave me the task to "fix them and make them run", as none of them ever worked. It appeared that the students took the castings out of the box, filed a few things, and stuck parts together. Of course these engines were built long before I came to the school because I would have never let that happen!

I chose the horizontal engine with the horizontal boiler because it was in better shape than the others. Unfortunately, I do not have "before" pictures...only "after" pictures. The next engine I am rebuilding for the college is a vertical engine with a vertical boiler and I will take plenty of before and after pics.

Here are some pictures of the engine kit "after" It was rebuilt it, pressure tested, and painted. I used Ezbit as the heat source and man did that stink up the shop...it was worth it.

 

[BigBore]

That chugs right along! Very cool and looking forward to the rest of the collection. The "before" photos will be great. I can only imagine what the students did.

Ed

 

[bearcar1]

Nicely executed Vascon, that engine runs very smooth and no 'clicks' (over loose fits) How slow RPMs can you get it down to?

BC1
Jim

 

[kustomkb]

Very nice looking/running engine!

And you got paid to do it too!!

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Nice! Looks like they were nearly completed?
Did the students do the bases too?

 

[Philjoe5]

Chris,
You did a great job on your "rebuild". The engine looks like the Steam Drilling Engine sold by PMR as the model #1Bl. I just recently completed the engine to the extent of getting it to run. I don't know what the background of the students who worked on these models was, or how much time they got to work on them but I spent 3 months on mine to get a running model. IMHO they are a difficult first project even without the boiler.

Cheers,
Phil

 

[vascon2196]

Nicely executed Vascon, that engine runs very smooth and no 'clicks' (over loose fits) How slow RPMs can you get it down to?

BC1
Jim

You know Jim I can't remember. I do know the needle on the guage barely moved and the engine turned over on it's own. I'll have to check sometime the next time I bring it out of the display case.

Thanks Jim!

Chris

 

[vascon2196]

Nice! Looks like they were nearly completed?
Did the students do the bases too?

Thank you and Yes Zee...they did the wooden bases which came out nice.

 

[vascon2196]

Chris,
You did a great job on your "rebuild". The engine looks like the Steam Drilling Engine sold by PMR as the model #1Bl. I just recently completed the engine to the extent of getting it to run. I don't know what the background of the students who worked on these models was, or how much time they got to work on them but I spent 3 months on mine to get a running model. IMHO they are a difficult first project even without the boiler.

Cheers,
Phil

Hope I don't sound like I'm being too hard on them. They did have no machining experience and not much guidence. Rebuilding everything to me a few months off and on. I have not been brave enough to start one from scratch myself. I'm afraid of scrapping one of those castings!

Thank you Phil!

Chris

 

[Philjoe5]

Chris,
Don't be afraid of scrapping one (or more) of their castings. Their customer service is great and replacement castings are readily available. Ask me how I know :hDe:

Cheers,
Phil

 

[vascon2196]

Chris,
Don't be afraid of scrapping one (or more) of their castings. Their customer service is great and replacement castings are readily available. Ask me how I know :hDe:

Cheers,
Phil

That's funny Phil!

One of these days I'll give them a try.

 

[bearcar1]

Oh absolutely Chris, it's guts or glory but if a part gets ruined, the PMR folks will assist readily as they have done for so many of us it isn't funny. It is rather unnerving to think about screwing something up but does make it a bit more tolerable knowing that a replacement can be obtained if that does happen.

BC1
Jim

 

[vascon2196]

Now I want to work on it but I left it at school. I won't be able to touch it until Monday. Oh well, I can conjure up a plan of attack!

From what I've read on the forum, those folks at PMR take care of their customers. You really don't hear that much praise these days regarding customer service.