So I finished my first engine...

[Brookesy]

Yes Folks, it's true

Some would be aware that 25 - 30 years ago I started building an oscillating twin for the Miranda steam launch. The whole project stalled. Recently while moving house I found the cylinders and some other parts. Inspired to build, the basic dimensions from 'Steves' Simple Engine' were used to lay out something slightly less simple using whatever could be found in the bits and pieces collected over time

Some brass plate, a Miranda cylinder and top cover. The idea being to test the rusty skills and see what came out. Yesterday she ran on steam for the first time. Yippee! But not very well...

As luck would have it, I've had the house to myself for a couple of days so most of it has been spent in the shed. Tinkering, adjusting, running and repeat. The steam source... A steam cleaner from Aldi. The steam is pretty wet but it just adds to the atmosphere

The workmanship could be better and if I can stop playing with it I might take it apart and clean & polish

I would post some photos. Can anyone recommend the best way please. I tried to set up an account on Imgur but something has gone awry.

I'm off to the shed to create some more steam

 

[dalem9]

Select photo, right click, copy photo, paste to your desktop. Right click photo on desktop, select "open with", select paint. In left upper corner select resize. In windows select pixels in top box enter 888, select ok. Exit paint. Windows will ask if you want to save. Select yes. At the bottom of this msg is manage attachments, select that, then select desktop in biowser. Click on your picture and it will automatically enter, repeat for more pictures, then click upload. If any ? just ask ,Hope this helps .Dale

 

[Brookesy]

Thanks,

Ok, so here goes.

Disclaimer: If this works I haven't done anything to pretty it up yet.

 

[Shipdisturber]

To me function is priority, pretty is only skin deep, nice work. What are the dimensions?

 

[Brookesy]

Bore (roughly)13.5 mm. Stroke 16 mm. Flywheel diameter 40 about mm and it stands about 90 mm tall.

The crankshaft is about 6 mm diameter from a piece of an old engine push-rod (Maybe a Holden 186 I blew up in the early 80's - not sure)

The flywheel is a piece of bronze bush bought to refurbish the forks on my Honda CB750 and not used, soldered to a piece of 6 mm brass plate. It ran perfectly true until I knocked the almost finished engine off the bench. A bit of re-work in the lathe and it's acceptable

The cylinder pivot is 3/16" diameter from a piece of ancient model boat prop shaft.

Thread sizes are whatever worked with the materials. M5, M6, 4-40 & 6 BA

There's 2 cylinder pivot springs separated by a brass tube sleeve.

The bore started out at 1/2" but by the time the experiments with making a boring tool from an allen key were over (yes it worked eventually)... about 13.5 mm

 

[Rudy from Norway]

Beside an 18 cylinder radial engine, this one actually shows! I love the design. Is it your own?

Rudy

 

[Brookesy]

Thanks Rudy.

Yes it's my design. Although I started with the bore/stroke from another design it's otherwise completely original using whatever I had at hand.

 

[werowance]

can I get an under side shot where the rod enters into the bottom of the cylinder? I like it.

 

[Brookesy]

Hopefully this is what you mean.

The piston/conrod is one piece turned from an old brass shaft.

I would like to also say thank-you to everyone who has been so helpful with information and assistance. It's early days yet but i'm enjoying myself.

 

[werowance]

Hopefully this is what you mean.

The piston/conrod is one piece turned from an old brass shaft.

I would like to also say thank-you to everyone who has been so helpful with information and assistance. It's early days yet but i'm enjoying myself.

that's what I wanted to see, thank you very much. I like the wobbler.