Steam Engine build from bits and pieces.

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

Finished and tested the feed water pump today. Some photographs.






Video of testing the feed pump at;

www.youtube.com/embed/KaYXfwd-BvE


I am quite pleased with the result the managed to lift the water an inch from dry but until it has been checked against boiler pressure you can never be sure how well it will work; still it looks promising.

Next job is to connect the pump to the eccentric which won't be until the end of the week as we will be visiting our latest grandchild for a few days.

Regards Tony.

 

[Cymro77]

Very cool! Great photography and videography - I hope you payed the pianoman!

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi David,

I hope you paid the piano man!

On my pension?

Regards Tony.

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

Well it is the end of the week and I have managed to connect the pump to its eccentric. Also some rubber belt that was ordered on eBay has arrived. So I will put a copy of this missive in my thread on flat drive belts.

First the belt; having tried belts used in vacuum cleaners and belts supplied by PMR for use on their models the next to try is some 10 mm wide, 1 mm thick rubber belt. So far it is the cheapest of the products tried and cost £3.75 inc. delivery for about 2M. Like the PMR it is joined by overlapping it and gluing using Superglue and and both have the advantage over vacuum cleaner belts in that different lengths can be made up. As it is thicker than the PMR product the joint makes more of a slap when it goes over the pulleys. Unlike the PMR belt; being rubber the belt is slightly elastic which might be an advantage.

As the belt is bought.



The joint with the ends of the belt slightly chamfered. On joining the next belt I will try and make a longer chamfer.



So so far in checking out flat belts all seem to work well in that they stay on the pulleys and transmit power well. Next when I find some I check out leather and fabric belts.

Now the pump. Nothing different in the making of the components except perhaps using a shellac charged spigot to machine the outside of the small ends.




The finished pump mounted on the engine.





You've seen the pictures now watch the video of the belt and pump in action here.

www.youtube.com/embed/poRACkYbcpg

Make a bypass valve next I think.

Regards Tony.

 

[Cymro77]

Tony,
Another fascinating episode in the build - I love it, especially all of the extras adding interest.
To get a smoother belt joint skive the ends with a longer more tapered surface, then join.
Keep up the good work. I am now ready for your speed control!

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi David,

The governor isn't a problem but I will have to do some research on the steam valve it operates. So it is the by-pass valve next then a built in lubricator, some pipe work to connect it to a boiler and then perhaps a line shaft.

Regards Tony.

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi

A by-pass valve has been made.



I have bought some more hand wheels that have been used on the engine. They were bought in a craft shop. If anyone is interested they are Chinese made via America and are marketed by Jim Holtz idea-ology and are described as a collection of metal cogs used as adornment!



I haven't thought what I can do with the other bits yet!

I hope to make the lubricator before we go on our travels.

Regards Tony.

 

[don-tucker]

Thats a good find tony,and a very interesting posting,thanks a lot
Don

 

[Cymro77]

Tony,
Once again my ignorance comes to the fore! What are we bypassing with the valve? Are there any instructions for construction of the valve?
Thanks, DW

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi David,

Once again my ignorance comes to the fore! What are we bypassing with the valve? Are there any instructions for construction of the valve?

Most ways of feeding water into a boiler can be controlled by either switching it on and off or controlling its speed. With the engines working a pump directly this isn't so easily done, you can either vary the stroke of the pump with a link that looks like the expansion link used in valve gear or more simply using a by-pass valve.

A by-pass valve is a stop valve like say a globe valve. It works when the boiler has sufficient water by directing the water back into the tank it came from. It works thus; the water from a tank is gravity feed to the pump, the pump pumps the water into a 'T' connector one of its feeds is connected to a clack valve on the boiler, the other feed to the by-pass valve. When the by-pass valve is closed the water goes into the boiler, when the valve is open the water takes the easiest route (no boiler pressure to contend with) to the tank. It is sometimes possible to regulate the water supply to the boiler by slightly opening the valve when some water goes to the boiler the rest to the tank.

So any stop type valve can be used; mine looks as it does because it is convenient for the pipe work to go back the way it came.

Regards Tony.

 

[Cymro77]

Tony, thanks for the explanation. I have a lot to learn about setting up steam layouts. But learning I am thanks a lot. I appreciate your patience.
DW

 

[Gedeon Spilett]

A very nice thread Tony, thanks for sharing this lot of useful tricks.
A simple and straightforward way to build models, it looks so easy...

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

Except for some pipe work the engine that started with a flywheel and a cylinder casting is finished!



The by-pass valve has been fitted and a displacement lubricator has been made and fitted.

Silicon tube was used to protect the threads while the engine base was painted.



Other photographs of the completed engine.






The inevitable video at.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/cHUrB2k9Rac

That's it for a bit we are away from tomorrow until the end of the month.

Regards Tony.

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi,


A bit of an up date. Video at:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/5GSIFYfWuIc

Regards Tony.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

A truly marvelous job. Congratulations Sir!!!----Brian

 

[ShopShoe]

Tony,

I have been enjoying this one. I see the beginnings of a lineshaft system: Will we see some additional things connected up?

--ShopShoe

 

[10K Pete]

A wonderful engine. I love the slow, quiet motion and the double link
rods to the pump. This has been a great thread to follow and a fine
inspiration.

Thanks,
Pete

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

I see the beginnings of a line shaft system: Will we see some additional things connected up?


Possibly. The initial idea was to use the engine to add interest to our 16 mm Scale model railway layout which has a Welsh theme. The idea was perhaps to use the engine to power a slate saw; however the model it getting to be a little large and heavy so a re-think might happen.

The work being done to the engine at the moment is for show in the Midlands this coming Saturday.

A few constructional notes; most of the wood used has come from some oak draw sides. Sometime in the 1930's a shop fitted made a wool storage cabinet for the Bon Marche in Aberdare South Wales. In the 1970's this cabinet was bought at auction and for many years used for storage in a workshop, when the workshop was up graded the cabinet now much modified was to be thrown out. I was working in the workshop and salvaged all the draws: the plywood bottoms have long since been used up however I still have a good stock of their oak sides. The engine room floor is the remains of the flooring used in our bath room. I didn't think I would be able to show the boiler feed pump working as it would take too long to make a suitable water tank; however a visit to our local Supermarket solved this problem!

There is still a lot to do; though a bye pass valve has been made it cannot be used until the pump is connect to the boiler, another means of filling the boiler while it is in steam has to be made and fitted and possibly a ceramic burner and gas tank fitted to replace the Sterno tray now used. This with the completion of the building will make it even heavier and possibly larger!

I will report further progress.

Regards Tony.

 

[Cymro77]

Tony,
Spam? Really?
Beautiful work, and the engine grows and grows! Your imagination, and fine attention to detail are amazing! I have learned so much from you, and your posts, old and new. Diaown, diolch!
DW

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

I decided to taken a short close up video of the engine in steam, just as it was running out of steam! The result.

https://youtu.be/YoX6ir35N9c

Regards Tony.