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[ooyah/2]

Hi Jerry,
Stuart don't do machining spigots on top covers in the Launch castings, nor do they in the D10, they only supply 1/2"Thk cast iron blanks
They can be chucked in the 3- jaw  x 1/4" hold and the outside dia of the top caps can be machined and faced to size, then if you can make a holding collet as per the pics you can hold the machined dia to finish the underside with the I" x 1/32" locating boss.
The location need only have a 3/32" landing x the thickness of the top cap and the collet  need only be 3/4" long with a slot cut to hold the casting.
It may be worth your while to make one if you are going to make an other launch engine in the future.


The bottom pic is actually the bottom cover of a D10


Don't do as I did and drop the bottom cover on the concrete W/Shop floor, tried to S/Solder it with no luck so had to buy another blank and start again.


George.

[Jerry C]

I see what you mean George. My chuck is only 3” diameter and won’t open far enough to hold the covers like that. If I ship the other jaws I have similar problems. I don’t have an endless supply of stock like I did in UK. I have to get everything on e bay. However a little ray of sunshine last evening, I found out my son in law has a mate with a CNC  company. He's going to have a word.
I’ll be working on the bottom covers tomorrow.
Jerry C.

[ooyah/2]

Hi Jerry,
I didn't know that your chuck was so small.
If your son in law's mate can't help then Frazer's method is the best, just take small cuts.


George.

[Jerry C]

Over the last few days I’ve made more progress of sorts. With the exception of fastenings for the steam chests, I’ve drilled for and tapped for and installed every 7BA stud in the cylinder block. To do this I’ve used what has to be one of the worst cheapo Ryobi drill presses in existence. The quill has about 1/16” wobble in every direction but where I want it.  Anyway they’re in, a little wobbly and not perfick. I took a one size bigger drill to the top and bottom cylinder covers and so they fit as designed with no strain on the studs. I’ve bought some stud locking Loctite which I will use on final assembly once I’ve cut the gaskets so that all the studs end up the same height proud of the nuts. I also drilled the 3/16” exhaust holes and their flange studs, the lagging securing screw holes and the piston rod gland studs. Ground off the center stud tangents from the top and bottom covers and secured them in place temporarily. The block is ready for honing of the bores once my hone arrives. Today I started on the chests and top and tailed them in the 4jaw Chuck. On the last one the gizmo that holds in the jaw scroll on one of the jaws broke making adjustments to that jaw problematic but manage to struggle on. Ideally I’d have used the vertical slide milling attachment for all of this but it not coming with a vice put the mockers on that, however, it was my 71st birthday yesterday and I was asked by Son in law if there was anything I’d like for a present. I said I’d let him know. Now I’ve been a regular customer of a local to Oz seller on eBay who sells lathe type stuff, cheap, cheerful and quick. Goes by the name Aussee. Well one of their parcels came with an invoice containing a phone number so on Saturday I called them and it went to voicemail of course so I phoned on Monday morning and asked about a cheap,reasonable quality 50mm machine vice as they don’t list one on eBay.  He said no problem, got nice one, no handle, fit my slide if put on sideways 71 dollar 14 dollar post so I ripped his arm off. Then told kids what they’d bought me for my birthday. Then, low and behold it arrive this arvo and its perfick! can’t even see the joins. Then I realised I was going to have to start drilling holes in it to attach it to my slide. So did some measurements and a bit of blueing when it dawned on me what the guy meant about mounting it sideways. Of course as it makes no difference which orientation I use for milling I can clamp it with four T nuts and four rockers without any drilling. I should say the T nuts are in reality hardened square meccano type nuts but they’ll do until I can knock up summat better and no drilling sacrilege. 









Jerry C.

[derekwarner]

Well happy birthday youngster ....not sure reading between the lines    actually tells us?


Did Mr Aussee have a Chinese voice ?.......or Germanic?....


I have purchased from Aussee Tools in Melbourne & found their merchandise fair price & good quality......more interestingly, many items from Industrial facilities in Western Europe over perceived central Asian 


Derek

[Jerry C]

Deffo Chinese Derek. Looking at this vice though I’d say the only time a human of any nationality touched it was to put it in it’s box. Must be CNC. It’s exquisite.
Jerry C. ps. Why am I not getting notifications on this thread, I’ve pressed notify.

[Jerry C]

Lived and worked aboard with Chinese motormen and occasionally seamen for 20 years. Always liked and respected them.
Jerry C.

[SailorGreg]

Lack of notifications seems widespread Jerry.  Others have complained.  I am still getting them, so I don't understand the problem.  I guess Martin is on the case.

And what are you doing up at this time of night??


Greg

[Jerry C]

I’m 11 hours ahead of you in Canberra.
Jerry C.

[SteamboatPhil]

Nice work so far    just an observation but you might have trouble with the exhaust flanges as they seem very close to the cylinder wrapper bolts ( I wrap mine right around the edges of the steam chest and fix there 

[Jerry C]

Yesterday I used the two useless clamps on the vertical slide to make four hold down clamps to attach vice to slide via T nuts. Will make some proper T nuts soon, when the square meccano ones strip. First job with new setup, the valve chests and covers.   First valve chest went ok but very slow. When I turned it over to do other side there was a hint of chilling around the edges but managed ok. However the cover was a different story. It must be made of diamond or Kryptonite cos that’s two end mills in the bin! So, I resorted to using he belt sander which made quick work of it. Frequent rotation and measuring and it came out as good and as accurate as the mill but with a nice finish, much better than the mill. A quick tidy on the oily wet and dry glass plate and they’re done. Degreased and super glued to cylinder block for marking out for studs then clamped the whole lot in the mill and put the 5 BA tapping drill through followed by the clearance drill. This is way the holes are where I wanted them and not the random Ryobi placement.  Tapped through the four holes 5BA, applied blowtorch and separated the parts after they’d cooled I gave them a quick go on the wet and dry, pot the studs in and ran the nuts down. Next the gland studs 7BA followed by the steam inlet studs 7BA. I found I’d only got 5 of the 8 big 5BA nuts. Haven’t lost any as been very careful. I’m still waiting on the missing piston rings from Stuart’s but not in any rush. Plenty to be going on with. Daughter complained to landlord that the s/s sink in the kitchen was going rusty. Pointed out to her that every day I wash my hands in it and the iron from the machining is trying to join up with the S/S. A bit of Brillo and it’s gone.





Jerry C.

[Jerry C]

Yesterday I finished the second valve chest and cover, again using the belt sander then drilling using mill. Again similar chilling evident. I also realised that the 5 large nuts are not for the valve chest studs but for the top of the columns. Puzzling because they fit loosely on the studs but column top threads are meant to be 4BA. I tried a 4BA plug tap in one and it wot go through by hand. I’ll run them through anyway but if they end up too loose I’ll have to order the correct nuts.
Day off today for bike ride, daughters 2 soft ball matched and a thrash through the bush roads on my little Honda. 33° forecast for today!  And that’s stuff all here.
Jerry C.

[Jerry C]

First major cockup!  Finished off all the work on the bed plate. All holes in correct places. Bearing caps machined and bolted down to bed plate. I put a pilot drill through the main bearings followed by progressive increasing  sizes. (I’m waiting for the 5/16” reamer). The holes were all over the shop. Total rubbish. That’s when I noticed one of the clamps holding the vice to the vertical slide lying on the lathe bed. Turned out thread stripped on cap screw causing mill to move and destroy my settings.
 
Today spent making 5 tiny T nuts M5. A sleepless night but the answer was waiting for me when I woke this morning. It’s back to George’s split bearings. This evening on the phone to Stuart’s for 3 new castings £30 and Blackgates for 5BA studding and a lump of Gunmetal to lift the bearing caps off the bed plate. Ordered some copper piping for the exhaust while I was at it.









The plan is to make 3 new bearings with the gunmetal soft soldered to the bottoms and bearings soldered together with no bolt holes. Drill and ream the 5/16 hole through the middle. Separate the bearings from each other, Slide them onto a piece of 5/16” rod then clamp the assembly onto the bed plate and spot through the bolt holes to the bearings.
Any thoughts or advice?
Jerry C.

[ooyah/2]

Jerry, a rescue plan.


Get some round bar the same dia as the holes that you drilled, if you don't have the dia machine a bit to suit.
Cut of 3- pieces over size in length of the thro' hole in the top bearing and soft solder them in.
Mount the top bearings in the 4- jaw and machine flush to the top cap faces.
Cut 3- pieces of Gunmetal or brass 3/8" thk x width of the top bearing cap, soft solder  them to the 1/2  holes in the top bearings previously machined you can then machine the top cap bearings to size and mark off for boring and reaming 5/16" dia.(  See my No 12 post ) you can then machine the bottom of the bearing blocks to leave 5/32" from the bottom of the reamed hole in the bearing block to the base plate.


Base plate
Soft solder brass rod all as the top caps and machine flush in the lathe,
Plug the bearing holes already drilled and tapped with screwed brass rod held in with Loctite 603 the stubs can be machined off in the same setting as the base plate in the lathe.


Once you have completed the process you can mark of new bearing fixing holes in the base plate with the bearing blocks and a piece of 5/16" dia rod to give you the position of the bearing blocks.. The rod should be free turning by hand if not you can find out which block is out of size and rub the bottom on a flat file to get the rod to turn.  NOW ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE TO ADD ON TO THE UPRIGHTS, THE PISTON RODS AND THE VALVE RODS by how much you have raised the main shaft.




Give it a go you have nothing to lose and if you don't understand my description just give me a call.


George.

[Jerry C]

Thanks for that George. That was my intention. I’ve ordered new main bearings from Stuart’s and a 5BA threaded rod and a chunk of gunmetal from Blackgates. Cylinder hones came today. I’ve been working on exhaust flanges today.
Jerry C.

[ooyah/2]

Thanks for that George. That was my intention. I’ve ordered new main bearings from Stuart’s and a 5BA threaded rod and a chunk of gunmetal from Blackgates. Cylinder hones came today. I’ve been working on exhaust flanges today.
Jerry C.

Jerry ,
I am assuming that you have ordered 5BA screwed rod to plug the holes in the base plate in order to drill new ones when you machine the new bearing tops on order.
If the screwed rod is M/S you could be in real trouble  as when the M/S screwed rod has plugged the exiting holes and flushed off when you go to drill the new holes if the holes are slightly off centre to the plugged screws when you drill down the drill will wander into the softer Gunmetal base material and could break  , and the holes will be off of the centres required.


If it is screwed rod can you phone your supplier to supply 5BA brass screws 3/4" to 1" long with slotted cheese head or other heads that can be cut off and flushed over and then you can drill down for new screw fixings.
I would prefer that you drilled out the existing holes 2BA and plug with 2BA brass screws which would give you a sound base to make new holes for your new bearings.
If you decide on that road phone the suppliers for some long 2BA brass screws. If you have 2BA dies screw thread a piece of 3/16" dia brass rod 2BA to make plugs.


What are you going to do about the 1/2 dia holes in the base plate ( 3 off )


Do you have 5BA dies that you could screw  thread 1/8" dia brass rod and glue them in with Loctite 603 flush them off and re tap for the 5BA bearing fixing bolts that you have.


George.

[frazer heslop]

Out of curiosity . Would it be possible to overbore the casting to bring it into alignment and make and fit shell bearings
Iv not built this engine so just guessing
cheers
frazer

[Jerry C]

Hi George, my main bearing stud holes in the base plate are through holes. My intentions are to fashion the new bearing castings and their gunmetal 3/16” risers, soft solder them together, drill through and team to 5/16”, put witness marks on for reassembly. Next, unsolder them, fit on reamer and superglue the lot in their correct positions on the base plate with the reamer inserted. Then, using a 5 BA tapping drill, drill through bearings and risers from beneath the base plate through original threaded holes. Finally remove them and open the holes in the bearings and risers to 5BA clearance. Can you see anything wrong with this method.
Secondly, I can’t get my head round the inlet and exhaust arrangements. The plans indicate two 3/16” bore inlet glands bolted to valve chests and a 3/16” o/d piece of copper pipe with a 90° bend in it. One flange is tapped 3/16” 40 TPI, the other is 3/16” plane. Next their are 3 castings for pipe unions/flanges, one elbow flange and 2 straight through 1/4” flanges. I presume the elbow and one 1/4” bore flange  straight through are for exhaust manifold joined and exited by 1/4” copper pipe. That leaves a 3/16” bore straight through flange which must be for the remaining inlet. So how does the bent 3/16” pipe get to the second flange. It’s not long enough for one and two the second flange needs to be split and and a 3/16” stand off pipe inserted between the split. Unfortunately I can find plenty of photos of the compound engine but none for the twin that I can make sense of. Could you send me some photos to help?
ps the half holes in the base plate will either have half round sections of brass soldered in or I may fashion the outer bearing risers with a lower lip to cover the holesinset into base plate. The centre one will be largely invisible.
Jerry C.

[Jerry C]

George, no sooner posted then it dawned on me. Inlet has two bent copper pipes with central flange? That’s why only one is threaded as it would be impossible to assemble if all were threaded. Doh!
I’d still like some photos though.
I can’t see why Stuart can’t supply pics and label each section of the plans. They certainly don’t make things easy!
Jerry C.

[ooyah/2]

Hi George, my main bearing stud holes in the base plate are through holes. My intentions are to fashion the new bearing castings and their gunmetal 3/16” risers, soft solder them together, drill through and team to 5/16”, put witness marks on for reassembly. Next, unsolder them, fit on reamer and superglue the lot in their correct positions on the base plate with the reamer inserted. Then, using a 5 BA tapping drill, drill through bearings and risers from beneath the base plate through original threaded holes. Finally remove them and open the holes in the bearings and risers to 5BA clearance. Can you see anything wrong with this method.
Secondly, I can’t get my head round the inlet and exhaust arrangements. The plans indicate two 3/16” bore inlet glands bolted to valve chests and a 3/16” o/d piece of copper pipe with a 90° bend in it. One flange is tapped 3/16” 40 TPI, the other is 3/16” plane. Next their are 3 castings for pipe unions/flanges, one elbow flange and 2 straight through 1/4” flanges. I presume the elbow and one 1/4” bore flange  straight through are for exhaust manifold joined and exited by 1/4” copper pipe. That leaves a 3/16” bore straight through flange which must be for the remaining inlet. So how does the bent 3/16” pipe get to the second flange. It’s not long enough for one and two the second flange needs to be split and and a 3/16” stand off pipe inserted between the split. Unfortunately I can find plenty of photos of the compound engine but none for the twin that I can make sense of. Could you send me some photos to help?
ps the half holes in the base plate will either have half round sections of brass soldered in or I may fashion the outer bearing risers with a lower lip to cover the holesinset into base plate. The centre one will be largely invisible.
Jerry C.

Hi Jerry.


By All Means solder them together- bore and ream to 5/!6" - put the three soldered bearings into the 4- jaw and machine the bases to leave 1/8" from bottom of the hole to the top of the base plate and unsolder and clean off the solder.
Don't put the reamer into the bearings when lining up as the reamer ,which I assume is a hand reamer is smaller in dia at the tip of the tool and you will get a miss aligned hole in one of them use a piece of 5/15" dia rod.


I would much prefer that you plugged the existing holes with 5BA brass screws as previously suggested and and assemble the bearings with a 5/16" dia rod thro' them and
re drill and tap the holes from the new bearings.
Also I would plug the three main holes in the base plate that are out of line as there will not be enough room when the shaft and the webs are fitted, the webs could foul the sides of any thing down the side.


Regarding the Inlet and exhaust pipes,[size=78%] [/size]I Silver soldered them to the castings  provided with fittings at the ends to take a steam pipe and a 1/4" dia pipe for the exhaust.

For some reason I am unable to post attachment so I will try to post some pics later.

George.

[Jerry C]

I’ve been in contact with George (Ooya) ViA emails as he’s having trouble putting pics up. Since last post I’ve done all the steam and exhaust flanges and piston and valve chest glands. Also finished off the bottom cylinder covers. Yesterday I made a start on the cross head/reversing rod bracket. No problem drilling the 1/4” holes for the columns but major problems drilling the 3/16 holes for the reversing control rod. The phosphor bronze is like working with toffee.  The drill comes out in random directions. So I drilled the holes very oversize and inserted brass plugs held in with Loctite. It was then easy to drill through the brass with a 3/16” bit. Put the piece in the milling vice and milled everything to size. While filing the casting away around the control rod I filed through into the brass and the plugs fell out. I soft soldered them in place. I needed to alter the position of one plug and in doing so I managed to drop it. 1 1/2 hours later with a very clean and tidy workspace I found it exactly where I’d thought it would be but apparently brass has a cloaking device rendering it invisible to three people searching for it. So that’s boxed off except for drilling and tapping for two grubscrews plus a final polish with the polishing rig.








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I managed to break a jaw scroll retainer in my 4 jaw chuck rendering it useless. Got in touch with the seller and he’s sending me a new one and I can keep the duff one for spares. Must cut down on the shredded wheat!


The 1” hone machine arrived the other day so I can hone the cylinder bores then I’ll do the pistons.
Jerry C.

[Jerry C]

Missed one





Jerry C.

[Jerry C]

I’ve finished the support bracket so buffed it up on my polishing rig (drill in vice, mop in chuck). It came out nice though when polished you can see the difference between the brass and phosphor bronze but it looks like it was meant to be like that. Unfortunately I forgot to remove the two 1/8” 7 BA grub screws that clamp it to the Columns. They had disappeared obviously. However as I’d had a good clean up looking for the bit I dropped yesterday I miraculously found the first one immediately right by my feet. After looking fo 39 minutes I found a 7BA nut which I didn’t know I’d lost! Gave up on the grub screw, I’ll snip a bit off the end of one of the 7BA bolts and cut a slot in the end. Spent the rest of the day making paper joints (gaskets). In case there are peeps reading this who don’t know the trick to making them quickly, accurately and neatly I’ll pass on what my dad showed me when I was six and building my first marine diesel engine, (I made the tea, held the torch and passed the spanners) but I remembered every step. That’s Aspergers for you. I used a small ball pein hammer very gently (cast iron remember) to cut the material and a centre punch wider than the holes to cut them, no hammer, just a wiggle. Bolted everything back together again and trimmed the edges with a scalpel. No drilling through holes.
So that most of the top end done but I have a couple of questions.
1) lagging, I’m assuming what Stuart refer to as lagging are actually lagging retainer plates and that lagging should fill the voids under them. I’m going to insulate anyway but does anyone else actually bother?
2) I’ve got it in my head from somewhere that the ends of the tin provided ( 20 thou thick) is meant to butt up behind the valve chests thus everything lies flush. I’ve yet to mill the rough cast surfaces in way of the exhaust flanges but intend removing enough to achieve a flush transition from lagging to valve chests ditto the other side. However cutting the lagging to clear the exhaust flanges I foresee as difficult to achieve neatly so I plan to drill through the lagging into the external exhaust port and clearance holes for the threaded flange stud holes and sandwich the lagging with joints so the lagging is covered by the flanges. Can anyone see any problems with this?

 





















Jerry C.

[tghsmith]

I "lagged" my compound block with layers of cork gasket sheet,, used RTV with cork crumbles as a paste to hold all in place,, clamped overnight with wax paper and flexible sheet metal,, need very little trimming..

[Mark T]

Wow Jerry thats turning into some mighty difficult engineering - well done mate