Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[boatmadman]

Towards the end of last year I treated myself to a small milling machine - a Seig x2 with dro, and power feed.

Then I thought, what to do with it?

So, I set to on a steam engine build, plans of which came from the paddleducks website by Bogstandard, who used to use this forum.

Now, he recommended making a spare for every component, but, I am hoping for a 50% success rate in this project, so I am building two engines alongside each other.

The pics show the story, it all started as a lump of cast iron turned into 2 cylinder blocks, then some brass bar made the cylinder caps, pistons and bottom glands. Then some more bar was hacked and chiselled into crossheads.

Slow progress, but so what!!

Having done the crossheads I now must get back to the Orca build for a while 

Ian

[Bunkerbarge]

Great pictures to follow the build process Ian, many thanks for taking the time to share them with us.  Don't spend too liong with the Orca, I want to see this progress!

[benjaml1]

I was "that" close to buying a Seig x2, tough to machine it by hand but then all I have is time... A pillar drill, hand tools  & a belt sander is all I have..

Nice work indeed.... 

[BarryM]

Make a spare for every component? - I'd be ashamed to say how many of those crossheads I made before I was satisfied but I still didn't have any spares left over. 

Barry M

[kno3]

Nice project! Are you going to keep those massive cylinder blocks in their present rectangular shape?? You might want to machine off some of the surplus material around the contour of the cylinders, if possible. It should make a lighter and more interesting looking engine

[boatmadman]

Kno 3

The engine design doesnt allow for that. There is a valve block to go on each end.

Ian

[kno3]

I know that, I was thinking about the sides and the area between the cylinders.

[boatmadman]

I have in mind machining a rectangular slot with a ball end tool on each of the side faces to make it look better.

[kno3]

That sounds good, have fun with your project!

[boatmadman]

I got a day in the workshop today, so thought some steam engine work was in order.

I started out with a length of bronze as you see in the first picture, and after several hours of hacking, sawing, swearing, filing and drinking coffee, I ended up with the items in the second picture. These are the bearings for the engines, they are not quite finished yet, they need a cosmetic cut just to make them prettier.

Ian

[gondolier88]

I found this with the new D10 bearings I redesigned- they look so simple- but are a complete nightmare to manufacture!! Well done with your progress.

See PM...

Greg

[MONAHAN STEAM MODELS]

The parts are really looking great Ian.

[boatmadman]

I gave the bearings a nice cosmetic cut today, the first pic shows them with a set of crank web blanks.

The second pic shows one set of ten webs almost finished.

Ian

[benjaml1]

There is something about precision that is attractive to the eye. Perfect symmetry I think.... 

[boatmadman]

So, this morning I went out to the workshop thinking to have a practise with my shiny new slitting saw, ready to do a cut on the crankwebs.

Not to be! I mounted the arbor and saw, ran it up to the test piece only to find it wasn't running true. Investigations found that the R8 arbor had been machined too long at the top, preventing the taper from engaging properly. 

So, a call to the supplier and a replacement is on its way.

Meantime, I decided to have a go at the cylinder base and crank base plate.

The picture shows the results.

Ian

[mogogear]

I always admire machining displays like this-- good  crisp work

[MONAHAN STEAM MODELS]

Nice clean work Ian. 

[benjaml1]

My fave metal to work with is brass....

[Corposant]

Ian,

It seems to me that whatever you put your hand to turns out flawless! I go into raptures looking at the pointing in your workshop, did you do that too? I hope this project doesn't mean the Bourbon Orca has been abandoned.

Mike

[boatmadman]

Mike,

Flawless? I hate to say it, but camera's lie - there are flaws, just not shown in the pics! 

No I didnt do the pointing in my workshop - a builder did that wall for me a couple of months ago, split the garage into a 1 car garage and a workshop - much better and warmer in the winter.

No, the Orca build hasn't been abandoned, just havent had anything interesting or helpful to post for a little while - prop shafts are next to go in.

Ian

[boatmadman]

The replacement arbor turned up today, hows that for service? Chronos is the company involved.

So, off to the workshop tonight to finish the crankwebs. First the slit was cut in each web, then holes for the locking screw were drilled and tapped in each web, then, finally, dry assembled, and guess what ---- it rotates (still needs a little fettling yet though)

Have to admit to being somewhat chuffed, as this is the first time I have attempted anything like this.

Anyway, here are pics, sorry a bit blurred.

Ian

[benjaml1]

I need a tissue... 

[steamboatmodel]

Between you and Nick I am going to have to get a waterproof keyboard.
Regards
Gerald.

[MONAHAN STEAM MODELS]

Absolutely beautiful work! The surface finishes look great. There's nothing better looking than precision made parts. 

Man you work fast too. Want a job in California? 

Have you thought about building these engines into a twin engine steam plant for a tug?

[boatmadman]

Well, thanks for the comments fella's.

Nick - when do I start?

The finish you see is a machine finish, the parts need polishing yet. The base plate needs a little more taking off for the web throws - todays first job.

The mill I bought came with a DRO, without it I doubt I would have even taken on this project, it makes things really easy and repeatable. When I was doing the base plates, I dyed up the plates and marked out in the conventional way. Then centre punched all the drillings on the first plate then went ahead and machined it.

For the second plate I took a datum point, and used the DRO to locate the drilling points - so much easier once you have the confidence to go that way.

I have the very same thought of a twin steam plant in the brain cell, but, we will have to see if both engines work first. Remember, I am hoping for a 50% success rate for my first big machining project.

Ian