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Post by keith1500 on Dec 31, 2019 10:09:03 GMT
Having made a post on “what I have done today” I thought it might be worth having a separate thread. The drawings are from Model Engineering Web site. modelengineeringwebsite.com/Beginners_steam_engine.htmlI liked the look of the build and what appealed most was the parts don't involve castings. I thought it would push the boundaries of my ability to use my old Centec mill. I have enough off cuts of steel and aluminium to make a start. The drawing shows the cylinder block is from hard aluminium which is why I asked the question how to identify hard aluminium. Given I don’t know what kind of ali I have it makes no odds as you can see the engine will do no real work. The piston is bronze with O rings and if all that fails to work I can use the suggestion of using a liner. So already your replies have been most encouraging. Thank you.
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Post by springcrocus on Dec 31, 2019 12:22:02 GMT
Hello Keith,
This would be a lovely, little project to record in detail on here and I, for one, would follow and support it. I suspect a few of the "loco only" members might not join in but a detailed build thread could encourage others to have a go if they have previously been reluctant to cut metal.
Julius' drawing tend to be very clear with 3D views to help visualise the finished item but are almost exclusively with metric dimensions. There shouldn't be any nasty suprises hiding away.
I look forward to further updates from you.
Regards, Steve
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jasonb
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,209
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Post by jasonb on Dec 31, 2019 13:21:57 GMT
Well it makes a change from the usual subjects here, so I'll look in at the thread. Something like 6082 or the old HE30 would be an ideal grade of aluminium to use but not critical Hopefully as it's a fairly simple engine Julius' design should be OK but as a lot of his designs are not proved there can be issues, I have seen some "interesting" fits to make things work and boilers that can't be built. Funny enough the original that the design has been taken from was intended to be made from castings and as usual with Julius of a smaller size. Really depends on what takes your fancy, it can be left as bright barstock as per his renderings or with a bit of extra effort adding the odd draft angle, filleting internal corners and rounding external you can make the " cast" parts look like that and paint them up original Woodson part way down page. wiki.jefferyjjensen.com/engineer-mechanical/steamengines
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Post by keith1500 on Dec 31, 2019 19:53:34 GMT
Thank you for your encouragement. It is nice to see the origins of the design, thanks for the link. The drawings make reference to this and I did do a quick search, but no luck. Indeed, one of the things that attracted me to the julius drawings was the detailed parts and the 3D rendered images, certainly made the engine build able. So, so far I have made the cylinder support plate. Part 1-02.1. The drawing shows a 1mm upstanding which locates in cylinder. This I made as a separate part and fitted it in a bored hole with some loctite. The two M3 holes have been substituted by 6BA. the job was fairly straight forward and pleasant, having checked the vice to be true and machined the plate with a reference edge and two parallel edges at 90 degrees it was just a case of using the DRO to place the holes. Simple single cylinder steam engine by GL5Keith1500, on Flickr
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Post by keith1500 on Jan 1, 2020 21:11:24 GMT
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Post by delaplume on Jan 2, 2020 11:04:47 GMT
Hi Keith,
Sorry I'm a bit "late on parade" as it were........Yes, as per the others I quite like the look of this one....Puts me in mind of the Stan Bray's Lunch Engine from a few years ago....
I imagine that most of those "Loco Only" chaps that Steve referred to actually cut their teeth on simple designs such as this--and anyway I for one would say it doesn't do any harm to occasionally re-visit your early engineering teachings and hone those basic skills..
I particularly appreciate the links and also what appears to be an attempt at using a proper Engineering Drawing approach instead of those collection of "Sketches" that have lingered on from the past........I think Roger has had a few words to say on that subject !!
OK, so good luck---crack-on and remember that you have a world-wide base of like-minded folk to support you so don't hold back with what you might think are "simple" questions, we'll all benefit one way or another from this thread ( This is not just a thread---it's an ADVENTURE !!! ).. smiley icon !!
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jasonb
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,209
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Post by jasonb on Jan 2, 2020 13:17:57 GMT
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Post by springcrocus on Jan 2, 2020 17:10:22 GMT
Brilliant link, Jason, I've just wasted over an hour reading said journal. A wonderful trip back to times past. Regards, Steve
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Post by keith1500 on Jan 2, 2020 22:04:18 GMT
Likewise, totally agree, some fascinating stuff in there. Page 189 the wireless record player. Not bad for 1946!
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Post by keith1500 on Jan 2, 2020 22:27:07 GMT
Work progressed on machining the aluminium block to size. The final step was to mark out and cut/ machine the block to 40mm height. Having not used the vernier for more years than I can remember I decided to double check it and my mm to imperial calculation using the slip gauges. Just love the way you can wringe the slips together and they stay mated. Simple single cylinder steam engine by GL5Keith1500, on Flickr Drilled and tapped the M3 fixing holes. Tap alignment technique adopted from Roger’s work. Thanks to Roger for the posting on his build thread. Simple single cylinder steam engine by GL5Keith1500, on Flickr
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Post by keith1500 on Jan 4, 2020 22:43:16 GMT
I made a start on boring the cylinder block. Usual approach I think; centre drill then Pilot drill, then biggest drill, then boring tool. Approaching last few mm of the final size my eye tells me something done look right. So I made a stepped ring to fit the bore. Then a quick bit of trig gave me the dimension 31mm - 3mm = 28mm should just kiss the four fixing holes. A brass ring was make to sit over the stepped ring and sure enough something wasn’t right. So four pegs were make to sit in the fixing holes. The brass ring then sat snuggly between these pegs. I clocked the brass ring and found there was an small error. recentred , now ready for boring to final size. Simple single cylinder steam engine by GL5Keith1500, on Flickr Perhaps I should have done the bore first, then positioned the fixing holes , then machined the block to size.
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Post by springcrocus on Jan 4, 2020 23:29:58 GMT
Ridiculous! Over forty years in this game and I never thought to create an internal square by bolting my 3-2-1 blocks together. We never stop learning. Regards, Steve
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Post by keith1500 on Jan 5, 2020 3:59:18 GMT
Steve,
If you do be sure to clock them. I couldn’t get a perfect 90 degrees with mine, hence only one clamp being used.
Keith
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Post by delaplume on Jan 5, 2020 6:11:07 GMT
Hi Keith,
Quote}--"If you do be sure to clock them. I couldn’t get a perfect 90 degrees with mine, hence only one clamp being used.".........That's good advice for any set-up I would say... Never take anything for granted........Measure once, measure twice----cut once.
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Post by keith1500 on Jan 6, 2020 12:51:02 GMT
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Post by delaplume on Jan 6, 2020 14:34:19 GMT
Ridiculous! Over forty years in this game and I never thought to create an internal square by bolting my 3-2-1 blocks together. 8-| :'( We never stop learning. Regards, Steve Steve--- if I may para-phrase you ??....Over 40 years in this game and I never thought to get myself a set....( Most of the time this sort of equipment was available to me during a contract job etc ).... Thanks to this Forum and thread I'm about to buy myself a belated Christmas present.........Any idea what thread that is inside the holes ?? Thanks chaps-- Alan
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jasonb
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,209
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Post by jasonb on Jan 6, 2020 16:12:04 GMT
Most of the 1-2-3 blocks are not ideal for screwing together as the clearance holes are too small for the thread in them so you need to bolt right through. Thread is 3/8 -16 UNC but a lot have the clearance holes about 0.360" Metric 10-20-30, 15-30-60 and 20-40-80 blocks from the likes of ARC have the correct clearance holes for the M6 and M8 fixings, I've used them a few times as right angles, usefull if you have several similar parts to work on. www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Workholding/Vee-Blocks-Angle-Plates/Stevensons-Metric-Blocks
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Post by keith1500 on Jan 6, 2020 20:50:36 GMT
I have never bolted mine together or anything to them so I don’t know what the treads are but they are not metric so I guess they must 3/8 16 UNC as per the above.
One thing I will do if I get the chance will be the run the small end under the surface grinder to see if I can improve the squareness. I don’t recall where I brought mine, it was that long ago and they are not often used. However, that may change.
Like most things probably worth buying a decent set.
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Post by delaplume on Jan 6, 2020 22:56:37 GMT
Thanks for that collective reply chaps..........I'm all for anything that improves or increases the versatility within the workshop......... eg}--- Those granite chopping blocks used in the kitchen make great marking out tables..........
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dscott
Elder Statesman
Posts: 2,437
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Post by dscott on Jan 6, 2020 23:49:13 GMT
123 and 345 blocks? LUXUARY! As the now RICH Yorkshire men got to say at long last.
Alan you putting your kitchen next to the workshop so you can use your Chopping board as a surface table is pure Genious!!!!
BLOCKS I have been using my new Fowler Complex cylinders for my blocks... Then Jessie needed some Sandboxes which left two lumps over so these are very useful. You go from a big drill to a small one and slip in the blocks and you are on height and you have a space to hold the part! Yhis is until thay are cut up for 1500 rear Sandboxes solid to balance the cylinders. Lovingly held the to scale drilled frames as I passed today. Get something earining her keep on the track and return.
Love David and Lily.
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