Taking shape

[paul]

Though I'd create yet another thread and make the 'Stationary Engines' section look busy

Here's most of the parts I've made, assembled and sitting on their 'base-to-be'.

But wait.... what's this... a clean bit of workshop?? Yeah, after a weekend's worth of re-arranging the garage my 'workshop' now has a clean bench. (Let's see how long that lasts!!).

[jgb7573]

Looking good Paul. And not just the bench

[paul]

Finally got a little time to do a fraction more - roughed out the port 'block'. It's a pretty tight push fit so need to make some space for solder There's also no dimensions given in the plans for how much it should project from the cylinder so need to 'make to suit'.

[paul]

Now the guts of the steam chest is done too:

[jgb7573]

Coming good Paul.

[paul]

Following jgb7573's good advice I de-soldered the neck of the steam chest, fitted a new plug then re-drilled, threaded etc in the 4-jaw to ensure concentricity. My nearest reamer is about 1/3mm oversize so there's a bit of slop in the valve rod (which kind of defeated the purpose of re-making) but hopefully if I can get the hole in the gland nut closer to size that'll help the smoothness factor.

Got the cover to size and drilled all the holes. Everything looking good. Until I noticed that the holes should have been more like 2.5mm than 3! I really should look more carefully before leaping. Ack, no matter, it just means the nuts or bolt heads will have to be a little slimmer to avoid overhanging the edges of the cover... can I get hex in 5mm AF AND thread it to 3mm? We'll see! Anyway, here's the bits in question.

[lancelot]

Hi Paul,
been there and done that a few times ;D...One size smaller setscrews and the same of nuts can be obtained from E.K.P or G.L R.... very useful in a lot of situations...
All the best for now,
John.

[jgb7573]

Hi Paul,

You could always make the valve rod 1/3rd of a mm bigger to fit the hole ;-) . Adjusting dimensions elsewhere if need be.

As an alternative, make a reamer out of silver steel to the size you want. Get a piece of silver steel. Turn it down to the required diameter. Then file off the business end on a slant so you get an oval flat end to the piece. I find a gentle angle (20 to 30 degrees) best. Then harden and temper. Rub the angled end on a sharpening stone until it is nice and smooth and you have yourself a reamer. It won't take out a lot of metal, but if you're a few tenths of a mm undersized with the drilled hole, it will open it out a treat.

John

[paul]

John (lancelot): noted! It sounds easier than custom-making all those little fittings
John (jgb7573): Sounds like a sort of d-bit and definitely worth remembering (no doubt I'll forget and have to ask you to remind me though!).

Thanks both

[paul]

New valve rod almost made