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Post by steamlaser on Jan 16, 2011 21:47:26 GMT
I have reached the stage where I have to make the outer crankshaft bearings for my 2 inch Clayton steam wagon.
I am very short of Bronze bearing material and the little in stock is not the easiest stuff to machine!
I did ask this question on another site and a couple of people were kind enough to reply,but they did not give me the exact information needed.
I will not be using the model for regular passenger pulling, does this mean I can get away with using normal hard brass for the bearings?(I will be using Bronze for the bigends etc).
I would appreciate any advice given!
Thanks
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Post by albert on Jan 17, 2011 9:09:08 GMT
Hello steamlaser,
I see no reason with using brass except it will wear your crankshaft quicker.
I have built 7 traction engines over the past 35 years and all bearings have been cast iron,I use my engines at T/E rallies ect and have never had to replace a bearing.
100 miles a year is easily reached.
Albert.
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jasonb
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,236
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Post by jasonb on Jan 17, 2011 15:49:24 GMT
As said its going to wear your crankshaft faster than a leaded bronze and not helped by being the highest reving part of the gear train. Its just a case of weighing up whether you want to save a little money now or spend time and money later on new bronze bearings AND crankshaft.
If you do have some CI bar in stock then that would be a beter bet than brass.
J
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miken
Statesman
Posts: 500
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Post by miken on Jan 31, 2011 12:53:47 GMT
Steamlaser, If the bronze that you have is not very easy to machine it is probably of the "drawn" variety which is not vey suitable for bearings anyway. A leaded bronze is cast and is extremely easy to machine and as jasonb says more suitable.
Mike
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jasonb
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,236
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Post by jasonb on Jan 31, 2011 19:00:08 GMT
I believe steamlaser is now sorted with some hollow cast SA660 from College engineering, lovely stuff to machine  J |
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Post by steamlaser on Feb 12, 2011 20:00:53 GMT
Got my bearing material at the "Ali Pali " show.
I hope to rough out the main bulk of the material on a decent machine at work and finish off at home for the final fitting.
Because the cylinder castings were a bit "off size" some of the crank centres etc ,now have to be changed.It seems one step forward,two back.
However one keeps pressing along regardless.
Thanks for all the advice!
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