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Author Topic: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine  (Read 100086 times)

Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #150 on: May 05, 2009, 04:13:51 AM »
Yep, marked up Stew, mixing these up would give me nightmares  :bang:



This morning I've been looking at making an order for some 2mm screws....

What a price, these ARE expensive........very expensive...oh hum... :doh:

Edit:

Sorry, I saw M2 x 30 priced at 75 quid for x100, Kinda threw me  :bugeye:



100 allen heads in 2mm x 16mm = 7.42

The same in slotted head is 3.11, half the price.

In these small headed SS screws I notice the allen heads can round off in a flash. Would it be better to use slotted in such small size from members experience?
I have a feeling they would be safer  :scratch:
« Last Edit: May 05, 2009, 04:28:25 AM by Darren »
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bogstandard

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #151 on: May 05, 2009, 06:08:53 AM »
You are quite right Darren, they do strip out easily. When I exchange an engine I usually include a few in the spares pack for when the new owner strips them out.

If the matching of screws doesn't worry you, you would be better using the slotted variety.


John
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Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #152 on: May 05, 2009, 07:04:32 AM »
Arggg....Arc Euro is closed till the 12th may due to the show

How inconvenient, I wanted to order a set of 2mm taps and some other stuff...... :doh:
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Offline HS93

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #153 on: May 05, 2009, 07:41:05 AM »
Pick them up at the weekend..

Peter

:ddb: :ddb:
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Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #154 on: May 07, 2009, 04:00:12 AM »
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Offline Divided he ad

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #155 on: May 07, 2009, 10:54:40 AM »
Yup.... He has... But it won't be a patch on yours  :thumbup:



Rock on chief  :headbang:




Ralph.
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Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #156 on: May 07, 2009, 11:26:44 AM »
Don't be mean, I think he's done a grand job..... :ddb:
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Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #157 on: June 01, 2009, 09:51:05 AM »
Hey Darren....

 :poke: :poke: :poke:

That is all.

Eric
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Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #158 on: June 01, 2009, 12:32:02 PM »
We're having a bit of a heat wave here in the UK Eric, don't think it's been this hot for about 3 or four years.... :clap:


Sooo, I'm out enjoying it while it lasts, doing outside work. Result....too tired in the eve to go in the workshop... :(

I will get back to this, it will not go unfinished  :thumbup:


Anyway....never mind  :poke:ing me, where's your project.... :scratch:  :poke: :poke: :poke:
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Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #159 on: June 01, 2009, 01:05:46 PM »
Quote from: Darren on June 01, 2009, 12:32:02 PM
...

Anyway....never mind  :poke:ing me, where's your project.... :scratch:  :poke: :poke: :poke:

Which one?? I have about 7 on different burners.  :dremel:

I will post some update pictures hopefully tonight.

Eric
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Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #160 on: June 15, 2009, 07:23:00 PM »
I thought I'd have a go at starting the cylinder block tonight from a sash weight.

I picked on the square one of my 3 that I have



Scored all four sides with the disk cutter, inc the end as suggested by Bogs  :thumbup:



Took it outside and threw it against the concrete floor, nothing happened, tried again, and again, and again. By now I was really belting it.
I resorted to finding a granite rock in the garden and whacking it against a sharp edge along the score marks. It took several goes but finally it gave in.

I then tried to knock the end off with a sharp cold chisel and a lump hammer. I gave up in the end, I just couldn't hit it hard enough.
I was suprised just how tough this cast iron is, didn't seem very brittle to me  :lol:



I then decided that to remove the hard abrasive crust I would lathe it off with a half beaten carbide tip. After all I have enough of them and better that than ruin a milling cutter I thought. Managed it too with just the one tip.... :thumbup:

It was very uneaven and the surface slightly porus so took a bit of doing.



Off to the miller for a tidy up






Alas, it looks as if it's going to be a tad too small in height, ended up at 29mm and the plans call for 32mm, not much in it but 3mm is 3mm.

Not sure what to do now, I don't currently have any other suitable material....... :bang:

« Last Edit: June 15, 2009, 07:27:05 PM by Darren »
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Offline Divided he ad

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #161 on: June 15, 2009, 07:46:27 PM »
Personally I'd get another one made similar to that one and make 2 single cylinders out of 'em.... Round off the outsides etc, make a feature out of 'em

Then use the head etc to tie them together.


Well that's what I'd do anyway   :borg:




Waiting to see this run still...... Do I have to do the rain dance some more to keep you inside and working?       :ddb: 






Ralph.  :)   
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Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #162 on: June 15, 2009, 07:51:21 PM »
You know I was thinking exactly the same thing, just not shure if I'd be making life a bit too hard for myself...dunno why, fear of the unknown I suppose... :scratch:


You can do a rain dance and spoil my garage build if you like, but only if you video it and stick it on Utube  :lol: :lol: :lol:

Garage is coming along....I'll have to do an update.... :)
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Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #163 on: June 15, 2009, 08:04:11 PM »
Slight problem with the two cylinder idea,

Top and bottom plate are drilled for one block....I'd have to make some new ones.... :bang:

How about a slightly shorter piston and/or a thicker head with the 3mm built in?

Tired now, will look at the plans tomorrow...
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Offline kvom

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #164 on: June 15, 2009, 10:27:29 PM »
Bottom plate wouldn't change.  Top plate would need different holes for mounting the block parts.

Leaving it 3mm short would be bad as the inlet holes spacing would be off.
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bogstandard

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #165 on: June 15, 2009, 10:33:59 PM »
Darren,

That doesn't look like any sash weight I have seen before, sure it isn't a welsh pattern one made out of slate. The grain on that cast certainly doesn't look like normal cast iron, it just might be cast steel, hence the crappy finish you are getting.


Bogs
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Offline sbwhart

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #166 on: June 16, 2009, 01:07:03 AM »
Hi Darren

I agree with John that sash weight could be cast steel, if your going to make new have a go with a different weight, a good old English round one  :thumbup:.

Stew
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bogstandard

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #167 on: June 16, 2009, 02:53:34 AM »
Look at the alternative materials Darren, even though not recommended, you could use ali, but you would have to make sure you don't use an ali piston, and look out when cutting threads and tightening up small bolts, they could easily strip out the threads.


John

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Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #168 on: June 16, 2009, 04:21:26 AM »
Quote from: kvom on June 15, 2009, 10:27:29 PM
Bottom plate wouldn't change.  Top plate would need different holes for mounting the block parts.

Course not, silly me....

Quote from: kvom on June 15, 2009, 10:27:29 PM
Leaving it 3mm short would be bad as the inlet holes spacing would be off.

Yep, looking at the plans this morning I can see it's not going to do....
« Last Edit: June 16, 2009, 05:22:09 AM by Darren »
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Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #169 on: June 16, 2009, 04:28:07 AM »
John/Stew,

I'm not certain what material this weight is due to lack of experience. I have come across some cast "something" before that had exactly the same properties in the form of a railway cart axle clamp.

They seem quite a bit harder and grainier than say the cast iron of the milling vice which machined like butter. The finish if much rougher too.

Would cast steel still produce a dust rather than a swarf when machined, and would it break like cast iron leaving that grey crystaline texture? (I say break like cast iron, this was hardly brittle when I was belting it)

 :scratch:
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Offline sbwhart

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #170 on: June 16, 2009, 04:35:21 AM »
Quote from: Darren on June 16, 2009, 04:28:07 AM
John/Stew,

(I say break like cast iron, this was hardly brittle when I was belting it)

 :scratch:

That says it all you've got cast steel.

 :hammer:

Stew
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Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #171 on: June 16, 2009, 04:49:55 AM »
Thanks Stew,

Do I take it cast steel has little use in our small world? That would be a shame as I have been collecting a bit of what I thought was cast iron and some are larger lumps.

I ssume there is no way of knowing till you try machining it?
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Offline sbwhart

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #172 on: June 16, 2009, 05:01:03 AM »
I can't realy answer that Darren everything as its use, the hard bit is finding it  :lol:

I supose its a mater of finding the right technique to machine and use it.

As for recognising it you could try the old grinder spark test cast iron gives off dull red sparks, steel bright sparkly sparks, try it on some test pices of material you know.

Stew
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Offline Darren

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #173 on: June 16, 2009, 05:16:45 AM »
Ah, the grinding test, never gave that a thought, I will try it later and report back..... :thumbup:


Reading about, cast steel is one of the strongest forms of steel, often used for making tools.......
Back down to reality, I think a surface grinder would be needed to get the best out of it?

Saved for later then  :)
« Last Edit: June 16, 2009, 05:44:19 AM by Darren »
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bogstandard

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Re: Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
« Reply #174 on: June 16, 2009, 05:29:08 AM »
Darren,

As Stew has said, everything has a use. I have the base off a precision ball height gauge, made of cast steel. Can hardly machine the stuff, tough as old boots, even files skid over the surface.

But, just about to throw it away in the latest clearout, a little glimmer shone above my head. I can make a pressure weight out of it for my power hacksaw rather than tying up precious cast iron doing the same job. Another project to be done.

No waste and some other material freed up.


Yours will find a use eventually.


John
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