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| Tandem Compound Poppet Valve Steam Engine Build, ala Cedge |
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| madjackghengis:
--- Quote from: cedge on May 19, 2010, 03:48:50 PM ---The rib is still pretty sore so I've been doing hand work and some of the details that would normally wait until later in the project. I'm really not enjoying the lathe or the mill at the moment, so no huge dramatic tricks in this post. The original engines of this sort had added support for the long cross head guides. I had planned to leave this detail off the engines, but since I'm stuck with doing detail work so early in the project, I decided to give it a go. This meant reheated an already complicated solder job for more soldering. The "fin" was cut on the mill for a snug fit on the ends. making it a little easier to position the piece and get it centered. I turned a plug of aluminum to fit the bore so the window pieces were supported from within. Once the fin was in place, the whole cross head guide was wrapped at 3 points on the outer surface with thin mechanics wire to lock the window against the plug. This assured nothing was going to move, even if there might be some new solder seepage. After sweating the piece in, a bit of hand work was called for to clean the joints and polish out some file marks, here is what I had when it was all over. http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/detail-1.jpg All the stanchions are now fitted and their tiny studs trimmed to size. The studs were a bit of a challenge mostly because of the 1-72 threads wanting to strip the first time I tapped them. A bit of minor adjustment to me, the operator, soon sorted things out as I once again learned the need to be patient when working with tiny things. The stanchions fit just as hoped for and the shaft alignment is dead on centerline and free enough to turn with two fingers. The fit is such that the arms are not yet bolted down in this photos. Did I mention that I really do love the DRO on the mill? http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/detail-2.jpg Almost all the 2-56 studs have been trimmed and will get their nuts when I begin the final assembly phase. The valve ports are now opened up in the low pressure cylinder and have received some hand work to give their edges a nice rounded shape. This was done using small needle files and 400 grit sand paper to keep things smooth and properly shaped. It only takes a tiny bit of misplaced sanding to show like a sore thumb, so great care is being taken to get it right. After all... I've got the time, while I'm not getting to make bigger parts....(grin) The cylinder head was given a 3/8 ball to finish it out. This was made using my handy dandy ball turning attachment. I think it added just the right touch to the overall look. http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/detail-3.jpg Here is the obligatory test fit photo. Nothing but the cross head guide is bolted on. The joints are all nice and tight, the graphite packing is installed in the stuffing boxes of the glands and the pistons and cam shaft are aligned well enough to move by hand. Once it is all secured, a bit of run in time should loosen things up nicely. http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/detail-4.jpg Steve --- End quote --- You know Cedge, adding that support was kind of crazy, you know, unplanned, a momentary thought, probably caused by medication for the rib, which I keep avoiding calling it, but you do beautiful work, and it looks like it was made there in the first place. Nice fit with the valve rod stanchions, just waiting to see it with it together and running. It's kind of hard to work to plans when pictures are always forming inside your head, isn't it? You've definitely captured a look which runs throughout the engines, puts them back about a hundred years or so, when steam was king. Truly awe inspiring workmanship. mad jack |
| cedge:
Jack Sometimes it's a little like living inside a Kaleidoscope. The design keeps evolving, even when I'm sleeping. I was designing the valves in my dreams last night. Picking the changes that will work is the hard part. Steve |
| madjackghengis:
--- Quote from: cedge on May 21, 2010, 04:30:46 PM ---Jack Sometimes it's a little like living inside a Kaleidoscope. The design keeps evolving, even when I'm sleeping. I was designing the valves in my dreams last night. Picking the changes that will work is the hard part. Steve --- End quote --- You know Steve, it sounds like we do much of our work in the same way. I can look at plans, consider what they suggest, and intend to follow them, but once I start cutting, the ideas which are mine, and hid in the back of my mind while reading, come out and insist on being used, and I've found my work generally turns out the better for it. Where are you located, if you don't mind my asking? I'm in eastern North Carolina, having served here for years in the Corps, I decided to stay and not return to Chicago for some odd reason. By the way, putting in a piece of aluminum to absorb the heat and keep from screwing up the rest of the soldering was a good plan and looks like it worked out nicely for your soldering job. mad jack |
| cedge:
Jack.... Sticking to the instructions was never something I willing did. If I tried, I'd soon lose interest in the project. I'm perfectly content to wander off in my own direction if only to see how much trouble I can get into....LOL I'm not all that from away from you. I'm in North Western SC, just down road from the Greer BMW plant. Check your private messages for my phone number. Still taking it easy, but I did manage a little time on the mill.... for which I duly paid the toll. I'm ready to begin establishing the elevation for the crank and flywheel which will soon need to be made and fitted. The project for the day became making the first of two stands that support the cylinders. As the photo below shows, things began with a bit of layout work. The design was scribed into the brass as a guide, although some adjustment would naturally occur during machining, as needed to please the eye. http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-1.jpg The first step was to drill a couple of pivot points. The marks were center drilled after the wiggler was used to locate them. http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-2.jpg This piece does not have but a couple of critical dimensions, height and the radius that will support the cylinder, The other radii were cut using an end mill and were simply aligned according to the marks. This allowed me to sneak up on the lines before milling the holes. These holes serve a dual function by creating a nice curve at various places on the part while giving me escape points for the straight cuts. Here you see the web being milled, using a small 1/16 ball end mill. This is where the visual adjustment came into play. The original layout was for 1/16 flanges, but this proved to look a little clunky so they quickly became 1/32 wide. The small table in the photo is a modification of the Rounding Table Marv Klotz introduced to the forum in days gone by. Mine has a round top making it perfect for not only rounding ends and cutting arcs, but for things like these web cuts on angles. The stops make it easy to align the cut and hold in in place. http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-3.jpg Here is the "finished" stand, needing only a little more tool mark removal and a couple of holes to secure it to the collar of the cylinder assembly. The flat base and The edges of the flanges were rounded a bit and the feet were blended into the base. http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-4.jpg Amazingly, the cylinder assembly is almost perfectly balanced and will sit atop the stand with no assistance. I'll still need to add a second support under the cross head guide to compete this phase. I'm quickly running out of things to do that don't require working on the machines, so lets hope some significant healing begins real soon. http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/stand-5.jpg Steve |
| shoey51:
that is dropdead gorgous Steve. I wish I had your tallents then I would have finished my loco ages ago instead of a box full of useles parts and no enthusiasm to continue :( cheers graham |
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