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Tandem Compound Poppet Valve Steam Engine Build, ala Cedge
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Bernd:
Boy I wish bricks like that came in 1 to 1 size. I'd probably have the out side of the house donw by now.  :lol:  :lol:

I was going to ask were you got those nice looking bricks from, but you answered that in the second pic. Nice job Steve. That black is going to look real nice with that shiny brass. Nice contrast.

Bernd
cedge:
Jeeze guys.... LOL.

Didn't get a lot done tonight, but a little progress beats none at all. I spent most of the day at a local tractor and engine show and met lots of miniature engineering fans and even a local hobby machinist or two.

The valve bases on one cylinder are now ready to receive their bosses, so that I can move on to the other cylinder for some catch up. Once all the new bosses are installed and I have fresh indexing points, I'll switch over and catch up on the third cylinder, before moving on to the cranks and flywheels.

Not sure if the rivets will stay brass or if i will wind up blacking them. They are actually escutcheon pins (small brass dome head nails) that were trimmed and then red loctite was used to secure them.  40 down, 80 more to go.



Steve
madjackghengis:
Hi Steve, you know what you said to Graham is good advice for anyone starting in any field that relies on skill, as it doesn't just show up, it is discovered one little piece at a time, and more of the final fit and finish can be attributed to "muscle memory" than anything in the brain housing group, it's not enough to know how to do it, you have to know what it feels like when you're doing it right, and only practice can ever give one "feel", not even if your work involves a fifty pound wrecking bar meant for breaking up reinforced concrete.
    Paying attention to those who have done it, and offer advice is a good idea too, I tried to get around doing a bunch of glass beading by using an acid etching solution and ended up ruining some carefully machined parts instead of prepping them for the parkerizing I was intending, and had to do the glass beading, and will now be re-making the half a dozen parts I ruined.
    By the way, did I tell you how great your engine is looking, sitting on that brick, just waiting for a flywheel and con rod?  I'm really looking forward to the video :ddb: :nrocks: :thumbup: :lol: mad jack
cedge:
Jack...
I owe the credo to Bogstandard. I was a bit overwhelmed during one of my earlier projects, trying to keep a whole lot of balls in the air at the same time. He suggested that I stop trying to build the whole project and simply build the parts. Since then, I've been a firm believer in the idea. It sure takes a lot of pressure and confusion out of the mix.

Not much in the way of new tricks or tips of late since everything has been pretty much reapeating things already posted. Lots of holes drilled and filled to get where things are now. the pistons and cross head are now in place, the bosses have been turned and loctited into place to receive the valves and the brass black has crept onto some other parts. I'm well pleased with the finish this stuff rendered and will definitely make use of it on other projects.

The vertical stubs on cylinder #2 are only there to give me some idea of elevations and angles for the push rods and eccentrics that will control the valves. From here it's time to attack the other engine and bring it up to the same point in the build, before beginning the cranks, con-rods and flywheels. Other items like governors, shut off valves and mechanical and cup oilers are also beginning to creep into the master plan, so there is a lot left to do. 

Steve


http://cedesign.net/steam/images/misc/multi-valve/build/guide-fita.jpg
madjackghengis:
Hi Steve, you're really looking good there, but typically, you toss a bone, and then you give us a whack on the head :lol:  so now you've got to bring the other engine up to this point before you start on the flywheel and ancillary parts, it's all a conspiracy to make us wait, I can tell :headbang:  I can't speak for others, but I'm dying to watch you connect the con rod and the flywheels to that beautiful rod guide you just added a rib to.  That blacking really sets off the brass and bronze and looks fantastic.  When I first was learning to be a mechanic, it seemed to me it was impossible to keep up with too many parts, and some of the things I took apart never went together again.  Not long after that, I figured out if I could just see where one part fit, and then fit it in place, and looked, there would be another part which would be the only other part that could fit somewhere, and following this, just like looking at making only one piece at a time, I was able to fix things because I could focus on the work without being overwhelmed by numbers of parts, and the confusion of the pile.  I've found that even the projects I started, worked hard on, and worked for weeks or months to make run, and never did, had their lesson to teach, and taking life like that means the next one has already had most of its problems resolved before the first piece of metal is turned.  You've got to make a lot of really shi**y arrow heads before you have learned to properly knap one that will fly straight on the front of an arrow, and pierce the hide, muscle, and heart of a deer, and is more than a child's attempt at a real arrow point.  Great beauty sometimes hides bad work, in your case, Steve, it just showcases the care and attention to detail you put into it, get that other engine up to this point so we can see what you choose for flywheels and stanchions, and all that, to go with that fine, victorian look you've already achieved. :bow: :jaw: :bugeye: mad jack
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