Author Topic: Rider Ericsson Hot Air Engine (Read 70842 times)

DavidA · « **Reply #25 on:** February 14, 2011, 04:25:26 PM »

...Original fixed steadies are rare as rocking horse...er...stuff, I bought a whole lathe just to get one!...

Last month's MEW had construction articles by Harold Hall for both fixed and traveling steadies. Maybe you could cobble something up from his idea. Looks easy enough.

Dave.

AndyB · « **Reply #26 on:** February 20, 2011, 01:47:42 PM »

Thank you the ideas.

I went with Jason's...sort of.

I started again and set the the cylinder back up as I had for the facing cut of the table. (Aluminium is soft enough to make marks to see where I had mounted it last time...heehee!) I bored the top hole round and then mounted it on the inside jaws of a small 3 jaw.

It sat a treat and I was able to cut the base end to just under dimensions, then finish it all off once treble checking it all!!!

So far so good!

Bogs will have a field day over this bit....

It is strange how some cuts have to remove 1/4 to 1/2 an inch of metal while others, notably the base bore and the cylinder base bore are on dimension and have only enough space to remove casting high points and rough areas!

Never mind, I am feeling pretty chuffed with myself!

Next bit is to bore the top end of the cylinder for the sleeve..that will be slow and steady!!!!

Please feel free to offer suggestions and advice. Even if I don't take it straight away on the job in hand I store it all away for future use.

Andy

Bogstandard · « **Reply #27 on:** February 20, 2011, 02:29:30 PM »

Not at all Andy, you took some good advice, and by carrying it out, you got the job done safely.

With regards to sizes. You will find that with some castings. Where you have little to play with on some parts and bags on another. It is for that reason, you have to go all over the castings before getting it anywhere near a machine, and work from those very tight dimensions at the start if possible, the over large ones can look after themsleves.

If you are going to get into castings in a big way, it might pay you to either buy or make some tailstock fittings that will allow you to support items that stick a long way out of the chuck.

I made myself a rotating tailstock chuck, but you can get away with making or buying a large cone centre.

I look around commercial tooling sites, even foreign ones, just for ideas. You can make a lot of things yourself if you put your mind to it.

Here are just a couple of simple examples of what I was on about.

Go down to the bottom, rotating tailstock backplate. I knocked one up to fit an old 80mm chuck I had.

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machines-Accessories/Lathe-Accessories/Tailstock-Accessories

Second one down

http://rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/3MT_REVOLVING_CENTRE_SECTION.html

Lots to look at here

http://rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/2MT_REVOLVING_CENTRE_SECTION.html

All sorts of ideas spring to mind, especially when you look at the boxed set at the end.

If you don't want to go that way, if you plan ahead a little with the parts you are making, you can make something up like in the C-o-C at the bottom.

It is all part of the fun when working with castings.

John

AndyB · « **Reply #28 on:** February 20, 2011, 04:05:16 PM »

Thanks John,

I have got a revolving centre, I used it against a piece of wood while setting up the MKI cylinder mount in the 4 jaw.

I really like the idea of the revolving chuck backplate...hmmm...I've got 2 80mm 4 jaws...take some setting up each time but can also be used for offset work (crankshafts etc)

The old Drummonds use 1MT but I have some spare blank arbours.

Yes, I feel a touch of

coming on.

Many thanks for the ideas John and everybody else.

BK · « **Reply #29 on:** February 20, 2011, 10:44:18 PM »

Looking good Andy, they are an interesting build, and, as you say, some areas have lots to come off, & others just require a skim.
I found I could hold most things in my 3 jaw, I had to use the 4 jaw to grab the external of the flywheel.
I'm not sticking to all the building specs (measurements, yes. material used, no) if you're interested mine is posted here, http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about36368.html
You can learn by my mistakes.

AndyB · « **Reply #30 on:** February 21, 2011, 03:04:22 PM »

That's a nice job you are doing Bernie!

I'm worried about drilling the cylinder and base too soon in case it doesn't line up at the top

this is my first engine build!

John, had a brainwave on the way home from work...why just a backplate? I am going to make a revolving nose so that I can fit any chuck

yes I know, none of them will be accurate

But there again, they don't have to be do they?

Andy

AndyB · « **Reply #31 on:** February 21, 2011, 04:02:32 PM »

Just been through the whole of your thread Bernie; that is a cracking project log and so full of useful tips, thank you...especially on reading mistakes which I am prone to

I can see now that I can bolt the base and leave the lining up to the beam...can I?

David, I can measure all the bits that were supplied if you want, just let me know what you need...although I think Bernie has said it all.

Later chaps

Andy

Stilldrillin · « **Reply #32 on:** February 22, 2011, 03:45:08 AM »

Thanks for your offer of help Andy!

Several emails to Myers, for the missing parts, are unanswered......

Eventually, had a reply from Camden. Six weeks ago...... Heard nothing since!

No rush, lots of other things to do first.....

David D

BK · « **Reply #33 on:** February 22, 2011, 04:34:07 AM »

You're waiting for your mill, aren't you David??

Stilldrillin · « **Reply #34 on:** February 22, 2011, 04:38:00 AM »

Quote from: BK on February 22, 2011, 04:34:07 AM

You're waiting for your mill, aren't you David??

Oh, YES!

And a blummin big bagfull of TIME........

David D

AndyB · « **Reply #35 on:** March 03, 2011, 04:16:04 PM »

David, Myers are slow to reply but helpful once you make contact.

Sorry about the lack of progress last weekend; got a new 125mm 3 jaw and spent the time machining the cast iron blank backplate.

It should overcome some of my holding problems!

AndyB · « **Reply #36 on:** April 25, 2011, 02:04:14 PM »

Hi all,

Still sorry for lack of progress...

Been putting up a 12' x 12' shed for her indoors.
I don't know...10 years ago I built a 16' x 18' garage to my own design. It seemed to go up in no time at all.

It took me 2 weeks just to dig out the base and concrete this one (had to clear loads of tree roots), then a week to strip and move it from its former location and another week to put it up in the garden (ok, it wasn't the whole of the week, just the spare time I have at weekends and evenings). A month to build a shed!!!!

I hate this getting old lark!!!!

I built it for her so I could clear the garage of the crap that had been dumped in there... saying nothing

Still, I have got my garage back, just got to sort it, then I can get back in the machine shop.

NickG · « **Reply #37 on:** April 29, 2011, 04:07:23 AM »

I had to do the same Andy, although mine is only an 8x6 - it's full though, can't imagine all that rubbish being in the garage now! If she ever starts dumping stuff in there I'll just stick another shed up, she'll soon realise it's eating up her garden

AndyB · « **Reply #38 on:** July 30, 2011, 04:10:36 PM »

Hi all,

The creature from the black latrine has re-entered the land of the living!

I tidied up my Photobucket album into sub albums and now they have gone from the log! Oh bugger!

I will have to reinsert them

Her indoors is happy with her shed but isn't doing anything with it yet...now why am I not surprised?

I have to be honest and admit to being frightened of continuing from where I had got to. There was so much that could go wrong so I had to build my confidence and exercise a whole load of prevarication!

One of my fears was tapping the 5BA holes so I hunted around and found a Champion Sensitive Drill...

This became the basis for a tapping tool just by making an interchangeable head...

I then drilled and tapped the base for the cylinder and inserted cut-down screws...making proper studs was a bit too fiddly!:

I cheated. The plan calls for 8 studs for the cylinder and 6 for the hot cap with 2 in close proximity on virtually the same diameter ring.
I set it all up in the Rotary Table and drilled right through both sets of 8 holes all of 22.5 degrees apart so no coming up against a stud coming the other way. The bottom ones can't be seen and there is a gasket between each anyway.

I made the cylinder liner which fits a treat! I am surprised!

From there I went to the flywheel bracket.
I took the advice given earlier about mounting on the face plate; found a centre and lined it up with a tailstock centre which took all of 5 minutes! I was very pleased. Set 2 changewheels as counterbalances and to brace the bracket.

Not a lot of room again here...

Faced the boss and centre drilled, and drilled out to 0.100" undersize ready for boring:

At this point I was told that my supper was nearly in the cat so had to retire for the night. The bore has to be spot on to take 2 press-fit needle roller bearings so I want more time and no pressure before I start.

AndyB · « **Reply #39 on:** July 31, 2011, 08:11:21 AM »

Another day...and I have done exactly what Bernie has done! Grrr....

Evidently the internal jaws on my lovely superdooper calipers overlap by 0.001 so my increments are 0.002 out (for the reason given in Bernie's project log)!

Oh well, find some 0.001 feeler guages and shim it up!

Having a cup of tea while I calm down.

AndyB · « **Reply #40 on:** July 31, 2011, 11:45:29 AM »

All is not lost

After hunting through my piles of 'junk' that will always be useful one day (despite what SWMBO says)..nothing suitable.
Asked a couple of mates...again no joy.

Then it hit me. Beer cans. Measured a Carlsberg can...exactly 0.003 thick!

My mate reckons this must now be probably the best engine in the world

Milled the flywheel bracket legs taking time to square up:

Put together loosely. Starting to look like a real one now

Stilldrillin · « **Reply #41 on:** July 31, 2011, 12:04:18 PM »

Nice work..... And a nice save Andy!

I wonder when/ if mine will ever progress.

David D

AndyB · « **Reply #42 on:** July 31, 2011, 02:31:28 PM »

Thanks David,

I am sure that yours will race along, particularly with your mill.

It seems to take me months of building the courage to take the next step.

I am milling in a lathe which has such a small table which frightens me somewhat, but I will figure it out. I am just not confident enough to go charging in with the limited workholding available. I do have an incredible sense of achievement though as this is my first engine.

It's funny, I will quite happily cut a Jacobs 1 taper or a 1 Morse taper that goes spot on which others seem to be daunted by, yet chicken out of stuff that everyone seems to take in their stride

Stilldrillin · « **Reply #43 on:** July 31, 2011, 03:49:48 PM »

Quote from: AndyB on July 31, 2011, 02:31:28 PM

It's funny, I will quite happily cut a Jacobs 1 taper or a 1 Morse taper that goes spot on which others seem to be daunted by, yet chicken out of stuff that everyone seems to take in their stride

I know exactly what you mean Andy! Lots of ops. phase me, until I grit me teeth........

Also.... Why have I had an all aft/ eve buzz/ high.......

When all I've done is to open an 18mm hole in Gold Blend's deck, and start on a slitting saw arbour......

Great hobby this, innit!

David D

BK · « **Reply #44 on:** August 10, 2011, 06:26:34 PM »

Quote from: AndyB on July 31, 2011, 08:11:21 AM

Another day...and I have done exactly what Bernie has done! Grrr....

Evidently the internal jaws on my lovely superdooper calipers overlap by 0.001 so my increments are 0.002 out (for the reason given in Bernie's project log)!

Oh well, find some 0.001 feeler guages and shim it up!

Having a cup of tea while I calm down.

Sorry Andy, but I had to have a giggle, it's not as if you weren't warned about that "extra" cut.

Coming along nicely, I still haven't lit a fire under mine.......yet!!

AndyB · « **Reply #45 on:** August 27, 2011, 02:45:03 PM »

Oh well,

Another day, another f*** up!

Snapped a 5BA tap off in the cylinder!

Fixed it though by breaking up the bits of tap in the hole, extending the hole with an end mill, then turning a plug to fit.

Got a replacement plug tap. Funny...not really plug taps are they? Got one now though by grinding the snapped one off flat

Got fed up of putting down Allen keys then having to sort through them all to find the right one...

Old computer hard drives have great magnets that just happen to screw onto a convenient bit of workshop

This means it took me all day to complete one little threading job

But that is the fun of it. Sense of achievement riding high again

Stilldrillin · « **Reply #46 on:** August 27, 2011, 05:54:44 PM »

Good to hear you finished the day on a high Andy!

Talking about holes in cylinders. Watch where this water pipe hole is situated.......

Not my work, and the flywheel o/d is only roughed. BUT........

I guess there's some re positioning to be done here!

David D.

AndyB · « **Reply #47 on:** August 28, 2011, 05:45:55 AM »

Thank you chaps.

BK; I forgot to thank you for the photo; it helps a great deal

David; a great many thanks for the heads up on the water outlet; I hadn't considered that yet but, knowing my luck, would do exactly the same!

This seems to be a popular engine engine to build judging by the number of people offering help and advice with photos...and I have to say

Andy

PS. Don't know how much I will get done today as Her Ladyship wants to go to Eye Show (near Diss)

AndyB · « **Reply #48 on:** September 13, 2011, 01:58:21 PM »

Been doing little bits, but got caught up with a

Some of you may have realised that I am daft about Drummond lathes although I am not sniffy about the Myford built M types after 1942.

Well, I found a long bed Myford M with the electric drive. It has had a hard but not very productive life; the back gear has been removed after whatever happened to knock a load of teeth off the bull wheel and small engagement gear (don't know what that one is called). The half nut has been attacked by whatever has been dragged along the leadscrew, but the leadscrew is almost perfect! Bed is great condition.

My hoard of bits has come into play (despite all SWMBO's comments to the contrary) and I have ended up with an almost brand new condition lathe...my 9th

I have done some more on the engine though.

The needle roller bearings for the flywheel bracket fir perfectly after my repair...

The walking arm bearings are in place, just need boring...

The power piston is on its way to being a fit in the liner, but I am taking that very slowly

I have found an ideal bearing plate to mount the flywheel onto the face plate; an old Harley Davidson clutch plate!

(from another box of bits that she said I ought to chuck out

) It has holes already drilled in just the right places

. I have used a friction plate so it will prevent slip against the aluminium...remembering the problems I had with the cylinder

Jasonb · « **Reply #49 on:** September 13, 2011, 02:22:17 PM »

Thought it was you who posted the flywheel pic on ME, comming along nicely

J

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Author Topic: Rider Ericsson Hot Air Engine (Read 70842 times)