Hello folks,
Here is a video of this engine running along with some other photos of some of the machining of the parts.
River Queen Open Column Launch Engine Video This is boring the holes in the head of version 1 of the cylinder. As I said in a previous post, I used mostly scrap materials for this project. This piece of steel was originally a counterweight on a desk lamp that was made in China. There were ten holes in this that had to be tapped, six 4-40 and four 6-32. I broke a tap in the last hole and had to make a new cylinder.
River Queen Open Column Launch Engine VideoVersion two was a success.
River Queen Open Column Launch Engine VideoThis is sizing one of the bearing blocks. The source of this material was a piece of 2 1/2 by 5/16 angle.
River Queen Open Column Launch Engine VideoHere is turning the brass valve.
River Queen Open Column Launch Engine VideoThis is facing the crankshaft. I am using my collet adapter shown here.
River Queen Open Column Launch Engine VideoI cobbed this together so that I could use a MT2 collet set in the MT4 spindle.
River Queen Open Column Launch Engine VideoI chose to drill the hole for the grub screw at an angle so that the outer surface of the flywheel would not have any hole in it.
Here is the video:
River Queen Open Column Launch Engine VideoThanks for all of your comments. I have not decided on the next project, I have a flame gulper engine about 3/4's complete. It uses a piece of 1" iron pipe for the cylinder. The plans came from an old issue of Popular Mechanics. I am having a problem finding some flat spring steel for part of the valve actuator but I have a workaround in mind. I also have a walking beam engine from a kit in process but I don't like the way that it is progressing so I may just put it aside for a while.
Jack
