I've more or less finished the drawing for the grasshopper engine for my series of Helping Dad Engines for beginners'. I used the free down load of the draft site cad package and I must say I was very impressed with it.

This is the assembly drawing of the engine. Its roughly based on a haulage engine of the 1850 that on show at the Manchester museum of science and industry. Being a haulage engine it has a simple slip eccentric so being able to run in both direction will add interest, the eccentric as I've designed it should be very simple to make, ideal for a beginner. One part that has held me up with the design was sourcing a suitable fly wheel all of the readily available cast fly wheel were far to heavy a clumpy for this engine, so I decided on a laser cut blank, that was about the same price as a casting, with about the same amount of machining.

I Have made a start of cutting metal the fly wheel and most of the cylinder is made, I've just got to crack on and get the rest done.

Cheers

Stew

Edited By Stewart Hart on 06/09/2015 09:31:28

Hi Neil

Jason's correct, I had the wheel cut by Laser Master in Cornwall and they are willing to supply wheels to any one who wants them to my drawing. I don't have any commercial arrangement with them just a satisfied customer, they delivered the wheel one week after I placed the order and the quality was spot on.

Stew

Edited By JasonB on 07/09/2015 07:23:20

Made a little bit of progress

Finished the beam, and the con rod and the cylinder off

Stew

Bin a bit delayed with this engine short holiday and domestic duties, but this morning I cobbled it together not all the nuts and studs are their so noting sealed, and didn't fit the fly wheel but I gave it a go anyway and it ran.

I'll strip it down now and finish it off properly with a paint job and a base plus a few other whistles and bows.

Thanks for looking

Edited By Stewart Hart on 26/10/2015 11:08:17

Edited By Stewart Hart on 26/10/2015 11:08:58

Hi:- OK here's another video with the fly wheel fitted along with two main bearing with all the nuts and bolts connected and most of the leaks fixed.

Stew

Hi John

I did submit it but it was never published probably because I’d had a couyof similar engines published and things were getting repetitive. If you want a set of drawings just send me a pm with your email address I’ll send you them

cheers

stew