My First Stationary Engine

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

This afternoon whilst going through a box of freebie offcuts which I was given some time ago and forgotten about I found a couple of offcuts marked up as Manganese Bronze.

I faced one piece and it machines nicely but is it a good bearing material like PB and are there any down sides to using it.

Edited By Ron Laden on 12/02/2020 20:03:00

[Paul KempParticipant @paulkemp46892]

Ron,

Manganese bronze is typically a high strength high hardness material, it's not really suitable for high speed bearings as although it is relatively low friction its hardness will make it more likely to wear the shaft if the the shaft is unhardene than PB. It's typically used for marine propellers, sometimes prop shafts in smaller sizes, worm gears and the like. Can be used for slow speed bearings such as bridge trunnions or rudder bearings where the shaft speed is low and the bearing load high – with good lubrication!

Have to add how great it is that you have made such progress from the first time you popped up on here asking about lathes, to setting up your shop, getting your mill and now turning out some nice work. Well done!

Paul.

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Thanks Paul for the info on the Manganese Bronze, it may come in for something one day..

I must admit just over a year ago I would never have dreamt I would be able to do what I,m doing now, but a lot of it is down to all the help I have had from some of you guys here on the forum. I think you can read all the books there is and they do help but there is nothing like advice from people with a wealth of practical experience and knowledge.

Ron

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

I just purchased my first ever casting, I think on the quiet I must be a make it from bar stock man..lol

I thought an iron flywheel would do the little engine justice and look more the part rather than knock something up so I got a 3" x 1/2" wheel from Stuarts. I was hoping the casting would look like the one pictured on their website, well I wasnt disappointed in fact I was surprised at how good it is.

Set it up on the 3 jaw and just 0.6mm skimmed and trued the rim, 0.3mm cleaned the rim edges and 0.5mm faced and turned the boss. Ten minutes with the dremel cleaned off the spoke flashing which was very slight.

I dont know if Stuart flywheel castings are always as true and clean as this but I am certainly impressed.

[geoff walker 1Participant @geoffwalker1]

I dont know if Stuart flywheel castings are always as true and clean as this but I am certainly impressed.

Hi Ron

Well occasionally they are defective but the great thing about stuart castings is that they would rarely supply you with one. Even if they did and you found it to have flaws when machining they would send you an instant replacement. Excellent company.

Unfortunately for me I bought one second hand on *bay and it was full of air holes revealed after machining. Lesson learned always buy from stuart models. The old adage, "buy cheap buy twice" applies

Geoff

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I did the CAM last night to hopefully cut the flywheel for mine from solid, it looks good on the screen at least!

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Thanks Geoff, I would certainly buy from them again, I need a pair of 100mm wheels for the Jowitt but they dont list that size in the normal flywheel range but I havnt checked their engine range of wheels yet.

Jason, can I take it the flywheel you have programmed is for the little oscillator with the reverse mechanism you have designed, I know you said you were considering making one.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Yes, wanted to do a small curved spoke one to match my other Muncaster but have gone for four spokes this time.

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Look forward to seeing that Jason, my engine is finished I will put up a short video a bit later.

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Finished, maybe not perfect but I am reasonably happy with it for my first engine, even happier that it runs ok. I have learnt quite a few things in making it so thats good.

I turned a steel plinth to offer some stability when running, seems to help up to mid speed.

A couple of pics and a short bit of video of it running.

Ron

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Looks good with a splash of colour Ron.

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Well the wife likes the look of the little engine, she even suggested finding a place for it on a shelf indoors, now that was a surprise.

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Having just given all the brass on the engine a good polish is there any means of treating it to maintain the finish. I was thinking of some kind of clear lacquer or does that breakdown over time.

[David NobleParticipant @davidnoble71990]

Nice job Ron.

David

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Ron Laden on 22/02/2020 07:43:27:

Well the wife likes the look of the little engine, she even suggested finding a place for it on a shelf indoors, now that was a surprise.

She likely would prefer it on static display rather than the intermittent (or continuous) compressor noise.🙂

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Ron Laden on 14/02/2020 09:27:59:

…

I must admit just over a year ago I would never have dreamt I would be able to do what I,m doing now, but a lot of it is down to all the help I have had from some of you guys here on the forum. I think you can read all the books there is and they do help but there is nothing like advice from people with a wealth of practical experience and knowledge.

Ron

I agree, but you also have talent!

I've long realised others on the forum do better work than me, and would love to know the secret. Good eye-hand coordination must help, and maybe a quick appreciation of how to get the best out of materials and the tools to hand. Plus being able to tackle new jobs by joining the dots on previous experience.

Deep down I already know the answer. My biggest fault is not taking pains. I rationalise by explaining I don't make things where the finish matters, which is not wrong, but the fact is I can do much better work if I knuckle-down and concentrate. Normally though, my attention wanders about 80% through any job, and I have a bad habit of rushing at the end.

Logically, I know it's wrong, emotionally I can't help myself. I'm a Jekyll and Hyde, starting in full tool-room professional mode, but then gradually turning into Slack Alice. I shall never be a Ron, or a Jason and Cherry Hill is completely safe!

The late John Stevenson would have advised taking up knitting instead. I'm even more hopeless at that…

Dave

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

S O D –

Couldn't have put it better myself! So, why do we do it? For me it's the mental exercise (often unresolved). plus an unending delight in, and lust for, tools! … at one time 12 (!!!) lathes (now down to 5 or 6, drills, mills (even 6 Stanley 'pumper' screwdrivers!) – it's a form of madness undoubtedly, (not helped by Lidls' tools range) , but …. mainly enjoyable, especially when the very occasional project turns out to be useable or, even, useful!

Keep up the mediocre work – it makes the others look better!

rgds

Bill

Edited By Cornish Jack on 15/03/2020 10:31:32

[Phil H1Participant @philh196021]

Posted by Ron Laden on 15/03/2020 08:13:09:

Having just given all the brass on the engine a good polish is there any means of treating it to maintain the finish. I was thinking of some kind of clear lacquer or does that breakdown over time.

Ron,

I bought a product called MetalGuard Ultra from ARC. Jason on here gave me the tip. I used it on a small stationary engine and the tarnish has stayed away so far. It cost less than £20 including postage

It smells to me like a wax polish in some kind of solvent but I have no idea what it actually is. I applied it with a cotton bud. The solvent evaporates and leaves a very thin (2 micron) transparent layer on any metal. It suggests it is an anti rust coating but says it works on all metals.

Phil H

[Phil H1Participant @philh196021]

Ron,

A couple of other points. If you buy a tin, it looks like it will go a very long way i.e., you would need to get in to mass production with your engines to use it up.

It is supposed to provide up to 2 years protection. I would imagine a quick wipe and recoat some time in the future and you will be away with it.

I think it is better than varnish or lacquer because they tend to add thickness to the surface of the parts which seems to get in the way.

It actually smells really nice. I think so anyway.

Phil H

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember19781]

[This posting has been removed]

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

Not only is that engine very beautiful to look at, it sounds like the Jetson's car.

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Thanks guys and thanks Phil and Bill for the pointer to the MetalGuard I will get some on my next ARC order.

Ron

[AdrianRParticipant @adrianr18614]

You can also get it from Axminster

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember19781]

[This posting has been removed]

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Cornish Jack on 15/03/2020 10:30:55:.

…

Keep up the mediocre work – it makes the others look better!

rgds

Bill

Hadn't thought of it that way Bill, but you're right. At exhibitions it's possible to walk past wonderful work without spotting just how good it is. Looking at one made by me first would bring out a well-made model's true qualities.

It's a marvellous a business opportunity! For a price Sloppy Duffer Ltd will sell semi-skilled lazy models to anyone who needs to make their version of same look good!

I can offer:

• Saw, file marks and scrapes
• Broken taps left in holes
• Obvious body filler
• Soft soldering and Brazing done with insufficient heat on dirty metal with the wrong flux
• Perfectly finished mirror image parts
• Leaks, with badly run bent pipework.
• Electrical bad practice of all kinds
• Paint runs, wrinkles, and bubbles tastefully executed in the wrong colour with fingerprints
• Inappropriate fixtures and fittings. Screw-slots chewed and hexagons rounded. Giant metric bolts substituted for tiny imperial rivets a speciality,
• Holes wrongly placed and sized
• Wheels that don't touch the rails
• Oval gearwheels with an extra ½ tooth
• Taper bored piston cylinders
• A collection of left-over parts that can't be fitted without completely disassembling the whole model.
• Many other eye-catching errors guaranteed to annoy judges and public alike.

My fortune is made!

Dave

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