My little engine (continued)

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Thanks Jason, that sounds good, and I already have 1/4" BSP taps….

I will want to connect to air to try it but when finished I'll be getting one of Stuarts' boilers and be running on steam, I've some reading up to do but thought of getting or making an 'Oil Trap' to maybe cut down on the mess for running indoors .. I would have one tap to buy either way so BSP sounds like the best bet…

So my info will now read..

1/8" BSP Thread (British Standard Pipe) – Tapping size – 8.8mm

1/4" BSP Thread (British Standard Pipe) – Tapping Size – 11.8mm

1/4 x 32 – ME Thread (Model Engineer) – Tapping Size 5.5mm (Displacement Lubricator)

Cheers

Garry

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I'd also just up the 1/2" and 5/8" boss diameters a little, say to 1/8" larger than the thread OD

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

ah Stuarts' tight castings sizes strikes again then – the flange boss as cast is reading 16.17mm so 1/8" larger than 1/4" BSP OD would give 16.32mm. So I'll need to stick to the original sizes I think.

Thanks anyway Jason it was interesting to compare the two.. I have an idea that Stuarts's casting sizes are closer to drawing size now than they used to be – I have seen a few comments from others mentioning this….

Cheers

Garry

[Mike BondarczukParticipant @mikebondarczuk27171]

It seems that Stuart's casting are getting even smaller as I have two of their kits, 10V and 10H, and in both cases am either just on dimension or even a little under.

Mike

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Just checking the sizes for the 1/2" BSB Thread as well and I make it that Stuart have allowed 0.3mm to remove the casting 'skin' to the finish 5/8" size – bit tight that I think. Its no wonder I don't make much mess….!

edit: Hi Mike, yes I have had one or two just very slightly under as well… I guess it makes building even more challenging, I've always seemed to have just about managed to date and for me it is just a very slight 'niggle' really as otherwise i can't fault them and am learning heaps from building..

Cheers

Garry

Edited By Garry_C on 13/10/2015 09:46:54

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Made a start on the Steam Inlet Flange today – I'll try not to duplicate the repetitive work and photo's here as I get these last two flanges done over the next few days…

Tapping 3/8" x 26tpi BSB Thread..

Cheers

Garry

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Some but not much progress with the Steam Inlet Flange – I've not touched this one at all with a file and will do the rest on the Mill and RT now… The hole for the Displacement Lubricator will be through the opposite side..

Cheers

Garry

Edited By Garry_C on 16/10/2015 15:31:49

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

You're going to use a Mill and a Radio Telephone (RT) to finish the flange?

(just kidding, taking cover now – must be Friday)

Looking good so far Garry. Cheers JD

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Cheers Jeff

Still edging slowly forward..

Setting up to fit the Steam Inlet flange centrally on the Steam Chest..

The unthreaded part of the supplied studs were too long for the 1/8" thickness of the flange so the 4BA threads had to be extended slightly.

The flange now ready to go onto the Rotary Table for milling to shape – hoping to do better this time…

Ready to drill for the Displacement Lubricator hole.

The Steam Chest tapped 1/4"x 32 tpi ME threaded hole for the Displacement Lubricator.

Cheers

Garry

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Garry, the flange does not usually but up tight against the chest/cylinder. There is a bit of a gap left so that as teh packing wears you can tighten the nuts up a little without having to repack each time. You should fit nuts and locknuts to stop things comming undone as a single nut will not have anything firm to tighten against.

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Thanks Jason, I'll have a look and see if I can find some half thickness ones for locknuts (as in your photo), I wouldn't have thought to do that. I presume that with these last two flanges for the Steam Inlet and Exhaust that I would just make some 'paper' gaskets to tighten down on to. Stuart have supplied a sheet (A4 Size or thereabouts I think) of 'gasket paper'..

That's a lovely looking engine and a great paint job.

Cheers

Garry

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

Hi Jason, great paintwork! What is the colour please? Also the supplier if possible, method of painting?

regards,

martin

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Garry, if there are no lock nuts supplied and you have any extra full nuts its easy enough to turn them down, just put a bit of threaded rod in the chuck, screw on a nut and a couple of light cuts will have then down to width.

I tend to use a liquid gasket but the supplied paper will do the job too.

Martin, bit about the painting here at end of post.

Primer is halfords grey or Upol "Acid 8" on the non ferrous parts, both rattle cans, Airbrish was an Iwata Neo for the green top coats.

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Thanks Jason that's another handy tip, no spare ones or supplied lock nuts unfortunately but if I can't find any half thick nuts to order for the final assembly I can get some standard ones and turn them down as you say…

Cheers

Garry

[BERT ASHTONParticipant @bertashton57372]

Hi Garry,

If you wish to buy some locknuts you could look at this site,

**LINK**

I have no connection apart from being a satisfied customer.

Bert Ashton

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Hi Bert

Thanks very much, just what I needed – so I've just ordered some and a few spares in different sizes as well..

Cheers

Garry

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

A couple of photo's of the finished Steam Inlet Flange. I'm quite pleased as it's better I think than my first effort, I need to have gone slightly lower with the cutter and cleaned up the steam chest surface a bit more with it but I'm getting a better idea of how to go about it…

Sorry too many photos of the same thing again…

Setting up to mill the Steam Inlet Flange.

Just finishing the final cut – but i've missed some of the Steam Chest surface, should be able to improve on that again next time now I realise what I should have done…. The Radius Milling cutter comes down to pretty small diameter at the end, almost a point in fact – which I've not been allowing for..

The finished Steam Inlet Flange 1.

The finished Steam Inlet Flange 2.

Almost getting there, hope to improve again in doing the Steam Exhaust Flange next..

Cheers

Garry

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

.. after a bit of experimenting and more 'learning on the job' I wanted to see if i could clean up the steam chest surface a bit using the mill and after trying a small 3mm flat end mill (which was not the thing to have done) and then back to the radius mill I can see I could have set it to come down onto the steam chest surface much lower without marking it….

I think I would have probably marked the end of the steam chest trying to clean with a file..I haven't done the ends and none of it really shows to the eye but am learning some useful things…. not sure I've come across having to machine down and 'blend' into another surface to date, may be wrong though..

Cheers

Garry

Edited By Garry_C on 19/10/2015 09:08:09

[Bob Brown 1Participant @bobbrown1]

I have done something similar but have a DRO on the mill so set the cutter to the depth of the surface with a piece of thin paper making sure not to cut the paper by moving it till I get a bit of drag. I then zero the Z axis and work to that taking the final cut at zero. It should be possible to do something similar with a stop on the Z axis.

Bob

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Garry, this is another reason I originally suggested a cutter with just the corners rounded as it will do the vertical, flat and fillet all in one seamless pass. Try it on the next engine

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Hi Bob

Thanks, I could maybe do with some thinner paper – I'm sure I read somewhere about an old tradition of using cigarette papers for such things. The paper I'm using for notes etc in the workshop is well over 2 thou thick, have to see what else I've got, but I think my main problem is as Jason says..

Hi Jason

I can see now why that makes complete sense… Thanks I will try and round off the corners of one of my ageing slot mills for the next engine..

I see now my 5mm 'radius cutter is really way too pointy for this job..

Next up is the Steam Exhaust Flange and Boss. I know its not critical here but the drawing says the Exhaust Hole should be 7/16" but as cast its already larger… So I thought I would just clean up the end of the hole with an appropriate slot mill – the interior slopes nicely up to the steam ports..

Ready to start machining the Exhaust Boss face..

Cheers

Garry

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Garry,

Blue Rizzla cigarette papers are ideal

Damp a piece on your tongue and it [the fag paper] will stick to the work for long enough.

MichaelG.

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Hi Michael

Thanks,I knew I seen that written down somewhere – that's great and I've just heard that they are about 1 thou thick which sounds ideal, I'll definitely get some…

[Pete if you read this – hint hint…plenty of cans in as well..]

Cheers

Garry

[BERT ASHTONParticipant @bertashton57372]

Garry,

I have smoked hand rolled fags for years, I buy my papers in bulk,

100 packs a time, so if you need a couple of packs inbox me your address

and I will pop them in the post.

Bert.

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Hi Bert, will do and thanks very much – that's one I owe you..!

Cheers

Garry

[Author]

Posts