Stuart ‘Victoria’ : a beginners tale..

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Seems a while since I updated. I'm not sure how long info stays on here before getting deleted so thought I would say I haven't disappeared..

A trio of things conspiring against me making more progress lately, but back to normal shortly I hope. Time and finding I needed to mill my new 'old faithful' vice all over to be able to use it being two – it was considerably out in every conceivable way it seemed, but I don't think it was sold as a 'precision' job so I'm not complaining and its fine now.

The third being me thinking I would do the levers, something simple while time was difficult – I wish, found again the rounding of the ends difficult with a file (found them a bit small to hold and try on the mill again) and the lack of a small enough centre drill making the hole drilling accuracy poor again. So reading about using 'filing buttons' I have been experimenting and for certain this is the way (for me anyway) to do such things and surprisingly very quick and easy – and I've ordered a few small centre drills, BS1, 2 and 3, wasn't quite sure of the sizes so hope these will be useful and much smaller than I have already got..

Hoping now the 'simple' rounding off of corners wont come back to haunt me again in the future – I guess some will laugh but there it is…

Should be posting again soon..

Regards

Allan.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Allan there is no limit on how long a post stays on teh forum, they are all here from day one. So no need to rush or post if you have not made ant progress.

J

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Thanks Jason thats good to know.

Cheers

Allan

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Day 33.

Just a small update – The Valve Operating Block.

The Valve Operating Block Drawing.

The Slide Valve Brass Stamping as supplied.

May need to skim this when it comes to assembly..

The Brass Bar supplied for the Valve Operating Block which I milled to length – needs a bit of de-burring in this photo..

Testing the Valve Operating Block for length in the Slide Valve.

Tapping the Valve Operating Block 5BA.

The Finished Valve Operating Block in the Slide Valve.

Regards

Allan.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Allan,

Very neat.

It may not be obvious, but the nut needs to be an easy sliding fit in the valve, to make sure the valve seals easily. I can't tell if your nut is free or a firm fit.

The cavities in the pressed stuart valves are accurate, for my 10V I just had to polish the base on fine wet & dry over a hard surface. You might tidy up the edge closest to the camera in that last picture but take care not to depart from the dimensions.

Neil

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Hi Neil

Thanks very much. Yes the block / nut is an easy sliding fit – but I would not have known it needed to be..

Cheers.

Allan.

[Steve WithnellParticipant @stevewithnell34426]

There is still not a chip or drip of oil anywhere!

Leaves me very ashamed…

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Day 34.

The Levers.

This has been a great exercise from a total beginners perspective I think, and with hindsight it may have been better to have started out with these as there are some of the very basic skills needed overall – not least (off Lathe) the ability to drill a hole accurately and go straight through and also the rounding off of Lever Ends / Corners, also accurately drilling steel (with my kit anyway) was a whole different ball game from drilling the softer castings. To say initially I found it difficult would be an understatement! The end result is far from good, but at least I have hopefully a method to arise from it to practice with in the future….

The Lever Drawing – they look something of nothing I know..

The initial failed attempts – have a free laugh on me!

Following these disasters it was obvious I needed a different approach namely some filing buttons, centre drill and wiggler…

I resorted to drilling one of them on the Lathe (with great result first time and it was quick and easy) – but I felt I should be able to do off Lathe as well…

Drilling the Filing Buttons.

The Filing Buttons.

Rounding off the Lever ends.

The Finished Levers. The Filing Buttons, Centre Drill and using a Wiggler to line up the drill made a big difference from the initial attempts without them..

Regards

Allan.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Alan its usual to hold the part and not the buttons, that way when the file touches the button it acts like a roller and stops the file going any further. Just thread the ends of a bit of 1/8" rod 5BA and use them as an Axle for the buttons, some nuts on the end will save the buttons falling off.

You possibly also need to file a bit further round the curve as your 1/8" radius does not quite flow smoothly into the straight section, almost looks like your buttons are a little large as distance from edge of hole to end is greater than that to the edge.

J

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Jason

What is your policy on hardening the filing buttons – I have heard it advocated but do you think it a good idea?

N

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

None of mine are hardened, just knock up a couple more when they become worn

[Steve WithnellParticipant @stevewithnell34426]

I've always hardened filing buttons – if they act like rollers as described there is no issue I think? If they are left soft the file will damage them.

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Hi Jason

Thanks for that, yes the buttons were oversize – but I was happy this time just to successfully try the method and get the improvement from the initial attempts but next time will try as you suggested, and turn them to the right size..

Cheers

Allan.

[Anonymous]

I never harden filing buttons, they're a disposable item, use once and recycle it – Andrew

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Some of my filing buttons are case hardened, the rest are un hardened. Ian S C

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Day 35.

The Pulley.

The hardest parts here (for me) was perhaps having to fit the reversible jaws in the 3 Jaw chuck, took ages to get them to engage all together, also truing up the end recess's using the tools I had….

The Pulley Drawing.

The Pulley casting as supplied.

Cleaning up and facing the Pulley casting.

Drilling the central hole in the Pulley.

Checking the Crankshaft for size in the Pulley.

The only tool I had to fit in truing up the outside of the Pulley Boss this side was a Parting Off tool.

Using a small Boring Tool to true up the end recess in the Pulley, it just about fitted through. The Parting tool was too deep beneath the cutting edge for this side of the recess.

Using a Parting Tool to do the Pulley grooves.

Using reverse gear on the Lathe to true up the other end recess in the Pulley, tuning on the back edge of the Pulley Boss (this was the only Parting Tool I had to fit in the recess – it would not fit the front edge of the longer Boss on this end). The reversible chuck jaws holding the Pulley.

Lining up the drill to drill at Centre over the Pulley boss for the grubscrew hole.

Using a Centre Drill to start the Pulley grubs crew hole.

Tapping the Pulley grubscrew hole 5BA.

The finished Pulley 1.

The finished Pulley 2.

Regards.

Allan.

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Allan

You might find it easier to fit the jaws if you first remove the chuck from the lathe and lay it, back down, on the bench. Insert the key and, viewing the No1 slot, turn it until the end of the spiral thread appears. Turn it back a fraction , insert the jaw and push it forward as far as it will go. Carry on turning the key whilst ensuring that No1 jaw is moving inwards and watch for the end of the scroll to appear in the slot for No2 jaw. Continue as above and repeat for No. 3 jaw. Easier, I find, than trying to do it whilst the chuck is mounted.The way I describe is, as they say, simples!

Norman

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Allan,

I'm assuming your problem isn't getting un-numbered jaws out of order (if it is just swap any two over, and accept you won't know which one is 'number 1' except by trial and error).

A completely different way to Norman's – fit all three jaws without turning the scroll. Pushing jaws in (easiest on smaller chucks!) tighten enough for all three to engage. If one or two jaws protrude, wind the scroll out whilst pushing the offending jaw(s) inwards. The jaw(s) click into position as the end of the scroll goes past, now reverse the direction again ensuring they are kept pushed in until fully engaged.

Neil

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Hi Neil & Alan

It's easy to see which is which jaw even if they aren't numbered ( although if they are not I recommend that you do so PDQ!).

Here is a picture of the O/S jaws from my 3- jaw Grip-Tru. – quite different as you will see.

If you get the wrong jaw in the wrong slot or the jaws in the right slot but scroll picking up the wrong jaw first you are scuppered!

Cheers

Norman

Edited By NJH on 12/11/2013 18:25:42

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Hi Neil and Norman.

Thanks, I'm pleased to have both new methods to try – i was trying to hold and push in all 3 jaws together while at the same time turning the chuck key, pure luck I finally got them in… The jaws and chuck are stamped with the numbers. Have a feeling I may have no choice but to replace the chuck before too long as the chuck key seems to be getting very stiff to turn – at the same point when closing or opening. If so it would be a bit disappointing as it's only a few months old, but maybe just a bit of dirt in the wrong place and it will clear…

Thanks again.

Cheers

Allan.

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Hi Allan

Although much reviled this IS a good case for the ubiquitous WD40! Take the jaws out, lie it on its back, then give a generous squirt of WD40 whilst rotating the scroll. If there is any crud then a tooth brush will help to remove it ( but, as it will taste awful afterwards, – use the wife's ) Don't forget too the slides and recesses in the jaws. Is it tight to rotate the scroll with the jaws removed? If it is faulty after just a few months I would make a speedy call to the supplier and firmly request ( demand?) a replacement. A lathe chuck should last for years – even with the impressive rate that you are progressing your project!

Cheeers

Norman

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Cheers Norman, I'll have a go at that tomorrow..

Allan.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Sticking in the same place could be a particle 'pinned' (i.e. embedded) in the scroll at some point, the toothbrush may work it out, but you may also need to find it and push it out with a scriber or similar. I had exactly this issue with a chuck and a clean fixed it.

Neil

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to Norman and Neil – I had a look at the chuck this morning, with the jaws removed it all looked clean, no dirt on the jaws or scrolls that I could see anyway. So it looked ok, it was all covered in a coat of what I thought was dirty / old oil – gave it all a 'wash' with WD40 back to the 'bare' metal and tried it again, the difference was amazing, not a hint of stiffness / binding! I seem to remember that there was a slight stiffness from new so maybe a bit of this was me not cleaning down properly after delivery, but it seems perfect now.

and the jaws went straight in together no problem..

Thanks very much again both.

Cheers.

Allan.

[GarryCParticipant @garryc]

Day 36.

The Bridge Rod.

Really struggled big time with this – and it looks so simple.. Again I think a really great beginners exercise though.

The bar supplied was the correct useable diameter leaving just the ends to turn, unfortunately I messed this up and had to use a larger diameter bar thus meaning I had to turn the whole length. If the Rod had been a larger diameter I don't think I would have had any problems but the small size was the killer here.. It took me four attempts to get it right or at least useable..

The first two attempts I tried to do with the intention of parting off and using just the 'one chuck session' but a combination of the bar flexing, me taking too heavy a cut I think and not being able to use either a tailstock centre (half) or the steady. The centre because the diameter was too small to get the centre in far enough to make use of the 'half flat' so I couldn't get the tool in and the steady supporting at the end getting in the way of the Lathe saddle.. I don't think there was room for a travelling steady..

So the method used (I would love to know how I should have done this) – I faced off to size allowing 3mm extra each end to put in a centre drill (not realising at the time I would't be able to use it). Then (without a tailstock support) turned each of the diameters keeping as close to the chuck as possible, but the overhang with such a small diameter meant very light cuts (couple of thou) and several passes on the same setting checking for taper each time before going on to the next cut – the end result was a 2.5 thou taper end to end in both of the main diameters, I couldn't get it any better than that with the ( I assume wrong) method used… It seems to fit nicely though in both the Bridge and Levers..

The Bridge Rod Drawing. I guess they don't come much simpler looking than this..

Facing Off the Bridge Rod.

Turning the Bridge Rod 1.

Turning the Bridge Rod 2.

Facing off the Bridge Rod to length (removing the Centre Drill hole).

The Completed Bridge Rod.

Test Fitting the Bridge Rod.

Regards

Allan.

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