The Workshop Progress Thread 2024

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Let members know what you have been upto in the workshop using this thread.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Anyone else done anything this week?

I managed to find this within a piece of 2″ x 1/2″ flat bar, just need to work out what to do with the remaining 86% that turned into swarf.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Was it filing with buttons or some other esoteric technique?

Expiring minds want to know 🙂

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Right hand end was rounded with Rotary table, I seldom use buttons for this unless the hole is too small to adequately hold the part.

As for the rest, initial holes drilled, tapped & reamed in the manual mill, bit of CNC for the more organic shapes, back in the manual mill to remove stock used to hold it on the CNC and also the right hand hole. Final bit of needle file work and a “shoeshine” with strips of emery.

First Adaptive to rough out one side on the CNC

2Nd Adaptive with smaller 4mm cutter and finishing “scallop” passes at 0.2mm stepover with a 4mm ball nose to complete one side

Similar on the flip side

Last bits on the manual, milling almost right through

[Jim NicParticipant @jimnic]

Although I have very little interest in CNC machining myself it is the modern way and I have to admire the processes that Jason devises to make such amazing parts as that shown above.  Well done Jason, please keep these postings coming, they will always draw admiring thoughts from me.

Jim

[Andy StopfordParticipant @andystopford50521]

Today’s “achievement” came close to scrapping several hours’ work when I started tapering the con-rod for my Minnie in the wrong direction:

I blame being distracted by Woman’s Hour. I realised just in time and was able to salvage it:

(The taper is now as it should be, even though it doesn’t look it in the photo)

[Jim Nic]

On Jim Nic Said:

… Well done Jason, please keep these postings coming …

+1 from me 

That’s a lovely example for the debate that was active when I worked for BAe Army  Weapons … is it worth producing castings, when we can do this ?

MichaelG.

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

Been a week of doing ‘tangential’ stuff – made a couple of angle blocks / templates, spent one session doing nothing but wiping rust off things and just running all the machinery.. ..did manage to drill the small-end holes in the piston yoke and conrod for the flame-licker, tho’..

Been a lot of tree corpses to clear up here, latter part of the week – just as well, I see it’s now  snowing..

Jason, what is that part? ..if it’s not secret..

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Thanks All I’ll keep um coming.

The part is the top beam for the 1/5th scale Denny Improved Ericsson hot air engine I’m building.

Quick lash up to see how it looks, ignore the rear links as the crank arm is not fixed on that side. Mark may like to know that the ends of the brass links were rounded with filing buttons as the holes are only 1.6mm dia so did not think a M1.6 screw upto the side milling loads.

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

..that’s a lot of joints and pivots to keep snug-but-slick.. ..rather you than me – look forward to seeing more, it looks an interesting one..

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

A few more links and a yoke made.

With a bit of time to spare today I thought I would do the top plate of the Denny’s displacer piston, this is a piece of 35mm dia thin wall brass tube with plates silver soldered onto each end. Th etop plate needs to have a couple of M3 tapped holes for grubscrews so it can be clamped to the piston rod so two webs were left which will be drilled and tapped after soldering.

 

I did not worry too much how the bottoms of the recesses looked as they will be inside the piston and never seen. If they were visible I would have left 0.2mm or so on the bottom of the adaptive cuts and then finished with a pocket path that leaves a more visually appealing pattern. Cutting details in the description when watched on Youtube.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I turned a bit of maple to a firm fit inside the thin wall brass so I could hold it without crushing while turning the ends true.

Then soldered up the parts before finally drilling and tapping the grub screw holes

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

I turned a bit of maple

I’ve been doing some woodwork – A stand for my pointy stick:

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

And further progress with the workshop is an upgrade to the metrology department.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Just to prove I do something practical now and again, progress on my Battery loco (an LNER Y3 lookalike). Just need to spot through and drill for the bolts to connect the 3 cornered ally bits to the stretchers. Coordinate drilling with the DRO is magic. It just went together, no unplanned slotting of holes. Next is axleboxes and suspension

 

[Richard BParticipant @richardb44403]

FAo Jack Hobson,

 

Really like the rope work on the handle of the sword – how do you do it ?  bind the cord and then stitch the bundles in the centre ?

I’m making an axe for the local G&S Society – Mikado and would like to do similar if possible.

Also I need to make a Snicker Snee – a sort of shorter sword with a flat ended blade I think – it will not be sharp though !

Richard B.

PM me if you like.

[Richard B]

On Richard B Said:

Really like the rope work on the handle of the sword – how do you do it ?

FYI mine is really badly done, but an authentic attempt.

Plenty of things on Youtube If you look for Tsukamaki.

All you need and more in: The Art of Tsukamaki: Pocket Edition ISBN-10 1505226147.

I used ‘silk’. I’m not sure it is (but it was priced as silk). It is not nice. Use cotton or leather. In theory you need lots of paper wedges to stop it unwrapping but I suspect leather might not need it. Or superglue it.

Paracord wrapped handles are nice.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

With the furnace removed so I could use a temporary burner in place and some air blowing through the jacket for cooling I got the Denny running for the first time. Bit of compressor noise just at the start.

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

..looks good and sounds great with all that motion in it – looking back there was a lot of interesting ‘stuff’ in that build, saw us all through the (forums) darkest days..

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Cleaned up a Quorn. Might be useful. A few bits to make so a nice mini project (not like making the whole thing!!).

 

Also a nice little pillar drill. A bit too much runout I think to be truly great. But it looks nice. Variable speed DC motor.

 

 

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I had enough bits done of the latest engine to give it a wiff of air and it seems to be doing OK on 5psi

It’s the small Clarkson horizontal redrawn in metric to 24 x 38 with all the issues on the old drawings addressed. Few more minor bits to do before adding a lick of paint. It’s a nice alternative to the usual Stuart as a first casting kit and Blackgates will soon be able to supply it with a copy of my drawings.

No gland packing, gaskets or piston ring at this stage. Also the additional flywheel rim is not fixed which is why it looks a bit wobbly and starts to rub the base casting towards the end.

 

Ps another use for 1-2-3 blocks and standing on a “good-e-nuff” surface plate

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