Stuart No 4 Steam Engine

[f350ca]

Thanks for the replies, the only plain bearings I make require grease and then you need minimum 5-6 thou to get it to pump in.
There will be oilers on the caps, forgot to drill and thread them when they were in the mill. Another oops.

[f350ca]

Other paying projects have been hampering progress/
Found a small bronze bushing to make some parts out of. They came out of a seismic vibrator, wiegh about 50 pounds.




This is the forward reverse handle.



And the link the handle swings.

[f350ca]

The weather here is cold and snowing so spent a couple of days in the shop.
Made the links that connect to the quadrant, then had to make bolts. Used 1/4 stainless turned to 1/8th and threaded     5-40. made the locking nuts at the same time.
That dent in the boss was from the vice, looks a lot worse than it is.






Then tackled the quadrant.
Used a sacrificial plate on the rotary table and pinned it.



Made the block that slides in it at the same time. Need to do a little file work on the ends of the slot.

[TomG]

Looking good, Greg.  

That cast bronze is super soft. It's difficult to hold without marking it.

Tom

[f350ca]

Thanks Tom,
The piece came from that big bronze bushing, its actually quite hard, I was ham fisted when i tightened the vice attempting to hold the part by that edge while I cut the tapper in the arm. Totally my bad.

[f350ca]

This thing is eating up my precious time, bloody thing is addictive. 
The intake ports were cored in the cylinder but entered the steam chest too far apart. Had to cut the openings in toward the center exhaust port. That meant the valve wouldn't cover them.


Cut a thin slice off a scap of cast iron and ground it to .1 thick them cut the ports with the correct spacing. This will go between the cylinder and the valve chest.





Made the connecting rod today from the supplied casting. The drawing shows the journal split across the center, decided to step the joint to locate the haves rather than rely on the bolts.


Starting to look like an engine.

[Hawkeye]

Good solution on the port spacing. I'm glad I don't have one of those engines. It would definitely be addictive ...on the other hand, I really should start the research on designing my hit-and-miss engine.

[TomG]

Nice work Greg.

Devising innovative solutions to unforeseen problems and difficult to machine parts is what machining is all about.

Tom

[f350ca]

The kit came with castings for the valve rods but they look bulky, almost as heavy as the piston rod, so thought I'd try making a lighter looking set.
Still need to fashion the offset clevises for the ends.

[TomG]

One word, Greg...Elegant!

Tom