SHED MATTERS 2

[micktoon]

Looks good to me Stanley , not sure a lot of people's wives would appreciate it mind The castings should arrive today so hope they are up to scratch.
I notice Jack has sneaked a snuggle on your chair lol.
Cheers Mick

[Stanley]

Hermes delivered at 13:00 today. I've done a quick check and there is enough meat in them..... No more excuses!

[Stanley]

The Design Committee met during the night and have been planning how we go forward.

[Stanley]

A bit of bleeding obvious advice first.... If you're thinking of building an engine it's always good to give what you are doing some thought especially when making the cylinder and valves and fitting them. This is the heart of the engine and it's so easy to make mistakes. You might wonder why I have this cylinder mounted on an expanding mandrel.... I have two of these, this one and a larger one and when I first came to use them found they were useless because they were nowhere near true. I suspect that at some time someone had either made a very bad job of truing them or got the jaws mixed up with similar mandrels. Anyway I mounted them in the lathe and ground the holding bars concentric with the toolpost grinder while under pressure holding a good solid ring so I am pretty sure of their accuracy. Now I know that the bore is exactly at right angles don't I, but no harm in making sure!



It was a good job I did! Sarah's was 2 thou out and Debs slightly more...



A quick skim off each of them taking the minimum of metal off



The result was two perfect faces as close to accuracy as I can make them. Now for the castings.



I decided to start with the steam chests and lids. Note that all I am doing is looking for square faces with the casting skin cut off, sizing can come later when I am sure I have no casting flaws to deal with.



When I had the first two slides square on each chest I could start on the adjacent faces knowing I could hold them absolutely square. I got one face finished on the first casting before knocking off. No rush, quietly and carefully....

[Stanley]

I started the day by taking my faulty barometer to bits to see why it wasn't working. I found that the bottom line was that it is so badly made that the mechanism has given up the ghost so I scrapped it, cut the neck off because it has a thermometer in it and moved on.....



Back to my onions. I finished the big faces on the second steam chest and then set up to mill the ends off square. Still looking for clean and square, not bothering about size, all I want is to get the outer skin off and mill any flaws out.



When I'd milled the first end I checked it and found it wasn't quite square, the vise must have shifted. So I used a precision square and the dial indicator to set it perfectly square. Then I took a skim off the defective end and milled the other end.



I checked the result and it's close enough for me.



I'd done two and a half hours so I set the second chest up for squaring off and knocked off for the day.

[Stanley]

I was a bit late getting into the shed this morning.... The first thing I did was to sharpen the 3/4" cutter that has taken the skin off the steam chests, then I rescued another cutter because I am getting a bit far down the two I use all the time, they don't last forever!



Then back to my onions, finishing squaring the ends of the chests.



Both chests externally squared, now for the insides.....



I used the same cutter I had done the ends with, it has reasonably sharp flutes. I can't get right into the corners but I can attend to that when I have taken the meat out and got most of the metal out.



Looking at it again I am wondering whether I could take some more out.... I'll give it a bit of thought.



I cleaned the vice up and revealed what I already knew had happened. One of the problems with side milling is that the cutters tend to creep in the chuck. I missed the fact that this was happening and I've milled a nice but totally unwanted pattern in the base of the vise jaw! Not best pleased..... I shall retire hurt and do a bit of measuring, then I'll decide whether to complete the internal milling using the same cutter....

[micktoon]

Hi Stanley, looks like its all going well until I saw your vice , I bet the air was blue when you spotted that ! bloody good vice too, you should be able to repair it with that JB weld type stuff I would think though ?
It sounds like the casting must be ok so far anyway so fingers crossed there will be no hidden surprises with them. Hope you have a better day tomorrow .What size are the milling cutters your wearing out as I have some random dull cutters that could be sharpened up.
Cheers Mick

[Stanley]

I'll most likely leave it alone Mick. I can still get a level on what's left and any welding will almost certainly distort the casting. It will remind me to be more careful.
Any cutters will be very welcome, Up to 3/4" shank diameter.... The ability to sharpen cutters is great but they shrink! I have found another cutter with a standard 3/4" shank which I think will do better. I have and idea that the slightly under-size shank on the one I was using is at the root of the problem. Onwards and upwards!

[Stanley]

The change of cutter worked well and it was only a matter of careful light cuts to get both chests to this stage. The slight un-milled shop in each top corner is not material.



The next job was to size the chests to the valve faces. I used the freshly skimmed front face as the register and set the cylinders and chests up on the surface plate after marking each chest with S&D so I keep them matched. A good coat of layout ink....



I clamped the assemblies together, adjusted them so I was sure they registered on the plate and were central and then marked them both.



I made a decision early on not to machine the cylinder castings any more than I had to and consequently the edges of the valve face aren't dead square. I shall mill the chests to the smallest dimension and perfectly square. This makes it easier to get a good fit to the lids and this is what will catch the eye when the engines are finished, not the junction of the chest with the casting.



The cutter is newly sharpened, off we go...



By closing time I had done the two long sides of Debs chest..... Not a bad morning.....

[Stanley]

I woke the old war wound up in my right arm yesterday.... If I am AWOL you'll know why!
Later at 11:00. Apologies to Debs and Sarah, I decided to give my shoulder TLC. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

[Stanley]

My shoulder is still sore but I decided to get on with it. I was in the shed at 07:00 and spent the first half hour addressing one of the reasons my shoulder is bad. For a while now I have been conscious of the fact that the traverse on my mill was getting tight at one end so this morning I bit the bullet, took the gib out and ground some off the offending end. Than a good oiling and back together. I'm happy to report it's much better but could perhaps do with a bit more off. I shall let it settle down and take a view later.



By half past seven I was addressing Sarah's steam chest.



An hour later and both long sides were done.



The long cutter in and the remaining end on both squared off.



By 09:00 I had two valve chests which, considering I haven't tried to square the sides of the castings, fit remarkably well, they will certainly do! Note that I have left the most meat in the left hand (front) end of each casting because this is where the gland has to be installed for the valve rod. But that was enough for this morning, I need to do some serious measuring. So I cleaned up and vacuumed not only the shed carpet but the kitchen. Those brass chips get everywhere!

[micktoon]

Hi Stanley, glad to see your shoulder has not stopped you too much but don't go daft on it mind. Worth the effort addressing the mill gib, it might help your shoulder in the future. Looks like all fitting up well so far , lovely job.
Cheers Mick

[Stanley]

Just a couple of small inclusions but they'll never see them off the Ribble.... Work on milling cutters, parting tools and big bearing shells for parallels. Remember the set of castings for me. Remind John that belt guard for his Progress drill is here and another batch of non-ferocious chips.
Shoulder will improve if I don't do too much. Traverse on mill is better but a bit more off the gib won't harm.....

[Stanley]

I started the morning by taking a bit more off the gib, greasing it with Molyslip and popping it back in.



Then I got my act together for drilling and tapping the holes in the chests for the valve rod gland and the steam inlet to the chest. Have a very careful think and double check everything before you mark them!



Normally I'd do this under the pillar drill but I haven't got enough headroom there for the 11.5mm tapping drill so I took the collet chuck off and installed the keyless chuck, easier than swapping collets.



In case you're wondering.... I made the fatal error of trying the finished thread entry with my finger and got a chip 1/8" long buried in my left index finger. The Roebuck splinter tweezers are an important item in my shed! Luckily I found it first time and pulled it out.



Both chests drilled and tapped 1/2" x 26tpi.



Then I started on the lids. I'm not milling for size just squareness. I need them partially finished before I start measuring and marking....



Both long sides done on each of them.



Then I set up for cutting the ends square and knocked off, I've done enough this morning!

[Stanley]

I carried on this morning despite the pain.... First thing was to finish squaring the ends of the lids.



Then a different cutter and set up to clean up the faces. Remember I'm not looking for a finish, just clean and square faces for measuring up. I'm doing the outside face first.



Once I had those faces done I reversed them and did the inside of the lid.



All the faces finished.



The lids are ready for bluing and marking up to be cut to size but I decided to have a change of scene.



I decided to go onto the lids. They have plenty of thickness, the tightest dimension is going to be the diameter.



So, despite the fact that the periphery of the castings is so rough I grabbed them in the three jaw and turned the boss and front face true with the diameter.



By knocking off time I had done the bosses and one face and was ready to change the jaws and grab them by the boss. A good place to stop. We're making progress!

[Stanley]

Shoulder woke me up last night. Will have a couple of days off to let it heal up a bit.... Sorry kids!

[Stanley]

I had a day off and can feel the difference, I shall do the same today. Normal service will be resumed (quietly!) tomorrow.....

[micktoon]

Hi Stanley, You are doing the right thing having a rest for a few days to rest your shoulder, no sense in making it worse when there is no dead line for the engines All looking good mind, staring to look machined rather than castings now and very impressive too, Don't forget the 'S' cover has a right way up too before drilling it
Dont worry about the set of casting for you Stanley they will get done and Bob who is half way through making a twin with the smae cylinders also wants the modified valve chests and lids for his so a batch to do again.
Hope your shoulder is improving and feels better again tomorrow but give it as long as it needs .
Cheers Mick

[Stanley]

The two days off has improved my shoulder so I shall be in there again today but not tearing any trees up! The adjustment of the traverse on the VM was a good move..... My cheap mill is the weak point in the shop. It's the one machine that is barely adequate in the shed but too late now for any radical moves.... It's a miracle it does as well as it does!
No worries about my castings, it's the visit I am am hankering for.....

[Stanley]

Decided to have another day off and bugger me! I had a flare up of all the old wounds.... Could be a good sign, it is often a sign that something is moving. Bottom line is that I shall have another quiet day reading. Sorry kids, old age is a bugger!

[Stanley]

I am going to brace up, ignore the pain and do some light shed work...... Cross your fingers kids!

[Stanley]

I did a full morning and it's amazing how soon you loose condition, I'm knackered! However, useful work has been done....



The job is to get the covers moving. First job is to Get a clean face and an accurate diameter, 2.25". I'll not bore you with all the details, I cracked on quietly until I reached the last of the four. Notice that I've put a carbide tip tool in for this lot....



Because this one had two bosses I had been working on the gland side so I decided to drill it 3/8" for the piston rod and drill and tap it for the gland.



I had to finish the tapping in the vice because my 11.5mm tapping drill is cutting a bit on the shy side. I shall use a slightly larger drill for the next one!



Knocking off time. All the covers have one good side and the last one is tapped for the gland nut. I haven't bothered about the registers or the thickness, that's the next job..... Not a bad morning considering.....

[Stanley]

If you remember, the cover I did last yesterday had two bosses so the first job was to saw the redundant boss off and turn the cover to the right thickness and put a register on it.



Done, nice fit. Now for the others....



I did the other front cover first, I drilled it 3/8" for the piston rod and then put a 29/64" drill in for tapping instead of the 11.5mm. Much better, still tight but nowhere near as bad as the other. Then I reversed it and put the register on.



Both cylinders have a properly registered front cover and are marked with witnesses so they stop with the right cylinder. Now for the back lids.



By knocking off time I had them both finished and witnessed. I'm ready for some hole drilling now using the same templates I made for the cylinder holes.....

[micktoon]

Good progress Stanley, I hope the shoulder has lasted ok and no feedback from it. They really are starting to look like engines now mind, keep up the good work , Cheers Mick

[Stanley]

Quietly forward Mick. Shoulder is still with me but supportable.... I shall go back to steam chests now so that all the tapping is done at the same time.
Later at 07:45. Just realised that we need a change of plan, the paper has run out of articles so I shall have to do some writing. Sorry kids but deadlines are deadlines!