Shed Matters 3

[Stanley]

I concentrated this morning on the valve and started by finishing installing the studs on the back cover. Then i ensured that the valve could physically move on the valve face to be fully open at each end. This meant milling the edge of the valve and filing the end of the valve chest until I achieved my goal. Then I installed the packing between the valve chest and the cylinder and the packing in the stuffing box. I am ready now to attack the complicated little casting that is the governor stand and the valve rod support. That's for tomorrow..... Fitting at this level is fiddly work and rewards all the care and attention to detail that is put in it. A nice morning and all is going well.

[Stanley]

I concentrated on the governor stand and rod support this morning. The first job was to grind the different faces flat and at 90 degrees to each other. Then I drilled the stand for the rod and also drilled it for the two 5BA bolts which will fasten it to the bed. Once that was done I offered the stand up and marked the bed for drilling and tapping 5BA. Then I had to hold the engine while I drilled the bed and you'll see that that was definitely a very sketchy set up! I got away with it and tomorrow I can tidy up the stand , tap the bed and fit the stand.... Another good morning of fiddly bits and no errors. Nice!

[Stanley]

I started the morning by tapping the two bolt holes on the governor stand mount on the engine bed. I found two 5BA bolts and made sure they fitted. Then I spent almost half an hour cleaning the stand casting up and fitting it to the valve rod once it had been installed on the cylinder again. Then I rebuilt the valve train and installed the eccentric on the crankshaft again. Next I adjusted the length of the vale rod so that the valve moves equidistantly on the valve seat. That's where I stopped. Tomorrow I can address the timing of the valve movement in relationship to the position of the piston. Worrying stuff, I am getting close to a finish and that means I have to decide about spending money on castings for the next engine. I have to do it because it's this hour in the shed each morning that keeps me on the road!

[Stanley]

I checked the valve for centrality and then set it for the position of the piston in the cylinder. I flooded it with oil and put the lid back on the steam chest. Then I fastened the engine down onto the surface plate, fired the compressor up and gave it a whiff of air. It went like hell! (This is the bit that China used to love, when the castings suddenly became alive!)
Then I tidied the stud lengths up on the cylinder cover and steam chest lid and took the engine to its new home on the kitchen table. A session putting tackle and spare engine parts away, a good clean up and both surface plates oiled and a clean tablecloth put on. Now I have to decide on what comes next......

[Stanley]

This is one of two compound marine engines I made to the design of Johnny Pickles (based on a design that had appeared in the Model Engineer but Johnny didn't like that.) I kept one for myself and gave this one to Susan. It is lodging with me now as there isn't room in their mobile home for a lot of stuff so I am taking care of it for her.
I noticed that her engine was very stiff and needed a bit of TLC so in the interim while I am working on the next engine I build I took it in the shed and have spent an hour on it this morning making sure that it is well oiled and cleaner. It is a lot more free now than it was. That was all I was aiming for.

[Stanley]

This morning I took my copy of Johnny's marine engine into the shed and gave it a quick clean up and lubricate. It wasn't in bad condition so this didn't take long and I returned it to its place in the front room. I decided to do something that's very hard for me, I got down and dirty and brought out a piece of metal from under the 1957 lathe and after measuring it I need to cut it in two to make two slugs that have a crankshaft inside them. I have already put out a shout for some stock to my mate Muthomi but want to get on with the next engine. I put it in Mrs McMaster and after twenty minutes sawing I have two pieces ready for putting in the lathe and refining. I am getting closer to biting the bullet and getting another set of castings.....

[Stanley]

This morning's task was clear. Start on reducing the two lumps of scrap I rescued from the bin yesterday to 6" X 2" blanks to make crankshafts from for the next engines. As you can see, I have made good progress. I put the original large 3 jaw SC chuck on and I have verified that these lumps are good metal, you never know what you're getting with anonymous lumps of scrap, there could be a good reason why it was discarded in the first place! Notice the colour of the chips. I have taken 50 thou cuts, a very heavy cut for a small lathe but Mrs Harrison handles it easily. No signs of distress at all. I'm very happy with progress and will carry on tomorrow.

[Stanley]

Back to muck-shifting. First I cleared up yesterday's chips including the ones on the floor. Then I simply carried on patiently with 50mm cuts until I had one end down to 2". Then I reversed it and cut the other end down to suit. You can see from the image where I ended up, the biggest lump of rusty scrap is now a very attractive 6" X 2" slug ready for making into a crankshaft. I'm an optimist so I am going to process two shafts.... I shall attack the other one tomorrow. This morning I expect FedEx to deliver my castings from Stuarts.....
There was one unexpected hold up. The cutters fell out of my electric shaver when I was cleaning it and I had forgotten how to put them back in. It took me half an hour because I was trying to do it like my old razor but that's wrong. All is well now.

[Stanley]

The casting fairy came yesterday so the first job this morning was to unpack £633 worth of castings and put them all where they are supposed to be. Then I installed the next piece of scrap in the lathe and got an accurate centre in the end. Then turn it down to 2" diameter. I got to within a last small cut and stopped there. I shall do that one tomorrow when the metal is cool and can be measured accurately. A good productive hour and a quarter. I am happy apart from having to spend that money!

[Stanley]

First task was to turn the cool slug down to 2" diameter. Then mark the PCD of the crank pin centre on the end of the stock. Next I reversed it and cut the other end down to 2". It was here that I got my surprise and set back. I decided it was time I had a different centre drill so I changed it for another. Not sure what happened but when I went to use it it broke off in the stock! I haven't had a centre break for years. I managed to pick enough out to enable the blunt point o0f my old live centre to get a hold and ignored the slight error, I cut that end down to 2". I can get away with the bad centre. You can see I ended up with two 2" diameter slugs ready for putting under the mill to cut out the main of the dead meat that has to come out to get my crank pin.
I should mention that, mindful of the disaster I had when cutting the shaft about 9 months ago, I went back and checked on the correct and safe way to proceed. Big sigh of relief, I am all right. Tomorrow will be a clean up on the lathe, a marking of the PCD on the other slug and preparations for going under the VM.

[Stanley]

Still working on the scrap/stock. My first job was a clean up of the floor and Mrs Harrison. I was treading too many sharp chips into the house! Then, after measuring the slugs carefully for diameter I marked the second one I cut with the PCD of the crank pin. Next I put a centre in each of the slugs for the eccentric turning and also of course for orienting the stock under the mill for cutting out the meat and saving interminable eccentric turning. This meant that the next job was to mark the position o0f the cut on the slug and the first step was to get out my 9" Starrett dial caliper (Donated by Mick of the NE Mafia!) and get an accurate measurement of the length. Tomorrow I shall work out measurements for both slugs and cut them into the slug on the lathe. Busy busy bit cleaner now and a good step forwards.

[Stanley]

Just one task this morning, to mark the crankshaft blanks with the position of the crank pin and crank webs. It took an hour because I had senior moments doing my calculations and had to retrace my steps several times.... That's why I have to check over and over again. I am satisfied now that I have the blanks marked correctly!

[PanBiker]

Probably a stupid question but doesn't pre cutting, marking up etc of these blanks confine you to making the same model of engine over and over again? Have you given up on different variants?

[Stanley]

I've already explained that Ian. I know my limitations and also know this design inside out so I want to make the same one over and over again. It's the Act of making them and the knowledge that there are not many blokes in their 88th year who could do it. This hour in the shed each morning is a life saver for me.....
Besides, I like this engine, it's one of Stuart's most handsome designs....

[Stanley]

Sorry, images in wrong order. This morning has been spent measuring and marking and getting to this stage, ready to cut the slot. The time has been spent searching for, and failing to find, my only 7/16" cutter, so I have settled on one that is slightly larger and gave it a good sharpening on the Clarkson T&C grinder. It has two shafts to cut. As you can see I have ended up ready to actually start cutting.....

[PanBiker]

I've already explained that Ian.

I must have missed that Stanley. Whatever keeps you going, wouldn't do for me though I still like a new challenge.

[Stanley]

Only one pic this morning. I started by speeding the mill up for the small cutter and started cutting with the 1/2" cutter I identified yesterday. Total disaster, the cutter wasn't working at all, must be my fault in that I've made a cock-up of sharpening it. Rather then start trying to rectify that I found a 1/2" slot drill and started cutting with it. It's shorter than the other but I console myself with the fact that even if it's a bit short of the mark it's still a lot of interrupted cutting and eccentric turning which I hate. I knocked off early as I want a sleep before Robin, my chiropodist, arrives to minister to my feet! As you can see it's a very clean cut....

[Stanley]

Only one pic needed today. I have completed the first and heaviest cut on both crankshaft blanks. The next job is to mark the depth of the four light cuts needed to cut out the flanks of the crank pins. A good morning, this is a lot of metal that doesn't need cutting as an interrupted cut. I am once more impressed by what is possible with my El Cheapo Chinese economy mill/drill. These are serious cuts no matter how expensive the mill that makes them. The only penalty is that lighter cuts mean slower work. I can live with that!

[Stanley]

Today's job was to measure and mark the small amounts that could be cut from the flanks of the major cuts yesterday. I got the chance to use the Starrett accessories that enable you to turn a regular foot rule into a shaft ruler and did some careful measuring and marking, then set the pieces of stock in the mill and cut all four small chunks out. You can see where I finished up, ready for eccentric turning once I have restored the mill to it's normal configuration. That's a lot of metal taken out that won't have to be done on the lathe!

[Stanley]

I started with a choice, go straight into eccentric turning on the crankshaft blanks or tidy up and get everything in order first. As usual, I chose the latter. I sharpened both the 1/2" cutters, the slot drill that cut well and the end mill that failed. Then I cleaned the vertical mill and oiled and stoned the bed to make sure there were no dings in it. Then I remounted the machine vise and installed a long piece of gauge steel which I used to test the vise for parallelism with the bed. Once all that was done I put all the bench tackle away, installed my regular cutter in the mill and turned to the lathe. The First job was to clean it and then I took the 3 jaw SC chuck off and installed the 4 jaw independent chuck which I will need for eccentric turning. I'm ready now for setting the stock up in the chuck for turning. This is not a quick operation if done properly so I knocked off and left that until tomorrow. None of this is time wasted, I am in good fettle!

[Stanley]

Just one job this morning; setting up a crankshaft blank for eccentric turning in the lathe. This is one of the most difficult jobs I know and I spent an hour on it. However it is now very close to perfect. Probably about 2 thou out over the total length of the stock, that's near enough over 1/2"! I have shut down and am ready for turning the crank pins tomorrow....

[Stanley]

Only one image needed this morning. I was all ready and started into turning the crank pin. I had one problem, the carbide indexed cutter on my parting tool shattered and I had to fit a new one. Apart from that no dramas, just very thoughtful and careful cutting (with a lot of stick out!), 10 thou a time and keep going until I had a .375" crank pin (3/8") and at that point I polished it with emery strip and knocked off.
I have had worse mornings!
Just think of all that metal that I took out with the milling machine!

[Stanley]

I've had my second sleep and about to raid the Co-op. I went in the shed to feast my eyes on that little beauty.....

[Stanley]

The task this morning was the same as Saturday, set the stock up for eccentric turning the crank pin. Once again it took me almost an hour, it isn't easy! I got there and set my parting tool to cut the pin, 10thou at a time but it was too close to knocking off time to start what has to be a concentrated hour of turning! That's for tomorrow after BT have been.

[Stanley]

Only one pic needed this morning. I made sure I was in the shed in good time and got straight into repeated 10thou cuts across the crank pin. I finished up in time for early doors shopping with two crank pins formed in the two pieces of stock. I shall carry on with finishing them tomorrow.....