Member postings for PatJ

These are the same images I have used elsewhere, and the size seemed to be fine, but for some reason the pictures seem to be getting reduced to thumbnail size here, I don't know why.

its not something I am doing.

This is a really nice looking engine Jason.

Congrats.

And here is the full size Preston's engine running, so you can hear it with sound.

I will add a video of my engine running when I get the second cylinder completed.

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 16/02/2016 09:21:21

Here is the model engine I am constructing, with one cylinder fitted.

Edited By JasonB on 17/02/2016 10:19:16

Here is a comparison of the 3D model we created, compared with a photo of the original engine that was listed for sale at Preston's Services.

Edited By JasonB on 17/02/2016 10:18:29

This is a video of my Canadian buddy's engine running for the first time.

This engine is a 60% scale of the full size engine, and has a 6" diameter flywheel, and a 1.25" bore.

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 16/02/2016 09:22:09

A Canadian modeling buddy of mine showed me a couple of photos of a twin oscillating steam engine back in 2011, and I helped him with the 3D modeling work.

We initially were going to make the engine from bar stock, but I decided that this engine really needed to be cast, so we 3D printed some of the patterns, including the flywheel pattern, and hand-made other patterns from wood and steel.

After setting up a home foundry, and lots of trial and error, we were able to make to flywheels in gray iron, and the remaining parts in 356 aluminum.

Most of the machining was completed during the holidays at the end of 2015, and my Canadian buddy was able to complete his engine and run it.

I have been busy with work projects, and so I have only been able to complete and run one cylinder. I used temporary commercial fasteners to check the alignment and fit of the parts, but I am making custom "old-style" bolts and nuts for all the fasteners.

The pistons and rings are gray iron. Connecting rods are steel. Bearings are bronze.

It has been a very enjoyable build, albeit with a long and difficult learning curve.

Thanks for the help Ian.

I started a VJ Monitor thread here:

http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=114526#1954972

Edited By Pat Jorgensen on 01/02/2016 05:03:36

I was able to borrow some VJ Monitor parts from a friend, and so have decided to try to model this engine in 3D and build a scale model of it.

The game plan as of now is to have a 10" diameter flywheel, and a bore of approximately 2".

Edited By Pat Jorgensen on 01/02/2016 04:59:54

Edited By Pat Jorgensen on 01/02/2016 05:00:33

My wife and I drove out to Colorado last year, and we hiked up one of the mountains to 10,500 ft before we had to turn back due to heavy snow towards the top.

After we hiked back down, someone asked us "Why not just ride up the ski lift that is near where you hiked?", and while that is a very logical question, I guess the answer is that we hiked up to see if we could do it.

And so I guess that is my motivation for making my own castings.

Thanks Jason, I have been following and admiring your work from afar.

I felt like I was at the point where I needed to get out more.

I did buy a ball monitor kit (those things are very hard to come by).

But its one of those things, once you buy one set of castings, you want more, an addictive personality trait I guess.

I am torn between scale factors for engines, and can't really decide what scale is best.

I am leaning toward a "workshop engine" size, which would have a 10" diameter flywheel, and a 2" bore, as a standard for everything I build, with the hopes that I could share parts across engines, such as flywheels.

From a practical standpoint, I could machine a 10" flywheel, but I am not sure about machining the frame.

As a hobby thing, I like putting engines into 3D, and the casting/pattern making thing has really been a lot of fun.

Edit:

How do I post a photo here? Do I need offsite storage?

Hello, new member here.

I have gotten into castings in the last few years, and have enjoyed designing a steam engine in Solidworks, making patterns, and casting the engine.

It is quite fun to create your own drawings and casting kit, although there is no one to blame if things don't turn out right.

I have the steam engine bug, but would like to build a hit-and-miss also, perhaps a VJ Monitor, since I have been able to borrow most of the parts from a full sized engine to measure.

Pat J