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Member postings for Wolfie

Here is a list of all the postings Wolfie has made in our forums. Click on a thread name to jump to the thread.

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Thread: TPI Threads
28/10/2010 08:08:11
OK heres another question.
 
In two places on my plans there is a call for threads of 40 TPI and 32 TPI. Now I'm sure TPI= Threads Per Inch.
 
OK whats this all about then?? Why are this not BA like all the others. Is it a standard size, what taps and dies do I ask for. Is this a scam so I have to buy yet more tackle
Thread: Stuart S50
27/10/2010 23:14:33
I wasn't aware of that but will go look at it. Thanks!
27/10/2010 22:30:33
Register?? Whats that?
 
Actually theres a tutorial in the ME mag this last few fortnights making a Stuart engine and they make a steel template with which they drill all cylinder holes at one time
 
Yeah I know I've started in an odd spot but I'm restricted to what materials I have handy etc. Can't afford to buy anything new yet (got made redundant, mkes life difficult).
 
I did look to see if I could buy just the cylinder casting from Stuart and its about £10 so might go for that
27/10/2010 21:38:37
OK chaps managed to take some pics tonight. Here is my workshop. As you can see its restricted to a bench with a few bits on and a radio permanently tuned to Planet Rock.
 
The cardboard box at left is my spray booth for my other modelling hobby.
 

 
And my baby lathe, isn't she cute (not)


 OK my steam engine to date... rear cylinder cover. I have turned the inner part of the inside of it 15 thou too far (radius-wise). Is this likely to be a problem?
 


 
And the rest of it, piston, piston rod and gland thing. Piston rod is 3/32" too short but I really don't want to make another one (I'll have to make a piston too and I'm running out of brass),  is this likely to be crucial??
 

And finally...... my piece of cast iron chuck key for scale
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
Thread: Dial Gauge
27/10/2010 21:23:42


Ok I was having trouble centreing things in my 4 jaw chuck so was advised to get a dial gauge.
 
I got one! Here it is.
 
 
Ok whats the second knob for. Doesn't appear do do owt except undo and fall off I presume the two plastic bits are so you can split a difference ( I know what I mean).

And they didn't send me anything to mount it on I was expecting a clip or summat. OK so how do I go about mounting it. I do have a metal block with post and scriber holder.
 

 


Edited By Wolfie on 27/10/2010 21:25:35

Edited By Wolfie on 27/10/2010 21:26:41

Thread: Metric vs Imperial - Practical or Traditional?
27/10/2010 13:23:11
"that's 11 of us Wolfie"
 
Ahh 1 more and it'll be 100
Thread: Stuart S50
27/10/2010 13:13:13
Very informative, I'm beginning to understand a lot more already
26/10/2010 12:23:03
Excellent reamer info, thanks.
 
"OK the slide valve is like a small block of metal with a recess on the face side. Think of it as a small box shape. The size of the recess is such that it will bridge over two of the ports, eg exhaust and one cylinder port. OK, now, the whole of the valve area is covered by another larger box shape The steam supply is connected to this. The pressure pushes the valve against the valve face, which gives us a seal. "
 
OK thats clear , effectively, the underside of the valve controls the exhaust only, inlet is when the port is open to the steam chest.
 
Great info gang, this is why I joined the forum. Thanks
26/10/2010 08:49:59
"Surely the slope should run to the back of the blade, not forward? Front  I/ I/ I/ I/ I/ Back"
 
Sorry you lost me here  EDIT: Ah I see hacksaw blade. I'm OK with hacksaws thanks. But the recommendations have been taken on board. I do need to get a good one, mine won't cut in a straight line!
 
 
 
That post with the pics is very handy and expanatory thanks.

Does the middle hole, the one for the exhaust have to go all the way through if the exhaust hole is above it?

The small metal piece that slides over these ports controls the exhaust then, not the steam in. What controls the steam in then?

Where do I learn to braze?

Difference between a drill and a reamer??

Edited By Wolfie on 26/10/2010 08:51:50

Edited By Wolfie on 26/10/2010 08:52:55

Thread: Metric vs Imperial - Practical or Traditional?
25/10/2010 22:35:18
"There are only 10 types of people in the world — those who understand binary, and those who don't"
 
Ah yes. I'm an IT man too. That makes 10 of us
Thread: Stuart S50
25/10/2010 22:32:17
Thats a superb tutorial. I just wish I understood all of it.

How you get the milling cutters to the thing while its in the lathe chuck?
25/10/2010 07:43:27
Some very informative posts there
 
"Another approach is to simply carve the whole thing out of solid."
 
I thought about this, but once I have my piece of cast iron down to a managable size, this cylinder has 2 round sides and 2 flat so I can't cut it into a rectangle and I can't turn it cos whichever I do I will lose 2 sides.
 
"One is to make a round part, machine a flat on it for the steam chest, and then braxe on the block for the steam chest. This gives the opportunity to make suitable ports before brazing the parts on. The downside is that cast iron is not terribly easy stuff to braze (Or easiflo)"

Whats brazing and easiflow?  Ports? Are they the steam holes? 
 
Brown paper for gaskets? Won't they get wet??
 
What are the tolerances like on a steam engine? Packing aside, my 1/8" drill has made a hole that my (bought) 1/8" piece of stainless isn't exactly snug in.
 
I'll get some photos when I go back up to my workshop, photography is my other hobby!
 

Thread: Metric vs Imperial - Practical or Traditional?
24/10/2010 23:06:56
I can work in both Imperial and foreign as should any engineer be able to. I prefer Imperial, but am just as happy with metric as long as its expressed in mm.
 
But thats only the length units. What the hell is a kilogram?? And why can I still buy 2 metres of 4 x 2? 
 
Oh well 576ml of lager please gaffer!
Thread: Stuart S50
24/10/2010 22:43:30
Cheers for that. I'm curious in general about the various materials used. Bushes are brass. I find that odd, surely brass will wear quicker than steel? All the rods are mild steel except the piston rod which is stainless. Why?
 
And why cast iron for the cylinder? Why not steel like the rest of it?
 
I told you lol I'm starting from scratch here!
 
Hacksaw through 12 square inches?? eeeek

Edited By Wolfie on 24/10/2010 22:45:30

Thread: Initial work quality
24/10/2010 22:30:01
Interesting.
 
Although I am a newcomer to model engineering, I have been a plastic modeller for many many years. I  write for one or two modelling mags and in fact do it semi professionally.
 
(www.nrmodeltruck.co.uk for anyone that wants to have a look)
 
So in one discipline I am one of the leaders of the pack so to speak, my articles are published and I dispense much modelling wisdom on the relevant forums.
 
Here however I'm the novice and I have about a million questions. However I remember being at this stage in plastic modelling when I suddenly discovered clubs and shows and the fact that there were loads of folk willing to pass on their knowhow. My skills improved in leaps and bounds on that time.
 
I'm not afraid to ask the questions mind. Thats some peoples problems. I know that there are some truck modellers who consider my work along with some others to be the top of the tree and despair of ever getting there. However I wasn't born able to build models to a high standard. So I tell those people not to be afraid to ask, and I'll be the same here!
Thread: Stuart S50
24/10/2010 22:19:14
OK as mentioned elsewhere I have taken up the challenge of building this machine from plans only, mainly for financial reasons. I already have about a million questions so I better have a thread for them.
 
First off I have a small lathe, a pillar drill, a bench grinder and a hacksaw. I'm not great on terminology yet so may need some things explaining that you chaps will all know about.
 
OK so far I have made the piston and piston rod, the piston gland (terminology??)  and one end of the cylinder. My next plan is to make the other end through which the piston rod will pass and the gland will screw into.  So far I have managed to use all the correct materials. The plans dictate that I put some kind of packing into this part but don't tell me what it is! And what do I use as a gasket?
 
Is this a good place to start? 
 
Having a number of engineering contacts I can scrounge odd bits of rod and bar fairly easily but living out here anything special like 'silver steel' (is this stainless steel???) I have to get mail order. But I do have a chunk of cast iron. I went to a local scrap man I know and begged it. They cut me off a piece of farming tackle they were recycling.
 
Thing is its huge. About 6" x 5" and 2" thick. How the hell am I going to make the cylinder out of it cos thats not just round, it has a rectangular piece on it too.
 
OK more questions later
Thread: Making lathe tools
24/10/2010 22:00:51
Hi all. I'm Chris from Ryedale and although I have been a plastic model maker for many many years I am just turning my hand to a steam engine.
 
Dictated by the fact that I'm skint and dependant on someone elses garage that I can't really fill up, I have a very small lathe (Axminster Micro) and I'm struggling to cut lathe tools that work. I have joined my local SME (PEEMS, Pickering) and a chap there told me for a nice finish to grind a tool with a fair radiused point on it.
 
This hasn't worked, it binds and chatters and generally cuts like a dog and the more I radius it the worse it gets. It was lovely too all honed and graceful

And as for parting off tool don't go there, I'm finding it easier to hacksaw the piece off and clean it up after I've looked at loads of web sites and books but its not working for me.

I have 2 sets of Stuart plans, the S50 and a beam engine. Its the beam engine I really want to make but I thought the S50 would be a good place to start and get all the mistakes out the way. I'm making them from scratch too as I can't afford the castings.
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