Ferrabee Pillar Engine

What as happened to Anthony Mount's construction series on the

Ferrabee Engine, it started in the ME in issue No 4558, followed

by 4560 and then 4562. I was expecting the series to continue

in the latest edition of ME No 4564 but nothing, is there any reason for this?.

Bert Ashton.

And not even listed for the next issue

Maybe our esteemed editor Dianne Carney can answer this question.

It returns in 4566.

It usually follows - but not necessarily always - that a series will be in every other issue but a long series will sometimes miss occasionally. Fear not - this one has quite a way to go yet. It's only missed one.

The Next Issue panel cannot include everything and tends to focus on the 'new' items rather than the series items.

Are you building it, Bert?

Hope that helps.
Diane

I should add, by the way, that there are two further cylinder drawings in the next instalment. It's been a bit tricky getting it all in these early parts so unfortunately the three had to be split up. It will all make sense in the end

Diane

Thanks Diane

I spent quite a bit of time at Guildford playing with demonstrating Tony Boxhall's little versions of AM's engines, they run every bit as good as they look and he is keen to build this one, . He says that he likes to get to the end of the build articles and see what is the smallest part he will have to make and then work back from there to get his scale.

Must admit it is also about the only thing I have read in the mag recently. Might even go onto my to do list if I can just find where I left that 6" dia bit of pipe

J

Thanks Dianne and no I am not building it, due to age, health and eyesight problems

I am now just a armchair model engineer bur I can spend hours studying drawings.

This beats Coronation St or Eastenders every time.

Jason, I don't know if you are aware that Polly Engineering can now supply a full

set of drawing and casting and I believe they are sourcing the steel pipe.

Thanks Bert, yes I know Polly have had this engine listed for some time and they do just drawings for all of Anthony's designs.

You missed the 6" in my post as I tend to build his engines larger than original which is 4" in this case so it would all be fabricated.

Just a couple of points on the Ferrabee, the plans are only in metric, not imperial as on Poly’s site

The steam chest slot is very close to the walls and can break through [dont ask] and the hole for the valve gland should be at 8.5mm from the valve face not 10mm as on the plans.

An interesting build so far though.

Ian

Issue 4574 is missing the Ferrabee again, it would be nice to be able to follow the build as the plans tend not to be too helpful as to how it goes together.

Point in case is the cross head guides, shown as 3mm thick and angle fitted to locate the crosshead, the supplied laser cut guides are 8mm thick so it looks as though they may need milling nearly all over to make them fit.

No info is given as to fixing them to the column, and a strange wooden construction is shown to cut column flutes in drawing 33, but again no info on usage.

At this rate it will be a very long build, but at £250 for the few parts in the kit you do not want to spoil the base casting and top casting, plus the column tube.

It's starts on page 774 of my copy of 4574, seems to be running in alternate issues most of the time.

It is quite common for Anthony to show built up parts in the articles as that is how he makes the part but both Cotswold and Polly supply some of these parts as laser/water jet cut or lost wax castings.

Part 3 covers both the machining (from 8mm material) and fixing of the supports

Part 2 shows and describes the wooden jig to hold and index the column

Anthony's builds can easily go to 12 or more parts depending on the complexity of the model so it may be a year or more until all items have been covered but I find that if you read the articles then the build goes faster!

Hi Jason

Thanks for the info, I seem to be having more senior moments than usual.

I had looked and better looked for the build using pocket mags, as I could not find copies of ME when I wanted them.

You are correct as usual, saved the day again, many thanks once again.

Ian

Just a heads up on the balls for the governor, Anthony thinks ball bearings would not be suitable as they cannot be drilled.

Stainless 20mm balls are available from Bearing Warehouse and drill easily, I have used stainless balls on my last three engines with good results.

They are drilled in the lathe using beer can foil to protect them from damage, bit of a pain getting the cans to empty though!

Usual disclaimer.

Can't be drilled, but can be spark eroded.

I believe there was some discussion on building such a machine in ME around 2011.

Lofty

Using the balls I suggest does away with building a spark eroder, unless you want to build one.

Sparking them is not so easy if you want a thread in the balls so they can be screwed to the arms

I've also used stainless balls for governors in the past

Always on the lookout for a project Ian.

Ian

Now I am getting well on with my engine, running well on air, I was thinking that I do not have much of an idea what it would have been used for, driving or pumping etc.

Can anyone enlighten me as to the uses for it?

Ps the date on the calendar is the Centenary of the golf club i used to play at.

Not found how to rotate pic's either as yet.

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 07/02/2018 18:02:07

Thanks for the edit Neil

Ian