The Workshop Progress thread 2022

Please use this thread from now on, last year's is here

Well I started making this little shell barrow just as a break from loco bits. I saw it at Hurst Castle.

I've finally got the flywheel for my Corliss engine as one part, rather than a bag of bits. I seem to spend more time making tools to make tools to make things than actually getting bits made! Just need a couple of rattle cans from Halfords to finish it (after cleaning off the excess adhesive).

Finished my little shell barrow.

I love models like that!

My current project is our esteemed editor's Norden design which should end up looking something like this:

My last few workshop sessions have been spent making a start on the governor.

First was the flyweight assembly (for scale the shaft is 4mm dia).

Then the bits and bobs to get it in the frame as shown here:

Now come the tricky bits of the governor valve and the linkage to make it work.

Jim

Really nice Jim, that looks very good.

Since this 600kg lump of iron was delivered it has sat blocking the entrance to the workshop.

I bought a sheet of 6mm steel plate, some 50mm box section, and fabricated a base, added some machine feet with inbuilt castor wheels, then used a chain hoist to lift into the air enough to pull the pallet out and slide my base underneath, the base plate was doubled up where the castor wheels sit, so the bolts holding the press to the base can be drilled and tapped in place.

It actually moves around quite easily, the restoration will now begin, you can see around where BNL and number 5 in the casting has been wired brushed by hand, the surface rust is actually much easier to take care of than removing paint so it shouldn't be too bad.

At last, finally got to the trial assembly & trial run on my Scotch Yoke engine. It sounds as though there is a knock on it somewhere, I reckon it may be the clearance between the crank pin & the yoke although I have maintained the clearances as per dwg. I've att. link to you tube channel for you look see. Next step will be to strip it back down & see if I can eliminate 'knock', followed by clean & paint job. Excuse the compressor noise, it takes a large volume of air for the cylinder bore size.

**LINK**

**LINK**

Another possibility is the flywheel mass is quite big & the inertia may be making the crankpin slap in the yoke slot ??

George.

After stripping it down I found out what the loud knocking noise was on my Scotch yoke engine; the piston securing nut had worked loose so on ea. motion the piston rod was sliding to and fro, butting up & taking up slack against the piston on ea. cycle, piston slap in essence. Spent a few hrs this week cleaning up parts, etch priming & rattle can spraying parts, making up base to suit model with brick & tile effect paper. Gave it a run & although quieter it still has a 'knock' on it, I can only put this down to crank pin slapping in the yoke slot even tho' measurements were checked & are as per dwg, more thinking required but for now it works.

George.

A fine looking and interesting model George. Good luck with finding the knock. I once had an engine with a similar problem which wasn't apparent when turned by hand, only when running; found the bugger in the end but it took a while. The design of the Scotch Yoke seems to me to be set up for a knocking noise as it changes from "push" to "pull" on the crank, there must be some clearance for the pin to slide in the slot after all.

Jim

Another phase of my Norden engine complete. The initial build is done with a couple of temporary bits and pieces to get it ready for a first run

And, hopefully, the run:

At the moment there are no seals in any of the joints or glands and no piston seal so air is leaking from everywhere.  Hopefully when I reassemble it after painting it will be a bit quieter and run a bit smoother

Jim

Edited By Jim Nic on 02/04/2022 20:50:59

Edited By Jim Nic on 02/04/2022 20:51:32

Edited By Jim Nic on 02/04/2022 20:54:32

The Norden looks a nice engine. Was it described in Model Engineer?

Looking good Jim.

David it was in ME, have a bit of a read about it here

Thank you Jason.

I remember it from the time now.

Hi David

As Jason has found it was indeed in ME, I picked it up from Neil's later piece in 2014.

Mine differs from Neil's drawings in several respects. Firstly castings are no listed as available and since I was therefore making it from bar stock I altered the original imperial dimensions to metric at 1mm to 1/32". It is also less complex in that the conrod bearings are not a wedge arrangement and the flywheel and other crankshaft mounted parts are not located by slot and keys. Finally, after a couple of attempts to get it functioning, the governor valve is a complete dummy.

Jim

Here at last my complete and painted Norden engine. It has been an interesting build which kept me amused for a bit longer than I anticipated. However, it now runs reasonably well and looks good sitting on the shelf.

And here's a vid of the engine running. 

Edited By Jim Nic on 03/05/2022 12:20:29

Edited By Jim Nic on 03/05/2022 12:25:46

Edited By Jim Nic on 03/05/2022 12:27:17

Edited By Jim Nic on 03/05/2022 12:28:52

Looks good and runs well. The brown also makes a nice change from the usual dark greens and reds.

That looks very nicely made, well done.

Thanks Jason. Having an interesting colour scheme is the only way I can persuede the domestic authority to allow my engines in the house. (I may not be the boss around here but at least I'm second-in-command)

Jim