Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines
The Regular Stuff: Chat, Buy, Sell, Off Topic, etc. => General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals => Topic started by: ShadetreeMotorcycle on February 18, 2021, 05:36:31 pm
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Will do Nick. While I am here I wanted to point out the extra (stuff) I am doing is not needed to get this kit assembled and running. One of the first instructions in manual is sand all the places (where gaskets go) with some fine sandpaper (included) placed on glass or Granite surface plate...or just the flatest thing you have. This removes machine marks and small imperfections and greatly improves your chances of engine being steam tight in first go.
Then you are advised to wash sanded parts with dish soap and water being careful to try to remove 100% of grit residue...I would say after this step is complete you would need less than 2.5 hours to assemble...this is allowing tons of time to look back to manual and work with care. After you are familiar with model you could likely tear it completely down and re assemble in under an hour.
Many parts ARE small, I have been working over a plate but a light color towel would also work well. In my old house the wood plank flooring has gaps many over 3/16 wide so most parts smaller than 1 to 2mm that hit the floor are just...gone forever!
The tinkering and wrenching and personal mods are my favorite part so I am making it last! ;D
But I did not want potential kit buyers to think this was a several day project.
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Keep the pictures coming Ben, I always enjoy these build threads :)
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Disclaimer:
I Do want to point out that pure copper is Not a traditional oil cup material. It is sometimes added to jewelry like gold rings to change the "color"...this is how we get "Rose Gold" however "pure" copper is not super benefical in the durability dept, it is a bit like chucking up a wet noodle in my lathe! (slight exaggeration) but really soft, the the ring makers add in Silver to give the ring much needed stiffness and durability. I am going out of my way to add some copper color to my engine (because I CAN, not because I should) and in this tiny scale the copper will be just fine in its task as a vessel that holds 1 to 2 drops of oil.
I suspect Bronze and brass would be most correct for oil cups...You now have been Cautioned!
We now return to our regularly scedualed programing...
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You're welcome. I will follow your build.
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Those ARE Very nice oil cups.thanks for sharing KNO3.
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I think this oiler shape is quite elegant:
https://www.bengs-modellbau.de/media/image/65/48/49/Ventilgesteuerte-Dampfmaschine-schwungrad_600x600.jpg
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I should tackle those Flywheel spokes next...but oil cups sounded way more fun on a Friday afternoon.
The instructions say this is not a scale model of any particular engine, but has features much like period correct models.
I decided scale size oil cups not needed. I enjoy the ritual of filling cups before a run and I like how easy it is to add more oil mid run without shutting down. I also want them to be easily spotted. I was running out of time at work so just made a prototype to see how the shape and size and color of copper might look. I don't think I am going to use this one..still want to refine the shape and size, but I do like the copper color. If someone has a favorite shape oil cup, I would like to see it.
[attachimg=1]2
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A little Flywheel trueing going on today, it was not bad but a little flicker. The problem was traced to a slightly oversize bore (in Flywheel) when you tighten the set screw on flywheel it pushes dowel (axle) to one side of bore, also the set screw is closer to one side (piston side) far from other end (drive pulley side) and this compounds the problem. I have corrected and no visible run-out now.[attachimg=1]
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Judging by the cutter tracks mine was made in a vertical CNC milling machine. He probably dressed yours up in a lathe?
My kits took twice as long to ship as quoted by forum member so he may be running behind scedual and skipped the lathe step on my unit....they look worse than they are and will sand out easily.
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I received a VR1A yesterday as well, my flywheel does not have those machining marks on the side.
[attachimg=1]
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Dug the Flywheel out of my VR1A kit (waiting in the wings) to compare. It has the spokes rounded but larger Dia and larger shaft bore and also does Not have the eccentric feature machined on cyl side so it will not cross fit.
Notice VR1A looks freshly machined while my HM1 may have been on the shelf for several Months...you guys must be buying up all the VR1A's![attachimg=1]
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Thanks!...I was wondering how to do that. Got it fixed now.
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No not yet.
Ben when you post up photos would you be able to choose the option I've highlighted below, it will post your photos full size so it saves people having to click on them to open them.
[attachimg=1]
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Hey! I kind of like how the brass has darkened with age...have you had a chance to run it yet Jim?
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My used one arrived yesterday afternoon, they are very small.
[attachimg=1]
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Looks like the daily recommended allowance of zinc and iron, with a pinch of brass.
Sorry, Nick had to say it. ;D
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You’ve got a lot on your plate 😂 (sorry had to say it :D )
That is a little smaller than I thought. Hope you take pictures of the build and treat us with a video in the end ;)
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It's smaller than I thought (happy surprise)
Quality looks Excellent. I have placed a Bic lighter and coins on the plate for size reference. Notice the CNC cut wrench on the penny and below are 2 CNC cut nut drivers included in kit. Also nicely laser cut gasket sheet (spares included)
About the only mods I have planned so far are to round the spokes on the Flywheel and add oil cups...think the Outside Diameter of oil cups may only be 3/32 to not be out of scale. Also plan a self made piston ring.
I had originally planned to paint the base and bearing towers and few other bits...but to much paint thickness could be an issue on this small model.
We are not at "watchmaker" size but well into "clockmaker" scale. This is going to be a fun project![attachimg=1]