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: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 02:22:24 pm

Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 09, 2021, 07:07:38 pm
Here's a close up of the inlet valves on Bill's creation:

https://youtu.be/wHQiXD40Hq4
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 07:20:28 pm
Here are a couple short video of a full sized somewhat similar Sulzer tandem compound.

Bill did not have the benefit of looking at any of this sort of video.

Gil

https://youtu.be/8mIXYuneDZM


https://youtu.be/gEfZqKYohMs


https://youtu.be/eXilpscuOnE
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 07:18:45 pm
Nirvana of machining skills.
I agree 100%, Jim. The work is just amazing.

Gil

Been looking intricately at the photos Gil, the machining skills are beyond amazing.

Bill did not even need a magnifier for the small fiddly parts he made.
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: Jim on March 08, 2021, 07:09:04 pm
Nirvana of machining skills.
I agree 100%, Jim. The work is just amazing.

Gil

Been looking intricately at the photos Gil, the machining skills are beyond amazing.
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 06:47:57 pm
Here are the 2 most important images for this project.

They are also the only two images he had for the project.

He made many of the parts by extrapolating from the photograph you see here.

This was his only picture of the engine.

The last part of the puzzle was the poppet valves innards.

The drawing you see below was copied from a library book that described the Sulzer engine.

Bill doesn't have the internet.

Gil


[attachimg=1]


[attachimg=2]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: Maxwell on March 08, 2021, 06:44:13 pm
An engine from outside of this world; especially with the step-by-step documentation. Are you sure the machinist did not get help from extraterrestrial super intelligence? nice to watch it running.
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 06:18:02 pm
I really don't know whether I should cry for pure joy .... or for shear discouragement!

Simply Superb doesn't even begin to cover it ...... a machinist to the Gods he must truly be!!!

Go for the joy, Daniel.... a machinist for the Gods he is!

He is a most exceptional engineer, toolmaker, fabricator, and a few other sets of skills.
He did prototypical development work in Germany and then for the Canadian Government.

The engine you are looking at here was built from only a single photograph and one library book that described the inner workings of the Sulzer poppet valves.

Gil
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 06:02:36 pm
Nirvana of machining skills.
I agree 100%, Jim. The work is just amazing.

Gil
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 06:01:25 pm
For a rank amateur such as myself, seeing these photos of work that is seemingly of such a high and unobtainable quality and complexity is an emotional mix of inspiration and frustration, total awe and something akin to embarrassment, reverence and resignation, knowing full well that I could never in a thousand lifetimes rise to the level of creation that I'm seeing here!

Daunting, is the word that most comes to mind, while viewing these photos of a true Master Machinists Art!

Hi Daniel, My recommendation is to drop the frustration, embarrassment, and resignation..... And keep the other three!

By the way, I have a lathe and I can problably make you a decent plug on it and not much else.
And let me have at least a half hour to git 'er done.
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 05:54:01 pm
All I can say is Wow !

Thanks, Bruce. In some of these photos you can see some of the tooling that Bill had to make specific to this project.

Gil
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 05:50:37 pm
Ahmina GaGa!  Is that part of your collection Gil? That's amazing.

Hi Tom, Yes, part of the permanent collection here at the Office of Steam.

Gil
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: Jim on March 08, 2021, 04:22:30 pm
Nirvana of machining skills.
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: Stoker on March 08, 2021, 03:12:08 pm
I really don't know whether I should cry for pure joy .... or for shear discouragement!

Simply Superb doesn't even begin to cover it ...... a machinist to the Gods he must truly be!!!
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: Woe is me on March 08, 2021, 03:09:22 pm
Ahmina GaGa!  Is that part of your collection Gil? That's amazing.
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:46:01 pm
This concludes the best of the pictures provided by Bill and our friend, Ron.

I may have a few of my own to add.

I hope you enjoyed this fairly detailed insight of some of Bills work.

If you have come this far through the pictures.... I thought you might like a short video from 2019.

Enjoy,

Gil

https://youtu.be/95ZiIEvUbGM
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:34:47 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:30:32 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:27:48 pm
[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]  [attachimg=3]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:23:28 pm
[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]  [attachimg=3]  [attachimg=4]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:20:46 pm
[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]  [attachimg=3]  [attachimg=4]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:16:50 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:14:27 pm
The machine is coming together!
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:12:44 pm
[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]  [attachimg=3]  [attachimg=4]  [attachimg=5]  [attachimg=6]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:10:30 pm
[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]  [attachimg=3]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:09:17 pm
[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:05:25 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 01:01:37 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 12:57:14 pm
[attachimg=1][attachimg=2][attachimg=3][attachimg=4][attachimg=5][attachimg=6][attachimg=7]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 12:53:40 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 12:50:27 pm
[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]  [attachimg=3]  [attachimg=4]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 12:47:59 pm
[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]  [attachimg=3]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 12:44:13 pm
And more....


[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]  [attachimg=3]  [attachimg=4]  [attachimg=5]  [attachimg=6]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 12:39:23 pm
And...

     A few more pictures!

          Gil


[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]  [attachimg=3]  [attachimg=4]  [attachimg=5]  [attachimg=6]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: Stoker on March 08, 2021, 09:36:37 am
For a rank amateur such as myself, seeing these photos of work that is seemingly of such a high and unobtainable quality and complexity is an emotional mix of inspiration and frustration, total awe and something akin to embarrassment, reverence and resignation, knowing full well that I could never in a thousand lifetimes rise to the level of creation that I'm seeing here!

Daunting, is the word that most comes to mind, while viewing these photos of a true Master Machinists Art!
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 08, 2021, 07:29:26 am
There's more coming!
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: St Paul Steam on March 07, 2021, 05:25:46 pm
All I can say is Wow !
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 03:20:41 pm
[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]  [attachimg=3]  [attachimg=4]  [attachimg=5]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 03:17:18 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 03:12:05 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 03:07:34 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 03:04:32 pm
[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 02:58:47 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 02:55:18 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 02:52:05 pm
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Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 02:49:29 pm
[attachimg=1] [attachimg=2] [attachimg=3] [attachimg=4] [attachimg=5] [attachimg=6] [attachimg=7] [attachimg=8] [attachimg=9]




Beginning to take shape

[attachimg=10] [attachimg=11] [attachimg=12] [attachimg=13]
Title: Re: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 02:27:03 pm
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Title: Photographic Documentation of Bill Huxholds Work on the Sulzer Twin Cylinder Poppet Valve Steam Engine
Post by: RedRyder on March 07, 2021, 02:22:24 pm
Here you will see lots of pictures of the work of a true master of his craft.

I acquired these photos from Bill's friend Ron. Ron took a lot of the photos and Bill himself took a lot of them.

This engine was built with no drawings and mostly from a photograph of the full sized original.

Enjoy.

Gil


First a few pictures of Bill at work in his shop...

[attachimg=1]   [attachimg=2]   [attachimg=3]   [attachimg=4]   [attachimg=5]   [attachimg=6]