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: etdown on December 11, 2024, 11:29:05 am
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A beam engine like this was often used as a power plant for a factory, driving overhead pully and belt systems. The smaller flywheel would have been the power take off for driving that kind of system.
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(still learning)
What is the purpose for the smaller, gear driven flywheel? In the prototype this intended for a power-take-off belt like on a traction engine?
Yes, that is set up for increasing the rpm of the smaller belt wheel but is likely still a lower "gear" ratio than if the belt is driven from around the main flywheel, as was often done too.
Though this engine's main flywheel does look a little thin (by half) to be used for a drive belt.
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(still learning)
What is the purpose for the smaller, gear driven flywheel? In the prototype this intended for a power-take-off belt like on a traction engine?
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Gorgeous!
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That you chose to include steps up to your engine's "platform" shows the level of your meticulous detailing.
This is one truly BEAUTIFUL model!!!
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Beautiful, great workmanship and that base really suits it.
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Superb work on the engine! Very clean job and the engines is running well. Going to the extra work of making a real-life setting for the engine with the brick work and hand rails greatly enhances the realism.
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Very nice engine and that is a understatement! I love the box, its like the cherry on top (or in this case on the bottom)!
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Time and effort really paid off, congratulations!
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I have finally completed my ME Beam Engine from Reeves Model Engineering in England. I am pleased with the final result. Along with the pictures I have uploaded a video to YouTube: https://youtu.be/J6HCBXcY0BQ
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What a wonderful model!
Keep the updates coming. ;D
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Yes. Very nice runner. Well done!
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Very nice workmanship nice to see it actually running!!!
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That is Beautiful! Can’t wait to see it after all the extra details are done. I like the looks of this one over the Stuart
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It Lives!
https://youtu.be/MOOv98nA2KI
This morning for the first time, I fired up my ME Beam Engine. I thought it sounded pretty good. Timing is close. Runs on about 12lbs of pressure and really moves at 30lb. Still lots of things to complete, such as:
- Finish governor
- Make steam inlet valve and governor butterfly valve
- Governor linkage
- Dissemble and paint engine
- Clad base in "brick" face
- Install cherry planking on top of base
Plenty to keep me busy
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You are making good progress.
Thanks for the updates!
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So far all your machine work looks excellent to me!!!
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I am progressing slowly on my Beam Engine. I have completed the cylinder and steam valve assembly. Came out OK. The last major item is the valve control mechanism. Then the governor. Once that is done, complete disassembly, paint then reassembly. Still lots to do.
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That's coming along beautifully and the machining is definitely top notch!!!
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I continue to make slow progress on my ME Beam Engine. My last post said that I would move to the parallel motion on the beam and I thought it would be challenging. I was correct. It took forever and was very hard to get it smooth and parallel Not perfect but I think it will work pretty well.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wbWJh42Fe1o
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Continuing to make progress on my ME Beam Engine. I have most of the downstream drive train done. Still quite a bit to do on the governor. I think the next task will be the parallel motion linkage which will be quite tedious. Then the cylinder side of things. I have a very short video showing the crank in motion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MN_SSxyLDg
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Nice work and thanks for the bringing us along for the ride!
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I was able to finish up the flutes in my connecting rod on my mill using a 1/2" bull nose end mill and my rotary table. Was a real pain getting it centered since the forks made it tough. Pleased with the result.
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That's a great way to accomplish that type of machining!!!
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I thought some of you might be interested in how I am trueing up my connecting rod. The rod has a curved middle section which is always difficult on a lathe. So I made my own "sweep" cutter to replace the cross feed on my Logan lathe. It is not my idea, but I did my own implementation. I thought it came out pretty good. It turns freely as the part is spinning allowing me to select a wide range of radius' and slowly rotating the cutter. It can be reversed allowing concave or convex curves. The cutter I use is a tiny (6mm) round carbide insert which is great for cutting rounded surfaces. The next step is to clean up the "groves" on the connecting rod using a ball nose cutter on my mill.
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Very well done so far...
Will be looking forward to your updates.
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That's gonna be a very nice looking beam engine when it's finished!!!
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Excellent photos. Can't wait to see it running.
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Nice work so far 👍 thanks for sharing your progress, looking forward to more
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Very nice engine - and a lot of labor to come
Hope to see progress...
Arnold
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Looks like that is coming together beautifully!
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I have been working on my ME Beam Engine that I purchased from Reeves in England. The castings are pretty rough and it has taken a fair amount of time to get them looking good. I have built a wooden base that will be covered with "brick" and the top will be covered with cherry wood planking to simulate flooring. Overall I am pleased with the progress, but everything takes for ever. I think the next step is to get the beam mounted and the connected to the crankshaft.