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PM Models #5 steam engine

few more bits over the week, i didnt take much in the way of build pictures...doh!

Here is the completed eccentric strap and eccentric. I cheated on the strap, the drawing calls for an internal groove that centers it on the eccentric, i didn't have a cutter, and i didn't want to make a cutter, it was much easier to bore straight through and put "sides" on the eccentric similar to the pm#1. The eccentric was a simple job, mill both sides flat, clamp in the vise, drill and tap the holes for oiling, bolting and the rod, then cut in half with a slitting saw. After that i clamped it to the board made in post #11 and bored a nice round hole through the middle, done.

For the eccentric i cut a new piece of stock, the one provided was very short and made chucking up up square with enough stick out difficult, luckily i had a piece. After chucking it in the 3 jaw i turned the section for the strap and made a small centering hole to help locate the offset (and why not use a live center), after removing it from the 3jaw i scribed in a mark .100ish over from the centering hole, slammed it in the 4 jaw and used the center on a center in the tail stock method to get the offset close. After the piece was close it was easy enough to put an indicator on the barrel and adjust it for the exact .100 offset (.200 on the indicator), turned it, drilled, reamed, off to the mill to drill the set screw before i had nothing to clamp, and back to the lathe to part it off.

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some of the final bits, ended up making that piston rod twice, misread the print and made it to short the first time around, dohh!

also lost the valve chest packing nut, had to make one from round stock. it needs a little more filing to match the profile of the valve chest ?gland?

first fire up, has some leaks, namely from the valve chest rod, i cannot get enough grab on the eccentric set screw to overcome the friction it takes to move the rod when packed, the eccentric just spins and goes out of time. I think i will replace the eccentric set screw with a cap screw, at least that will have a bigger head, should allow me to torque that set screw in harder.

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@phaxtris

NICE! Your video might be enough to get me to try building one some day.

Would it work on steam? I really wouldn't want to run my compressor for that. I'd prefer to bring it into the house and let the family oooooo and aaaaaa!
 
Thanks guys, now I get to add it to the shelf beside my #1, maybe I'll build a beam engine next

@Tom O I'm not sure, it doesn't register on the gauge of the regulator I'm using, I'll have to hook up a lower reading gauge at one point and see

@Susquatch like @DPittman mentioned it will run on steam, all of the pm models will, problem is you need a boiler
 
phaxtris said:
problem is you need a boiler
Click to expand...

And this is a problem how?

I'd prolly just make one with a pressure activated on/off regulator for an electric heater and a blowoff. Nothing fancy. Certainly not period looking! Just want some pressurized steam.
 
One steam source for small engines like this ive always wanted to explore would be a cappuccino, or espresso machine. Not sure about pressures etc, but it's essentially a kitchen counter safe "boiler", that could very easily be repurpose for running a small steam engine. With some added safety features of course......
 
Dan Dubeau said:
One steam source for small engines like this ive always wanted to explore would be a cappuccino, or espresso machine. Not sure about pressures etc, but it's essentially a kitchen counter safe "boiler", that could very easily be repurpose for running a small steam engine. With some added safety features of course......
Click to expand...

I'll check that out Dan. The self contained aspect is attractive. Don't know about pressure limits or valving. We are not cappuccino or espresso fans.
 
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