what material for steam engine round columns ?

[barts]

I'm wondering what would be the best material for the round columns on the Sea Lion engine I'm building. The strength of the material isn't paramount, as the size of the columns is determined by stiffness considerations due to the crosshead loading. I'd like these to stay reasonably presentable (e.g. shiny ) w/o too much manual attention. The columns will be ~1.25" in diameter; I've considered chromed hydraulic rod, 303 stainless or just plain CRS and live with the need for attention.

Any thoughts on this? I'm wondering what sort of problem folks have keeping engines looking nice? Or am I overthinking this and should just use some nice steel, and wipe it w/ an oily rag from time to time ?

- Bart

[marinesteam]

CRS and then electroless nickel plated.

Ken

[barts]

CRS and them electroless nickel plated.

Ken

I'd forgotten about this option; this was done for some inspection jigs we made 30 years ago as it prevented
rusty fingerprints .

Thanks!

- Bart

[DetroiTug]

I don't have any trouble with rust on the engine, but I use steam cylinder oil with tallow and it seems to finds it's way everywhere.

Yes, CRS/1018 and Nickel plating is a good route. Given the choice for lathe work, I try to get 12L14, it machines/threads easier and it's usually less expensive than 1018.

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Speaking of steamboating, hurry up warm weather.. I plan to do a lot more steaming/river trips than I did last year.

-Ron

[marinesteam]

Nickel plating over 12L14 can be problematic, the lead needs to be removed from the surface otherwise the nickel will peel. A good platter should know how to do this properly, but its not the standard process and will probably cost more.

Ken

[Chris W]

I used 303 Stainless on a Keeley single I'm building. Not bad machining and looks good.
Chris

[DetroiTug]

Ken,

That very thing happened on my steam car and I had forgotten it until I seen your post. One of steering parts I machined and nickel plated for the Locomobile was leaded stock 12L14 and it is peeling. I have to remake it or re-plate it.

-Ron

[Lopez Mike]

For a contrarian view, I'd make them out of aluminum and powder coat them. Really free machining and you could get all artistic although I don't know if that would clash with the rest of the engine esthetics.

[Lopez Mike]

One third the modulus though. You would need to allow for that.

[barts]

All the visible weldments and none-moving parts aside from the columns will be painted green - likely John Deere green, since I can get that matching in both powder coat and regular spray paints. Some of the items I wish to paint, like the big main pillow block bearings, cannot be powercoated. The engine has steam jackets around both the cylinder and the heads; those will covered with an insulating jacket the head of which will be spun brass.

I think the electroless nickel plated columns would look nice; having those columns relatively hard would definitely help them stay unmarked.

I welded up a table today (in between rain showers) to sit next to the mill and hold the Kurt vise and 10" rotary table; my body doesn't like moving those around the shop, so being able move the mill table to all the way back and to the side and slide off the tooling will help. It's a little overbuilt, but I had some 1 1/2" tubing rusting away outside, so that's now a table. Also hung a new light over the mill; I'm finally replacing its non-functional
DRO as well since the engine design requires more precision in layout than I think I can get w/ a height gage. Beside, the base of the engine weighs around 100 lbs, so moving that around for the height gage is a bit much,

Off to pick up a bit of plywood & Masonite to form the tabel surface.

- Bart