Steam engine from the North Caucasus

A special section just for steam engines and boilers, as without these you may as well fit a sail.
User avatar
fredrosse
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 1906
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:34 am
Boat Name: Margaret S.
Location: Phila PA USA
Contact:

Re: Steam engine from the North Caucasus

Post by fredrosse » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:36 am

One method to reduce the use of expensive bronze for as a bearing material is to make the part of steel, and fit a bronze bearing with a pressed fit, or bronze held in place with screws, or fitted the same as automobile /IC engine practice, etc.

The valve gear eccentric bearing for my engine was fabricated with steel, and then fitted with a bronze bearing. You can also use automobile/truck split bearings, available in almost any size you want, rapidly available and cheap in the USA. Look up the engine bearing size, often given in engine manuals (available online), then order the bearing shells.
Attachments
ValveGearParts.jpg
ValveGearParts.jpg (107.69 KiB) Viewed 93634 times
User avatar
fredrosse
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 1906
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:34 am
Boat Name: Margaret S.
Location: Phila PA USA
Contact:

Re: Steam engine from the North Caucasus

Post by fredrosse » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:41 am

Eccentric bearing build details.

A bearing ring is machined of steel, and milled recess made for bolt seats.
Attachments
ECC CAPS MILLINGS.JPG
ECC CAPS MILLINGS.JPG (34.31 KiB) Viewed 93632 times
User avatar
fredrosse
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 1906
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:34 am
Boat Name: Margaret S.
Location: Phila PA USA
Contact:

Re: Steam engine from the North Caucasus

Post by fredrosse » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:45 am

Bolt seats were brazed in position, or this entire piece could be made from one single piece of steel.
Attachments
ECC CAPS READY TO SOLDERS.JPG
ECC CAPS READY TO SOLDERS.JPG (39.56 KiB) Viewed 93629 times
User avatar
fredrosse
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 1906
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:34 am
Boat Name: Margaret S.
Location: Phila PA USA
Contact:

Re: Steam engine from the North Caucasus

Post by fredrosse » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:48 am

Brazed assembly
Attachments
ECC-CAPS-FINS.JPG
ECC-CAPS-FINS.JPG (66.75 KiB) Viewed 93628 times
User avatar
fredrosse
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 1906
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:34 am
Boat Name: Margaret S.
Location: Phila PA USA
Contact:

Re: Steam engine from the North Caucasus

Post by fredrosse » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:52 am

Bearing Bronze installed, held in position with a light press fit, and three screws that also keep the eccentric allignment
Attachments
MachineEccentricBearingS.jpg
MachineEccentricBearingS.jpg (74.53 KiB) Viewed 93627 times
User avatar
PeteThePen1
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 553
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:53 pm
Location: Aberystwyth, Wales, Europe
Contact:

Re: Steam engine from the North Caucasus

Post by PeteThePen1 » Tue Jun 29, 2021 7:37 pm

Hi Ingvar and Friends

Yes indeed, I do like the pieces that you are making. I think that you and Mike Rometer (and Fred!) are doing great things in building and displaying these engines and although I envy your skills, I appreciate that it takes a long time to get to that level of competence. Given the way that Britain's Neo-Con governments of the last 30 years have prioritized financial casino business over making stuff it is nearly impossible to get any kind of course for training hobby engineers any more. Besides I am way too old to gain all those skills, but enjoy seeing good work on this site.

Thanks also to Cyberbadger for the kind offer. I will keep that in mind for when I start the next project.

Regards

Pete
Freezerrr12
Warming the Engine
Warming the Engine
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:36 pm
Boat Name: Anastasia

Re: Steam engine from the North Caucasus

Post by Freezerrr12 » Wed Jun 30, 2021 8:10 pm

Dear Fred! I would fully comply with your recommendation by making clamps for eccentrics from steel, using a small amount of bronze. But only if you shared your pictures in the year 2018. In 2018 I decided to make bronze clamps. I bought a bronze disc on 200 mm in diameter and 75 mm thick back then. Currently, I am not able to change the design of the clamps, as in your pictures. Your design is economical but difficult to manufacture. It takes a lot of skill and a lot of time. Time is my enemy. While I'm busy making the top cover of a large cylinder. Here are some pictures. Dear Cyberbadger! I am grateful for your offer. When I have completed all the major large steel parts, I will contact you and we will discuss your proposal in detail. Best regards Ingvar.
Attachments
IMG_4296.jpg
IMG_4355.jpg
IMG_4352.jpg
tom1356
Just Starting Out
Just Starting Out
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2021 8:06 pm
Boat Name: No Boat Yet

Re: Steam engine from the North Caucasus

Post by tom1356 » Wed Jul 14, 2021 11:48 pm

DetroiTug wrote:
Tue Sep 22, 2020 2:28 am
Here is an original George Whitney boiler that belongs to a friend of mine. The engine that went with this boiler was purchased by Webster out east of aluminum launch hull fame. The engine castings were copied and sold to a few people.

A boiler design you may consider with larger tubing and limited means to bend it, is the porcupine boiler.

This Whitney boiler uses right and left hand threads.

-Ron
Attachments
Screenshot 2021-07-14 at 19-47-06 AC0463-B1F10 pdf.png
User avatar
DetroiTug
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 1863
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 5:56 pm
Boat Name: Iron Chief
Location: Northwest Detroit

Re: Steam engine from the North Caucasus

Post by DetroiTug » Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:28 am

Sent this picture to the guy that has the boiler, he got a kick out of it. I think that boiler is going to auction soon, are you interested?
Freezerrr12
Warming the Engine
Warming the Engine
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:36 pm
Boat Name: Anastasia

Re: Steam engine from the North Caucasus

Post by Freezerrr12 » Fri Jul 16, 2021 10:21 pm

Dear DetroiTug! The George Whitney steam boiler is very good. It is difficult to take your eyes off him. A boiler like this could turn my steam engine. Probably the boiler produces 150-200 kg. steam per hour at the required pressure of 200 psi. However, at this time, I cannot expect to purchase it. The North Caucasus is the south of Russia, and the boiler is not even in Europe, but overseas. Transportation of such a boiler will require very high costs, probably more than the cost of the boiler at an auction. I would be interested to know its value in dollars. I am interested to know its weight and technical data. While I am busy building a steam engine, which took a lot of my efforts and money. I had to equip my workshop 10 years ago, which also came at a high cost. Now in Russia, as in the whole world, there is a fight against the pandemic. This greatly affects the economy and small business. Therefore, the pace of progress of my project - a steam engine, slowed down. But a few photos, I can show. Good luck with your business! Ingvar.
Attachments
IMG_4536.jpg
IMG_4542.jpg
Post Reply