Fred... what is a throttle wire drawing effect?

[Cyruscosmo]

LOL Mike!

Madness! Sheer madness!! I have a handful of hair ready to... oh wait; I only have a handful of hair! I better rethink this!

Albert

Yes, That is one thing I had noticed over the last few years or so since I caught the steam bug is the use of Stephenson linkage on damn near everything steam powered. I never could get a straight answer for the reason. Was it the best and most efficient or just the simplest way to go? When I found steam engines that were designed for efficiency like some found close to the end of the steam era they had major tweaks to the valve linkage making it easier to control inlet timing. Then the Corliss engines were said to have far better efficiency ratings and actually had no Stephenson linkage at all.

Now that I understand more about how steam behaves I understand better why the Corliss linkage is designed the way it is. Which puts me more firmly of the opinion that I will look for a more variable method of valve timing, not just the simple one.

As far as high-pressure flow cutting valve seats goes, that can be solved easily with the right valve and seat material for the job. I had in mind using the replaceable seats from a high-pressure paint sprayer. I don't know what they are made of but I cannot scratch them with anything short of a diamond blade.

I have pretty much nailed down the displacement of each cylinder, the stroke, the crank size and bearing types. So at the moment I have been looking at various valve timing arrangements and there adjustability. I like the look of the upside down Pearl Engine but am a bit leery of the big end rod setup. Does anyone run one of these engines? Is there a Pearl compound and have there been any problems with the wishbone shaped rod?

Cheers
Scott

[Lopez Mike]

I seldom get my hands on any fuel that good.

Once in a while some Madrona. Most of the time I'm burning Douglas Fir. I am experimenting with compressed logs (Presto Logs is one brand name. There is some variation between the buck a log ones I get at a box store and the $1.46 ones I find at stove stores. They need to be stored in a relatively dry spot at home lest they revert to sawdust. I have burned fir bark with some success.

Mike

[Albert]

Mike,

For the time being, beech logs still have a lower price than the available compressed logs. I purchase some 6 cubic meters every year for home heating. Needles to say that the best logs are put aside for... You need to set priorities! During the last trip this year to the slip ramp I burnt a kind of Presto logs (fir, cylindrical shape, with a central hole to improve combustion). Quick reaction, high temperature, and... a lot of dark smoke. Consumption rate (kg/km) is almost the same, costs are however slightly higher.

Albert

[Lopez Mike]

Yes, I have noticed the smoke from the compressed logs. Hasn't bothered be too much. I am still evaluating the difference in heat output between cheap logs and more expensive ones. We'll see. And cutting up the wood smaller does help avoid open spots in the fire for cold air to pass through.

I am building a special grate this Winter in order to try wood pellets. It is a sheet of thick S.S. sheet metal with many, many 1/4" holes. I'm having to use my milling machine at very low speeds to not use up too many drill bits! It will be a learning experience to get the fire the right thickness for good burning.

At home I have plenty of boat wood as I heat the house with it but when I travel I need to have a fuel source that is available in a wide variety of places.

Scott's thread got hijacked big time. Sorry.

Mike

[mtnman]

Yes, I have noticed the smoke from the compressed logs. Hasn't bothered be too much. I am still evaluating the difference in heat output between cheap logs and more expensive ones. We'll see. And cutting up the wood smaller does help avoid open spots in the fire for cold air to pass through.

I am building a special grate this Winter in order to try wood pellets. It is a sheet of thick S.S. sheet metal with many, many 1/4" holes. I'm having to use my milling machine at very low speeds to not use up too many drill bits! It will be a learning experience to get the fire the right thickness for good burning.

At home I have plenty of boat wood as I heat the house with it but when I travel I need to have a fuel source that is available in a wide variety of places.

Scott's thread got hijacked big time. Sorry.

Mike

Here's a tip for drilling stainless steel. Use Permatex Aircraft Gasket Cement as a lubricant. I don't know why it works so well but it does. I learned this trick many years ago when working at the shipyard.

[Lopez Mike]

I never head of that. It must really stink!!

Mike

[Cyruscosmo]

Scott's thread got hijacked big time. Sorry.

I don't mind at all Mike as long as I am learning something.

As far as drilling SS goes I have tried a lot of different lubes with various results. We got a contract once that called for 500 4" x 4" x 1/2" angle cut in 6" lengths with four holes in each piece. I started with four new 1/2" cobalt bits for the job and burned up two of them by lunch time using some special lube that was recommended for the job. I switched to wd40 and got a bit further than the special expensive stuff but the tip went bad at around 2:30 so I was down to my last bit.

I mounted the last bit in the mag drill wishing by then that I had an Iron worker with a punch somewhere handy. Instead of grabbing the wd40 spray bottle I grabbed one just like it full of water and started spraying the bit. I was not really paying attention as I was annoyed with the stinky drill lube they insisted I try that was all over everything at that point and looking forward to going home.

I had drilled a few holes before I realized that I was not getting the familiar smelling smoke from wd40 and realized I had been using water.

I stopped and took a good look and found that the chips were not changing color and the bit was cool so I drilled on being curious to see how far I could get. Well... I finished drilling all the holes I had left with that one last bit and water. Now I know I can use one 1/2" cobalt bit mounted in my Mag drill and get at least 925 holes in 1/2" stainless angle at normal speed.

That was four years ago now and I still only use water.

Cheers
Scott

[Lopez Mike]

That's the interesting thing about almost all decent coolants. They get better as they get closer to being water. Nothing absorbs heat as well as water. Adding some soluble oil to keep the rust under control helps though.

Mike