Walking Beam Steam Engine

[Dataporter]

Hey Mark
I learn something every day! <Thank God for that!>
Yep, when Rudy Kouhoupt refers to silver solder it is "soft solder" or like you said "Bearing solder". In is nearly all Tin (Sn) with a little Silver (Ag). It melts at like 450F (or 430F). No Lead!
Wikipedia says stuff that melts at 450 and up is silver solder (not what I would say, but I've been wrong more than once!)
The NO LEAD is why I thought the plumber's solder would work... But, again Wikipedia says plumber's solder contains lead. Read up on the fall of the Roman Empire... they used LOTS of LEAD in their plumbing <YIKES!> However the "plumbing solder" I have in my torch box melts at 430F and contains NO LEAD, hence I think it is mostly tin with a trace of silver.

The FLUX is a big part of this equation too! The molten solder will only flow to where the flux is! Don't get flux on the pins of the jig and you won't weld your links to the jig! Check out Micro Mark http://www.micromark.com/stay-brite-silver-solder-and-flux-1and2-oz-each,7556.html this is similar to the stuff I got from the local welding supply store called "Stay Clean" .... Micro Mark also has "Anti-Flux". I've never tried it but apparently you paint that where you DON'T want the solder to go.

Even though this stuff melts at only 430-450F the strength is amazing!

Best regards - Dave

PS now you are jonesing to see your engine run, aren't you?

 

[mjonkman]

Yes, I want to see this puppy run

If I can get the DRO installed complete this weekend then I will - hate to ignore one axis but I want to see the engine run

Course my boss man called and I have to go to the office today on my day off for a meeting with him and my kid has been giving me a hard time about never showing up to a track meet to watch him pole vault so I have to do that today too.. I think there is a conspiracy afoot here to use up my day off without accomplishing anything

 

[Dataporter]

Your son will not be young for long! Enjoy THAT while you can! The engine can wait for that.

 

[mjonkman]

I enjoyed the portion of the track meet he was in. Wound up helping out a bit putting up the bar whenever someone knocked it off He got 2nd place in pole vaulting clearing 12' and just missing on 12' 6". The winning jumper started at 13' or 13' 6" - they can choose what height to start at. Looks like there is another local meet here at the high school this week so I'll probably head over to that for the pole vaulting event.

Got the x and the y axis now working on the DRO and have the z scale mounted.. just need to create the pieces to hook up the read head.

Then back to the engine.

mark

 

[Dataporter]

Walking Beam Steam Engine COMPLETED!!

Some Photos of the Completed Project:


And, of course, a short video of it in action!

[video=youtube_share;hIY-zhDUZ40]http://youtu.be/hIY-zhDUZ40[/video]

Oh, and by the way, I packed the gland and the made the "piston ring" with teflon tape. You know, the stuff you wrap around pipe threads. Worked very well.

So, what am I going to do now.....

 

[Andre]

Beautiful job! I want to make my first engine soon, do you know of any engines I can build (besides a wobbler) without castings or a lathe?

 

[Terrywerm]

Very, very nice! Glad to see that it turned out so well.


What next??? Try one 1/4 size of this one of course! A model of a model, so to speak.

- - - Updated - - -

Andre, do a search on the Internet for 'Elmer's Engines' and you should be able to find some plans out there for some nice bar stock engines.

 

[Just Startin']

Great thread, great build, and great info. Looks good running and not. :thumbsup2:

 

[mjonkman]

That looks awesome Dave!


I hit a bit of a brick wall with my build. I rebuilt the parallel linkages, went to ACE they had some 2% silver solder, worked quite nicely. Got the linkages all built, made the little steel rods to hold them onto the various pieces, all fit nice seemed to move fluidly. I left only a 0.001" fit using an over sized reamer on the linkages and 1/8" drill rod for the rods they ran on. Then I got busy with work and then I had to chauffeur my wife around all this week (2000 miles of driving in 6 days). So today I go back out there and everything is seized solid. The drill rod is completely rusted inside the linkages and stupid me tried to move them and busted a couple of the linkages. I'm guessing there must have been some flux left on the linkages and it must have caused the drill rod to corrode or something. Searching the web people talk about pickling jewelry after soldering. Do you do anything with your stuff after soldering? If so what do you use? Or was this more or less a fluke. Off to make new linkages again..

Mark

 

[jumps4]

that came out nice I love the way these engines sound running.
steve