johnsmachines

machines which I have made, am making, or intend to make, and some other stuff. If you find this site interesting, please leave a comment. I read every comment and respond to most. n.b. There is a list of my first 800 posts in my post of 17 June 2021, titled "800 Posts"
May 25, 2015

INJECTION of INSPIRATION

Today I visited a fellow member of our local model engineering club, Hamish L.  The models he has built in his 4-5 years of model engineering just about blew me away.

Vertical boiler, twin cylinder engine, condensing tank, and boiler pump.

Vertical boiler, twin cylinder engine, condensing tank, and boiler pump.

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Hamish is well into building a 2″ scale Burrell Traction Engine

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The slide valve is completed. The base of the valve and ports could almost be used as a mirror. Many many hours of polishing there.

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The steering gears were pre-machined.

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The rubber tyres were vulcanised to the rims by a company in Queensland.   The spokes were laser cut.  The rivets are actually bolts with nuts, disguised to look like rivets. Very clever.

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Forget what this is, but it is substantially machined. Some finishing required.

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Fantastic attention to detail.

Hamish is building this traction engine, to entertain his grandchildren (and probably infect them with the “Model engineering virus”.  It certainly inspires me.

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May 25, 2015

BOILER PAINT

I am waiting for some new 2mm milling cutters to arrive before I tackle the steam passages in the triple, so I decided to apply some finishing touches to the Bolton 7 boiler.

The aluminium castings on the ends were removed, and painted with a high temperature engine paint.  While the boiler was in pieces I connected the steam exhaust pipe from the engine to the boiler chimney.

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The before shot. The engine and its boiler are sitting on a mantelpiece in our living room.

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It looks better with the ends painted matt black, yes? I suppose that I should have also painted the brass sides and copper boiler, but I really like those metal colours. 

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