First Farm Boy Hit and Miss engine parts completed

[jgedde]

I purchased the plans for the J.E. Howell Farm Boy Hit and Miss engine. The plans are first rate and Mr Howell's design is supurb.

Having completed only one other engine: a PM Research #7 Twin Cylinder Steam Engine from their unmachined casting kit, I'm likely in slightly over my head with the Farm Boy, but it'll be a first rate learning experience for sure.

I started the build with the two flywheels and their split collets. Rather than use cast iron for the flywheels, I used 303 stainless and moved the balance feature inboard the appropriate amount to correct for the added density of the 303.

Here are pics of the finished flywheels and split collets:




The Machining Process:






I figured I goof beyond recovery machining the spokes, but that didn't happen. I did however drill the three hub screw holes on the wrong bolt circle by 30 thousandsths. Here's the fixed goof... I just threaded and Loctited in some SS screws, then machined them back to the existing surface both on the face of the hub and the tapered ID.


John

 

[bvd1940]

Nice start, i will be watching:thinking:

 

[Tamper84]

Very nice. You have my attention!!

chris

 

[rebush]

John: Nice looking flywheels. Pulling up a chair and will be following your build. Thanks for taking the time to post your progress. Roger

 

[GaryK]

Great looking job so far! I'll be following.


What kind of lathe and mill are you using?

Gary

 

[jgedde]

Great looking job so far! I'll be following.


What kind of lathe and mill are you using?

Gary

Thanks for the good words. As far as equipment, both lathe and mill are imports: The lathe is a Grizzly G4003. The mill is a PM-45. The rotab is Asian too!

John

 

[12bolts]

John,
Thats very nice work. Did you go with the s/s because you had it on hand?
Great start. Looking forward to the next progress post.

Cheers Phil

 

[Hawkeye]

Very nice start, John. Just for reference, what is the diameter of the flywheels?

 

[GaryK]

Very nice start, John. Just for reference, what is the diameter of the flywheels?

The website says they are 6". That is if he is building them according to the plans.

 

[jgedde]

John,
Thats very nice work. Did you go with the s/s because you had it on hand?
Great start. Looking forward to the next progress post.

Cheers Phil

Hi Phil,

I chose the 303 for a few reasons:

1) I had it on hand
2) It's MUCH cleaner to amchine than CI - no black dust everywhere.
3) A nice surface finish is a cinch to achieve.
4) It'll never rust.

Thanks for the good words,
John