PM Research #7 It Begins

After messing around with my small mill and a selfmade boring head The second model cylinder I made on my lathe. It was much easier and had a better surface finish. So it depends on your machines
 
werz99 said:
After messing around with my small mill and a selfmade boring head The second model cylinder I made on my lathe. It was much easier and had a better surface finish. So it depends on your machines
Click to expand...
I'd like to see your home made boring head.
The cylinders are tricky. I made a comment to Joe Pie. at Advanced Innovations _Youtube-, He asked me why they were challenging??
I said, because the castings are irregular, there is no point to measure from and so on.
He then went on to build a steam engine kit by PM.

If you watch Keith Appleton, Learning Turning and Joe Pieczynski, you'll see three methods of turning cylinders.
I believe they all got there in the end but went about it very differently.

I think if I get back into these models I'll buy a larger kit. The #7 was not a good choice for my equipment.
 
Janderso said:
I'd like to see your home made boring head.
The cylinders are tricky. I made a comment to Joe Pie. at Advanced Innovations _Youtube-, He asked me why they were challenging??
I said, because the castings are irregular, there is no point to measure from and so on.
He then went on to build a steam engine kit by PM.

If you watch Keith Appleton, Learning Turning and Joe Pieczynski, you'll see three methods of turning cylinders.
I believe they all got there in the end but went about it very differently.

I think if I get back into these models I'll buy a larger kit. The #7 was not a good choice for my equipment.
Click to expand...
I had the same problem with my #3, it WORKED, but only slightly so as things were quite a bit too small for my machines. My hit-miss engine was even worse for that, I had a couple of parts i didn't make well enough, so that engine is basically in the junk pile having never run.
 
ErichKeane said:
I had the same problem with my #3, it WORKED, but only slightly so as things were quite a bit too small for my machines. My hit-miss engine was even worse for that, I had a couple of parts i didn't make well enough, so that engine is basically in the junk pile having never run.
Click to expand...
You guys have to try a #4 or #6. The parts are decently sized and there are very few tiny parts to be made. It is a lot of work but very enjoyable.
 
@Janderso
Here is a picture of my boringhead. The goal was to have it very compact (so it is one piece with the MT2 and the head itself is only 40mm high).

P1140111.JPG)
I have also shown the boringhead and some more details in this forum HERE.


I used the 4 jaw chuck to center the cylinder for boring. Using the already milled surface with some parallels to keep it straight in the chuck. Centering is more or less visual - it was one of the most ugliest castings in my PM Research Kit #1.
P1000452.JPGP1000457.JPG
See also
- Making of the cylinder is starting at 2:25
 
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Yes , the #3 has the same cylinder as the #7. But only one.
Mine turned out fine, but I remember thinking I lucked out, & was glad I didn’t have to build 2 of them like you have to.
I agree with the difficulty of your machine sizes.
I have often heard “you can build small things on a big lathe but you can’t build big things on a small lathe”.
After a career of operating huge manual lathes & mills, I sort of disagree with that when it comes to tiny steam engines.
Cheers
 
5tmorris said:
An 8" chuck is a PITA. Couldn't imagine a 10".
Click to expand...
I've got a 12" 3 jaw that I used to use an engine hoist to get into place! Fortunately I replaced it with a 8" 6 jaw and use THAT for just about everything (plus an 8" 4 jaw), otherwise chuck changes would be near-impossible.
 
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