V-6 steam engine

Kevans

Fish from another stream
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 11, 2011
Messages
471
Reaction score
41
Location
New Mexico
This year at World Con, I am on a panel about weird tech. For the panel I am building a steam engine.
Here are a few photos.

The first fitting of the crank shaft.


http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss146/Thorgierr/CIMG0114.jpg


Test fitting the end plates.


http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss146/Thorgierr/CIMG0115.jpg


You know it is getting serious when paint appears. The crank shaft mounted and aligned.


http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss146/Thorgierr/CIMG0117.jpg


And


http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss146/Thorgierr/CIMG0120.jpg

Regards,
Kevin
 

Kevans

Fish from another stream
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 11, 2011
Messages
471
Reaction score
41
Location
New Mexico
Here is what has been eating my life...



Photo of the engine,

CIMG0127.jpg


It is a steam powered V-6 for a panel at world con.

here is a vid of it running at 1200 rpm



The thing is almost done, I have had it turning on the lathe for three hours now, it pushes around under very little pressure.

Regards,
Kevin
 

Niniva

Life is just a bowl of cherries...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 27, 2008
Messages
751
Reaction score
130
Location
Athens, GA
That is one lovely but strange bit of work; congratulations!
 

Meerkat

Claims the loan was a gift
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
3,600
Reaction score
2,033
Location
"site, place, position" --Roget's Thesaurus
What a brilliant, inspiring piece of work--well done! I especially like that the heat source is removed from the release mechanisms for a change, which means that any variety of fuels could be accomodated (including wood). You've overcome two or three failings of the last production steam cars from eight decades ago with your version.
 

Kevans

Fish from another stream
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 11, 2011
Messages
471
Reaction score
41
Location
New Mexico
We (my wife and I) write for the Grantville Gazette. Every year the authors in the 1632 story cycle meet, and attach a 1632 track to a convention. Two years ago it was NASFIC in NC, last year it was DragonCon, this year it is world con in Chicago.







The schedule is as follows. (Thanks to Rick Boatright, Ed board, GG)



*PanelTitle *
*PanelDescription *
*RoomName * -- *Start * - *End *

1632: Weird Tech 1 Why alt-history tech is different than real world and
how that effects plot and story arc using examples from the 1632 series.
Grand Suite 2AB -- 2012-08-31 12:00:00 - 13:30:00

1632: Writers Round Table Introduction to writing in the 1632 Universe
Grand Suite 2AB -- 2012-08-31 15:00:00 - 16:30:00

1632: Alt-History vs Steampunk - Real Science and Dirigibles what you can
and can\'t do
Grand Suite 2AB -- 2012-08-31 18:00:00 - 19:30:00

1632: Time Passed in the Past
Grand Suite 2AB -- 2012-09-01 09:00:00 - 10:30:00

1632: Infrastructure Water treatment, waste water, civil engineering, power
generation
Grand Suite 2AB -- 2012-09-01 12:00:00 - 2012-09-01 13:30:00

1632: 17th century agriculture
Grand Suite 2AB -- 2012-09-01 15:00:00 - 16:30:00

1632: Music of the Ring: what music will look like in the NTL next
generation.
Grand Suite 2AB -- 2012-09-01 18:00:00 - 19:30:00

1632: Alt History vs Steampunk -- Computing without electronics
Computing without electronics, the real limits of Babbage engines, fluidic
computing, relays, and switches.
Grand Suite 2AB -- 2012-09-02 12:00:00 - 13:30:00

1632: Snerking the Plots
Grand Suite 2AB -- 2012-09-02 15:00:00 - 16:30:00

1632: Weird Tech 2
Choosing and implementing a weird tech in a story - how to find one, and
how to realize it for yourself and or others.
Grand Suite 2AB -- 2012-09-02 18:00:00 - 19:30:00



As you can see it is a busy list of events, I am on all the weird tech panels, the writers round table, and maybe as back up on the airship panel, and waste water panels....



Snerking the plots is Eric Flint telling us where the story cycle is going, so we can avoid tangling the thread of narrative.



Regards,

Kevin


Ooh! When is your panel?
 

Kevans

Fish from another stream
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 11, 2011
Messages
471
Reaction score
41
Location
New Mexico
In other news, I have been working on my "fly wheel" Balance has been hard as the wind makes it rotate, instead of stopping with one blade at the bottom.
Any way here are some photos and a video, in the video note how the accursed thing accelerates....


Here is a complete engine,


http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss146/Thorgierr/CIMG0131.jpg


Here is the fly wheel, made from a 2x4 with hand tools and an orbital sander.


Done by eye no references except a memory of seeing a wooden prop hanging on a wall.


http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss146/Thorgierr/CIMG0134.jpg


Here is a video of the balance process, and the interference by the wind. (about 4 mph+/-)


http://s570.photobucket.com/albums/ss146/Thorgierr/?action=view&current=CIMG0130.mp4


Have fun,
Kevin
 

Kevans

Fish from another stream
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 11, 2011
Messages
471
Reaction score
41
Location
New Mexico
It has been fun, and time consuming.

Just for fun here is a paper on the steam source I want to make for the engine.

http://www.steamautomobile.com/northea/lamont.html

The biggest problem this engine has, is that it will run just as well counter clockwise as clockwise....

For an airship that is okay, alas a ground vehicle usually has to reverse rapidly, and that takes more involved valving. My engine looks like this, in the valve department.

pistons.jpg


The drawing is simplified, but mostly complete.

Regards,
Kevin






What a brilliant, inspiring piece of work--well done! I especially like that the heat source is removed from the release mechanisms for a change, which means that any variety of fuels could be accomodated (including wood). You've overcome two or three failings of the last production steam cars from eight decades ago with your version.