Bolton Triple Expansion Engine “The End Test”

[Kanders]

A short intro into this model of the triple expansion engine’s history,
Hello everyone.. first post
It was started in 1983 by Mr Mick Cook. Mick was a Toolmaker by trade and also a keen very talented model engineer from an early age. He has produced many many incredible builds over the years, from clocks to Traction engines to loco’s even a steam powered hydroplane all scratch built. He was the chief model maker at the Ford motor company Basildon plant for the retirement gifts, things like, working lathes in bottles to many different job related models! great job if you are a keen model maker !

I was fortunate to be Micks apprentice, And that’s something that stood me in good stead for the rest of my own engineering career.

Mick is now 91 years old and unfortunately has lost his sight and has had to give up his workshop activities.. very sad to see him giving away his lifetime collection of tools and equipment. And so this is how i came to be tasked with the ‘Apprentice end test’..!

One day while visiting him he said “I want you to have this” and uncovered the triple..!
As you can imagine I was a little surprised also also excited.. then came the BUT.. You have to finish it in the same way as it was started…!! So let me explaine…
Micks ethos regarding model making is simple to say but not so easy to undertake.
‘Detail’ when do you stop? - when you can’t see it. (That does not mean if it’s hidden it means when it’s so small you physically can’t see it! )
‘Making things look right’ - make it as the real thing would be manufactured not the simple route.

Thanks Mick…

So my workshop is well equipped I’m retired now and been a luthier for many years, and I build bespoke vinyl turntables tone arms. Platters and plinths all for those those black plastic discs that make the best music ever ! Being a youngster of 65, my imperial days are in the distant past. Fortunately DRO,s do both haha !

It’s taken me a few weeks to get back into the rhythm, but parts are starting to come off and they seem to fit okay.. purchasing silver soldering equipment and various materials to do this job has taken some time, but things are falling into place there to, so I would like to share the journey and also keep a log for Mick my Mentor !

Cheers

‘The apprentice’

Karl

 

[Kanders]

So the first job was to sort through the parts and items given to me in a big box and tins. Drawings supplied are the revised version by J.P. Bertiant, (wow how anyone has ever made this engine using these dwg’s without extensive experience is quite amazing) No datum’s no tolerances and endless chain dims. And a few to many mistakes. But heyho all in the challenge. I have the complete ME walk through from the period which is quite detailed and the new book that’s just been published by E&J Winter for the Bolton No 9 triple expansion engine. This book is again a walk through but differs a little from the original build, im not following some of this books details as i think it deters from the spirit of ME. (Personal opinion)
So having collated materials tools etc. Time to get cracking
Looking at the build i decided to make the parts to get the engine in a running state. Mick had made all the valve gear but not assembled the IP valve. So i striped it back made a few mods. And basic timing set, the engine turned over by hand but with some tight spots. (Remember this had not move in nearly 40 years.
So having reasonable confidence that nothing major was wrong. I looked at the the first job the reverse gear.
One of the first things Mick said was “please don’t make the forward/reverse wheel ad per drawing!” Which is to roll a rim from 1/8 and then a boss with spokes inserted.. make it solid as it was..! Yes Mick.
So there’s the start point…









Mr Cook was pleased with the first step…

 

[Kanders]

Next up was to make the rest of the FWD/REV link assembly. My intention is to make and fit all the new parts then final finish them on the build.


Link arms roughed out ready for silver soldering…


Drag Links made and then assembled.


Weighshaft operating lever and link arm (which i may remake in steel not happy with the top boss alignment when assembled)

Crank roughed out but not finished

Assembled i used M2 grub screws for ease of assembly and testing operation on the HP cylinder. These are all pinned on final assembly but i may change to keyed as the 1/16 pins do look oversize just a little, we will see..

All worked as it should.
During the fit i had to remove the condenser to machine a flat face for the brackets that hold the worm shaft. As i removed the end cap of the condenser I noticed that there had been a small home built…!??

Clearly someone thought this is a nice secure place to build a house!
Next up strip down and clean, paint the base and make some of the ancillaries that are attached to the engine while paint is curing etc..

 

[Rob444]

Magnificent work! Thank you for sharing it with us!

Rob

 

[Kanders]

Magnificent work! Thank you for sharing it with us!

Rob

Thank you Rob..

 

[johnv]

I made a Bolton triple about 10 years ago using the OB Bolton and Bertinat plans, and yes it was difficult. Looking at your photos I can see that Mr Cook and you are doing a beautiful job. Mine was just my third model engine and I did not have a metal working background. But it works on steam and regularly features in local shows, working. I wonder if you have seen the book pictured. It was published a year or 2 ago and is obtainable from EJ Winter, Bathurst, Australia and it is VERY good. I just wish that it had been available when I was making my triple.

 

[Kanders]

Hi John, thanks… yes I’ve seen your engine as you can imagine taking on this half ‘cooked’ pun intended i needed to do some research.
I have that book.. its just been updated last year 2nd edition. There is good info but also as i said somethings in my opinion are not in the the sprit of ME like using EDM to make parts..? when he clearly has the talent and machinery to manufacture them.
i may be asking you some questions in the near future.. what are your consulting rates ?

 

[Kanders]

Next job was to strip the engine down remove the crankshaft and main bearings clean the base casting up, drill some holes to fix the base later to a plinth. Also machine a small amount of clearance for the LP valve eccentrics as they are very close to the casting.


Mick has made a stunning job of the crankshaft and main bearings.

Main Bearings are all stamped in pairs but I wired them together just in case.

After a good degrease and hot soapy wash some heat resistant etch primer was applied.

Then after a couple of days the first coat of again heat resistant dark maroon, the actual engine castings will be a light cream and machined surfaces left as gun metal, steel etc.

Next job while the paint cures properly ill look at the Edward’s air/water pump assembly, looking at the drawings there’s is a lot of room for error.. again this part lacks dimensions there are again no datum’s so I’ve decided to work backwards and make the pump fit it to the engine then make the linkages to fit. There is a casting that’s in two halved that acts as the pivot point. These castings are not great ,but do give a way to make the pump shafts to be square. There are three shafts in all and they must run true for the air and water pumps to work.

 

[johnv]

Some pics of my boiler, in response to a request from Kanders.
It is 6" diameter, and propane gas powered, has a hand pump, and a Southworth steam driven pump.
It is tested to 200psi static and 120psi steam pressure, and certified to 100psi.
My triple will run quite well on 25psi, but at that pressure I doubt that cylinders 2 and 3 are barely contributing.

 

[Kanders]

Edward’s air and water pumps, wow this does take some thought Dwg’s are again not great. As I said I’m going to make the pump so that it fits to the engine first.
After cleaning up the castings and making a few special boring bars. I made a start, Cleaning up the main datum faces to size square and parallel was key.
So I machined the two side faces on the mill then transferred to the lathe and 4 jaw. Then I bored the body out to take the cylinder and the cavity. Next the cylinder bored for the piston then machined to size.





Drawing has the piston screwed onto the shaft. I decided to make a press fit and the silver solder a ring on the underside.

Next made the valve plates and made sure the disc of the valve was just held in position with the plate able to slide to open the valve, all this has to be quite accurate so lapped faces etc required.

Next over to the mill and dividing head for the bolt holes.. big errors on the dwg here but actually plenty of room to get all the holes in. I put a dowel hole at the rear for the cylinder to body

Then the gland nut made, I reduced the sizes for this as looked out of scale per dwg.
Pump shaft needs to be smooth and reasonably free to move. Once the packing is in it will need to be run in a little. Next job add some port holes. I’m not going to drill water pump mounting holes until they are made.

 

[DennisP]

Thank you Karl for letting me know where to look for the answer to my question.
It’s awesome, well done

 

[johnv]

Photos removed and reduced to thumbnails as requested. Hope that it works.