• Win a Free Custom Engraved Brass Coin!!!
    As a way to introduce our brass coins to the community, we will raffle off a free coin during the month of August. Follow link ABOVE for instructions for entering.

O.B. Bolton Marine Triple Expansion Steam Engine using castings by AJ Reeves, drawings by John Bertinat

Bolton part ten

I centred the valve chest in the 4 jaw chuck on the lathe and turned the boss to shape. Note the Aluminium packing required due to the square void in the middle of the chest

IMG_2873.jpg

The chest was then returned to the mill vice to tap the gland boss

IMG_2874.jpgIMG_2875.jpg

Using the same centring process the hole was drilled and tapped for the valve rod tail guide.

IMG_2877.jpg

And finally the steam inlet hole and tapped holes to take the pipe flange fixings added.

IMG_2878.jpg

This concludes the work on this chest for now. I have tapped holes to add later to carry a valve guide bracket and a take off port for a pressure gauge. I intended to add pressure gauges to each cylinder valve chest before I obtained Lees' book, having first seen them on a fine example of this engine built by Brian Newbound. I have the drawings of how James did the cross drilling for this take off but Brian did his slightly differently so I am pondering options.It is an easy job but I want to ensure I am happy with the aesthetics of my chosen method.

I received the chunk of Aluminium today to mill the Engine base along with integral Thrust block. mounting. This is a 400mm long billet of 6" x 2.5" T6. As you can see it isn't light. There is a mountain of material to remove and the finished piece will probably weigh between 1 and 2 kg.

.

IMG_2871.jpg

IMG_2872.jpg

IMG_2876.jpg
 
Back
Top