Brian builds a Corliss

[brian Rupnow]

So there we have it. The outer rim has been drilled and everything put together for a "mock up". It looks good. Now that I know it will all fit together I have to take it apart, put the faceplate back on the lathe, and clamp the outer flywheel rim so that it is on center. Then take the faceplate off the lathe, reassemble it all, Loctite the spoke ends that fit into the hubs, let it set up 4 hours, then weld the spokes to the outer rim.

[Richard P Wilson]

I made a set of wheels for a model saw bench in the same way. Its very effective and very strong. I don't know if you are going to do the same, but I cut the spokes off so the ends were about about 1/16" below the surface of the wheel rim, countersank the holes in the rim, then filled up with weld.

[brian Rupnow]

Everything is Loctited and assembled and will be welded tomorrow after the Loctite has had a good set up time. It was far harder to get that outer rim centered on the faceplate than I thought it was going to be. I had to walk away from it a couple of times and do other things because it just wasn't happening for me. I finally managed to get it "close" and decided "close" was good enough for me. Tomorrow I will do my magic TIG weld trick to tie the spokes to the outer rim. I haven't worked nearly enough with the TIG welder to become proficient in any ways, but these welds won't be visible by the time I get finished. I haven't put the bore in the hub yet. When I'm all finished welding I will grip the outside diameter of the rim and drill/ream the hub then so they will be concentric.

[brian Rupnow]

And now you know how I spent most of my day. The TIG welding went fine--I always surprise myself. There are a few pockets that need filling, but that's why they make J.B. Weld. The flywheel will be painted. After welding and removing the flywheel from the welding jig, it went back up on the lathe for a bit more finessing. I got up earlier than my good wife this morning, so in aid of being quiet until she got up I made the crank arm. All in all, a good day!!!

[brian Rupnow]

Nothing to report today. Spent the morning designing a robot arm gripper and spent the afternoon going to doctors appointments. Doctor said I was good for another seventy five years. I attempted to make a cylinder end cap, but something moved in my set-up and I buggered up the part. Will try to make the part a different way tomorrow.

[brian Rupnow]

Something is really strange around the Rupnow Ranch today--- I bored the cylinder, and made two endcaps. Two of them!!! And without leaving the shop, I can only find one of them. I looked everywhere. I cleaned up the shop and office. I put all my tools away. I won't make another endcap to replace the missing one, because sooner or later it will show up. Meanwhile, I made one of the brass cover plates, and maybe tomorrow I'll make a second one. Really, really strange----

[Cuttings]

I have done that more times than I care to admit. Spent hours looking for something I set down and could not find. It will turn up in a place you never expected it to be.

[MikeWI]

Been there, done that, lost the t-shirt.

[Ringo]

It will be in the last place you look

[I make chips]

Hmm.. end cap. Sounds kinda flat. Either next to the toilet or under your coffee cup.

*have done the set it on the sink next to the toilet thing.

[Toolguy]

Is that one of them on the cylinder by the flywheel?

[Youngwhisk]

Brian, is it in one of your pockets?

[brian Rupnow]

HaH!!!---Found the little bugger this morning. It was hiding under a blueprint.

[alanganes]

HaH!!!---Found the little bugger this morning. It was hiding under a blueprint.

The very same blueprint that you are sure you looked under 11 times, no doubt.

[brian Rupnow]

After making tap guide and spring loaded thingy to drive it, I lay down and had my "old man middle of the day nap". Got up from that and used some new-found energy to drill the cylinder end caps. I realized that the cross-head guide had the same bolt pattern as the rod-end cap so clamped them together and got a "two for one" deal when I drilled the cap for the rod end.