Machining Bronze Shoes for a Steam Engine Cross Head

[@HandToolRescue]

These are looking great! Can't wait to see the final product. Thank you so much for the help!

[@aforman1951]

You went to the right guy.

[@trainsbangsandautomobiles824]

Yo you got a steam engine!? Steam is, like, my gig..

[@jc3745]

You need to ask Keith to visit and help rescue your lathe

[@texasrox2010]

So, this cross head takes the place of a wrist-pin such as you would find on a modern internal combustion engine. And to sort of add to Keith's explanation, the cross head helps turn *vertical* motion into *rotating* motion.

[@metal666metal666]

paused your Video, watched these here an then returned. :-)

[@JohnDoe-xd2ld]

This is what I love about KZbin, one channel helps another.

[@tommyhartman]

I'm impressed at your fexiblity in rebuilding parts that aren't uniform. "This isn't centered but it's going to work just fine."

[@CanadairCL44]

Hi Keith, I'm here because of Eric's steam engine restoration project recommendation. It's great to see the cooperation between you guys. You have a new subscriber!

[@matlockdraws9380]

Me too!

[@The_Modeling_Underdog]

Count me in.

[@mm-jn1gz]

Me fourth!

[@amandahanson8188]

Me fifth!

[@andrewzanto8591]

I found you via Sampson Boat Co when you helped with his project. So cool to see you collab with Eric. When I started watching his video, I though to myself, I bet Kieth would be a great partner on this, and walla!

[@gonashfreeman1325]

Hand Tool Rescue sent me here. Glad he did. Enjoy seeing this type videos. Beautiful work.

[@PaulaXism]

heh heh heh.. I used to make those when I was an apprentice.. right at the death of the steam age. FYI the screws are brass flat heads, the bearing surfaces should really be phosphor bronze, but I can't see this engine getting heavy use so I doubt it matters. The screw slot serves another function in many engines as it's a part of the oiling system. It's great to see the rediscovery of these now lost skills and knowledge.. these "simple" bits designed to wear away are actually really complicated with lots of included angles and clearances. To turn the OD we just used to bolt the whole thing to a large bolt .. there was a rack at Booths of all the sizes from 1/4 inch to 6 inch, with washers and nuts as appropriate.. yes.. we did some really big stuff back in the day.. sadly now all long gone to scrap.. and shove them in the lathe.. the end total OD wasn't really our problem as long as they were in the ball park, every mill had a fitter, and by this point everything was worn to within an inch of it's life anyway

[@joebledsoe257]

Brass is a very good bearing material and it has proper locations for use. It must be lubricated and water / steam is a lubricant. There are a tremendous numbering of water cooled / lubricated brass pump bearings out in the world. Yes they are mostly the old ones as that’s how it was done in the day and they are still with us. The large Diesel engine used on cargo ships are made exactly like this but much larger. They use brass and bronze, cast iron, aluminum, Babbitt, and other various alloys for this sliding mechanism.

[@radiohirsch]

@@joebledsoe257 except that the crosshead shouldnt be in contact with water or steam in normal operations if the packings are not leaking

[@nerd1000ify]

Brass tends to grind down the shaft when used as a plain bearing. Bronze is much better in this respect, and it's usually stronger than brass so it can handle greater loads. Of course if the load is light and lubrication is good even very poor material selections can work ok.

[@cunninghamer]

what are you like 150yo? :)

[@WesleyHarcourtSTEAMandMORE]

I, heck the whole steamboating community, would love to hear more of your stories. What firm did you work for?

[@MorseB]

I love seeing the cats just doing cat stuff in the background. Adds just the right amount of whimsy to a semi serious video.

[@millomweb]

Yep

[@bearbon2]

I favor the dog doing dog stuff.

[@windyhillfoundry5940]

Ahhh, now I understand how these work 👍

[@samuraidriver4x4]

The castings look great again Clark.

[@bobwilliams7343]

I dont think you do really ? as the slippers need to drop down parallel and expand outwards parallel as they wear the way they have been machined the slippers are parallel and will only touch the very bottom of the slipper when put back into the engine. The slipper needs to be machined with a corresponding taper to allow this to happen

[@windyhillfoundry5940]

@@samuraidriver4x4 thanks Johan👍

[@brucetuckey7909]

@@bobwilliams7343 after the next video you will under stand the whole assembly go for a lathe ride to become round. This will give that taper you are talking about.

[@bobwilliams7343]

@@brucetuckey7909 No it wont as the bronze slippers are machined parallel they wont drop down square on adjustment have a look at the pictures shown at th beginning of the video look at the slipper blocks they are machined properly with the corresponding taper to allow the slippers to expand parallel not at an angle the way keith has machined them

[@stephendavies923]

I came here from Hand Tool Rescue after watching his rebuild of the steam engine. It has been enjoyable watching you work. I should be getting on with other things but they can wait, now for the second part :-)

[@slimaldo1638]

Amazed! Really awesome that you just made those from a picture… that cat tried stealing the show haha You got it talent Hoss!

[@bjornsvalling1066]

Good to see you have a workshop cat, keeping things in order!

[@amandahanson8188]

Found out about you from Hand Tool Rescue...beautiful machining. You earned my sub.

[@billwindham214]

I came over from Hand Tool Rescue. Loved watching you make the parts for the steam engine. Edit: I subscribed to your channel.

[@larrystuder8543]

Just saw a genius idea I have never seen before. To pick up that center punch mark on the side, put a center punch in the chuck. Doggone! The only way I've ever seen is just chuck up the drill bit, eyeball it to the mark, and go for it. Simple, and more accurate. Every day I learn something-- I'm ONLY 70, and retired, but someday I may have to do that. Awesome. Thank you...

[@kejay74]

Hey Keith! Just a "little" forward thinking here. On the bolts which hold the linear adjustment distance of the shoes, consider this. Place TWO flat washers under the head of each bolt and replace two of the washers in the spacing stack with the equivalent thickness using 0.010 to 0.005 thick layers of shim stock washers. Then, when making final 'fit' adjustment on the engine, it will be possible to precisely adjust the "lash" by moving various amounts of the shim material out of the stack and placing them BETWEEN the two washers under the head. This keeps the shims available for wear adjustment down the road. IF more than one washer thickness of shims needs to be removed from the stack, remove a WASHER and adjust the shims as needed. Again, store the washer under the head of the bolts. By doing this, the actual ENGAGED thread distance on the bolt remains constant. Great project! Ken

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Excellent solution!

[@melshea2276]

Happy Friday Morning!⚒⚙️🔩🚂

[@MarkH10]

I am a new sub, I came in before the 'phone' scene was complete. You are a great one, sir.

[@GutterClown]

22:30 - I knew Transfer Punches were a thing, but never knew about Transfer Screws. Cheers Keith - That'll solve problems.

[@CraigH999]

Just got here from Hand Tool Rescue! Great collaboration - enjoyed the videos a lot.

[@machobunny1]

34:34---I love it when pros do the same weird things I do to hold stuff in place.

[@NotBrutality-101]

Here from HTR, and looking forward to this!

[@lpete286]

I came over to watch you make the shoes . petty darn cool .

[@HakkaDakka]

Great video! Hand tool rescue brought me here and I'm subscribed only by watching this video!

[@davidtatum8682]

You guys do some impeccable work. I wish I were half as talented.

[@outsidescrewball]

Nice discussion &build....enjoyed

[@michaelc.3812]

Man, you crack me up some days. As far as you go to get within a thousandth, you tapped in and drilled by eyeball on the adjustment bolts near the end. That’s what I’d do, and sometimes you surprise me, Keith.

[@davidbwa]

Came here from Hand Tool Rescue. Saw some "TIL" stuff. Thanks.

[@kurtjohnson3496]

Great work Keith

[@GeorgeWMays]

Friday morning coffee with Keith is the best. Thanks for a very cool video. It is truly appreciated. I look forward to the next part of the project.

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

Nice work Keith...

[@scottgutauckis4615]

I "inherited" one of those center punch tools and until now had no idea what it was... thanks for that bit of info.

[@rjeffm1]

Neat! came over from hand Tool Rescue. Cheers.

[@victorparadise5863]

Wow... Your tools are BOSS. I STARTED WATCHING YOU THROUGH ABom. I like the way you guys talk through it so I understand.

[@humancattoy7767]

Outstanding work. Hand Tool Rescue is a favorite of mine. Thank you for helping him save a beautiful steam engine.

[@IrishScott71]

Hey Keith, great part I for the steam engine series.

[@davehiggins5903]

Hi Keith, We use to spray the cross head bearings with Babbitt.

[@mkegadgets4380]

The hardest part about this job is holding it in the mill vice. Great use of parallels to keep it off the jaws and I keep it parallel to the world. Can’t wait till the next video...

[@grandpacocky7618]

Dose not holding it produce deflection?

[@NicksStuff]

Why do you need to make a pattern and cast the part? Wouldn't it be easier & faster to make it from a square stock?

[@cunninghamer]

"transfer screws" thats cool!

[@robertguy23]

hand tool rescue brought me here, new subscriber incoming

[@KevinPWeller]

Hand Tool Rescue sent me, subscribed

[@kimber1958]

We’re smart looking pieces

[@barkow911]

New arrival from Hand Tool Rescue , Subscribed !

[@torporvasflam8670]

New subscriber here. Came over from Hand Tool Rescue.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Beautiful job....Thanks Keith....!

[@ellieprice3396]

Good job. I never knew much about a cross-head before so I learned a lot.

[@Ranger_Kevin]

I love HTR, nice to see you two doing a colaboration :-)

[@bearbon2]

The holes for the top adjusting screws might have to be elongated a bit to allow for the widening distance between the holes as the bronze shoes are adjusted lower over time. Thanks for the demo with the transfer screws. I'll be ordering some of those!

[@phillipyannone3195]

Nice job on what appears to be a fairly complicated part especially with out a print.

[@Mikey__Mike]

Hello Sir I realise I’m late to your video now. But I’m just in love with your work. I’m happy to have Subscribed.

[@davidhall1779]

Glad I found your channel. Awesome work.

[@Seraphic85]

Came here from HTR, and SUBBED! Awesome job.

[@jeffcote3062]

Love it!! My favorite saying of Keith's "I'll just take a hammer."

[@michaelc.3812]

As an engineer about your age, Keith, I’m a,axed at those vintage machines that made our last century advance. Much for warfare, but same with surgery advances. War moves us forward rapidly, unfortunately or fortunately.

[@DrkRydrProductions]

Eric sent me to watch some awesome shoes being made. Narration was terrific, enjoyed the process and effort that goes into theses parts.

[@hodwooker5584]

When a piston without a cross head moves through its travel the connecting rod rocks the piston in the bore. This causes the piston and it’s cylinder to wear unevenly. In addition the rings will lose contact pressure with the cylinder wall as the piston rocks. This will increase blow by and ring groove wear. The use of a cross head moves that rocking motion away from the rings allowing a better seal and longer piston and cylinder life. Some pistons use a longer skirt that helps to get some of the benefits of a cross head in a considerably smaller overall package.

[@DMahalko]

A similar problem affects modern hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. The cylinder body and rod have to always be parallel on free floating pivot points, or the piston seals will leak air/fluid. The cylinder and rod generally can't directly provide structural support to whatever is being moved.

[@alakani]

Since the rod on this style engine threads directly into the piston. Basically just moving the wrist pin down some

[@robertriggle2246]

Love the mill work

[@HighGravity1100]

Hand Tool Rescue sent me. Subbed!

[@HainjeDAF]

Nice shop cat 🐈‍⬛🐾😊

[@jackgreen412]

Good to see all the pieces come together.

[@Mishn0]

I think the main purpose for having the cross head is so that the actual piston rod only has linear motion so it can pass through the gland at the rod end of the cylinder to seal the steam pressure in. A regular internal combustion engine doesn't need anything like that and the rod can pivot right at the wrist pin. Steam engines have pressure alternately on either side of the piston so the rod needs to be sealed where it comes out of the cylinder. The cross head kind of breaks the rod into two pieces between the piston and the crank to allow that seal to work.

[@alandaters8547]

Thanks- a helpful explanation.

[@patton446]

Some modern combustion engines have cross heads, too, particularly large marine 2 stroke diesels. This is to limit the lateral forces on the cylinder liner and thus prevent wear

[@Mishn0]

@@patton446 Now there's been a lot of news about "mushroom pistons". Basically a built in cross head where the body of the piston is narrower than the top where the rings are. The narrow part rides in a bore isolated from the actual cylinder and has a large bearing surface to eliminate piston rock. The wrist pin is below that section. Kawasaki is going to be using it in a 500cc two stroke dirt bike.

[@EngineeringVignettes]

Good 'ol Keith and his calibrated eyeball, gets another one done. :)

[@millomweb]

He's going a bit 'Fenner' 'Get 'er done' !!!

[@Mistrilll]

Nice work and cool color.

[@donaldbuchanan2725]

Extremely nice work !!

[@murmurmuram8533]

fun project! thanks for sharing

[@The_DuMont_Network]

I've never seen the hole transfer screws before. What a great idea! I'm sure I needed something like this in the way distant past. Screwed up a couple of parts trying to Kentucky wind a location. This is such an elegant solution.

[@pnwRC.]

I JUST seen Hand Tool Rescue's video where he put these parts into use.

[@bulletproofpepper2]

Thanks for sharing !!!

[@johnalgar4747]

Love to see vintage machine maintenance in action. Thank you

[@squelchstuff]

Looking great so far Keith. Gotta love machining to fit, as opposed to drawing. PS. I tried to call, but kept getting fault code 4. I guess it must be our 50Hz vs your 60Hz :-D

[@jacquespoirier9071]

nice work planning.

[@andrewmantle7627]

Nice work Mr. Rucker. I watch Hand Tool Rescue as well.

[@matthewhelton1725]

Good trial run for the Connecting Rod Brasses for the Vulcan...

[@mftmachining]

Very good job.

[@eugenegarrett1156]

Nice job!

[@dhaynes4515]

Hi Keith, love these videos where you have to work from scratch. Very Interesting!

[@tosselton291]

That's a interesting way to adjust them!

[@bobitnyre8988]

Keith, watching you do this must be like someone watching Mozart create a symphony, or Sherlock Holmes solve a case. I hope we will get to see the finished steam engine in operation.

[@millomweb]

You need to add 'A' and 'B' again as you just milled the originals off at the last operation !

[@chadgdry3938]

23:00 wow, having the right tool makes a challenging endeavor something of easy knockout. Your tool collection is enviable, but so is your workspace.

[@yinglyca1]

Excellent vid, just Awesome

[@markwatters6875]

Great video Mr Rucker. I had never heard of locating screws until no, could of saved me a lot of work and headaches in the past. Looking forward to the next stage.

[@robertoswalt319]

Those transfer screws are expensive for hobby machinists, but KZbin creator John Creasey has a video on how to make them.

[@markwatters6875]

Thank you for the info R.O..

[@aner_bda]

Awesome job. It's watching videos like this where I learn so much for doing random projects of my own, even at a much lower scale.

[@nitrogary1]

followed the link to you...very cool

[@TheTacktishion]

Good one!!!

[@uhclem]

Is nobody going to mention the spider(?) that shows up around 1:07 at the outlet to the right and runs across the wall, and the tool boxes?

[@elsdp-4560]

Thank you for sharing. Fantastic.

[@mikemarriam]

Good job Keith. I learned something about transfer screws. Remember you are marking the back of the part if you are drilling multiple holes. Its important if you will counterbore them and the hole pattern isn't symmetrical to make sure you flip the part over after you drill the holes. Otherwise if you counterbore the back of the part your holes won't line up.

[@derofromdown-under2832]

Excellent machining and great explanations in your work. This is a Hand Tool Restoration recommendation. You have a new sub now... EXTREMELY WELL DONE!!! 10/10

[@OrenArieli]

I love collaborative efforts of restoration. Good on you both!

[@philbohrman3918]

Nice work Keith. Well thought out.

[@terryezzell7376]

This looks great!!! As usual, I always learn something from you, Keith

[@kentuckytrapper780]

Good little project Keith, great job.

[@aserta]

I love it when a modern technology (in this case 3D printing) replaces a process in a positive way. I mean, don't get me wrong, learning how to make your own patterns, it's important, but for time savings, cost of production, being able to 3D print a pattern and ship it to the foundry (or better yet, if they offer this service...) that's top. Imagine we could've had this entire process by at least 10 years earlier, if it weren't for greedy patent sitters who held unto the patents for as much as they could, in order to prevent this technology to reach public hands.

[@katemoon7476]

3D printing has been around since the 70's. The problem was the price. In equivalent dollars they were $50,000 each. The Englishman that worked on it in the 90's made what he knew public because he was a professor and it had to be un-patented and an open project. It took the drastic lowering of price of lead-screws and electronics to be so common.

[@alakani]

@@katemoon7476 Yeah, no. Stratasys was suing the crap out of anyone who tried to sell FDM printers until at least 2015. Their price fixing was the only reason they were ever expensive

[@chowardlaw8417]

Ah, I am reminded of McAndrew's Hymn by Rudyard Kipling - "Slam-bang too much -- they knock a wee -- the crosshead-gibs are loose; But thirty thousand mile o' sea has gied them fair excuse. . . ."

[@ronaldkearn3322]

You are a genius!

[@williampeters3437]

Great work Keith. Happy Friday!

[@totenkray]

HTR and his superior metal plainer sent me.

[@danhei]

Always interesting Keith. Thanks

[@garymucher9590]

Interesting project. Odd how it was designed with tapers on the brass sides. Thumbs Up!