Make This Super Tiny Steam Engine From Scratch

Patreon - / jellyfishmachine
I found this engine in a magazine and just had to build it!
Designed by the great George Britnell, if you don't know about him, this guy has done some just amazing stuff!
craftsmanshipm...
Plans:
www.modelengin...
Some of the tools and supplies I use:
These are Amazon Affiliate links and i will recieve a small share of any purchases.
Sherline Lathe - amzn.to/4cnme7Y
Sherline Mill - amzn.to/4eVRay6
Hand Tools:
Diamond Sharpening Stone - amzn.to/3xFinnI
Files - amzn.to/3ziPSg4
Watchmaker's Screwdrivers - amzn.to/4eKxfSw
Dumont Straight Tweezers - amzn.to/45QGXPo
Dumont Curved Tweezers - amzn.to/3VP45ZM
Magnifier Loupe - amzn.to/3RRvMjr
Jewelers Saw - amzn.to/45TWAFK
Saw Blades - amzn.to/4byOIuA (1/0 - 3/0 for this type of work))
Precision Tools:
Steel Rule - amzn.to/3Y41jmr
Dial Calipers - amzn.to/4bt2O0a
Dial Indicator - amzn.to/3Wf3G4x
Indicator Base - amzn.to/3zm0fjj
V-Blocks - amzn.to/3VKuPun
Odds And Ends:
Anodizing Dye - amzn.to/45IUMzj
Loctite Retaining Compound - amzn.to/3XGpy9W
Oil Bottles - amzn.to/4bpYI9a
Editing Rig:
Computer - amzn.to/3zpG9Vs
Monitor - amzn.to/4cz7iUa
Headphones - amzn.to/4eMtgFe
Some Very Useful Books:
Watchmaking - amzn.to/4cz6bns
Toolmaking - amzn.to/3XN59jG
Clock Repair - amzn.to/4clBe6B
Autobiography of a Superhuman - amzn.to/3VTDR8K
Practical Watch Escapement - amzn.to/3RNNXGR

[@donivanpotter2762]

I need a metal lathe. I need a lot of things. My days of making anything are over. Had a heart attack and died. Got brought back but two more heart surgeries and still hurting when i do anything. I miss making things and creating art. Just trying to stay alive has become difficult. Enjoyed watching you machine parts. Thank you for sharing. You all make my day better.

[@phoschnizzle826]

When a watchmaker builds a steam engine. This is actually the best example I've seen showing how the eccentric control mechanism operates to reverse the direction. You've done the original designer proud with your execution of these plans. Worth every minute spent watching, and that's not something I can say about a lot of videos.

[@dustysanchez-hm6bn]

My accomplishment for the day is getting out of bed. I think you have me beat.

[@markgordon4368]

❤ be proud 👏

[@dndtp]

Seeing that little engine run at the end made me incredibly happy :)

[@garrettmancuso4417]

Just your tooling and fixtures alone are more professional than anything I've made the last 20 years.

[@mr.theengie9010]

It’s such a rare thing to see an engine that small running so smooth at such a slow speed. Well done. Surely one of the best little engines I have ever seen

[@JellyFishMachine]

After a bit more tuning i've gotten it to run even slower than in the video lol. i'm thinking a twin cylinder should be able to run even slower...

[@hi1172]

​@@JellyFishMachineoooooo if you make one post it!!!!

[@davidwhiteford4936]

That precision is such a satisfying break from the widespread chaos in our world. Thank you!

[@modelengineeringadventures]

As someone who likes steam engines, This is just exquisite...

[@raylawrence1]

Beautifully made and expertly filmed. What I would give for your keen eyesight, steady hands and enviable workshop.

[@EnglishTurbines]

Exquisite peice of Victorian engineering design. The geometry of the valve gear and eccentric cams are a delight...The tiny size just makes it fascinating to watch....Kudos for making those hex head bolts from Allen key material. Its pretty tough stuff to machine at this size....🤔🤔😏😀🇬🇧

[@dingolovethrob]

ENOUGH with the endless chatter and deafening music ! -- hehe - fabulous video. Subscribed.

[@JellyFishMachine]

alright alright i'll be more quiet next time LOL i think for april fools i'm going to do a "HEY GUYs WELCOME BACK..." type of video

[@jvmiller1995]

I made one about the same sizes 30 years ago that ran on air. It worked a lot more simple than this as the cylinder pivited with the crank as it was made out of 3/8 stainless bar stock. as the cylinder pivoted it passed a intake and exhaust hole, The piston and connecting rod was one solid piece. It was a very cool project when I was in school for machine tooling. I have not ran it in years but it is pretty damn bullet proof. This makes mine look like childs play. Lol

[@Yourfriendthescalemodeler]

This is the most beautiful piece of work I have ever seen. As a scale modeler, I think you have me beat. Good job my guy. Keep up the good work

[@marksimone5609]

Great build! You’re always top notch. What I wouldn’t give to spend a day with u and pick your brain. Please don’t stop making videos lol

[@marksimone5609]

What kind of solder are u using?

[@JellyFishMachine]

this was a generic silver bearing structural solder (not full blown silver solder) but it doesn't perform very well and has acid flux core which causes a lot of corrosion. i'm going to try "Tix" solder

[@seanmcpherson5595]

Amazing craftsmanship. Respect.

[@Brian-1948]

I'm sure that you enjoyed creating that as much as we enjoyed watching you.

[@Knot_Sean]

I know who to call when I need a makeshift generator in the zombie apocalypse that runs almost silently.

[@althejazzman]

I'm so glad that when you realised the cylinder was on upside-down, you didn't have te disassemble the valve gear. Those nuts and bolts are so tiny that it looked on the limit for hand assembly.

[@JellyFishMachine]

Yeah that's a lucky break! the screws are 1.2mm thread diameter lol

[@DrTheRich]

amazing build! very cute! Too bad people never test these things with actual steam :( i'd love to see it run on steam!

[@JellyFishMachine]

Oh it will run on steam don't you worry, i didn't want this video to be 3 hours long so i will make the boiler in another video. if you want to see some live steam, chack out blondihacks, she has built a few steam engines and is currently building a live steam lovomotive!

[@Hobypyrocom]

you screwing those small screws directly makes me anxious 🤣 i always turn them the opposite way till the thread enters correctly and only then i start to screw them... can you show us your machine? are they watch making lathe and milling machine? great video as always, keep them coming.

[@Hobypyrocom]

nvm i just checked the description and everything is there already 🙂

[@StripeyType]

I genuinely needed that this morning. Excellent work!

[@MelBrooksKA]

What an adorable little guy

[@DavidBrown-xf9pk]

Sir, that is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Thank you for posting

[@wyattlarsen3880]

Nice build. I’m sure your accomplishment gave you much more joy than mine watching this. Made me smile.

[@jdsstegman]

Oh come on. You could have made it even smaller!! Just amazing work sir!

[@billyfoster3223]

Awesome work on a great little engine! Cheers!😁👍🔧🛠️

[@timfields696]

I love this! Keep up the great work making these amazing videos! It never gets old watching someone take the time to pay attention to every tiny detail to make something that works out of some boring chunks of metal. Incredible

[@generessler6282]

Beautiful. Runs so free. I wonder given all the care taken with the jig why the flywheel runs out a bit.

[@Axel_Andersen]

Gotta to love it: steam engine from STRICTLY INTERNAL COMBUSTION magazine.

[@Ayanaminami]

I need a Lathe/Mill setup with an indexer... I don't know why... great vijeo

[@YancySmithTurboRexPerformance]

Show us the mound of failed parts at the end of your videos so we mere mortals can feel like we have a chance of replicating your success.

[@Colin399]

Runs like a fine watch ❤

[@citizenorycle2129]

If I had a dime for every time I put the cylinder on up-side-down... let me tell ya 😏

[@michaelkunze411]

This is amazing! Would like to give you 12 Thumbs up - only one is possible🤨. Thank You for sharing this with us!

[@DobDob]

absolutely fascinating! very satisfying build. I have been learning a lot from watching your videos :)

[@durangodave]

i wish i had the skill to do stuff like this 😁

[@KathrynLiz1]

Beautiful work...well don indeed.... what a lovely little engine. I just love the tiny valve gear... 🙂

[@killerxn7758]

Really high quality content right here! Love every part of this!

[@chucksmalfus9623]

Just too amazing, you sir are a true artist.

[@jaroslavpolac418]

Krásná práce, děkuji!! Rád jsem se potěšil, lepší než politika! 👍👍👍

[@richardpeej]

Very interesting project I am amazed at all your miniature machining.😮

[@Colin399]

Beautiful work

[@garysmith9772]

Beautiful workmanship, beautiful documentation great job. I built the Stewart castings engine, a little larger than that one. I tried to send some pictures of engines that I’ve built to you. I don’t know if you will get them or not always looking for a new projects and that look like it might be a good one. Keep up the good work thanks

[@markkrick8602]

Your work is on par with Chris at Clickspring. I hope you evolve the channel to include more teaching. Keep showing us, this is wonderful.

[@JustFun-iz9rf]

Beautiful engine, great work

[@tonywharton5220]

What an amazing project ✌️

[@thatawkardfeeling9076]

Power a tiny steam donkey or a car or a train or a tool or smthing, its frickin awsome!

[@JellyFishMachine]

gotta build a boiler first lol

[@aaronkohler648]

Absolutely amazing work you do!

[@nigel900]

Outstanding! 🫡👍🏻

[@GROWBY82]

Das ganze auf ein schönes, lackiertes Stück Teakholz mit Messing-Geländer ❤❤❤😊

[@JellyFishMachine]

I've got a piece of mahogany set aside for it, it's big enough for a boiler too.... i sized the flywheel so it can be set into the base, like this www.steamofsteel.de/p/gussteilsatz-novelty

[@stumccabe]

Excellent work - beautiful engine!

[@andreaferrari3753]

Wow it’s beautiful😍👍 your work it’s amazing

[@francocolla3626]

I like it very much excellent work !! Its only for the wheel wobble .....

[@JellyFishMachine]

yeah i'm going to add some clamps to the fixture to hold it all in place better while assembling. thanks for watching!

[@Vierwarr]

Perfekt. Das haben damals Geniale Menschen erfunden, ohne PC.

[@JustDux]

Awesome job!

[@Calin1000]

Beautiful work, congratulations!

[@danilopia1296]

Very good skill in making, small engine👍👍👍👍

[@tjh44961]

Now, all you need is a little boiler and a tiny steam launch to put them in. I'm really surprised they had a steam engine in "Strictly I.C." What issue is that? I can't read it even in full-screen mode. I'd like to see if I have that issue. Thanks!

[@JellyFishMachine]

Thanks for watching! I was thinking of making a boiler for it and using it to run one of the PM Research Machine tools. pmmodelengines.com/machine-tools/machine-models/ I do want to build a boat, i'm designing a 2 cylinder engine so it can be self starting. It's volume 6 No. 33, June/July 1993 and this is the only steam engine (compressed gas engine as Mr. Washburn called it) in the whole magazine lol. I keep looking at the 1/6th scale Kinner K5 Radial starting in Vol 9 No. 53, all of the parts are small enough to fit in my machines (Barely)

[@tjh44961]

@@JellyFishMachine If you look in “The Shop Wisdom of Rudy Kouhoupt,” there is a 2-cylinder marine compound engine that I believe is small enough to be built on the Sherline lathe and mill. The biggest part is the bed plate, which is made from 1/8” thick aluminum, and it’s is approximately 3” x 4”. The columns are ¼” CRS. The biggest turned part is the disc flywheel, and it’s 2 ½” on diameter. I’ve started on it, but my machines are larger than yours. The book is published by Village Press, the publishers of Live Steam and Home Shop Machinist magazines.

[@py2rpjrubens450]

Very good! High skill! Where is my engine? Oh, under my thumbnail!! Thank's...

[@OZtwo]

dang! Loving it!

[@jacoengelbrecht8225]

Just amazing

[@johnhughes8563]

Amazing craftsmanship ...

[@clivewood2148]

Beautifully done👏

[@krmusick]

That was so frakking cool.

[@chrisstaats6915]

Awesome video! Very impressive.

[@madansaini7499]

GOOD JOB

[@baronvon8407]

Beautiful model did you make the bolts as well ? And thanks for sharing

[@JellyFishMachine]

yes from 1/16 allen wrenches, i left it out so the video wouldn't be 6 hours long! Thanks for watching!

[@durangodave]

jay leno has a huge steamer, you should call him and show him this, he would love it i bet

[@RustyInventions-wz6ir]

Very nice engine. Good job sir

[@anehakansson7771]

Beautiful work. The only thing I would succeed with here would be to put the cylinder upside down.

[@Zach-md1qz]

No swear words were said in the making of this video🤫😉

[@Yaivenov]

So how much power can it produce? 😅❤

[@paulcorn6114]

Very nice build. Are you a watchmaker by trade? I saw one of the tools that you were using is pretty much used by watchmakers. I’m a clock maker myself and I make small parts also.

[@timfields696]

I would guess watchmaker or jeweler based off of some of the tools I have seen in this video and others but thats just speculation. Would love to hear it from the creator though.

[@JellyFishMachine]

I work on watches for fun, i'm a professional cnc machinist turned youtuber.

[@toddbg123]

What nut driver is it that you are using on the bolts? Beautiful work.

[@JellyFishMachine]

@@toddbg123 I made it by tapering one of the 1/16 wrenches then driving it into a piece of annealed tool steel drilled very slightly larger than the across flats dimension, then hardened and tempered, and fitted to an old watchmakers screwdriver handle.

[@toddbg123]

@@JellyFishMachine it looks great and seems like it works really well too! Much nicer than any of the ones I've found to purchase.

[@robinsparkes-u1l]

Fantastic job Thanks

[@dylanhackbarth6390]

i might just have to build myself a tiny machine shop and make one myself.

[@mike_jay]

So, what kind of machines you running there.

[@williamhenry8496]

just WOW

[@ManufacturingMachinery4K]

thanks

[@1964csilva]

How long it did take to build it ?

[@JellyFishMachine]

roughly 300 hours. Thanks for watching!

[@andrewarnst9673]

Magnificent

[@GROWBY82]

36:53 bravo, meinen Respekt hast du

[@LeslieProper]

very nice!

[@Elysianwind1]

😳 WOW!

[@zaclee3257]

Fantastic work inspiring! Quick question on larger engines the slide valve floats so it can seat and seal on the face. How have you gotten the valve to seat fixed to the rod? Is it machined to just sit on it or is there something I’m missing?

[@JellyFishMachine]

I assembled the valve, rod, and chest together then lapped them smooth on a piece of 3M lapping film, similar to how i finished the reversing quadrant at 20:09

[@leifvejby8023]

Was that a joke with a centerfold steam engine in "Strictly IC", or did they bring it? Anyway, just about the prettiest little engine I ever saw!! Thanks!

[@JellyFishMachine]

no it's actually in there lol, it's the only one in the whole run of the magazine and he called it a "compressed gas engine"

[@leifvejby8023]

@@JellyFishMachine Thanks! I've wondered every time I've watched the video!

[@russellharvey8590]

Verry impressive, but where-o-where is the teeny-tiny itsy-bitsy torque wrench?

[@JellyFishMachine]

Hmmm... That's a good idea...

[@KentRedford213]

These pieces and parts are nauseatingly small.

[@petecross9470]

This is just EXQUISITE!

[@knoopx]

super cool

[@grahamshedd9225]

Wow!!

[@ProNarble]

Holy crap

[@terryraymond7984]

your flywheel wobbles

[@ProNarble]

You mold metal like it’s clay

[@paweldun]

on a RC boat it could be nice

[@bambangirawan6011]

Saya dari dulu kepingin punya mesin bubut mini belum kesampaian sampai sekarang, ingin membuat mesin uap mini sewaktu senggang 🤔🙏

[@jamesfield5346]

Wow

[@JoseOlmos-dg4kn]

Good job?

[@awesomecronk7183]

Insane...

[@modellingmark]

I guess you graduated from the Hogwarts school of model engineering? Simply stunning!

[@DrewMarold]

What's the white stuff you put on before brazing around 1:44?

[@JellyFishMachine]

that's liquid paper correction fluid, the solder won't flow over it so you don't solder the part to the base!