Making a round cross head! Big Steam Engine Build, Part 8

[@RonCovell]

Quinn - very well done, and it's nice to see that you have made such good progress with this project. I'm always impressed with the language you choose to describe each setup and process. Always clear and precise - avoiding any ambiguity. It's a joy to watch and listen as you carefully and precisely work your way through each step.

[@Blondihacks]

Thanks Ron! That’s how I feel about your content too 😄

[@robertoswalt319]

That assembly looks incredible Quinn. I know that filming the process adds an exponential amount of time to complete as well as stress. Thank you for all of the work you put into each of these videos and projects, we truly appreciate it.

[@DavidLindes]

^ this.

[@tomschuh6301]

Fun fact: When a blind hole is present, you want to put the loctite in the hole, not on the external thread. As you put the fastener in, it pushes the air out of the hole. This escaping air pushes the loctite out as well if it's only on the threads. By putting the loctite in the hole, you push it up through the threads as you screw it in.

[@michaelcels9013]

I learned a few new tricks today, just love the 2 V blocks in the vice idea.😊

[@jaswmclark]

Sixty years ago, when I was serving my aprenticship, I was told there are 1001 was to do a proceedure, but only three matter: - The wrong was, -The right way, -And the way you end up doing it.

[@hexapodium]

The final cross-crosshead oiling hole: my assumption is it's there to allow pressure to flow across the left and right sides of the crosshead-to-bore interface as one, and let the crosshead "float" between the two walls with an equal oil film on either side in ideal conditions, rather than the two oiled surfaces being functionally independent (which could potentially allow the crosshead to stick to one and lose contact with the other entirely because of insufficient oiling, which seems like a bad idea). This way, lateral force on the crosshead will let more oil out on the flexed-away side and maintain lubrication. I get the feeling (given how snug a fit it looks to be) that this isn't going to matter terribly on your build, but that's my gut feeling.

[@VincentGroenewold]

Makes a lot of sense yes, I was immediately thinking about a pressure relief system, allowing the oil to fully coat.

[@HopefullyAnAircraft]

Also seems like backup oil for the wrist pin. It can get oil from it's oiler, but if that runs out or gets forgotten it can still get at least some oil from the cross slide oiler

[@KizmitMakesIt]

I have never had much luck with those carbide tipped boring bars (approx 19min mark in video) - instead I use a 1/2" endmill in the boring head. You position the endmill so that one flute is inline with the "outside" edge of the eccentric portion of the boring head (or just slightly 'behind' the center line). This single flute does all the cutting. It has always worked well for me... I definitely enjoy your channel -- keep it up!

[@almartin8575]

I’m a beginner and I have to say I have learned so much about lathe and mill operations from your you tube channel I think your great as a teacher don’t stop thank you so much for your help

[@MH-qq3kj]

All Quinn’s videos are awesome. I have learned so much and used my new skills to make a simple PM engine.

[@g.tucker8682]

Congrats!

[@number2664]

As a machinist of 15 years, while I don’t use a lot of these methods, I still learn things for these videos. Sometimes it just causing me to think about my own problems or viewpoints in a different way.

[@bernieshort6311]

Hi Quinn, very nice job and nice to see you overcome the shortfalls in the sizes of some of the castings. I enjoyed watching you make this piece; in fact, I enjoy watching you make every part of the engines you make. Thank you for sharing. Kind regards from England (UK).

[@johnmcclain3887]

That was very nicely done, now it's my turn. Thanks!

[@outsidescrewball]

Enjoyed…great discussion/demonstration/build

[@johnathancorgan3994]

No blooper real intro, and a noticeably happy Quinn introducing Blondihacks...can tell this was going to be a good one. 😏

[@paulthomas3782]

Hi Quinn, fantastic idea using your Vee Blocks to hold the crosshead thanks for sharing.

[@JBLewis]

It was very satisfying to see the correction for the connecting rod length error come together as nicely as it did.

[@davidtaylor6124]

You nailed it! Crossheads are not the easiest bits to make. Was amazed at how true it ran on the mandrel.

[@cabe_bedlam]

Looked pretty terrifying threading the needle with that chunky spotfacing operation and those v-blocks!

[@GJames007]

Very nice fit. I’d be happy with that build.

[@JanBinnendijk]

I've been machining metal for 30 years now, and i still can learn a thing or two from your video's.. Keep up the good work!

[@johnmcclain3887]

I've been machining for about fifty, and still learning. Sometimes the "newbie" simply sees an easier way we never thought of.

[@jeremycable51]

Swear I don’t think you know how much you mean to the machining community your who I point to and show my daughters when they eye roll me when I say they can do this stuff too Natalee is taking some slight interest in cnc she’s ran my manual lathe a bit but still they all act like I’m crazy

[@mattilindstrom]

Dear Mrs. Quinn Blondihacks, I as an amateur draftsman (a physicist) can learn so much from your videos, the content is so very important to us interacting with the machinists! Shaping metal is as much an art as it is science. What I've learned early on is always to give an implicit or an explicit reference plane or axis to base the work upon. And of course giving tolerances to the measurements of the main working dimensions, not an easy job with little experience. Thank you for all you've provided to me.

[@mattilindstrom]

@@forge20 It would have been ideal for me if our company had had the workforce for the physicist to to come up with the overall specification, an engineer to design it, a designer to draw it, and a machinist to manufacture it. If I can I will definitely rely on professionals between me and the machinist, but for us the chain was directly from the physicist to the machinist, which caused sometimes unnecessary suffering on both sides. For me it was a hard road of learning, but interacting directly with the machinists I learned a ton and achieved a good trust relation, always presenting my drawings for a good discussion and correcting my stupid mistakes (tolerance and otherwise) before the manufacturing phase.

[@stevendoesburg6555]

@@mattilindstrom Reviewing designs and drawings with the people who will actually make them or work on them is essential and is to a large extent what separates good engineers from bad ones. That applies even when you do this full time and you have a background in the subject. Talking to the people in the shop and building a trusting relationship is the best thing you can do to become good at designing practical solutions.

[@mattilindstrom]

@@stevendoesburg6555 That's exactly what I started doing, of course the machinists were a bit standoffish at first (another blighted physicist etc.) But showing genuine interest in their work and asking what I can do better to make any piece or mechanism more manufacturable slowly won their trust.

[@dennythomas8887]

Improvise, adapt and over come! the motto of the US Marine Corps, Blondihacks and hobby machinist's everywhere. Nice job coming up with a work around for the to short connecting rod dim.

[@jimsvideos7201]

Happy Saturday Quinn! Thank you as always for the continuing adventure!

[@steveallen8987]

The hole at the front allows you to add oil for the cross pin. The hole right through the cross head lines up with the oilers in the column that oil the cross head allowing oil to keep the pin lubricated. Another oil method is to machine a recess on the top of the cross head to create a little lake of oil picked up from the column mounted cross head oilers. Two small holes drill Ed down to the cross pin hole allows oil collected on the top to run down into the cross pin hole. Steve. I have also seen a hole drilled down through the middle of the con rod to oil the crank.

[@philgarbarini9645]

Great video. Thanks for taking the time to share this.

[@andrewclarke3750]

Another fantastic video. There is no right way to get to a final result and everyone will approach a part or operation in a different way but as long as the final outcome is the same then that's a win. You need to stop being hard on yourself and accept you are a very capable machinists that has come a long way on your journey. Thank you so much for taking us along on that journey. I look forward to getting my notification you've uploaded and enjoy watching your videos. It allows me to be in your workshop whilst I wait for mine to come to fruition. Thanks again.

[@slypig24]

Quinn, very instresting to see it all come together. Looking forward to seeing it running. Cheers

[@LaddGardner4]

Content just gets better and better, Quinn. So much fun to watch and follow along.

[@melmannnnnn]

Allways hoping for the next part and can’t wait to see the end result!

[@danbreyfogle8486]

So much detail in such a small part, very interesting video.

[@modtwentyeight]

More progress. I love this series. Thank you for sharing.😃

[@KeritechElectronics]

A thing of beauty! I can't stop admiring your work.

[@randynovick7972]

Your Dykem work is so oddly satisfying. Very much liked the mandrel setup. Thank you.

[@RobertBrown-lf8yq]

Hi Quinn. Your description is always precise…. like your engineering. Thanks for putting all this stuff together…. much appreciated. Regards Robert

[@XXgoblinmonkeyXX]

nice job. it could be the classification of thread causing your die to dig into the pilot. a 2b vs 3b thread has different tolerances.

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

Great job of staying in the tolerances. Getting closer to steam. Thanks for the video. Keep on keeping on.

[@thisnicklldo]

Another great video, very instructive. As an adherent of the cock-up rather than conspiracy school, I'm intrigued by the explanations for the cross-hole in the comments, but I tend to think that first there was no angled hole in the cross-head, and no little reservoir at the end of it, and the cross-hole provided the pin lubrication. Then someone thought that was a bit inelegant, so designed the angled hole and reservoir. Then he intended to take out the cross-hole from the drawing, but somebody pointed out that the angled hole and reservoir wasn't essential, the cross-hole was easier to make, and the user could decide which lubrication method to choose. And of course, none of this made it into the construction notes nor onto the drawing, because, well, everything's a rush, there's never time, nobody's to-do list is ever complete and everybody's memory is faulty.

[@SirRawThunderMan]

So this is how baby Tie interceptors are made. And there was I still believing it was all Space Birds and Space Bees...

[@andrewnaylor3965]

Saturdays are always great with a little "Quin" beautiful job

[@leslieaustin151]

Another great video, Quinn, thanks. But I’m not fooled... facing off work pieces might be a tradition, but the primary tradition is seeing how many times you can use the words “here” and “there”! Loving the build. Les in UK

[@UpLateGeek]

Very cute little part! It's always fun to see a rough casting turn into a precision machined part.

[@daniel_bohrer]

0:24 No, this is the USS Enterprise edit: 12:10 no wait, now it's a … TIE Fighter?!

[@johnapel2856]

Very nicely done! Love it. Thanks, and Meow to Sprocket.

[@bobkelly2447]

Quinn ! that is a unique design there for that steam engine ! I've never seen a cross head in a bore like that before ! thank you ! Keep going ! I want to see that big one run!!!!

[@mperry9025]

Thanks Blondi

[@VoidedWarranty]

Quinn, the high priestess of Ore, will now guide us through a prayer. "Face the end, As is tradition. Chamfer, because chamfers separate is from the animals."

[@VincentGroenewold]

I'm actually amazed they even have these kits. How can it possibly make enough money as I assume not many lathe owners built this, making it incredibly niche?

[@robertoswalt319]

Perhaps the profits come in the long haul where they can recoup their initial costs by making a lot of these kits at one time and don't have to worry with degradation of the product if it may take months or years to sell the item. OF course this depends on whether or not the company cal stay open long enough to recoup their costs.

[@mauserkk98]

Almost to simple ,your making this build look easy.

[@terrytopliss9506]

Well machined Quinn,lovely job.👍👍

[@russelldold4827]

Trust your instruments - but not until you've checked and understand the drawings and allowed for your previous "adjustments". That bore fit just looked right!

[@greglaroche1753]

Very interesting. Thanks for the video.

[@paulmorrey733]

Thanks Quinn

[@jimpritz4169]

Excellent video as usual. Your not only skilled at machining but your explanations are very well done. I'm not sure what you do in real life but perhaps you should be a professor.

[@ego73]

5:26 Time for you to make the itty-bitty brass tappy-tapper so you can tippy-tap-tap without having to brake it with your hand. Nonetheless a nice move, that, using your hand to cushion brake the hammer while you tappy-tap-tap. Just a thought a for side project. You're awesome, Quinn! You n Alex the French Guy make my Saturday.

[@markbernier8434]

I guess I am a neanderthal. I just use a bit of brass rod from the scrap bin to tap with.

[@ego73]

@@markbernier8434 It works though, right? "Neanderthal" is unfair to yourself, even in sarcasm. Cheers.

[@andrewjames7616]

Thankyou 👍

[@kimber1958]

GREAT JOB

[@matspatpc]

Talkking of interrupted cuts and inserts. I was doing some "interesting" work the other couple of days - I had some 8mm (5/16") steel plate that needed to be made into round rings - I have no real good tool [such as a vertical bandsaw] that can cut it round, so I did some trepanning to cut out the inner hole, and had a pretty intense interrupted cut. I had two pieces of 250mm (10") diameter, 12 uneven corners [rough cut to 12 sides with angle-grinder] - running 3rd lowest speed of 190 rpm. Only one break of one insert edge [I think I got a bit to aggressive on the first cut on one part - I'm not sure exactly when it broke, I just noticed there was a bit poorer finish, so I checked the tip and turned it over]. But I do use the brand-name style insert, not the ones you get 10 for $12 from Amazon. The trepanning tool took three attempts on getting a grind that would hold up on the cut - not very good at griding my own tools.

[@giovannifurio8445]

Whoa whoa whoa! No embarrassing clip ahead of the intro?? Does this mean a flawless step in the project?? I guess I'll wait and see!

[@Rustinox]

Indeed, a lot of thinking to machine that part. Nice!

[@WatchmakerErik]

My favorite part of Saturdays 😄

[@vikingsofvintageaudio7470]

Very well done ✅

[@firebird8600]

Yay!! It's Blondihacks time!!

[@stevedaenginerd]

Happy chip day Quinn! I really like the projects you do, gives me hope that my skills can grow like yours has! 🤓 The only thing that can make this series better: MOAR SPROCKETS! Lol

[@brucematthews6417]

When I've done flats or hex cuts on round stock I make a first cut like you did on the cross head flats. Then for the bar stock option I can measure from the fist flat to the other round side and know how far I have to go to cut the first flat and also the opposing second flat without needing to remove the part. In the case of your casting you'd still want to do the second skim cut. That would give you the two reference surfaces which you know are symmetrical to the axis. The oversize amount determined from mic'ing between the flats when you clear the vise and part out from under the head could then be divided by 2. That amount is then cut from the second side still held true in the setup. Flip and reset with the gauge pin again and cut the same final cut on the other side. Does that make sense? It has the advantage of doing the measurements without needing to remove the part and work with the gauge blocks. As you say different folks, different ways. But I'm hoping it helps as a shortcut for when something similar needs doing. I really liked the idea of the gauge pin seating in the piston rod thread clearance ID and reservoir hole as your reference. That was a great idea. I'm going to steal that for some future time.... :D

[@ChrisHiblerPinball]

Another Quinn vid! Thanks for helping to start my weekend right. I needed some goodness like this.

[@clutch5sp989]

As I watch you machine all these parts, I'm curious how they did it back in the day with the real big parts.

[@michaelrogocz1160]

Some questions, why you didn’t used a 4 jaw chuck with independent jaws to make the hole for the piston rod? Why you didn’t machine the sides of crosshead in one with the flat part for the connecting rod? Then you were to put them on parallels to machine the other side?

[@thercbarn5001]

Very cool! It's coming together nicely

[@WayneCook306]

Another great job Quinn thank you.

[@petemarsh30]

So, this part is the sum of extra, real material in one direction, and imaginary material at 90 degrees to the real material. That must make it a complex part to machine.

[@MarvUSA]

Very nice. I love how you explain in very precise form. On another note, you need to invite kitty to watch some of your work. :-) Keep on keeping on.

[@tdck2978]

Another great video. How long will it take for you to move? Take as much time as you need. We all will be here waiting.

[@evanbarnes9984]

Quinn, I think you actually kind of won the lottery with that casting, since they included some antimatter on the length of it! That's expensive stuff! It's worth like $63 trillion per gram

[@MrZantius]

Hi Quinn This project is well well cool, love all your other stuff as well, revamping a 1930's rusted old Myford lathe at mo- tell me if you want to see some pics.... As a mechanic I was taught to call it a con rod no mechanic calls it a conecting rod maybe it's a british thing I don't know... anyway still going through all your vids.. Keep it up 😁👍

[@kenthephotoguy]

How did the foundry put the oil reservoirs in the middle of the casting?

[@atheistsfightclub6684]

I kept waiting for Quinn to work in an imperial fist shake and mention of Darth Vader solely because of how much the part looked like his Tie fighter. =)

[@notsonominal]

A Blondihacks Saturday is always a good Saturday! Thanks for sharing:)

[@waynefitch990]

Great work, really enjoy your work

[@fepatton]

This is coming along great! 👍

[@wayupnort6271]

Nice work Quinn! 👌🏻

[@tinom.2455]

Ok, its the fourth woo with your red shirt, and i am still haven't gotten used to it... I like your videos. Every saturday I am looking forward to you video like I used to my favorite cartoon as a kid...

[@Cz9mmp10]

Best tutor

[@timhooper8617]

Question from a strictly armchair machinist here; would it have been viable to add packing beneath the main bearing blocks to compensate for the short conrod?

[@jimpowell6102]

Wonderful

[@Cz9mmp10]

Best educational videos ,thanx Quin

[@lesotwell3561]

As always Quinn great work!

[@vonmiekka]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the drawing specify 1 and 3/8 height, and you calipers showed 1 and 1/2 raw casting? Meaning that you had 1/8 to machine off the total length, not that the casting was too small.

[@crichtonbruce4329]

Damn fine work!

[@Pianissimo1970]

''I'm very pleased with that...'' I'm beginning to think that you watch Allen Millyard videos 😁

[@hsnopesium]

would a mini sandblaster help with feddeling? (I know that's spelled wrong)

[@billmielke7395]

Generally there is a few thousandths difference between the diameters of a internal thread and an external thread. To get it perfect you would need to single point.

[@MonkeyWithAWrench]

On the spot face operations that you used the v blocks to hold the part, how are you certain that held the part axis parralel to the table? The v blocks had a 90* angle, so there would have to be at least 90* of machined surface for each block to contact otherwise it was riding on a raw cast edge. Could you clarify how that worked to hold an accurate centerline? I'm not understanding it. I was planning on using the mandrel for this operation to avoid that scenerio.

[@garryharrington8255]

I LOVE YOU AND YOUR SHOWS YOU EXPLAN WHOTS YOU ARE DOING ? WITHOUT MAKIN US FEEL TO STUPID?? WELL DONE KEEP GOING PLEASE THENKS

[@leebett3391]

Hi Quinn, would be interested which revision of drawings you are using. There is only one oil hole on my drawings which is different to yours

[@richardmorton1310]

Nice, you are the boss.

[@v8Mercury]

Maybe less than 7/8 spotface required because the joint is closer to the end of the part than in tended?

[@OGTtom]

Great video , always interesting content, thank you Quinn

[@richardbradley961]

THANK YOU. REGARDS RICHARD.

[@asciimation]

How on earth do you keep your machine tools so clean? Even AFTER cleaning mine are covered in rust and cutting fluid and dust and chips. My shed is uninsulated unfortunately so in winter condensation can be an issue hence the rust despite everything being covered in oil (and cutting fluid and dust and chips).