Steam Power to Remachine Steam Engine Parts

Old Steam Powered Machine Shop #75. The Lily steam engine cylinder head, slide valve and steam chest cover are remachined on a shaper, lathe and planer using only steam power in my 1925 line shaft, steam powered shop. I put this shop together, as you can follow on my older videos, to show how it would have been done in a time before municipal electric power, electrinic measuring, CNC, indexable tooling, etc. when set ups and machining operations required some thought. See my Community pages for shop news and updates. Thanks for watching this one.....Dave

[@expidition07]

What a treat to watch your video's. If is like going back in time and being able see how this great country was built. You showing us a part of history that played a major part in the building of this country.. Thank you for showing and sharing this lost art with us. Thank you again .

[@peterhaan9068]

Thanks indeed! Sure don't need any more videos of how the country is coming apart now do we!

[@shjones27]

I couldn't agree more.

[@roterakaten636]

Seriously I hope your shop lives on in a young person's hands when it's your time and I hope that they continue to share the shop with the rest of the world.

[@pavellopez3998]

Yea I agree

[@Hoaxer51]

Probably the best thing for this shop would be to turn it into a museum, that way it would be kept intact. It would be great if the Smithsonian would take it but they probably have their own. Maybe family could keep it running.

[@Physhi]

I don't often watch these videos on my home computer, but I'm in love with the sound of the shop. Working with these things under steam power has to be better than procreation!

[@HWPcville]

I like watching old machines working. What I like alot about your channel is you don't spend an inordinate amount of time showing how to fixture a piece for machining. Some machining channels go into great detail on how to fixture and dial in a piece of work but I would venture to say that most folks are here not so much for the setup as they are for the doing and end results. At least that's why I'm here. Thanks for posting.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

lt's always good to see you David & Tom as well👀😃....Awesome video🤗....Thanks very much👍

[@davidrichards5594]

Tom has been a real asset lately, making up fixtures and tooling that we need for the shop machines that I never got around to making....Dave

[@gwharton68]

The most beautiful machine shop anywhere!! The sounds are fantastic and the smells must be too. Stay warm.

[@bcbloc02]

Fun to see the various shop tools all working on the same project.

[@cojones8518]

Good to see you again Tom. It's been a while. Nice job Richard, looks like the process of making hold down hardware has started for the planer. :-D

[@phillipyannone3195]

Always a pleasure to watch you and your machine shop in action. I enjoyed seeing Tom again also.

[@hacc220able]

So good to have you back in the shop working your magic. Thanks for sharing

[@Poppi2006]

I see that Tom was with the 1st Calvary in Viet Nam. Much respect for your sacrifice. Thank you, sir.

[@johnalexander4356]

What a great video! I love the sounds we hear in your shop. The belt joints clicking and the old bull gears hum along. Sure does bring back memories. All we miss out on is the smell of oil and steam!

[@carltonlane8931]

Thankyou for the video,nice to see Tom working with you,looking forward to seeing the next video,look after yourselves.

[@captainhgreen]

Sure wished I had an old steam style machine shop that I could to tinker in and make some chips. Thanks for the video David.

[@FeralPreacher]

Good to see you again Dave. As much as I like shapers, I couldn't work with the planer. It sounds exactly like my ex-wife snoring. I kid you not. Great job on the parts restoration. Thanks for sharing.

[@Daniel_cheems]

That old planer is so happy she's working again

[@naillias]

Dave your videos are among the best along with Cutting edge from Austrailia! You don't stop every 5 or 10 thou to measure as others do to add time to the video. or waste time advertising. Straight honest good work! Stay well and keep posting!

[@farmworkMi]

Awesome episode I enjoyed seeing someone else in the shop enjoying the tools well done fellas

[@rudycarlson8245]

Always enjoy your videos that you put out Dave! I swear it’s like stepping back in time!

[@markf350s]

All I can add to all these great accolades to you Dave is thank you I appreciate the hard work you make into the videos and I enjoy each and everyone of them my contribution to comments thank you

[@roverinosnarkman7240]

Thank you for publishing these videos! It’s a great public service.

[@rockytaub7028]

Dave, great to see you back. Hope you are doing well.

[@tiredoldmechanic1791]

The rhythm of the machines almost puts me to sleep it is so calming.

[@jasondk5127]

It sound like a clock work everything in perfect time, simply amazing!! I'm a CNC guy that would love to have a shop like this it's so peaceful and calming. It calls to my soul.

[@victoryfirst2878]

I just love the shaper you are using. Single point tool makes for a real flat surface Very nice work also fella. You have a real nice shop too. Peace

[@scrout]

That shaper is a piece of art.

[@kh2140]

That's great! I'm a journeyman machinist and work predominantly with cnc machining centers. I've worked with manual machines but not steam running. I believe it takes more skill to set up and operate those machines. History is awesome!

[@RetroSteamTech]

Another great video Dave 👍👍👍 Always a treat to see the planer in action and very nice to see your young apprentice, Tom at work 🙂 Cheers, Alan.

[@garylarue6501]

Hi Dave & Tom: Its really nice to see you again! I love to hear and see these machines work and do the jobs they were designed to do! Setting these machines and work pieces up takes a lot of time and thought! You guy's are master machinists, and if you can't fix it,... it isn't broken! FANTASTIC video, and really look forward to your next one! Best Wishes, AND GOD BLESS! Gary

[@stevewesley8187]

Have a warm and productive winter season !

[@iancraig1951]

Thanks for watching--phooey to that - thanks for making them--regards E I love manual machining..

[@kennethdejardin795]

Hello David what a joy it is to watch you and your machines work always very interesting content

[@jimsvideos7201]

On a day like that I'm surprised you don't have every stray cat in the neighbourhood sleeping at the base of the boiler.

[@alanworland9478]

Great to watch! My son uses a 100 year old lathe regularly that I restored and like your gear it can produce some great work, keep it up.

[@rhavrane]

Bonjour David, It is always a pleasure for me to watch your videos, especially if steam works for steam :+) I am happy to see a friend with you but where is the next generation? I would have liked to see a youngster with you :+) Amicalement, Raphaël

[@migulen]

Ooh i enjoy your films they are great this is the first time i am reacting and it is when i se someone running the lathe whith gloves thats a big nono othervice your workmanship is a state of the art

[@JamesP_TheShedShop]

Wonderful video! Thank you

[@FredMiller]

Great segment Dave. The shop is looking great and the sounds are like music. Thanks for sharing! Fred

[@michaellenz9121]

Howdy Dave. Another excellent video. Looks like the planer is working quite well. Thank you again for taking the time and effort of posting. Thank You

[@warrenjones744]

Another good one Dave

[@simonlunt353]

Great to see your workshop sir here in the uk 🇬🇧 we had this great man called Fred Didnah a great steam man and he had a steam workshop too he did a lot of tv programs about steam love watching this great man just like you sir 👏👏

[@MrKmoconne]

I'm sure Fred would l'ke Dave's channel.

[@artr8285]

Dave - Thanks for another great video, keep 'em coming!

[@rkeith4442]

I was on a WW 2 destroyer. I used to work on the boilers , unbelievable power steam has! 😃🇺🇸

[@TomChame]

Excellent, thanks.

[@donaldshulman6771]

Dave - Beautiful shop. The pulleys, belts and steam engine. Feels as though you stepped back in time. The shop is a great history lesson. Is your video camera also steam powered? !!!! Is the camera also correct for the time period?

[@mcgama88]

As late summer came I chanced to trade a day of work wage for a South Bend 9. And, am happily planning the full install to my shop. I had the clean and lubricate bench just at the shop doorway, where I managed all operation to restored precision. I think I matched a 1938 serial number, as found stamped to the bed. And wear is modest to the ways. Why I enjoy the posts in part is to see exactly how shop work areas are laid out to advantage in particular machine functions. That blend of best use of space and tool compartment, holders, and bench. Very natural to that job production as full care of tooling and lubrication of components. As to each job, the best quality of finish and thoughtful selection of tools to reach best fit. In my view, a domain of machinist that simply is fundamental and so is actual to these line driven tools that match modern electrical drives. I watch, listen and learn. And I thank you for the time and effort to the posts, where I so enjoy the perspective and finish as found to steam. *M.

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks for your great comment Mark and best of luck with your new machine. I do a lot of work on my 1925 nine inch South Bend.....Dave

[@mattthescrapwhisperer]

Great stuff as always Dave.

[@garthbutton699]

OUTSTANDING I really enjoy your videos, thanks for all your efforts we appreciate them🤗😎🤗😎

[@zacharyschaafsma2523]

Love watching your vidoes , it's so coll seeing how things wer done back in the day , might need your help in the near future to fix some gears for me , I'm restorying a old 1920s rock ford lathe that has some chipped gears

[@gilb6982]

that planer sound like a snoring old man ! Lol !

[@robertklein9190]

More like a wife, lol

[@davidmicheletti6292]

I remember when I was young I worked at a paper mill that was steam driven via line shafts. In this case these were steam turbine with electric motor assist on one of the machines. A third machine was converted to electric drive at some point in time. This old paper mill,was tore down a few years back but was replaced by a huge new mill near by. One older paper Machine had cast iron spoke and hubs but the drive gears had teeth made originally of wood segments. By the time I started there a replacement plastic nylon type material was being used in place of the wood. That particular machine was in use for ninety years. It was driven by one five hundred hp steam turbine. The turbine was extremely small, maybe three feet at the most and was located in the basement line-shaft tunnel. The largest of the three machines had a 1500 hp turbine and several electric drive motors that served as assist drives. In the case of these drives a line shaft drove six separate gear box drives that could be controlled via a snowmobile type clutch drive bands. It was a wonder of mechanical clutch and gear box. I had to help rebuild and replace one of these units. The gear box was about four or five feet square and had many input and output shafts. It took five of us all day to remove and open this gear box. The rebuild took days to extract wore out parts and replace some of them from a donor gear box. We tracked down a gear box from a supplier who had salvaged it from another company. It think it cost something like 250000 and we’re glad we found it. The other parts were made in our machine shop. I wanted to save these machine parts when the mill was being tore down but because of they were being written off for taxes they not only could not be saved but had to be cut open so no one could salvage them for parts as we once had done many years before. We did manage to save one water driven stone wheel grinder used for pulp production. It dated from the 1890s or so and was driven by water wheel and then later by electric motor. It had four pockets that were feed by hand with 25 inch long logs. A water driven ram would push a pocket full of logs into a grind stone. A couple of times a day the stone had to be sharpened to obtain the desired pulp needed. This is now setup on public display in a park like setting. There were four other things I wanted to salvage but could not. A friend of mine did salvage a steam driven fire backup pump in perfect like new condition. It was never used for anything other than as a backup pump and was tested weekly for something like ninety years or longer. My friend found a museum a hundred miles away to take it. I wanted to keep it in our community but was glad someone got it to save from the smelter. I salvaged as many brass inspection port holes from old generators and steams gauges that I could gather. In time they will find a safe home to protect them. Not sure if other people would find this sort of thing of interest. I really liked designing systems and have several manufacturing processes to my name. The old process were crude yet were very interesting in the simplistic and complex way of doing things, there was always a real danger that someone would be killed by these machines. I’ve had to treat many people, recover bodies, feet and whole arms from machines. I’ve also treated so many heart attacks I lost count. The jobs were very hard , hot and could be dangerous.

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks for the great story Dave....Dave

[@markavis7232]

Someone I know rather well makes noises like that planer when asleep... :-)

[@chuckthebull]

I always tell mine I think a ships about to come into the doc because of the fog...Ha!

[@bulletproofpepper2]

Thanks for sharing

[@Jhihmoac]

...Wondering just how much of the intricate, precision-machined parts found within the engine rooms of the old Transatlantic liners such as the _Titanic_ were done this way?

[@gerrywalker3591]

You are definitely one of a kind l love your work.

[@christophercullen1236]

Love watching the planner. Have you got the new apprentice up to speed yet ? Christopher from Down Under

[@mikeznel6048]

It's called a shaper.

[@christophercullen1236]

@@mikeznel6048 Dear Mike I now we are born upside down . Dave was working on the shaper in first part of the video, in the second half he was working on the planer this is what I was referring to . I appreciate your concern . Very old apprentice from Down Under

[@johnfry9010]

Glad to see you Dave , are you staying up North for the winter ?

[@ClassXIRoads]

Good stuff Dave, tell Tom to lose the gloves. looking forward to you getting this "new" old engine running. preserving the steam era one stroke at a time...When you headed to Fl.?

[@mikeznel6048]

Why should he lose the gloves? Everyone goes on about them getting caught up in stuff when the reality is you shouldn't be putting any part of your body on or near something that it can get caught in...

[@glennmoreland6457]

Hi Mr. Richards Will you drill & tap them tool holders underneath as well to make em truly universal....? We all love your videos...🇬🇧🙂

[@jimwilloughby]

Seems like the gears on the planer aren't as noisy as the first time I saw it in operation. What did you do to quiet them?

[@garybrenner6236]

It's almost time to go back to Florida!

[@dimtt2]

The side feeding mechanism on the planer seems to be doing the actual feeding in the beginning of the cut stroke which would mean you'd have to add a couple of inches to the cut stroke just for the feeding to be completed before the cutter engages the work. Can't you 180 the crank position of the conrod that moves the feeding rack up and down?

[@davidrichards5594]

You're right, but the feed works very quick and I'm careful to leave enough room at the begining of the cut for it to feed across before the tool hits the work. Same with shapers. If you feed the tool at the end of the stroke, it would make the tool rub the cut on the return stroke.....Dave

[@chuckthebull]

@@davidrichards5594 I remember we talked about that once too..when I noticed your shaper doing it once.. it's somthing I keep in mind when I'm working on stuff. but someone made a comment about how hack saws still drag over the work on the back stroke,, but I always let up on pressure on it and turn the blade arround too some time depending on what I'm doing.. damwish I had a shaper..

[@Zrambo49]

What a great treat. Really enjoy your video's. Why did you use the planner instead of the jointer? I'm partial to a jointer but really enjoyed watching both in work. Thank you.

[@pobs999]

I live in Vermont, do you do tours of the shop? What is the hp of the boiler? Where do you find the large steam engine kits?

[@davidrichards5594]

Good to hear from Vermont. I believe the boiler is 14HP, marginal for the engine size. I know of no large engine kits. It was my plan to eventually produce them and finished engines.....Dave

[@Deebo1812]

Great video as ever, David! How do you stop everything rusting while you’re away in Florida for the winter? Everything in my shop rusts but I’m in wet Scotland..

[@bobvines00]

Dave, thanks for sharing again! I look forward to the next videos. However, _please_ remind me what your explanation is (from a previous video, I think) about what makes the planer sound like it is grinding itself away -- is it the sound a drive belt rubbing or something like that?

[@lizshoemaker6569]

If you know where I can find a decent used metal lathe in north Florida I would really appreciate you letting me know. Looking for a 12 craftsman or atlas or a bit bigger like a Logan

[@IBWatchinUrVids]

Is your shop OSHA approved? ;) I won't tell.

[@cojones8518]

Last OSHA guy to visit the shop took one look around and started screaming as he ran away. Odd fellow

[@robertwhitney2232]

@@cojones8518 Hee, Hee, OSHA guys, don't come around to our antique engine shows eather, not yet anyway.🤔🤔

[@PatrickPoet]

This is great as always:) I have to say Tom wearing gloves around moving machinery gave me a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. They don't teach not to do that anymore? Or were my teachers just weirdos? We were taught no loose clothing, no dangling parts like strings, scarves or ties, and no gloves.

[@millomweb]

17:40 I can hear the table gearing. This is a good thing ! With keith Rucker's planer, the table mech makes a 'wrong' noise such that you can't hear the gears meshing ! It's quite bad on the return stroke and I can't identify the noise - bearing perhaps.

[@mikeznel6048]

It's not a planner, it's a shaper.

[@davidhunter7063]

Dave, toward the last part of your video, why did you use the planer on such a small piece of cast iron instead of using the shaper?

[@davidrichards5594]

It was tied up on another job, the power was off, I owe the power company, Tom wanted to try out his hold downs, steam has priority in this shop, couldn't find the shaper vice handle....I don't know.....Dave

[@edmedlin2936]

I notice Tom wearing a hat that says Viet Nam. Cool. I am a Vietnam Vet also. Dang, that was a long time ago, A?

[@davidrichards5594]

"Welcome home", says Tom....

[@billkruize9060]

Make a fiber gear for planer like cam gear less sound

[@13bigerdave]

well if that isn't way cool Thank You

[@millomweb]

What horsepower is your engine ? I was wondering how amny machines it could run at the same time assuming the machines were making heavy cuts.

[@davidrichards5594]

I don't really know, It's 8"x10", I would guess about 60 HP. With 150 psi steam pressure It would run a complete saw mill operation or furniture factory or probably every machine in a machine shop at the same time.....Dave

[@millomweb]

@@davidrichards5594 Ample power then :) What pressure are you running it at ?

[@grumpyg9350]

👍👏🏻

[@richg.8092]

👍👍👍👍☕☕🍩🍩

[@козачук1977]

👍👍👍💯🤝🤝🤝🇺🇦

[@ehkerr]

You should never wear gloves while running a lathe.

[@jdmccorful]

Nice work, alot of precission must go into maintaining an operation such as you have there. Thanks for the look and listen!

[@andrewsmith2064]

Love the videos man. It’s always a treat to see how we used to machine thing in the early days of the industrial revolution. It’s videos and channels like yours that inspired me to become a machinist myself. Just finished my schooling this summer and am working my way through a full time job running and programming cnc machines.

[@davidrichards5594]

Andrew, Good for you, good luck with your new career.....Dave

[@MrKmoconne]

Good luck Andrew!

[@tomlee7966]

glad to see ya back Dave

[@kevinunderwood2931]

Enjoyed this, thanks for sharing.

[@someguy2741]

Its bad that a steam workshop is cleaner than my shop... or house.

[@davidrichards5594]

Looks a lot better in video than real life....Dave

[@mikeznel6048]

That's an easy fix. Don't be lazy. A clean shop is a safe and productive shop. A clean home is a healthy home. Come on man, get it together!

[@andybonneau9209]

Get a couple more guys in there and you'll have a production machine shop. 🙂

[@davidrichards5594]

I would like to do that a few times a year....Dave

[@be3373]

@@davidrichards5594 I’d volunteer to just sweep up and dump out chip pans just for the opportunity to watch and enjoy the sounds!

[@noelspangenburg3675]

Thanks Dave, good to see the Planer in action.

[@randydeboer832]

Hi David and Tom always a great day to watch old machines fixing old machines. Looking forward to the next video. Thanks

[@LostAgain1970]

It's such a joy to watch your videos. Everything goes at a calming pace, no hurry. Everything takes as long as it takes. Something the whole world should learn. Thank you, Dave, for sharing this!

[@MattysWorkshop]

Gday Dave, great see Tom in the shop enjoying some machine time, I always enjoy seeing a video from you, I love seeing history being preserved and it’s fantastic to see steam power being used to rebuild items like it would have been done all them years ago, they certainly don’t make machines to last like they used to, built in 1897 and preforming like a brand new machine, great job as always mate, thanks you for sharing, Cheers

[@davidrichards5594]

Thanks for the ccomment Matty....Dave

[@ironcladranchandforge7292]

It's fun watching a 124 year old machine working and doing it's job.

[@aw738]

I've watched all your videos and I was wondering something. How much "babysitting" does the boiler need? I would be so paranoid about watching the boiler pressure.

[@davidrichards5594]

As you probably noticed, we aren't to concerned about firing the boiler although the water level is carefully kept in mind. The engine is so oversized that every thing runs fine with pressure between 70 and 25. ...Dave

[@Paddington60]

17min 30sec sounds just like my chest when I have a chest infection and breathing is a little odd to difficult!

[@94XJ]

Down sick today...just what I needed for a little boost! Any day we get a video from Dave is a great day.

[@canuckloyalist4681]

Just starting to get really worried again.....glad you're back!

[@stratocaster1greg]

Mr. Richards this last week I made a compound sprocket of 12 and 36 teeth for a steamer built from a Meccano Constructor Car and a vertical Empire Steam Engine. I used my Southbend lathe, Atlas shaper, and Hardinge mill. My machines are old but not as old as yours. You are one of my heros in life and hope this finds you well. Greg.

[@davidsample9130]

Another dandy video. Gratefully appreciated

[@CraigLYoung]

Just made my day! Thanks for sharing 👍

[@jasonspector5050]

your video's are always my watch list are you going to Florida soon ?

[@WilliamTMusil]

Evenin Dave

[@davidrichards5594]

Hi Bill.....Dave

[@ianlulham]

thank you for sharing. i had an enjoyable start to the day watching.