Description:

Put your machining skills to use - build a model steam engine that you can hold in your hand! It will chug happily along on just a little compressed air - no coal required.

You will receive plans and a kit of all stock and hardware needed to build a 'Lucy'-type model engine. This is a great starter project to exercise many skills on the mill and lathe. The first one Christian built was commissioned by a professor at Wentworth Institute of Technology in 2000 - a variant has been used to teach their machining classes ever since. See a Youtube vIdeo of a similar engine running at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND0aUxFeQb0

There are a number of parts in this project and the number of setups and operations required might be overwhelming to some students, even with basic machining experience. To address this, Christian has created an annotated color photo guide of every step of construction and assembly, which you will also receive.

Class Goals:

In building this engine, students will:

• Read mechanical prints to find the correct dimensions and understand the required precision to work to
• Lay out part features on rough-cut stock
• Make a fixture to enable more effective and complex workholding
• Cut these parts on a milling machine and metal lathe with sufficient precision to make a working model steam engine with precisely-fit, moving parts
• Check, assemble and fit parts, and possibly learn techniques to salvage mistakes

Prerequisites:

Participants should have basic machining skills, either acquired by previously having completed the Precision Machining course, or other outside experience. Unfortunately, simultaneous enrollment in this course and the Precision Machining course is not sufficient.

Materials:

Materials for the project will be provided by the instructor. Fees are included in the class price.

Instructor Biography:

Christian believes that Keats -almost- got it right: "A thing of beauty and precision, made by skill and will, is a joy forever."

Years of pushing around photons on a computer monitor have led him to appreciate the simple but intense pleasure of making a fine, precise, real artifact by application of skill.  Currently active in the robotics R&D field, Christian uses his abilities as a machinist, mechanic, woodworker, welder, plumber, and otherwise general 
accumulator-of-knowledge-and-knowhow as a compliment to his nominal career as an electrical engineer.