If one can not get one in the correct size, one can copy a special tool for mounting rings by modifying snap-ring pliars, opening when the handles are closed. They are inserted in the gap with both jaws and upon squeezing the handles, the ring is expanded.
@ 31:55 Mr Crispin 'encourages' his parts to fit together. Such a gentleman! And I think earlier he 'introduced' them. Shades of the old days in England which I - personally - find very refreshing. Not a bad chap, this young Crispin . . .
Mr. Trimble's material was first published in "Strictly IC" (SIC) magazine in the late 80's or early 90's, I believe back issues are still available. I have used his formulas with great success for rings up to 4" in diameter. Have enjoyed all your videos, thanks for your time.
When I went 4 a Job... ... I had the misfortune of explaining;... I got the sack... For being just a measly 5 Thou' out... The interviewer said;... That's not a problem here... We don't work to those tight tolerances... ... When ask where I had worked before... ... I replied Nat West Bank
ive put a lot of engines together over the years without thought, tearing open parts bags etc ....but you gain an appreciation for the parts when you have to make them
What a delight to for once see someone on UA-cam, who works to a proper engineering standard. I'll admit I fell in love with the channel the moment when you properly stoned the edge of those piston rings... Guess, I'll stick around.
Totally agree with you about the satisfying sound of the piston running in the bore. I was an Army Vehicle Mechanic for 14 years and although I've never touched a lathe in my life and the only mechanical benchwork I've done is basic hacksawing, chiselling, filing, tapping and threading I am totally absorbed in your videos. Thankyou for all the time you take, in recording your work, editing it and uploading it.
The cleverest engineer I ever worked with started life as an apprentice for Wellworthy engineering in Lymington Hants. His final position was in R&D and came to work with me when they closed in the 1980's. We had many a conversation on the science behind making pistons and rings for automotive applications. I realised then rings were far from just a circular rings of cast iron. Thanks for sharing.
Nice work as per usual Mr.C. Here's a tip an old bloke taught me. Pull apart your feeler gauges and use 3 separate feeler gauges to slip your piston rings onto the piston. They slide on nice and easy. Cheers, Aaron.
as someone who has fitted many piston rings I am so glad you thinned it out. The ring seals on the edge in the piston groove not the distance from the bottom of the of the ring groove. Well done.
Whilst I have not made piston rings myself, my model engineering club recommended method involves making and heat treating the ring then finishing the OD in the lathe as you did in this video.
These two piston ring vids are my intro to your channel. Very impressed with your methods and presentation. On the subject of width of the ring face causing increased friction, I still remember being shocked in my 1975 H.S. physics class when we were told that surface area and amount of friction were unrelated. We were taught that friction was entirely dependent on pressure between two moving objects, regardless of contact area. I'd be curious if Mr. Trimble addressed that in his writings.
My respect for piston rings and those who make them has greatly increased! There is one more thing: full scale practice, at least on German locomotives, has always been to open up the cylinder bore by a small amount (have a step in diameter) at the end of the stroke. This recess step is so positioned that the outermost piston rings can slide over this step by a fraction of their width in order to scrape any debris, corrosion, coked up oil, etc. off the running surface into the recess. The cylinder drains would start from the lowest part of these recesses to allow any sludge to be flushed out. Probably unnecessary for a smallish engine like a model locomotive.
Another very interesting discussion on procedures and details. I don't need any rings, but it is nice to knowI may have the knowledge and ability to make them if needed. Thank you Mr. Crispin for widening our horizons, much appreciated (like the fish n; chips) thanks and cheers!
Being an auto mechanic, this was quite interesting for me, and the explanation of the wide rings makes sense too - you also don't have emissions regulations on steam engines that lead to thin rings, thin piston lands, short skirts, etc. Thanks for stepping us through this, at some point I would like to make a steam engine but until then I'm taking notes on what people have found success with.
Really enjoyed your "vise side" chat! From Piston Ring 1, my main question was how you were going to stretch them over the pistons without breaking. Obviously reducing the thickness by half greatly reduced the danger of breakage, but as another commenter mentioned below, it was definitely a cliffhanger. Great job!
I guess this response probably comes too late, but I admit to having had a Mr. Crispin-shaped hole in my education until fairly recently. With specific regard to piston ring gaps, and despite never having seen that handy design guide, I do know that rings expand in length, closing the gap as they heat up. If this is not considered in the design, it might cause a problem during operation. I am fairly sure you have enough gap, but if you had ended up with the gap you had wanted, it might have caused its' own batch of issues. Also, I am glad to see that I am not the only hobbyist who seems to spend 80% of my time making tools, jigs, fixtures and whatnot. Thank you Sir for entertaining and educating me!
I think in this case I would have been ok as the piston, cylinder and ring are all made of the same material meaning that they have the same expansion rate.
@@MrCrispinEnterprises , you mis-understand. I am not tslking about different expansion coefficients, I mean that components expand differently due to their shape. Secondly, if the ring is getting hotter than the cylinder due to friction ( ehich it eill as it is so much smaller), it will obviously also expand more.
As for the magnitude of the ring expanding due to friction I'm not sure. With regards to the other topic yes perhaps although a steam engine heats up slowly and once everything is hot there would be no problem.
Excellent analysis and recovery process. BTW, I once went out to my mailbox wearing my shop apron and an optimizer with it in the up position on my head. I definitely got a couple of questionable looks! Keep up the great work! Fred
again. you amaze me yet again. great job on the rings i had faith the if anyone could make it work. that it was you. have a great day from over here at the bison workshop.
There's a lot to this engineering business. Like the jokes. I'm not an engineer or model maker but find how things are made fascinating and your explanation easy to understand. Thanks for taking the time, enjoyed it.
Interesting, entertaining and informative as usual, thanks Mr Crispin! I'd be interested to read that paper if it's possible to share it. I had plenty of fun and games with piston rings while designing casings for the large civil combustors during my time with RR in Derby.
I really like your honest and candid presentation when mistakes are made. As for the process here, I was somewhat surprised that you didn't break out your Dumore grinder to do the final OD machining. Using a turning tool seems more likely to move a ring in the fixture compared to using a grinder.
While it was a long way around, I think you and many of us learned a thing or two from this exercise. Well done and thank you for taking us along on this Journey.
Excellent video in both piston ring making 1 and 2 considering a beginner with such a good outcome. Mr Crispin I hope she steams well. I notice that you have piston valves instead of slide valves, which is the same as the Britannia class loco I m restoring. For the rings in the piston valves it will be the same technique as your piston rings only bit smaller in producing rings for the bobbins for the piston valves.. Thank you for you knowledge and confidence as I m a first hand in doing model engineering. Sounds much better than buying rings.
Another excellent video, I particularly liked your work holding fixtures. The only thing that concerned me was the space behind the ring. Looking forward to the next one.
Very interesting stuff, I was thinking all the way through this that your chosen rework method would also necessitate remanufacture of the pistons (shallower grooves), but I guess it doesn't really need it, so let's claim it as weight reduction (don't mention those 2 words at work, they will have you doing something else pretty quickly)! Cheers, Jon
Very interesting, informative and timely. I’m trying to figure out why the rings on my first steam engine don’t seem to fit properly, and what my solution will be. My rings are ptfe so things are a bit different but your video has given me more things to consider. Thanks!
Very interesting and informative, as ever. As for copyright, the copyright will be owned by the magazine which published the article, and they are still entitled to charge for access to it. So publishing a copy yourself could deprive them of their rights and land you with legal action. Your best bet it to contact them, (or their successors if it’s no longer published), and ask permission to reproduce the article. If they are unwilling, and they may well be, you could ask for a link to the article published on their site, whether free or through paid access. If you couch this as free advertising for their service, they may be very much more inclined to cooperate in making it available in some form.
The paper was published in three issues of Strictly I.C. and I think that you'll have to purchase all three back-issues at $8.00 US each ($24.00 US + S&H): "DESIGN & FABRICATION OF PISTON RINGS, by the late George Trimble. The EPITOME of miniature engine ring manufacture. Issues # 7,8 & 9 … $8.00 ea. ….. TOTAL: $24.00"
I find it hysterical! I would love to see him pitch it from literally anywhere and see it land in on the same spot every time, i.e. from the kitchen, from a car, from a field, etc. Would be an awesome trademark.
Nice work Mr C as usual. I crossed my fingers, toes and anything else I could find, when you were turning the OD. Just hoping the tool wouldn't snag the groove and..... well the result goes without saying.
@@MrCrispinEnterprises I'm partly using the Trimble method, and partly using your method. I particularly like your method of pre-tensioning the rings on the arbor and then finish machining the O.D, so naturally I'll do it that way. I'm using a small kiln with a programable controller for the heat treating, and I'm packing the rings in charcoal to minimize scale formation. Hopefully I'll have some workable rings by morning. Fingers crossed. Cheers!
As always, a fantastically well presented, informative video, with just the right amount of humour! Bring on the next video! After recently fitting the 3” clupet rings into the cylinders of my steam loco, I know how stressful easing them over the piston is. I could almost hear my own heartbeat! Looking forward to getting them on the loco and moving onto the next part. It feels like you have been doing these cylinders for years 😋
When you stretched the rings over the mandrel and heat treated them to the larger than cylinder size, the ends of the rings could not compress into a circle the same size as the bore because they were unsupported at those ends. Therefore some portion of each end of each ring remained at the oversize curvature of the heat treating mandrel. I do enjoy your video presentations. We all learn together :-)
I have to say your "off the cuff" creation of tooling and fixtures is quite impressive. I will also say your piston introduction and movement in the block is as we say in the states "smooth as glass"...
Thanks for a really interesting vid Mr Crispin, I own a 1978 BMW R100/7 motorcycle with a boxer engine, I wonder if I should check for bottom wear in the rings and piston, looking forward to piston rings three through to ten.
Great video and great saving of the rings. I guess you could now call yourself Lord of the Rings. Many moons ago I made some rings for an old stationary engine exactly as per your second method however I left plenty of meat on the diameters and cut the split so no pulling wedging or stretching. Its possible to dress the gap edges and then compress the rings with some shim material in the gap to give a little less than the the desired finished ring gap. Machine the ring diameters and finally gap the rings in the normal way.
Might I suggest to contact the people behind the youtube channel "Lawfull masses" on the questions of copyright/publishing issues? (might be worth trying to track down the writer and ask) Also, as always an excellent video, greatly appreciate the time and effort you go through to show us your hat throwing skills! And I am really interested in both the article and any follow up videos
Give them a chance to bed in when the loco is finished. My 5in 0-6-0 now 5 years old. With the engine cold and in reverse its impossible to push the engine forward due to the compression! Another idea is to put a tiny shallow grove in the piston between the rings. The idea being oil is trapped in the groves which helps in particular from a cold start. After heat treatment I finished machined my rings by clamping them closed on a mandril as shown in your video. I have never felt the bore of the rings to be very important, that the rings should float on the diameter but a good fit on the sides.
Excellent come back from disaster by having to making another set. By the way I saw my honing stone in use. You can send it back anytime now. No questions asked.
Another good video. I received similar information from a man who makes lots of piston rings, however he makes the O/D and the I/D oversize by 0.010 and then machines to the correct sizes after heat treatment and splitting the rings .
Crispin thanks for your great videos, l am envious of your machine tools and equipment and enjoy your analytical approach to solving problems. Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year, and your degree studies. David Meehan.
I get that concept, stretching the ring from the gap by being perpendicular to the gap face essentially providing a linear force as opposed to a levering force. Spreading from the gap’s inside edge makes the opposite side of the ring a “hinge” stress at that point so that’ll definitely distort circularity. Very clever fixturing of those rings by the way. I was wondering how you were going to hold them for the OD’s.
Quick question: Why did you choose a Springbok? I'm kinda anticipating this could be a long answer, sorry! I'm looking around to find a loco design to build, and I rather fancy a larger tender loco. As you are so excellently documenting your build I've been looking at Evan's Springbok, maybe the 7 1/4" Stembok. The boilers are non-tapered and this is very appealing for a home workshop setup.
Just starting, and you likely moved past this, but to save the use of your pistons, the bore of the ring could have a U-channel milled inside of them, or even on the outside, such as an oil scraper ring. I have not worked with thick cast rings, but the old material in other antique engine videos appears softer and (gulp) springier. You might not be doing anything wrong with the design or manufacture; perhaps the ductility of the cast iron might be a bit off. It might be more or less? like nodular iron, instead. Hmm. After heat-treating, the rings likely moved. Perhaps a fixture could made made to squeeze the ring whilst it is in the bore, holding the ring from top and bottom, holding it in bore diameter, and then it could be ground (and de-burred) on the cylindrical face.
very nice approach, I was surprised that you did not measure the rings after they were mounted on the fixture to see if they expanded. thanks for the video. Rich
So nice to see such nice work and ingenuity, on very large rings (1050mms bore) diesels, the id circumference is hammered with a chisel type tool, I believe this was to relieve the similar stress.
Very good rework. I'm always interested in the tooling you produce, some very useful ideas. Now I can't wait for Friday...Fish and chip van....Dean in Oxfordshire.
Goodevening MrCrispin, could you point me in the direction where I could find George Trimble's Piston ring Paper, as I am in the process of desiging my own steam locomotive based of a 'Tinkerbell' and stuck on the design on the piston rings.
Hello Mr. Crispin, A good video... I hope you find a way to distribute the document you spoke about, I would be keen to get a copy... Take care. Paul,,
Do piston rings in steam engines not rotate in use? In IC engines people make a lot of fuss of staggering the ring gaps but I am not sure it really matters as the rings rotate in the grooves. In 2 strokes the pin the rings so they can't rotate. What happens in steam locomotives?
This is not my own theory, it has been published before, but I know it works from experience - I have just built the cylinders for a 5 inch King - 4 rings for each bobbin and 2 rings for each cylinder. 24 rings! It is easy and quick. Make the initial tube exact cylinder bore size and use the 25th rule for bore, part off rings, saw cut a gap with a hobby 'razor' saw then use a flat screwdriver blade to open gap - not excessively, warm evenly with a gas torch until they drop off into an oil bath (approx. red heat). Job done works every time. With the sort of ring section you had originally they would not go on the piston successfully. Also since you said, I can taste those fish and chips!
Successful conclusion. Well Done Crispin. Did you know that the Fish & Chips Van was coming in advance, and you was waiting outside, or did he play a tune like the Ice Cream Vans do ? and then you rushed out ?
@@MrCrispinEnterprises I wish we had a Fish and Chips van coming around where we live in the states. Luckily there are a couple "British style" pubs in town and I would like to think they make a reasonably good facsimile of the authentic product, but really have no way of knowing since I've yet to visit the UK to try out the real deal.
So how many people held their breath whist Mr Crispin fitted the piston rings? Me for one ☝️
If one can not get one in the correct size, one can copy a special tool for mounting rings by modifying snap-ring pliars, opening when the handles are closed. They are inserted in the gap with both jaws and upon squeezing the handles, the ring is expanded.
I was on the edge of my chair!
I wouldn’t be totally against “piston rings 3, return of the (machining) Jedi.”
More Mr Crispin content is always appreciated. Keep up the great work!
@ 31:55 Mr Crispin 'encourages' his parts to fit together. Such a gentleman! And I think earlier he 'introduced' them. Shades of the old days in England which I - personally - find very refreshing. Not a bad chap, this young Crispin . . .
Mr. Trimble's material was first published in "Strictly IC" (SIC) magazine in the late 80's or early 90's, I believe back issues are still available. I have used his formulas with great success for rings up to 4" in diameter. Have enjoyed all your videos, thanks for your time.
Hopefully you can hear that loud round of applause from the rest of us! Awesome job and great video. Many thanks!
When I went 4 a Job...
...
I had the misfortune of explaining;... I got the sack...
For being just a measly 5 Thou' out...
The interviewer said;... That's not a problem here...
We don't work to those tight tolerances...
...
When ask where I had worked before...
...
I replied
Nat West Bank
Brilliant!!! What a great joke. :)
What a pleasure on a Sunday afternoon, thank you Mr Crispin
ive put a lot of engines together over the years without thought, tearing open parts bags etc ....but you gain an appreciation for the parts when you have to make them
Good point
@@MrCrispinEnterprises i like your clamping method with a sleeve ...original idea?
Just my version of something that was written out in the comments on the previous video
"lets see if i can mke it worse" ... great quote!
I always work on the premise that I can cock it up as well as anybody else!
What a delight to for once see someone on UA-cam, who works to a proper engineering standard. I'll admit I fell in love with the channel the moment when you properly stoned the edge of those piston rings... Guess, I'll stick around.
Totally agree with you about the satisfying sound of the piston running in the bore. I was an Army Vehicle Mechanic for 14 years and although I've never touched a lathe in my life and the only mechanical benchwork I've done is basic hacksawing, chiselling, filing, tapping and threading I am totally absorbed in your videos. Thankyou for all the time you take, in recording your work, editing it and uploading it.
Are the fish and chips required for this process or am I free to substitute other foods that come from vans?
As long as you wear your safety glasses while buying them, you should be fine.
The cleverest engineer I ever worked with started life as an apprentice for Wellworthy engineering in Lymington Hants.
His final position was in R&D and came to work with me when they closed in the 1980's.
We had many a conversation on the science behind making pistons and rings for automotive applications.
I realised then rings were far from just a circular rings of cast iron.
Thanks for sharing.
Nice work as per usual Mr.C. Here's a tip an old bloke taught me. Pull apart your feeler gauges and use 3 separate feeler gauges to slip your piston rings onto the piston. They slide on nice and easy. Cheers, Aaron.
as someone who has fitted many piston rings I am so glad you thinned it out. The ring seals on the edge in the piston groove not the distance from the bottom of the of the ring groove. Well done.
Whilst I have not made piston rings myself, my model engineering club recommended method involves making and heat treating the ring then finishing the OD in the lathe as you did in this video.
So you are now Lord of those rings - thank you for making me smile on a horrible cold and rainy day
These two piston ring vids are my intro to your channel. Very impressed with your methods and presentation. On the subject of width of the ring face causing increased friction, I still remember being shocked in my 1975 H.S. physics class when we were told that surface area and amount of friction were unrelated. We were taught that friction was entirely dependent on pressure between two moving objects, regardless of contact area. I'd be curious if Mr. Trimble addressed that in his writings.
Thanks. From memory no, he set it out as I mentioned. Although I geuss he is assuming that width is the only variable in that section of discussion.
You really have a wonderful narrative style. You give me a lot to aspire to.
My respect for piston rings and those who make them has greatly increased!
There is one more thing: full scale practice, at least on German locomotives, has always been to open up the cylinder bore by a small amount (have a step in diameter) at the end of the stroke. This recess step is so positioned that the outermost piston rings can slide over this step by a fraction of their width in order to scrape any debris, corrosion, coked up oil, etc. off the running surface into the recess. The cylinder drains would start from the lowest part of these recesses to allow any sludge to be flushed out.
Probably unnecessary for a smallish engine like a model locomotive.
I had to check it back into the previous video, Your pijamas. I did not noticed. I’m totally addicted to your teaching and videos.
Beautiful work. I was very curious how you were going to hold a compressed ring for external machining. Magic!
Another very interesting discussion on procedures and details. I don't need any rings, but it is nice to knowI may have the knowledge and ability to make them if needed. Thank you Mr. Crispin for widening our horizons, much appreciated (like the fish n; chips) thanks and cheers!
Mr Crispin, yet another inspirational video at 69 years of age you can teach an old dog new tricks 👍
Perfect, you find a way to continue with your design. Keep on moving and we will watch your next videos soon.
Really enjoyed your thoroughness and humor. Looking forward to your next video!
Being an auto mechanic, this was quite interesting for me, and the explanation of the wide rings makes sense too - you also don't have emissions regulations on steam engines that lead to thin rings, thin piston lands, short skirts, etc. Thanks for stepping us through this, at some point I would like to make a steam engine but until then I'm taking notes on what people have found success with.
I very,very much enjoy Your wonderfully quiet lathe. That slight hum is strangely relaxing. A really beautiful machine with a nice view- well done.
Really enjoyed your "vise side" chat! From Piston Ring 1, my main question was how you were going to stretch them over the pistons without breaking. Obviously reducing the thickness by half greatly reduced the danger of breakage, but as another commenter mentioned below, it was definitely a cliffhanger. Great job!
I guess this response probably comes too late, but I admit to having had a Mr. Crispin-shaped hole in my education until fairly recently. With specific regard to piston ring gaps, and despite never having seen that handy design guide, I do know that rings expand in length, closing the gap as they heat up. If this is not considered in the design, it might cause a problem during operation. I am fairly sure you have enough gap, but if you had ended up with the gap you had wanted, it might have caused its' own batch of issues.
Also, I am glad to see that I am not the only hobbyist who seems to spend 80% of my time making tools, jigs, fixtures and whatnot. Thank you Sir for entertaining and educating me!
I think in this case I would have been ok as the piston, cylinder and ring are all made of the same material meaning that they have the same expansion rate.
@@MrCrispinEnterprises , you mis-understand. I am not tslking about different expansion coefficients, I mean that components expand differently due to their shape. Secondly, if the ring is getting hotter than the cylinder due to friction ( ehich it eill as it is so much smaller), it will obviously also expand more.
As for the magnitude of the ring expanding due to friction I'm not sure. With regards to the other topic yes perhaps although a steam engine heats up slowly and once everything is hot there would be no problem.
That was well worth waiting for. Thank you Messrs Crispin and Trimble.
Excellent analysis and recovery process. BTW, I once went out to my mailbox wearing my shop apron and an optimizer with it in the up position on my head. I definitely got a couple of questionable looks! Keep up the great work! Fred
Outstanding video and manufacturing process. Let others choose shortcuts at their peril. Personally love the detail!
again. you amaze me yet again. great job on the rings i had faith the if anyone could make it work. that it was you. have a great day from over here at the bison workshop.
Wow, very informative video thanks! As a fitter and turner I was extremely curious as to how you'd remachine those ODs, very clever solution!
There's a lot to this engineering business. Like the jokes.
I'm not an engineer or model maker but find how things are made fascinating and your explanation easy to understand. Thanks for taking the time, enjoyed it.
Thanks
Interesting, entertaining and informative as usual, thanks Mr Crispin!
I'd be interested to read that paper if it's possible to share it. I had plenty of fun and games with piston rings while designing casings for the large civil combustors during my time with RR in Derby.
Excellent video! Wish I had seen this before I made my pistons rings...i now feel like I must go back and redo my janky work
I really like your honest and candid presentation when mistakes are made. As for the process here, I was somewhat surprised that you didn't break out your Dumore grinder to do the final OD machining. Using a turning tool seems more likely to move a ring in the fixture compared to using a grinder.
In didn't own it at the time!
what a great fit the piston is in that cylinder - still loving the hat toss as your trademark video opener
As usual highly entertaining, informative and humourous.Thank you
While it was a long way around, I think you and many of us learned a thing or two from this exercise. Well done and thank you for taking us along on this Journey.
What a great video! And what a great sense of humor!!😂👍💪
Great! Problem solving. Fatastic out come! Well done....Thanks for sharing!
Well done! Simple and elegant. Perhaps had you bought a Pi instead of fish and chips the ring gap conundrum may have been cleared up. Cheers.
No, the chips in the Pi would have thrown all the measurements awry.
I say mr Crispin old boy, I for one thought this was absolutely fantastic to watch thanks.
For cast iron rings I always allowed .0015” gap per inch of bore. This is enough to allow for expansion from heat.
Great videos!
Excellent video in both piston ring making 1 and 2 considering a beginner with such a good outcome. Mr Crispin I hope she steams well. I notice that you have piston valves instead of slide valves, which is the same as the Britannia class loco I m restoring. For the rings in the piston valves it will be the same technique as your piston rings only bit smaller in producing rings for the bobbins for the piston valves.. Thank you for you knowledge and confidence as I m a first hand in doing model engineering. Sounds much better than buying rings.
Another excellent video, I particularly liked your work holding fixtures. The only thing that concerned me was the space behind the ring. Looking forward to the next one.
Very interesting stuff, I was thinking all the way through this that your chosen rework method would also necessitate remanufacture of the pistons (shallower grooves), but I guess it doesn't really need it, so let's claim it as weight reduction (don't mention those 2 words at work, they will have you doing something else pretty quickly)! Cheers, Jon
Yes I think I'll go for "additional oil retention"
I really appreciate the talent of a thorough engineer! That’s just me.
Fascinating! Excellent demonstration of top-notch troubleshooting and setting things right. Well done you!
it's great that you listened to your viewers, and addressed the issues, filmed and shared well done. hats off to you (pun intended)
thank you
Yes it's an unbeatable format leaning wise all be it a bit painful at times!
I like you show and your idea,Thank you for your knowledge and good things, I will keep following your work,
Your videos always provoke a great deal of thoughts. Well done Mr. Crispin, very well done.
Very interesting, informative and timely. I’m trying to figure out why the rings on my first steam engine don’t seem to fit properly, and what my solution will be. My rings are ptfe so things are a bit different but your video has given me more things to consider. Thanks!
Very interesting and informative, as ever.
As for copyright, the copyright will be owned by the magazine which published the article, and they are still entitled to charge for access to it. So publishing a copy yourself could deprive them of their rights and land you with legal action. Your best bet it to contact them, (or their successors if it’s no longer published), and ask permission to reproduce the article. If they are unwilling, and they may well be, you could ask for a link to the article published on their site, whether free or through paid access. If you couch this as free advertising for their service, they may be very much more inclined to cooperate in making it available in some form.
The paper was published in three issues of Strictly I.C. and I think that you'll have to purchase all three back-issues at $8.00 US each ($24.00 US + S&H):
"DESIGN & FABRICATION OF PISTON RINGS,
by the late George Trimble.
The EPITOME of miniature engine ring manufacture.
Issues # 7,8 & 9 … $8.00 ea. ….. TOTAL: $24.00"
Brilliant as always, way way way beyond my machine ability, but really interesting and fantastic to watch.
Very informative .. you are a legend !!! I have learnt so much frm you .. thank you again 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Good stuff, enjoyed!
ATB, Robin
Engineering +++
Also-
Your video held my interest the entire length.
Clearly spoken.
Edited well.
Nice job there as well.
Thanks
The hat throw always makes me laugh.
Queue 007 theme...
@@Blue.4t2 can we expect the hat brim to cut through the column on the pillar drill?
I find it hysterical! I would love to see him pitch it from literally anywhere and see it land in on the same spot every time, i.e. from the kitchen, from a car, from a field, etc. Would be an awesome trademark.
Nice work Mr C as usual. I crossed my fingers, toes and anything else I could find, when you were turning the OD. Just hoping the tool wouldn't snag the groove and..... well the result goes without saying.
Now those look more like the old rings we are used to seeing Thank you very much.
Another magnificent video Mr. Crispin! Thank you. Now I'm off to the shop to make some piston rings. No, seriously! I really am! Cheers!
So what method have you decided to use?
@@MrCrispinEnterprises I'm partly using the Trimble method, and partly using your method. I particularly like your method of pre-tensioning the rings on the arbor and then finish machining the O.D, so naturally I'll do it that way. I'm using a small kiln with a programable controller for the heat treating, and I'm packing the rings in charcoal to minimize scale formation. Hopefully I'll have some workable rings by morning. Fingers crossed. Cheers!
A bit involved! i'l say, Learned some stuff today, Many thanks for that. Stay safe Mr Crispin.
As always, a fantastically well presented, informative video, with just the right amount of humour! Bring on the next video!
After recently fitting the 3” clupet rings into the cylinders of my steam loco, I know how stressful easing them over the piston is. I could almost hear my own heartbeat! Looking forward to getting them on the loco and moving onto the next part. It feels like you have been doing these cylinders for years 😋
👍 very nice save and some fine craftsmanship as always!
When you stretched the rings over the mandrel and heat treated them to the larger than cylinder size, the ends of the rings could not compress into a circle the same size as the bore because they were unsupported at those ends. Therefore some portion of each end of each ring remained at the oversize curvature of the heat treating mandrel. I do enjoy your video presentations. We all learn together :-)
I have to say your "off the cuff" creation of tooling and fixtures is quite impressive. I will also say your piston introduction and movement in the block is as we say in the states "smooth as glass"...
Thanks for a really interesting vid Mr Crispin, I own a 1978 BMW R100/7 motorcycle with a boxer engine, I wonder if I should check for bottom wear in the rings and piston, looking forward to piston rings three through to ten.
Wait till passes 1.5million miles on the clock. 😉
The owner of both R75/5 and R90S myself
Fond memories of unsiezing a BSA Bantam at the side of the road. A huge YESSS ! moment as the ring goes on unbroken.
Yo! How many centuries ago was that?
@@gyrogearloose1345 . It was many . It was a time of long hair , flared jeans ,lager and lime and masks were only for bank robbers.
Very well done and an excellent explanation. Thanks.
Fantastic video ... Thanks bud... you explained your problems and reasoning very well. ...
Great video and great saving of the rings. I guess you could now call yourself Lord of the Rings. Many moons ago I made some rings for an old stationary engine exactly as per your second method however I left plenty of meat on the diameters and cut the split so no pulling wedging or stretching. Its possible to dress the gap edges and then compress the rings with some shim material in the gap to give a little less than the the desired finished ring gap. Machine the ring diameters and finally gap the rings in the normal way.
Definitely enjoyed watching this excellent video. Thank you. 👏👏👍😀
Might I suggest to contact the people behind the youtube channel "Lawfull masses" on the questions of copyright/publishing issues? (might be worth trying to track down the writer and ask)
Also, as always an excellent video, greatly appreciate the time and effort you go through to show us your hat throwing skills! And I am really interested in both the article and any follow
up videos
Why do I have this feeling that the nightshirt and cap are your actual night apparel?
Chickened out! my wife heard you say that in the terms of your context, she’s still laughing 😂 I just love your humerus angel 😂👍
Give them a chance to bed in when the loco is finished. My 5in 0-6-0 now 5 years old. With the engine cold and in reverse its impossible to push the engine forward due to the compression!
Another idea is to put a tiny shallow grove in the piston between the rings. The idea being oil is trapped in the groves which helps in particular from a cold start.
After heat treatment I finished machined my rings by clamping them closed on a mandril as shown in your video.
I have never felt the bore of the rings to be very important, that the rings should float on the diameter but a good fit on the sides.
Excellent and very satisfying video Thank you!
Excellent come back from disaster by having to making another set. By the way I saw my honing stone in use. You can send it back anytime now. No questions asked.
Another good video. I received similar information from a man who makes lots of piston rings, however he makes the O/D and the I/D oversize by 0.010 and then machines to the correct sizes after heat treatment and splitting the rings .
Crispin thanks for your great videos, l am envious of your machine tools and equipment and enjoy your analytical approach to solving problems. Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year, and your degree studies. David Meehan.
I get that concept, stretching the ring from the gap by being perpendicular to the gap face essentially providing a linear force as opposed to a levering force. Spreading from the gap’s inside edge makes the opposite side of the ring a “hinge” stress at that point so that’ll definitely distort circularity. Very clever fixturing of those rings by the way. I was wondering how you were going to hold them for the OD’s.
What a lovely flat green lawn you have!
Quick question: Why did you choose a Springbok?
I'm kinda anticipating this could be a long answer, sorry! I'm looking around to find a loco design to build, and I rather fancy a larger tender loco. As you are so excellently documenting your build I've been looking at Evan's Springbok, maybe the 7 1/4" Stembok. The boilers are non-tapered and this is very appealing for a home workshop setup.
Just starting, and you likely moved past this, but to save the use of your pistons, the bore of the ring could have a U-channel milled inside of them, or even on the outside, such as an oil scraper ring. I have not worked with thick cast rings, but the old material in other antique engine videos appears softer and (gulp) springier. You might not be doing anything wrong with the design or manufacture; perhaps the ductility of the cast iron might be a bit off. It might be more or less? like nodular iron, instead.
Hmm. After heat-treating, the rings likely moved. Perhaps a fixture could made made to squeeze the ring whilst it is in the bore, holding the ring from top and bottom, holding it in bore diameter, and then it could be ground (and de-burred) on the cylindrical face.
very nice approach, I was surprised that you did not measure the rings after they were mounted on the fixture to see if they expanded.
thanks for the video.
Rich
Yes good point
So nice to see such nice work and ingenuity, on very large rings (1050mms bore) diesels, the id circumference is hammered with a chisel type tool, I believe this was to relieve the similar stress.
Interesting
Very good rework. I'm always interested in the tooling you produce, some very useful ideas. Now I can't wait for Friday...Fish and chip van....Dean in Oxfordshire.
Very nice recovery! Well Done!
Really love the videos. Don't leave us waiting too long for your next installment.
Certainly the study of the error was enlightening, the methods used to rectify the issue was methodical as well as very informative.
Thanks
@@MrCrispinEnterprises Two sroke engines have pinned rings. It stops the rings rotating and the ends getting caught in the ports.
Goodevening MrCrispin, could you point me in the direction where I could find George Trimble's Piston ring Paper, as I am in the process of desiging my own steam locomotive based of a 'Tinkerbell' and stuck on the design on the piston rings.
Hello Mr. Crispin,
A good video... I hope you find a way to distribute the document you spoke about, I would be keen to get a copy...
Take care.
Paul,,
Do piston rings in steam engines not rotate in use? In IC engines people make a lot of fuss of staggering the ring gaps but I am not sure it really matters as the rings rotate in the grooves. In 2 strokes the pin the rings so they can't rotate. What happens in steam locomotives?
This is not my own theory, it has been published before, but I know it works from experience - I have just built the cylinders for a 5 inch King - 4 rings for each bobbin and 2 rings for each cylinder. 24 rings! It is easy and quick. Make the initial tube exact cylinder bore size and use the 25th rule for bore, part off rings, saw cut a gap with a hobby 'razor' saw then use a flat screwdriver blade to open gap - not excessively, warm evenly with a gas torch until they drop off into an oil bath (approx. red heat). Job done works every time. With the sort of ring section you had originally they would not go on the piston successfully. Also since you said, I can taste those fish and chips!
Nice job! I highly respect your patience and well thinking about all before getting started with the next step.
Successful conclusion. Well Done Crispin. Did you know that the Fish & Chips Van was coming in advance, and you was waiting outside, or did he play a tune like the Ice Cream Vans do ? and then you rushed out ?
Yes a tune like the ice cream van and I had to rush out! Cheers
@@MrCrispinEnterprises I wish we had a Fish and Chips van coming around where we live in the states. Luckily there are a couple "British style" pubs in town and I would like to think they make a reasonably good facsimile of the authentic product, but really have no way of knowing since I've yet to visit the UK to try out the real deal.