Rob Roy Build

This topic has 13 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 18 January 2026 at 10:25 by Dalboy.

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

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14 December 2025 at 17:41 #828753
Dalboy
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@dalboy
I will start this off with some photos of what I have done so far just to give an idea what is involved so far.

Luckily, I chose a milling machine that had plenty of X axis to play with, so that the frames could be machined without too much moving of clamps
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14 December 2025 at 17:58 #828756
Dalboy
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@dalboy
Buffer beams and spacers as well as buffers
14 December 2025 at 19:01 #828761
SteveP
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@stevepye68246
Looking good and to seeing more.

Steve
14 December 2025 at 21:17 #828779
Dalboy
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@dalboy
Thank you, Steve, still quite a bit more to put up.

Anyway carrying on from the last pictures.
14 December 2025 at 21:26 #828780
Dalboy
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@dalboy
Still more to come. Hopefully most are easy to follow what has gone on
15 December 2025 at 06:26 #828802
Diogenes
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@diogenes
Flying along – it’s interesting to watch, thanks for all the pics..
15 December 2025 at 12:21 #828818
Dalboy
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@dalboy
On 15 December 2025 at 06:26 Diogenes Said:

Flying along – it’s interesting to watch, thanks for all the pics..

Thank you

Moving on.
15 December 2025 at 12:34 #828821
Dalboy
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@dalboy
At this point I messed up the cylinders and had to reorder them

Starting on the new cylinders machine some reference surfaces so I can bring them to the correct sizes.

As I am having to look after the wife, I decided to just work on small pieces which I can do between jobs in the house and looking after her.
15 December 2025 at 12:43 #828822
Dalboy
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@dalboy
Getting close to where I am today. Tagging all of these as there are many that look the same but with small differences between them

Well this is the part I am working on at the moment, the crossheads leaving them as one piece where everything is needed to be the same, and will separate when I need to work on the inner edges
20 December 2025 at 16:14 #829485
Dalboy
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@dalboy
Cross head taking shape. Making them as a pair, that way I get one left and one right. Picture showing the connecting rod test fitted. I have made some punch marks so that they go back together with the same parts.

Been machining some of the material from between the two ready for the angle cuts as the outside, Once done separate them and turn the bosses
20 December 2025 at 17:52 #829490
Rick Hann
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@rickhann79631
Your progress is impressive. I started my Rob Roy in 1993 and it took me 25 years to complete. The only advice I can give is for you to do some research on Rob Roy errors. One I can remember Is that the valve linkage does not line up. 1/8″ offset error. Another recommendation would be to move the exhaust piping from between the valve boxes to the front of the boxes. The space is VERY tight between the boxes. I converted my Rob Roy to run on Propane. Probably my inexperience, but I could not maintain the fire with coal and it is becoming difficult to get good coal. The Rob Roy Firebox is very small, but enough room for a ceramic burner. I have a U-Tube video “Rick’s Rob Roy” if you are interested on seeing my Rob Roy running on propane. Regards Rick
20 December 2025 at 18:10 #829493
Dalboy
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@dalboy
On 20 December 2025 at 17:52 Rick Hann Said:

Your progress is impressive. I started my Rob Roy in 1993 and it took me 25 years to complete. The only advice I can give is for you to do some research on Rob Roy errors. One I can remember Is that the valve linkage does not line up. 1/8″ offset error. Another recommendation would be to move the exhaust piping from between the valve boxes to the front of the boxes. The space is VERY tight between the boxes. I converted my Rob Roy to run on Propane. Probably my inexperience, but I could not maintain the fire with coal and it is becoming difficult to get good coal. The Rob Roy Firebox is very small, but enough room for a ceramic burner. I have a U-Tube video “Rick’s Rob Roy” if you are interested on seeing my Rob Roy running on propane. Regards Rick

Thank you, Rick. There are a few things that I have already found out, one being the restricted space for the exhaust pipes.

I will take a look at your u tube video
1 January 2026 at 16:17 #830805
Dalboy
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@dalboy
First piece for 2026. Well, not a new piece, more of a continued from where I left off on the crossheads.

Now split into two and the major shaping done, just need some filing work with a file before turning the square boss.
18 January 2026 at 10:25 #833024
Dalboy
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@dalboy
While waiting for some HSS tools to complete the cross head I thought I would finish the coupling rods which I started ages ago but stopped because I needed to sort out how I was going to proceed. Now that I have done more machining on other parts, I felt comfortable to get them finished.

How I left them

Where I am today but with a small bit more to do.

Lower set complete and bushes installed.
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