Chapter 476 - 24: Chinese Chess (Part 2)
If the concentricity of the crankshaft is drilled by hand, it’s prone to axial deviation. Chen Zhou plans to modify the angle grinder slightly to make it a small hand drill for drilling.
The precision problem of bearings is also solvable—
Bearing can be dismantled from both the big anniversary gift pack and some metallic items previously sent. He just needs to select the most suitable size and specifications and customize the crankshaft for them.
Of course, if subsequent rewards include a batch of bearings, it would be even better, allowing for more flexible design of the steam engine’s dimensions.
As for the gap between the cylinder bore and piston, Chen Zhou doesn’t have a very good solution.
For precision ≤0.05mm, he can only try to hand-grind it, and whether it works or not still depends on skill.
The contact surface of the slide valve and valve seat also relies on handwork, requiring a flatness of ≤0.02mm, which is quite a challenge for Chen Zhou.
Apart from these, there’re the issues of boiler welding and pipeline connection.
He only has a regular electric welder and not an argon arc welder, which is more effective for welding steel and copper, so he’s unsure if he can ensure the boiler’s sealing.
For the pipeline connection, he needs to bend copper tubes. He has a large batch of brass from a mysterious reward, so he’s not lacking copper materials.
However, Chen Zhou doesn’t have copper tubes. He plans to melt a batch of brass using an electric furnace, then cast copper tubes of specific shapes. Although this is troublesome, its feasibility is not low.
Finally, there are still issues regarding power transmission and energy loss.
For instance, the symmetric counterweight for a double-cylinder flywheel and friction loss in the lubrication system — comparing these to other issues, energy loss isn’t too significant.
Chen Zhou is well aware that the steam engine he manufactures is only to drive machines, not as a power source for a train or ship. If there’s more energy loss, they can just add more fuel, as long as it operates normally.
There’s also the safety issue of high-pressure steam leaks.
Chen Zhou isn’t too worried about this. Although the boiler craftsmanship is hand-made and possibly poor, the materials are from the 21st century. As long as he calculates carefully, designing a double-cylinder steam engine with controlled maximum pressure, it won’t explode.
The safety valve, he has already devised a design for it. Although it’s not entirely safe, it’s sufficient for emergency pressure release.
...
If before electricity, hand-making a steam engine was a Herculean task.
But after having electricity, manufacturing a steam engine became fully feasible.
Once the first steam engine powered by wood and charcoal is manufactured, and equipped with lathes utilizing steam engine power, the island’s production capacity will ascend to a new level.
At the very least, Chen Zhou won’t need to painstakingly smelt lead plates, assembling bullets one by one anymore.
Mass-produced firearm parts and bullet production machines powered by the energy source will add endless war potential to this inconspicuous island.
If thinking farther and bolder, steam freighters from the 20th century could potentially appear in this world 300 years in advance.
While the contemporary Dutch, Spaniards, and British are all using sail power, if there was a ship that could roam the seas without relying on the wind, wouldn’t that mean roaming the world without an equal?
...
Squatting under the wooden frame, watching the charging icon flickering on the energy storage battery display, pondering his infinitely bright future, Chen Zhou couldn’t help but smile foolishly.
He knows he’s dreaming, but probably no man could reject such an imagination.
Even if he steps back a thousand steps and cannot even make a hand-turned steam engine, solely relying on electricity, this energy storage battery still brings many conveniences.
At the least, electric razors, high-beam flashlights, LED lights, and even those two useless things — electronic wooden fish and electronic cigarettes — can be used normally.
Chen Zhou even considered the possibility of a mysterious reward bringing a computer.
Currently, he already possesses one graphics card.
Once he even had a mechanical keyboard.
But unfortunately, that keyboard had long been dismantled into parts, and even the plastic board was sawed open and applied to firearms. Otherwise, the "computer" puzzle might have had another piece.
...
Joyful spirit on festive occasion.
After verifying the photovoltaic panel and energy storage battery, Chen Zhou’s happiness was evident.
To celebrate this genuinely grand event, on the day following the completion of the indigenous people’s daily work, he specially returned to the cave dwelling and retrieved the gift-boxed Jinhua ham from the storeroom.
...
As a "rare item" from modern times, Chen Zhou had previously been reluctant to eat this ham.
He only secretly sliced off a few pieces on his own birthday in 1662 to savor. Apart from Saturday and Sunday getting two pieces of ham each, other natives didn’t even know this kind of food existed on the island.
This time, Chen Zhou, who is usually particularly stingy about food, was uncharacteristically generous.
On the evening of April 18th, the natives got off work early and hosted a bonfire feast beside the construction pit of the factory.
...
The flames from a large pile of burning timber rose to the sky, illuminating everyone’s faces.
Grilled fish, grilled lamb, grilled frogs, grilled birds...
The aroma of ingredients smeared with oil and sprinkled with salt was pervasive.
Under the curtain of night, under the witness of stars and moon, everyone, including pasturing natives, gathered together.
In the pot were boiling lamb bones, with the scent of onion, garlic, and chili lingering at everyone’s nose tips.
A native was pounding garlic, another showing off his "pan-flipping skills," while someone focused on watching the large fish being grilled on the fire, afraid of overcooking it.
Chen Zhou sat on a chair with Sunday, picking up tender "beggar’s lobster meat" from the table, sipping cool milk lemonade, while playing chess.