Gardner from barstock.

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That’s pretty damn close Tony…. If you advance the half time gear by one tooth only you should get the exhaust to open just before BDC and see the air valve fully closed by BDC on the induction stroke. Otherwise it’s near perfect.
Cheers Graham.
 
That’s pretty damn close Tony…. If you advance the half time gear by one tooth only you should get the exhaust to open just before BDC and see the air valve fully closed by BDC on the induction stroke. Otherwise it’s near perfect.
Thanks Graham. Moving it one tooth was a bit too much and the exhaust was closing too soon. I relocated the exhaust cam and re-drilled the inlet locator. Got it to here now. Exhaust opens just before BDC and closes just at or very slightly after TDC. Inlet opens Just after TDC and closes at or very slightly before BDC. Compromised a little on valve lift.

Tony
 
The problem, as you’ve already noticed is that eccentrics need a huge travel to find the bit that works. Needless to say you’ve pretty much nailed it….
I’m looking forward to seeing her running….
The attached video opens with engine number 103 ( all Alyn Foundry engines start with this number ) that was built in 1990. Plus a few others. I didn’t have enough room for all the 30 different models I have made, with 2 new ones expected later this year.
Cheers Graham.
 

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Just adding a bit of bling before moving onto fuel and ignition. IMG_20240206_154234.jpgIMG_20240206_154214.jpg
 
Very nice Tony.
There’s a cracking video on YouTube, released yesterday of one of ours. Some nice close ups of the governor. Running on LP Propane and gas ring heated, hot tube ignition.

Cheers Graham.
Feel free to join us at… Log into Facebook
 
Very nice Tony.
There’s a cracking video on YouTube, released yesterday of one of ours. Some nice close ups of the governor. Running on LP Propane and gas ring heated, hot tube ignition.

Cheers Graham.
Feel free to join us at… Log into Facebook

Do you know how many of yours have been made. I have seen quite a few while researching. One thing I did notice was that Gardners have many variations of each engine type they made. I don't know if this has been the result of ''maintenance'' changes by owners or factory variations - Made to customer requirements or made to suit a particular purpose/environment.
 
There’s been over 200 kits sold since 1990 but as to how many have been finished is unknown Tony.
Gardner were real innovators and embraced change rapidly. Mostly to reduce the time it took to build them. I think the model you are making is around the early teens of the last century.
Cheers Graham.
 
It’s a good job you’ve chosen electric ignition Tony😃 with a compression like that you’d spend forever trying to hand start it with hot tube….

Gardner’s solution for lack of flywheel mass was just to go large. Here’s an early number 2 size ‘ electric ‘ engine. Personally I like just the one, it allows you to see all the Gubbins working.
Cheers Graham.
 

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Thanks Graham. Moving it one tooth was a bit too much and the exhaust was closing too soon. I relocated the exhaust cam and re-drilled the inlet locator. Got it to here now. Exhaust opens just before BDC and closes just at or very slightly after TDC. Inlet opens Just after TDC and closes at or very slightly before BDC. Compromised a little on valve lift.

Tony
View attachment 153767
You sure you're not trying to start a sewing machine? Looks like one.
 
Third option is to put a small pulley on the eccentric side
 
I wanted to make the demand valve look more like a valve than the typical square box.
IMG_20240212_160854.jpgIMG_20240212_161001.jpgIMG_20240212_161038.jpgIMG_20240212_160526.jpgRelieving the main block around the ports would be nice. Unfortunately I don't think that's achievable without a mill or two weeks of dremel work. I found the carbide bits blocking up too easily with aluminium.
 
Slight update to the demand valve.
 

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Managed to get a bit of time in the workshop today. I made an exhaust pot and a bit of plumbing out of some odds and sods of material. Probably a bit of overkill but filled it lightly with some stainless steel scouring pad. Pleased with the result. Fits like a glove.

IMG_20240223_152737.jpgIMG_20240223_152746.jpgIMG_20240223_153218.jpgIMG_20240223_153604.jpg
 
Just in case anyone was wondering about the progress of this. Hobbies take a backseat for a month or two. It is tax season in the Czech Republic and working with my accountant wife takes priority.

Back soon.
 
I felt sure I posted this before but it did not show up so here it is again.
All the bends were done freehand. The tubing is all hard copper from 4mm to 10 mm. I annealed the tube at the apex of the bend by heating and quenching, bent a few degrees, and repeat - anneal bend anneal bend - until the required angle is reached. To stop any flattening occurring at the bend I controlled the thickness between the smooth jaws of the milling vice.
 
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