# New Project by Jack



## Jack (Aug 4, 2007)

Open Column Engine with Reverse


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## Alex (Aug 4, 2007)

Great start. If it wasn't for all the milling work required I might would have a go with it myself.


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## rake60 (Aug 4, 2007)

That's a nice little engine Jack.
It's one of my favorites!
The ball on the end of the reversing lever on mine is a .177 air gun BB
I'm always scrounging for ready made parts.


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## Bogstandard (Aug 6, 2007)

Jack,
Seems like a good product but can't find any in the UK.
What is the general term for the graphite you used for the piston, I might be searching for the wrong thing.
Nice build.
John


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## rake60 (Aug 6, 2007)

Jack
The plans call for a square block to be soldered onto the front side of the
main frame to form the valve boss.  When I built it I made it one piece.





If you heat the brass tubing up with a propane torch until it glows then 
allow it to slow cool it will bend easily without kinking.
I didn't use a spring at all in my version.  I used a small piece of clear 
aquarium air line.  I cut it slightly longer then the counter bore in the 
valve.  When the screw is tightened down it gives it just the right tension.
It was just my twist on the design.  
As for the BB I have 199 left over out of the tube of 200 I bought when
I built mine.  :?


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## Bogstandard (Aug 7, 2007)

Many thanks for the graphite info lads, when I do a search for graphite rod on UK google all that comes up is fishing rods.
I have plans for a fairly easy to make tube bender, but you really need to have a rotary table to make the rollers unless you are a wizard at grinding lathe tools to exact semi circles. I can't post the plans on here because of copyright but if you pm me that is a different matter. I modified mine to get two different size tubes and two different radii on each pair of rollers, which can be made of ali if you anneal the tubing first.
You can modify the size of the rollers to suit the bend circumference required.






John


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## gilessim (Aug 7, 2007)

That's a nice looking little tool bender John, I could do with making one of those!,when I bent the tubes for the Liney engine,which were brass, I just turned a groove with the parting tool in a piece of 15mm ali ,3/32" wide (the same diameter as the tube)and the same deep(it doesn't need to be round at the bottom,it's the sides that need to be held in place) and pushed the tube round it on the lathe cold, holding one end with the parting tool ,it can't kink because the edges of the tube have nowhere to go, the 1/8" stuff I did the same thing but heated it up a little as it is thicker, it worked fine, I think that if there are only a couple of pieces to bend, this may be the simplest solution...Giles


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## Alex (Aug 7, 2007)

One tip when bending tubes is to fill it with sand and plug the ends. This will prevent the walls from collapsing.


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## Bogstandard (Aug 7, 2007)

Giles,
If you PM me with your email address I can send you a copy of the plans.
Also anyone else who thinks they could use the plans for an easy to make tube bender.


John


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## Bogstandard (Aug 10, 2007)

Lovely job, I'm sure that if you can make it you will have no trouble timing it in.

John


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## rake60 (Aug 10, 2007)

Another Beautiful build Jack! 

There was a little flat milled on the end of the crankshaft 90 degrees off
from the valve flats for set screw to seat on when mounting the throw.
The print shows the set screw hole in the throw on center at it's widest
point.  If both of those are right, tightening the set screw on the flat sets
the timing.


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## rake60 (Aug 11, 2007)

I built mine some time ago.
The plan was to get it running then take it back apart, polish it up and 
replace the pan head screws with hex head bolts.  After it was running I
was on to the next project and never did any of the finishing work. 
So it still looks as rough as the day I finished it.




Someday I WILL take the time to do it right and make a show piece...
OK probably not...   :?   
As soon as it's running I'll most likely start on another engine...
I have all the patience in the world.  As long as it happens RIGHT NOW! :lol:


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