# Vertical I.C. Rupnow Engine



## Brian Rupnow

Okay, I admit, I'm playing a bit here. I wanted to see how a vertical cylinder 1" bore x 1 1/4" stroke open crankcase engine would look. It looks good so far, but without a cylinder head and ignition points yet. Probably will go for an atmospheric intake valve.


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## Brian Rupnow

I think I'm going to try something different this time, rather than using my old tried and true early Chrysler ignition points. I've seen a couple of builds now where people have used Tecumseh ignition points which can be operated by a pushrod, rather than having to ride directly on the ignition cam. I can see where that would open up a world of choice in terms of where the points could be positioned on the engine. If anybody knows the model number or part number for these Tecumseh points please let me know.


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## gbritnell

Brian,
Rather than go to the trouble of designing in a place for points why not simplify the whole thing with a Hall sensor. Small, clean and neat. 
gbritnell


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## Brian Rupnow

George--For me to buy all of the components from Roy Scholl or a similar supplier, ends up costing me about $100 for all of the components, batteries, switches, etcetera, when I go the magnet/hall effect sensor route. If I just buy points and condenser and a switch, it costs me about $20.00. I have my "coil in a box" that readily transfers from one engine to another, and a small wet cell 12 volt garden tractor battery that does the same. It's just a matter of economics.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

So, this design has got me through a rainy Canada day.  Good wife was busy all day doing financial books for various and sundry poor folks (read "relatives") and didn't want to be bothered, so this was a fun way to spend a day. I still have valves and ignition to play away at, but I'll wait for another day to do that.


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## Herbiev

Looking great so far Brian. Very tempted to give it a try.


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## Barnbikes

Brian - Here is a challenge for you - "Piston trip igniter". Battery, low tension coil and wire to insulated bolt in head is all you need.


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## Brian Rupnow

So there we have it!! What a neat little engine. The overall sizes haven't changed from the drawing that was posted earlier. This is a very simple engine, with a throttle style carburetor, no "hit and miss".  I still have to sort out the ignition system, but this engine is about as simple as the Webster. I will post more as I get time, but it will go quickly. I'm interested--If I build this and post the drawings as .pdf files, who would be willing to build it? It would be a "build along with Brian" sort of thing.


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## Jasonb

Brian, what is to stop the crankshaft moving end to end and the crank or flywheel rubbing on the main frame casting. You have gaps at each end between the bearings and web/flywheel so shaft can move.

I would suggest a simple raised area on each of those parts that bears against the inner race of the bearings. Much like these.


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## Longboy

Here are the part #'s for the ignition Brian.  Tecumseh 30547A & 30548B Ignition Points & Condenser. Available on Ebay or other retailers.


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## Brian Rupnow

Thank you Jason--I will probably use a brass washer on each side to prevent end-play in the crankshaft, one between frame and flywheel, one between crank "web" and frame. Longboy--Thank you for the numbers. I've just blown up my mouse!!!--Its been getting jumpier for about two weeks, with the pointer dashing off on side trips across the screen without my intervention.--So--I just sprayed the underside with eyeglass cleaner and scrubbed with a toothbrush, then wiped it dry. Now it doesn't work at all!!!---Damn!!! I've borrowed the mouse from my wife's laptop (she uses the built in track-ball anyways.) but it is a different size than my old mouse and feels really weird.


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## Longboy

Jasonb said:


> Brian, what is to stop the crankshaft moving end to end and the crank or flywheel rubbing on the main frame casting. You have gaps at each end between the bearings and web/flywheel so shaft can move.


I make Delrin spacers that ride the inner bearing races, filling up those gaps with a little thrust movement reserve on the crankshaft.


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## Longboy

I have done a similar configuration on your engine Brian....there is a HMEM build log on the "Sentinel" engine.


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## Brian Rupnow

Longboy--I chased down the "Sentinel' engine thread, and you did a great job on it. Very fancy overhead cam set-up too. I'm aiming for "simple" in hopes of getting a few others to build along with me.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

I bought a new "mouse" and got it up and running. That old mouse lasted about 12 or 13 years, so it doesn't owe me any money!! I really, really like the look of bronze for a flywheel, but Oh my god, it's expensive. I think I have enough of that big bronze weight that I salvaged from the landfill to make one more nice flywheel, but it's going to be a close thing. The piece I have left is 5 3/4" diameter x 1 3/4" long.-I may have to turn half of it into chips in the lathe, because there is no good way to hold it to saw it in half. All of my saws are too light anyways. I've been getting 7/8" lengths sawed off it at my local metal supplier with his giant self-feeding bandsaw, but the last time he cut a length off he said that he couldn't make any more cuts.


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## Herbiev

Count me in Brian. Looks like a nice easy project to see out the winter here in Oz.


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## Brian Rupnow

Good Onya, Herbie--You are the first!!!


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## Brian Rupnow

Since I already have a couple of people who want to start on this project, here are a couple of parts to get you started that aren't going to change.


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## Cogsy

I'm keen to get back into the shop (and this looks like a perfect project) but I'm not sure how much time I will have. At this stage I think I'll remain quiet but maybe I'll make a few parts and see what happens.


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## Brian Rupnow

Cogsy, I'd love to have you "on board".---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

And a few more pieces that aren't going to change.


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## Brian Rupnow

A word about the gears used in this engine.---I have a set of 24 dp gear cutters, and will be cutting a 30 tooth cam gear and a 15 tooth crankshaft gear. if you happen to have a set of 32 dp gear cutters, then a 40 tooth and a 20 tooth gear will give you the correct ratio and center to center distance of .9375" which is critical to maintain. For those of you who have "mod" gear cutters, can someone please check and see if there is a set with 2:1 ratio that have a center to center distance of .9375"(23.81mm)


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## Brian Rupnow

EDIT--EDIT--EDIT--I just discovered that the starter hub wasn't going to fit onto the flywheel, the way it was dimensioned. I have modified the flywheel drawing and the starter hub drawing to reflect these changes. Sorry if I screwed anybody up. The corrected drawing are going into the pdf files today.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

Okay--One more part--and only because I'm still trying out new mice. I didn't like the first new mouse I bought, so this is a trial with the second new mouse!!


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## Brian Rupnow

So---here are the two most complex parts on the whole engine. The cylinder is very straightforward. The cylinder head is more complex, and will require some careful thought before starting to "carve metal". At this stage of things, I'm only posting .jpg files, because some of the web-sites I post on don't have any way to post a .pdf file. If somebody really has a "Jones" to start building, email me  at [email protected] and I will send you a .pdf file. I will make a complete set of pdf files after I have completely finished all of the design work. I am going to build this engine myself, but not until I have secured and modeled a set of Tecumseh points and figured out just how the ignition is going to go together. Regardless, the cylinder and cylinder head aren't going to change.


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## Brian Rupnow

It's the end of Canada day long weekend. I didn't work on this all weekend--honest.--But I did start it Friday morning. It's amazing how much stuff actually can be designed/modelled/detailed that isn't affected by the ignition points question. Here we have the valve, with friends.


http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn294/BrianRupnow/CONTINUATION%20OF%20MAIN%20ALBUM1/ALBUM%20THREE/VALVE%20CAGE-RUPNOW%20VERTICAL_zpsqsjzfvjk.jpg[/IMG][/URL]


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## Cogsy

As I said, I'm not sure how long it will take me, but I've made a start...


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## 10K Pete

And they're off!!!!  And, most likely, soon running!!!

Pete


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## Brian Rupnow

Cogsy--That's wonderful--Hurrayyyyyy!!!---I lay in bed last night thinking about that cylinder head, and it's going to be a real toad-sucker!!! Before I thrust something on you guys that isn't do-able, I think I better build it myself to make sure it can be machined. Today will be cylinder head day, with "step by step' in process pictures.


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## Brian Rupnow

I rooted around in my bin until I found a chunk of 2' aluminum that was "just long enough" and chucked it up in my 3 jaw. Then I faced it, turned the 1" projection on the nose of it, and cut the single groove specified on the drawing. there is about .003" tir on my lathe, so I turned a "skim" off the o.d. of the piece to get everything nice and round.


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## gus

Brian Rupnow said:


> George--For me to buy all of the components from Roy Scholl or a similar supplier, ends up costing me about $100 for all of the components, batteries, switches, etcetera, when I go the magnet/hall effect sensor route. If I just buy points and condenser and a switch, it costs me about $20.00. I have my "coil in a box" that readily transfers from one engine to another, and a small wet cell 12 volt garden tractor battery that does the same. It's just a matter of economics.---Brian




Hi Brian.

Plan to follow suit for all future engines. Ian Ridder use modify gas lighter with some minor modifications. Mini limit switch serves as contact point. Might try out Ridder's design too. Gas lighter cost peanuts.I am following you engine post. Engine looks simple. Will stop building complicated and unforgiving engines but they sharpen my skills.


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## Brian Rupnow

Okay--this is the end of "conventional' machining on the cylinder head. First step was to set it up in the rotary table chuck and center it under the quill. The "parallels" are simply spacers so that when I drill thru I don't hit the hardened chuck jaws with my drill. First order of operation was to put in the slot that the nose of the sparkplug extends into. After having done that, now the cylinder head has taken on "rotational characteristics' which simply means that any bolt holes put in after that have to be a certain distance in X and Y coordinates from the slot. Since there will be no way to see the slot once the cylinder head is flipped over for more operations, I won't be able to see the slot, so I put the thru holes in now while I'm in the same set-up. I will use the holes to align things when I flip the cylinder head over. I will also put the counter-bores in when it is flipped.


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## Brian Rupnow

Hi gus--Glad to see you tuned in. I went in to tear down that last set-up, and fortunately I took a look at the drawing first and realized that I had to put in the bores and counterbores for the valve cages while still in that same set-up.  Lucky I looked at the drawing!!!


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## Brian Rupnow

Here I have flipped the cylinder head over in the chuck on the rotary table, centered it under the quill,  put a .170 dia. drill in the spindle chuck, offset the table 0.760" in the Y axis, then rotated the rotary table until the .0.170 drill will pass freely thru the existing hole. Now I have things located. Then I put a counterbore in the quill chuck and counterbore three of the holes to a depth of 0.164". The two remaining holes, which will end up in the slanted surface of the cyl. head get counterbored  0.476" deep. I have to drill and tap the two #6-32 holes that hold the rocker arm bracket, then the next step is where things start to get hinky.


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## Brian Rupnow

Okay--I promised you "Hinky"---we got "Hinky"!!! when I finished that very first step in the lathe, I had parted the cylinder head off from the parent stock to exact finished length. I dug around in my scrap bin until I found a short piece of 2" x 3/4" bar and mounted it in my vice. I drilled a shallow 1" clearance hole and drilled/tapped 3 holes that corresponded with the 3 head bolts which were not on the sloping surface. I bolted the head to the bar, and tilted my vice the required number of degrees to finish the sloping face and put in the sparkplug hole and counterbore. Don't worry if you don't have a tilting vice like mine---Just set it up  at 90 degrees to what I did so you can tilt it up the required number of degrees in a fixed base vice. So--the head is finished. I'm sure it is the hardest part of this engine. If I can do it, so can you.


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## Brian Rupnow

I ordered a set of Tecumseh points and condenser at Ideal Supply, and they will be in tomorrow. Also, looking at the solid model of this engine, I see a perfect set up for a small cooling fan driven by a friction wheel which is turned by the flywheel.


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## Brian Rupnow

More fiddly bits---and yes, I know--I spelled vertical wrong.--so shoot me!!!


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## Cogsy

Hey Brian - on the exhaust plan sheet you spelled VER-I-COOL wrong .

I looked at prices for the Tecumseh points/condenser on ebay and for an extra $5ish I can get a cheap Chinese CDI instead. Do you think it'll be reasonable for me to fit a hall sensor or will it be points only on this one?


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## Brian Rupnow

Cogsy--if you can make it work with a CDI, then by all means go for it. I'm picking my points up today to see what they look like.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

And the last few pieces for now.


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## gus

Brian Rupnow said:


> Cogsy--if you can make it work with a CDI, then by all means go for it. I'm picking my points up today to see what they look like.---Brian




Hi Cogsy,

I am using CDI Kit from Howell Plans. 
Now prepping for the first pop. Some wire connections to tidy up.


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## gus

Brian Rupnow said:


> Hi gus--Glad to see you tuned in. I went in to tear down that last set-up, and fortunately I took a look at the drawing first and realized that I had to put in the bores and counterbores for the valve cages while still in that same set-up.  Lucky I looked at the drawing!!!



I like building your engines because they are very forgiving. The Howell V-2 was very unforgiving but picked some new skills,polished up old skills and sort of tone down my impatience which led me to dimension errors. Read dimensions thrice,measure thrice and cut once and carefully. Plenty of tea/pee breaks. Ha Ha. I have one scrapped gear case and cover and four scrapped carbs. Sigh. After all these steep learning curves and trips, Gus kind learned fast.Ha ha. Take Care.


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## Brian Rupnow

I have been asked about how I fit the piston to the cylinder. I haven't really got into piston/cylinder fits yet, but this is how I do it--the cylinder is finish reamed (or bored, I have a 1" reamer) to 1.000" diameter. After initial machining, a brake cylinder 3 stone hone powered by a variable speed drill is ran through it back and forth thru the bore dry at about 150 rpm, and only for about a dozen times to knock off any high spots.  Do NOT let the hone spring out either end of the cylinder while you are doing this. A piece of 1" diameter aluminum about 6" long is 'polished' with 220 grit carborundum paper until it just fits into the end of the cylinder. (this will mean that the 1" aluminum will be at about 0.998" diameter.) The very end of the aluminum is chucked in the lathe, and coated with a slurry of 600 grit carborundum paste and oil, and with the lathe NOT RUNNING the cylinder is held in your hand and slowly pushed and rotated onto the aluminum until it will fit right over the aluminum and have about 1" to 1 1/2" of the aluminum sticking out the other end of it. This is a slow procedure and not a lot of force should be used. It will feel tight and gritty at first--it is supposed to--You are polishing the bore to take it to a very smooth finish. Once the cylinder can be moved from one end of the aluminum to the other without "grabbing", remove it from the round aluminum completely and start the lathe at a low 50 to 60 rpm. Add a little more slurry to the aluminum surface. Very carefully slide the cylinder over the revolving aluminum and slide it back and forth about 20 times, making sure to not slide it so far that the aluminum disappears into the bore. Be ready, if it grabs, to let go very quickly and shut down the lathe, then work it off by hand. This is very dangerous and scary as Hell, but it's the way to do it. Turn the piston outer diameter down in very small increments until it just starts into the cylinder bore but doesn't slide in. I have made up a handle somewhat like a long connecting rod with a T handle on the end of it. I put the handle on the piston with a short piece of material to act as a wrist-pin, put the cylinder into the lathe 3 jaw, and coat the bore with a bit more slurry. Using the T handle, with the lathe OFF, work the piston back and forth thru the bore until it moves freely. Once this is done, wash the inside of the cylinder and the outside of the piston with soap and water and scrub with a toothbrush and wipe with laquer thinners, to be sure to remove any remaining carborundum paste. Now--You are set up to use a Viton o-ring for your piston ring. The procedure is the same for the piston regardless of whether it is cast iron or aluminum. This will be a relatively slow revving engine, so we are not worried about the mass of the piston, and as I said in an earlier post, cast iron has it's own inherent lubricating properties because of the graphite which is part of its metallurgical make up.---Also---the crankshaft web has a pretty massive counterweight built into it, so I like the mass of an iron piston to avoid over-counterbalancing the engine, as might happen with a light aluminum piston.------------Lubrication--Well, the crankshaft runs in sealed ball bearings, so needs no lubrication. Both ends of the con-rod are going to be running sintered bronze Oilite bushings, so a squirt from an oilcan before running will be quite good enough. The camshaft doesn't rotate. It is stationary, and the exhaust cam is bolted to the face of the cam gear, which rotates on an Oilite bushing. And--I always run about a 50:1 mix of synthetic 2 cycle oil with my fuel to lubricate the Viton ring and the piston/cylinder interface.


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## Brian Rupnow

I just received my Tecumseh ignition points #30547A for use on this engine. I can probably figure out a mounting system on my own, but I would really like to see someones installation of these points either in an engine they have built or in an original engine. These points don't rub on the ignition cam. They are remotely mounted, and a pushrod opens them. I can only assume that the other end of the pushrod rides on a cam, but I would really like to see some pictures of the points, pushrod, and cam mounted. I did a Google image search and although I found a thousand pictures of the points, I didn't find any of the points "in place". Can someone help please.----Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

The 1/8" i.d. x 1/4: o.d. roller bearing which goes on the end of the pushrod is no longer carried at Busybee Tools. I have found an alternate supplier of the same size bearing made by INA part number #R144-2Z. They are $5.40 each, minimum quantity of 5 on each order.  I will buy a package, and when anybody gets far enough with the engine to need one, I will mail one to them.


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## Brian Rupnow

Guys, somewhere along the way, I got lead down the garden path. It was my understanding that the Tecumseh points were operated by a pushrod which rode on the cam. I was wrong. I'm busy on some "real work" for a couple of days, but will sort the points out next week. thanks for your help.---Brian


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## Longboy

The Tecumseh points set rub block is actuated by a points cam directly. On your WEBSTER, with outboard mounted points per plan, you can set the Tecumseh set up against its cam for a clear view look/see. Or they can be mounted away from the cam and actuated with a push rod as I had to on my FOREMAN engine to gain clearance from the crank web as the ign. cam is mounted to the crankshaft. I use these points for their compact size as my engines have an open crankshaft where I can mount the ignition inboard pretty much out of sight. I also have to make sure I have access to the screw that sets the points gap. Outside of the engine block their mounting is the same as automobile points on a model engine and driven by the crank or camshaft. 

Points driven by crankshaft on FOREMAN engine using pushrod.  



Points driven by camshaft on OVERTIME engine.






Points between end plate and flywheel on SUPER H.

Looking at your new model Brian, outboard of crankcase behind the flywheel for the ignition with access to set the gap through the slots/ spokes of the flywheel looks good.-----Dave


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## Brian Rupnow

Dave---That is just great. Thank you very much.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

Too soon we get old---Too late we get smart----These are the points I was thinking about that are operated by a pushrod. Look at the way they mount. Instead of a "flange/face" mount like the Chrysler and the Tecumseh, these ones mount at 90 degrees, which is what I actually wanted. I will call and get a price on them tomorrow.
http://thumbs2.picclick.com/d/l400/...-Deere-Original-Equipment-Point-HE1601183.jpg


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## Brian Rupnow

A little of the rationale behind using a roller on the end of the pushrod. If the cam has curved sides on it, then the lifter can be flat on the bottom and not need a roller. However, cams with curves sides are relatively complicated to make. Now, if you used a flat sided cam with a flat bottomed lifter, then every time the cam revolved, the flat side of the cam would "slap" the flat bottomed lifter, and make it bounce. That would cause problems. However, if the cam is made with flat sides and used with a cam follower bearing instead of a flat bottom lifter, then the "roller" will ride up and down, following the contour of the flat sided cam closely without the "slap and bounce" that you get with a flat sided cam and a flat bottomed lifter.----Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

Wish me a Happy Birthday people. I'm 70 years young today!!!--Nothing new to report on the vertical engine, as I've been busting my buns machining the stuff in the background of the picture for a customer. However, I did buy the cast iron for the cylinder and the 1" aluminum round to do the preliminary lapping with. For interests sake--When you buy 2" diameter cast iron, it actually measures 2.125" diameter "in the rough" so it will clean up to 2" when you machine away all the rough surface.


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## Cogsy

Happy Birthday Brian! Have a good day *beer* *beer* *beer*


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## grapegro

Great achievement on reaching your 70 th. Hope there are many more to come.
Norm


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## ZebDog

Happy Birthday Brian


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## Johno1958

Happy Birthday Brian and have a
great day


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## canadianhorsepower

Happy Birthday 
*beer**beer*

Brian


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## mjonkman

Happy Birthday Brian!

I've been lurking for the last year or so on the forms, following the last couple engine builds you've done as well as those of Gus and the other guy (can't remember his name) doing one of the Howell engines. 

I am going to try and build this engine as well, just printed off the drawings and getting ready to head out to the shop to see what I have on hand - right after I walk the dog.

Not sure about the gears, at least in terms of finding reasonable priced cutters - are yours an import set and if so where did you buy them. And are yours 14.5 or 20 degree pressure angle? and does it even matter what pressure angle one uses. Its been close to 30 yrs since I last cut a gear when I was still living in the great white north and taking high school machine shop. They don't even teach gear cutting anymore in the high school shops down in the south here. I retook high school machine shop with my eldest son this past winter (he's just starting out as an apprentice machinist) and they don't even talk about gear cutting anymore. Seems like a lost art. I just need this as an excuse to wire up my horizontal mill and get it running again - its been disconnected from power since I stole its VFD to power my new (to me) lathe.

Thanks for your awesome build threads.


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## bazmak

Happy Birthday Brian and hopefully many more to come. Regards barry


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## Brian Rupnow

Mjonkman--I bought my gearcutters through Travers of Canada, and they weren't cheap. I've had them for about 5 years now, and I think I paid about $500 for a complete set of 8 cutters. I have a catalogue here from W M. Berg, which is now division of RPM mechanical in Burlington, Ontario, and it does list the 15 and 30 teeth gears with a 3/16" face in a 24 pitch, but the bores are only 3/16", (but could probably be opened up). I build so many things that I decided it would work in my favour to buy a complete set of cutters. I don't think it matters if they are 14.5 degree or 20 degree pressure angle, as long as the two gears match.
http://www.traverscanada.com/involute-high-speed-steel-gear-cutter/p/10-281-240/


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## Brian Rupnow

Here is a link to what appear to be reasonably priced 24 dp gears. The bore on the large 30 tooth gear is 3/8" which would be fine, as it allows for a bronze bushing. The bore on the small 15 tooth gear would have to be opened up to 3/8". If you don't have gearcutters, this seems very reasonable.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007NO73R4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


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## mjonkman

Thanks for the information Brian. I think I'll buy them from Travers. On the US site they are only $42 each. Still I'll buy the two I need for this project and then augment later as needed. I really want to cut the gears myself vs buying.


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## Brian Rupnow

First time ever--somebody asked me about machining tolerances on my drawings. I don't think I have looked at these since I made up this drawing sheet 15 years ago, but here they are. When I machine engines, anything that is a sliding or rotating fit I try to make "dead nuts". Anything that is on the outside of the body and doesn't connect with any other part is +/- 1/32"---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

Well, Hurray for me!!! I just finished a powered rotary table for my bakery customer and it worked like a charm. I haven't been able to try it out because the gearmotor is a d.c. unit, and I had no way to power it. I finished it at 12:00 today, called my customer, and he drove up from Oakville and brought the motor controller with him. I told him--"Get ready with that controller, I'm going to plug it in, and if this thing squeals, smokes, or levitates, for Gods sake turn it off!!!" I plugged it in, and it turns smooth as silk, and very quietly. Oh happy Me!!! Now I can get back to important stuff like my vertical engine!!


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## Brian Rupnow

To keep things simple, I have decided to go with my old "tried and true" Chrysler ignition points. We will save the push-rod activated points for another engine. The points are from a 1970's era Chrysler product, and their number is 018-4126-8 A110P. The condenser which goes with them is part number 018-1555-4 G120P. To use these points, we have to move the flywheel out about 1/2" from it's original position, and this isn't a bad thing---Because---We can then extend the blue top plate out another 1/2" and make a perfect spot to mount a cooling fan, driven by a friction roller which rubs against the flywheel.


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## mjonkman

Very cool!

Unfortunately my build of your vertical engine just came to a screeching stop (literally). Looks like one of the spindle bearings just gave out on my Bridgeport. Now I have to figure out whether I'm just going to do the quick repair - fix the spindle or do a full rebuild which is going to take me a couple of months.


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## Brian Rupnow

Now that we have cleared up the issue of what points are being used and where they go, I can finish of the two remaining drawings which comprise the frame of this engine.


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## Brian Rupnow

If you think this drawing is a bit crowded, well,---that's because it is!!! However, everything you need to build it is on there. Take your time, and go carefully. There are no 'trick' set-ups required to make this part. EDIT--EDIT--This drawing was changed 11-july-2016 Camshaft hole went from 5/16" diameter to 1/4" diameter.


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## Brian Rupnow

The .jpeg drawings I have posted are hosted on Photobucket. When you click on the drawing, it will open it in Photobucket. If you can't see enough detail, there is a small magnifying glass with a + sign on it just above the image to the right. If you hover the cursor over it , a pop-up message will say "view image". If you click on the magnifying glass you will get a much larger image and will be able to see more detail.


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## Brian Rupnow

An ignition cam/crankshaft spacer.


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## Brian Rupnow

And now, finally, we can build the whole crankshaft---


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## Brian Rupnow

I couldn't convince my wife to go for a drive this afternoon, so I decided it must be cylinder time. first picture shows raw stock in lathe, o.d. turned to 2.00", end countersunk for live center, and end "faced. second picture shows 1.00" blind hole drilled, bored, then reamed to 3" deep.


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## Brian Rupnow

After finishing the center hole, the live center was put back in place and all the grooves turned in the cylinder body to create "fins". My parting off tool is .093" wide, and works excellently for this. All of the grooves were cut using my lathes power cross-feed. (a new and rather frightening experience, but dang, it sure works good!!!) The diameter that fits down into the cylinder support plate was also turned in the same set-up, and then parted off with the live center moved back out of the way--In fact, the only time the part came out of the original set-up was when I flipped it end for end after parting it off and put the small "lead' into the end to make inserting the piston a bit easier. It sure looks "spiffy" with its cylinder head in place!!!


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## Brian Rupnow

I'm surprised that the cylinder machining went so well. I will put the threaded holes in each end tomorrow. It's funny--I can think of a concept, and model it very quickly. Then after it is modelled, that immediately kick-starts a whole new wave of ideas. I like to keep my engines as "self contained" as possible, and I'm already chasing ideas around in my head of how to mount a gas tank that compliments the engine. It is possible that gas tank, fan, and fan shroud could all be combined. I'm hoping to have a number of people build this engine, so I don't want to do anything too complicated. Right now I have 5 people on board.  Two guys in Australia, one fellow in North Carolina, one in Alberta, Canada, and maybe Chuck Fellows.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

There is going to be a slight bit of "jiggery-pokery" associated with the crankshaft gear, but it's fairly simple and I've used it before with success.  The root diameter of the 15 tooth gear is only .500", which means that is the largest diameter hub it can have. When fitted to a 3/8" shaft, that only leaves a 1/16" wall thickness, which is not enough to properly hold a set-screw. You can not make the gear with a larger diameter hub, because there would be no place for "run-out" of the gear cutter.---So---We make a separate hub 0.8" diameter x 3/16" thick and a 1/2" bore, slide it over the existing gear hub, and silver solder it to the gear hub on the side opposite from the gear teeth. Then we drill and tap a pair of #6-32 threads thru the "add on hub" and the original gear hub. We need to do this so that when we go to set the valve timing, we can loosen the set-screws off, rotate both meshing gears to get the cam gear with attached cam into the correct position, then tighten the set screws to locate the crankshaft gear solidly in place on the crankshaft. I will provide a drawing later.


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## Brian Rupnow

And now you know how I spent my day---


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## Brian Rupnow

Heads up everybody---I just changed the frame drawing. The hole for the camshaft has changed from 5/16" to 1/4".


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## Brian Rupnow

These are the parts that give most novice engine builders fits!! The cam will simply have to be fabricated. The gears can be purchased from the link I gave in an earlier post to Amazon.com and if you have 32 dp gear cutters you can substitute 40 and 20 tooth gears and end up with the same center to center distances.


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## Brian Rupnow

Not a lot accomplished today. Gathered up a bunch of grandchildren and spent the afternoon in Lake Simcoe. It's 85 degrees F here with high humidity. I'm setting here with a glass of lemonade and coconut rum, deciding how to best tackle the main frame of this beast.--I did at least accomplish one thing this morning--bought the material for the frame and replacements for all the drills I burned up working on that 304 stainless steel customer job.


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## Brian Rupnow

We are going to require a few bushings for the engine. Although you could make your own bushings from brass, it will work better if you use oilite bronze. This is a special sintered bronze that is full of oil and will protect the shafts they are used on much better than a plain brass bushing.


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## Brian Rupnow

Dang, I'm tired!!!  There is a full 8 hours of machining in the main frame of this engine. Non of it is horribly difficult machining, but man, there's a lot of it. If anybody is ready to start machining their build of this engine right now, email me at [email protected] and I will send you pdf files of the parts as I finish building them. The drawings that I post on here thru Photobucket are not that easy to read or to print. They are preliminary drawings and are 99% correct. As I build the parts, if I see anything fishy on the drawings I change it and resave it. It is from these final corrected drawings that I make my pdf files. There will be a very large package of final drawings saved as pdf files and saved on a web hosting site that you can download them from, but that might not be for a month or two down the road.----Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

And---One hard days machining yields the frame. I don't have a lot to say about this---it's just a days steady slugging. One thing--My drawing shows 1/2" radii at the bottom of the vertical pillar. To get a 1/2" radius you need to drill a hole with a 1" drill. My old smaller mill couldn't have handled this easily if at all. So---If your mill blows fuses trying to drill a 1" diameter hole you might want to settle for 1/4" radius and drill thru with a 1/2" drill. And yes, that is one of the ball bearings setting in it's counterbore. I dropped it in for test fit after boring the hole and in it went---then I had no way to get it out until I removed the piece for a different set-up.


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## ShopShoe

Brian,

" ...then I had no way to get it out until I removed the piece for a different set-up." 

I have made some baby slide hammers for when this happens. The "hook" on the end can be tailored for different needs. I got my inspiration from both the big ones I used to use for car sheetmetal and the little ones my dentist uses when repeatedly trial-fitting crowns on my teeth.

--ShopShoe


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## Brian Rupnow

Shopshoe--I didn't need to get it out, or I would have used one of my dental picks to pull it out.


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## Brian Rupnow

My last big piece of bronze (the one that I scooped at the landfill) was 1 3/4" long x about 5 3/4" diameter. I had no way to hold it to slice it into two pieces, so today I made a LOT of chips. First shot shows it up on the lathe getting one side faced. Second shot shows it flipped around and the features cut into the first side. Then it was flipped around again and had the features machined into the second side. In one of those moves, it got turned down to 5.12" diameter and had the center hole drilled and reamed for my 3/8" crankshaft. and the third shot says WOW!!!! I still have a bunch of holes to put in, but that will be tomorrows job.


.


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## GKNIPP

Brian, I would be willing to give this engine a try. Do you have the PDF'S posted somewhere or did I miss them?  I am also assuming you are utilizing the throttle body carb. That Chuck Fellows designed and are posted in the downloads section.

Greg


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## Brian Rupnow

Greg--First thing I suggest is that you read thru the entire thread. Most of your questions are answered in it. No I am not using the Chuck Fellows carburetor. No, I do not have all the drawings posted as pdf files. I would love to have you "On board" but you have to read the whole thread to get your answers. I will send you pdf files as I finish actually making the parts and "proving" the drawings. If you want to start building now, send me your real email address. I am creating pdf files as I finish the parts one by one, and will gladly send them to you. I have "proven" pdf files of everything I have built so far. Although it is unusual for my "first draft" drawing which I post on here to change, sometimes when I am making the part the drawings do change a bit for ease of machining or to add a dimension that I missed. It is these "proved and updated" drawings that become pdf files. I will be posting a link to all of the pdf files when the engine is finished, but if you want to "build along now" which I highly encourage, I will send you the pdf files as I finish each part.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

The flywheel is finished. A lot of work in that, but it is one of the engines most predominant features. I made a few changes on the drawing as the machining progressed, but nothing major. I will now save that drawing as a pdf file and send it out to the folks who are building this engine "right now". I'm not sure what part I will do next, but it's probably getting close to "crankshaft time".


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## Brian Rupnow

Today we have a pushrod guide finished and installed, and a crankshaft 80% done. when I make these pressed together crankshafts, I do not employ any heating or cooling. I turn the hole in the web to .0015" smaller than the finished o.d. of the shafts being pressed into it. A trick to help press things together and keep everything straight and true is to make  the section of shaft being pressed into the web 3 times longer than the thickness of the web itself. Then, breaking that length up into thirds, turn the outer third to .002" smaller than the pressed diameter, the center third .001" smaller than the section being pressed, and the final third that actually gets pressed is left full size. Then while still in the lathe, a bit of sanding with a strip of 220 grit carborundum cloth removes the sharp edges at the changes in diameter on the shaft. This helps to guide the shaft squarely into the web plate. I coat the shaft with Loctite, press everything together, then let it set up for 24 hours and then cut away the extra bit of shaft which is left sticking out on the wrong side of the web.


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## Roboguy

Hi Brian, am enjoying following your rapid progress on this build! What sort of loctite are you using for things like the crankshaft? I can't make it out in the photo. 

Cheers 
James


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## Brian Rupnow

Normally I use #638 for everything. This time I have a little bottle of "high heat resistant 620" that I'm using up. On press fits like this, I don't know if it helps any or if it all just gets scraped off. My theory is that it can't hurt, so I may as well use it.


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## Brian Rupnow

Heads up, people---I just finished machining the ignition cam, and installed it and the ignition points for a test fit. The #6-32 thread for the screw that holds the points at the correct gap setting is not in the right place. It is close, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. I am going to drill and tap a new #6-32 thread immediately below the one which is already there, and that will center it in the slot, where it should be. I am going to update the drawing and resave it as a pdf file.  What I recommend doing in this case is to drill and tap the #10-24 hole as per the drawing, make and install the cam, then install the points and  "mark thru" the slot with a transfer punch to correctly locate the hole at mid slot when the rubbing block on the points is setting against the flat on the cam.---That cam also acts as a spacer to prevent the flywheel from rubbing on the end of the cylinder support plate.


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## Herbiev

Finally made a start. Unfortunately forgot the 1/4" radius.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--You may have trouble with the pressed in crankshaft. The two sharp corners you have created will be very close to the stressed area of the web. It may crack at one of the corners. That is why the radius was there.


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## Brian Rupnow

This is what it looks like with the #6-32 threaded hole moved to the correct location to lock the points at whatever gap you choose. Also, if you remember, I changed the flywheel a little bit. That was to give good access to the points thru one of the holes in the flywheel as shown. I have corrected the position of that #6-32 thread on the pdf file of the main frame.


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## Brian Rupnow

I was all set to get up tomorrow and start on a piston, but-----I checked my "left over short bits" drawer, and though I do have a piece of cast iron long enough to make a piston, sadly it isn't long enough to hold onto in my lathe chuck. So--Tomorrow I will be off bright and early to my metal supplier and buy a 3" length of cast iron. (which drives my metal supplier absolutely crazy!!)


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## Herbiev

Thanks for the info Brian. I shall make a new one with the radius. I hadn't thought about the stress in the corners.


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## Brian Rupnow

My day went totally sideways. I couldn't make the con rod, because I'm still waiting for confirmation that I can get the oilite bronze bushings I need for it. I couldn't go and get the material to make a piston because I was waiting for a customers phone call. I ended up modifying the hub on one side of the flywheel  to be .875" diameter, and then made the starter hub that fits on it. It turned out well, and has went into the pdf file.


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## GKNIPP

Brian, you could make the connecting rod bushings of bearing bronze.  I believe they would be a bit tougher than the oilite type.  Granted you would need to make provisions for lubricating but that wouldn't be difficult.  Another option would be to use a ball bearing on the crank end too.

Greg


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## Brian Rupnow

So--Here we have a pretty good start on a piston. The raw stock was clamped in the 3 jaw chuck, then it was "faced" on the exposed end. Then the .875 flat bottomed counterbore was put in the end. Then it was turned to about 1.010" diameter. This is way too much material left on the outer diameter, but I have had enough bad experience with going undersize that I leave myself a good margin. This would never do in a "job shop", but since it's in my own little shop I can spend half an hour with 220 grit carborundum paper to bring it down to a point where it just starts into the cylinder. It won't slide in freely, but it will start in, which is all I want at this point. The ring groove has been plunge cut with my .093" wide parting off tool, and the piston is now finished externally. I'm not going to part it off yet from the parent stock. I may flip it end for end in the chuck and do a clean up pass on the remaining unturned portion before taking it over to the rotary table and mill to do the rest of the machining. I will think about that one overnight and finish the machining in the morning.


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## Brian Rupnow

GKNIPP said:


> Brian, you could make the connecting rod bushings of bearing bronze.  I believe they would be a bit tougher than the oilite type.  Granted you would need to make provisions for lubricating but that wouldn't be difficult.  Another option would be to use a ball bearing on the crank end too.
> 
> Greg


In my first "Rupnow engine" a few years ago which was a hit and miss horizontal, I used a ball bearing on the big end of the rod. It made the end of the rod so much larger, that combined with the weight of the bearing it was impossible to balance the engine. I specifically want to use oilite bushings to avoid lubrication problems at the small end of the rod, and if I use them on one end of the rod, it only seems logical to me to use them on both ends. I haven't heard back from my bearing supplier yet. If I can't get oilite bushings in that size, I will go without bushings at all on the con rod. 6061 aluminum stands up quite well without any bushings if it is kept well oiled.


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## 10K Pete

I agree with the aluminum for a bearing, Brian. Decades ago I built a rock
crusher with an aluminum eccentric bearing and it worked fine.

By the way, have you thought about using needle bearings instead of ball
bearings? I've thought about those because they're lighter in weight and
take up a lot less room. But I've never tried them..... at least not in a model
engine! 

Take care,
Pete


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## Brian Rupnow

Pete---Here's the scoop on needle bearings. Needle bearings are meant to run on a hardened shaft. If they run on an unhardened shaft, they will gall it very quickly. If you don't have a hardened shaft, then you can buy a hardened inner race, which of course bumps up the overall size of the bearing, to the point where it becomes as large in diameter as a ball bearing. Needle bearings are meant for a rotating shaft, not an oscillating shaft as you have in the small end of a connecting rod. Used in an oscillating situation, the needles develop "flat spots" on them and won't rotate at all.  Nobody currently makes sealed needle bearings for a 3/16" diameter wrist pin anyways.---And lastly, needle bearings are noisy as Hell. I know--I put a set on my Kerzel hit and miss engine when I built it 5 years ago, trying to get more "misses" between 'hits" by cutting down on the rolling friction. It helped, friction-wise, but I was amazed at how much noise they made. I believe that if they had been installed in a cartridge type holder where they could be pumped full of grease they might have been quieter, but with oil from a squirt can they make a real racket.--That sums up everything I know about needle roller bearings.---Brian


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## 10K Pete

I agree, they wouldn't work well on the small end. I was thinking more
of the big end, but as you point out finding sealed units isn't the norm with
needle bearings. No real gain then.....

Thanks,
Pete


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## Brian Rupnow

I thought about it overnight, and decided that the correct way to do this would be to flip the part end for end in the chuck and clean op the other end. I should really have done this before I got the piston down to almost finished size, but I clamped carefully on the piston and took light cuts until the other end of the material cleaned up quite well and was "faced" in the same set-up. I did not take any picture of the part set vertically in the rotary table to mill the slot. In the second shot, you see the rotary table turned 90 degrees and bolted down, and the wrist pin hole being reamed to final size.


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## Brian Rupnow

The first picture shows the piston being lapped into the cylinder. As luck would have it, the piston was still a bit too large to fit into the bore (I couldn't really check that until I had parted it off from the parent stock). This demanded that I put the piston back in the 3 jaw and work it a bit more with 220 grit carborundum paper, first one end, then the other until it was down to 1.002", at which point it was much happier about starting into the cylinder. This is a very difficult point to judge. Too tight, and you will get the piston stuck in there and have to press it out with a length of wooden broom handle. Too loose, and you have to start over again and make a new piston!!! This one turned out "just right" and the final lapping was done with 600 grit carborundum grit suspended in white grease. I run the lathe on it's slowest speed setting (50 rpm) and very carefully work the piston in and out with that T handle which attaches to the wrist pin, watching very carefully how my hands are positioned and ready to let go in an instant if the piston "grabs" in the cylinder. The resulting piston will not fall thru the cylinder, but will go thru with a gentle push from my finger. the last picture shows the piston with the Viton ring installed on it.


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## Brian Rupnow

I just received confirmation from my bearing supplier that the oilite bronze bushings I need do indeed exist in the size I wanted, so I have ordered them and they will be here on Thursday or Friday. the only "catch" was that I needed to order a minimum quantity of 5 of each size. The longest cam gear bushing available was 1/2", so I will use two of them end to end in the cam gear. The cost for all of the bushings was about $20 Canadian.


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## Cogsy

I know I posted yesterday - but I can't find my post anywhere in the thread ...weird. Anyway, I'm glad the bushes are available as I've already made 4 con-rods (to get an acceptable one) and didn't fancy making another.

I have the flywheel half done in a built-up fashion but I think I've worked out how to modify it for the new hub dimension. On the flywheel drawing I couldn't find a bore dimension - not a problem but you do normally dimension everything so I thought I'd mention it.

Finally, I may not be able to afford the material for the frame right now (I am a very poor student these days) so I may have to go the casting route but it will be quite a while before I have casting capabilities again. For now I'll just keep working on the smaller pieces.

Keep up the good work Brian, I'm thoroughly enjoying this build!


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## Brian Rupnow

As far as I know, you can't buy 5/16" aluminum plate--at least I can't at my local metal suppliers. So--there are a couple of things going on in the first picture. #1- is that I found a scrap of 1/2" aluminum plate  and used my flycutter to reduce it to 5/16" thick in the center where I will cut my con-rod from. #2- is that whenever I drill holes in a plate that are critical in their 90 degree relationship to the plate they are drilled in, I don't use my milling vice. (It always "cocks" a little bit, which for 95% of what I do doesn't matter that much). I put a piece of sacrificial plate (or in this case a 1/2" square spacer under the piece I am going to drill and ream and clamp it directly to the mill table).    In the second picture, the holes are drilled and reamed, and I have inserted a pair of "temporary centers" in the reamed holes, so I can stick one of the points on my drafting compass into the center "divot" and draw the arc at each end which shows the ends of the con rod. I also use a straight edge to connect the clearance holes at each end which form the 1/8" radius. Then with mostly bandsaw and stationary sanding belt I cut away all the excess material, and finally a bit of filing and hand sanding to yield the finished connecting rod.


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## Brian Rupnow

Cogsy--thank you for the heads up about the missing flywheel bore dimension. I have added it and sent out a new pdf to all of the folks who are currently building the engine.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

The blanks for the cam gear and the crankshaft gear are turned to size and bored. They are both ready to go up on the rotary table and have their teeth cut into them.


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## mjonkman

5/16" bar stock is available here in the US at both McMaster Carr and OnlineMetals the two places I get a lot of my material from. OnlineMetals also has plate but ouch is it expensive.

Do you know what the oilite bushing numbers are?

Hope to be back up and running with my mill by end of next week so starting to look through the various drawings to get material sizes so I can purchase the rest of the materials, bearings and bushings.


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## Brian Rupnow

I will know later today or tomorrow morning what the oilite bushing numbers are. I just order by i.d. and o.d and length, but my bearing people will have the correct numbers and I will let you know.


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## Brian Rupnow

The gear cutting went very well. I have a set of dummy shafts set up at the correct center distance in a scrap of aluminum plate, and all the gears I cut are checked for correct mesh before I tear down my rotary table set-up.  The second picture shows both gears finished, and the hub ring attached to the smaller gear. I'm probably going to go ahead and finish the valve cam and install it on the large gear before I install the gears in the engine. I still don't have my oilite bushings anyways, so I may as well get the cam finished now.


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## Brian Rupnow

Gentlemen, we have an exhaust cam!!! Rather 'picky' work, but I think it will get the job done.


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## Brian Rupnow

RATS!!!! I went down to southern Ontario today and met an old friend I used to work with at Volkswagen of Canada, for lunch and a visit. The plan was to be back in Barrie before 4:30 to pick up my bronze bushings. I forgot to factor in all of the traffic heading north up to cottage country on Friday afternoon. Never made it back to Barrie until 5:30, and my bearing supplier was closed.---So---No bushings till Monday. I'm rapidly running out of things to build, so I guess tomorrow I will have a look at valve cages and valves.


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## Brian Rupnow

Heads up--I plan on making valve cages tomorrow, and on close examination of the drawings, I have decided to make a change in the depth of the 1/4" counterbore. If anybody has already made them, don't be concerned, they will work as originally drawn. As soon as they are finished and installed in the head and drilled, I will post a revised drawing and save it to the ever growing pdf files. In the original drawing, the counterbore extends 0.159" below the bottom of the drilled 0.197" cross hole. There is no reason for the counterbore to be so deep, and by shortening the counterbore by 0.100" it gives more guidance on the valve stem and less possibility of air leaks around the valve stem. ---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

This morning I made the valve cages. They are machined outside completely, and inside all except for the very narrow .015 x 45 degree chamfered face which the valves seal against. In this picture I have washed both them and the cylinder head in laquer thinners to remove any trace of oil. In the background, you can see my gears from earlier in the week setting in place in the engine. (Although since I don't have bushings yet, the cam gear is just setting on a dummy shaft.)The valve cages have been test fitted into the bores in the cylinder head, and although they are not a "press fit", they don't fall freely into the bores either. It is very important to test fit them and be sure that the .020" "lip" around the end of the valve cages fits into the counterbore in the head and does not stick up above the inner head surface. In the second two pictures, the cages have been coated with #620 Loctite retaining compound and inserted all the way into the cylinder head. After the Loctite sets up for 24 hours, the fuel admission port and exhaust port will be drilled thru the cylinder head and thru the valve cages at the same time.


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## Brian Rupnow

And here we have two beautiful valves with their "handles" still attached (so I can lap them into the valve cages tomorrow) and two keeper plates to retain the valve springs. Quite enough work for another lovely Saturday!! Time to grab a cold beer and relax with good wife on the back deck.


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## Brian Rupnow

Note to self: when using a valve as one of the set-up guides to drill the ports, remember to REMOVE THE DAMN VALVE before actually drilling the port!!!


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## Brian Rupnow

Well, I worked past that mini-disaster and whittled out a new valve to replace the one I destroyed. The ports ended up exactly as they were supposed to, which is always a good thing. I have to go down to my nut and bolt supplier tomorrow and buy a .015" wire diameter compression spring for the atmospheric intake valve. I will post the specs for both the intake and exhaust valve springs after I get it. If I get my oilite  bushings tomorrow I should be able to install the connecting rod and the cam shaft. All I have left to make is the rocker arm and rocker arm support tower, and the push-rod. Since I have already built the carburetor a number of times and know that the drawings for it are correct, I may take a short-cut and use one of my model airplane engine carburetors to start this engine later this week. I will post all the details about the Traxxas 4033 carburetor and the adapter to fit it to the engine as soon as my camera batteries charge up. These carburetors only cost about $35 and are perfect for all this size of engine. I will put all the drawings of the "home made" carburetor in the download package, and that way builders will have a choice of buying or building their carburetor. I may wait for the cold weather next winter to build the carburetor.


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## Brian Rupnow

My Oilite bushings came in today, and they were all correct. I will put the Oilite part number on the appropriate drawings. I couldn't find a spring with the wire diameter I wanted for the intake valve, so I have one on it that has a 0.020" wire diameter on it. If it proves to be too stiff I will wind my own compression spring from .013" music wire. I have the pushrod with the little roller bearing on the end of it in place, and after what seemed a world of fettling and fussing, I have it running freely up and down when actuated by the cam.  The spacer is finished and is setting between the crankshaft web and the main frame. I also fabricated a "cap" to restrain the connecting rod on the "throw', although I question how necessary it really is. In the pictures I have removed the ignition points, as they were only an old pair I keep for "fitting" when building engines. I will buy a new set of ignition points and a condenser tomorrow. All I have left to build is the rocker arm and it's support tower, and to make a head gasket. I still have to design a gas tank and support, but want to finish th entire mechanical aspect of the engine first, so I can release a download of all the pdf files.


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## Herbiev

Looking great Brian. If mine turns out half as nice i shall be happy.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herby--I was wondering what had become of you. Did you remake the crank web? Holy cow!!! I just got an email with pictures from David in New Zealand, and he has about 70% of the engine built already. He is a new builder that I didn't even know about until right now. I will be ready to upload all the pdf files in about two days, but for now I will send him most of the pdf files I have saved. It feels really strange to set here in Canada and know that people on the far side of the world, as far from here as you could possibly get and still be on the same planet are building this engine.


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## Brian Rupnow

We're ready to rock and roll!! Rocker arm and support tower are installed, and as far as I know for the moment, those were the last two mechanical parts I had to make. I have to make a head gasket, put a stronger spring on the exhaust valve, and pull the crankshaft out and cut a keyway in it. For the initial run of this engine, I will steal a gas tank from one of my many other engines for a temporary set-up. Once I am convinced that the engine runs properly, I will design a tank and tank support for this engine and post the drawings. I have to go down street now and buy a new set of points and a condenser.


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## Brian Rupnow

Okay guys--Pay attention. This is the complete electrical, or at least as much as you are going to get with this engine. Assuming of course that you use the points and condenser for an early Chrysler product which I gave the numbers for earlier in this thread. Bolt the points onto the flywheel side of the frame as shown. There is one electrical terminal with a nut on it. Put a ring terminal on the end of a piece of #14 ga. insulated wire about 18" long, and put both the ring terminal and the lead from the condenser on the threaded post and snug down the nut.  I have also included a picture of the one ridiculously long tap I own, which happens to be a #8-32 and is just the right size for a bolt to hold down the condenser clamp.-NOTE--That hole is not on the frame drawing. Route the #14 ga. wire and the condenser wire around behind the condenser clamp ---we do NOT want them rubbing on the inside of the flywheel. A wire from the + side of the battery runs to a switch, then to the + side of a 12 volt automobile coil. another wire runs from the - side of the coil to a quick disconnect on the end of that #14 ga wire. Another separate wire runs from anywhere on the frame of the engine back to the - side of the 12 volt battery. When the points are closed, current flows from the battery, thru the switch and the coil and the points to the engine block and then back to the - side of the battery. Don't correct me--I'm not here to argue semantics. when the points open, it breaks the circuit, the primary field in the coil collapses and induces a high current flow in the secondery windings of the coil, and makes a spark which is delivered to the spark-plug. REMEMBER--the spark occurs when the points OPEN!!!


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## Brian Rupnow

The engine is timed, both ignition timing and valve timing. BIG BIG HINT--Ignition timing is very easy to do with the cylinder head off and the flywheel off. Loosen the set screw on the ignition cam. Turn the engine over clockwise when looking at the flywheel side until the piston is at top dead center. (the flywheel is off, so you will be turning the crankshaft from the con-rod end.)Turn the ignition cam clockwise by itself until the flat side is against the ignition points rubbing block. At that time the points should be fully closed. Now just turn the ignition cam clockwise by itself until the points open.(This will happen very suddenly--it's not a gradual thing.) At the point where they open, tighten the set-screw on the ignition cam. Now turn the flywheel back and forth a bit and watch the points. What you want is for the points to spring open at the very time the piston reaches top dead center. There is a bit of leeway there, but aim for it happening right at top dead center. After the engine is running we can dabble about with advanced or retarded ignition. Since the ignition cam is on the crankshaft we will get a spark every time the piston is at top dead center. The spark that occurs on the exhaust stroke can be ignored---there isn't anything to burn anyways.
Put the flywheel back on, but leave the cylinder head off. Turn the flywheel clockwise (when looking at the flywheel side of the engine) until the piston leaves top dead center and begins to go down in the cylinder. Use a Vernier caliper to determine when it is exactly 1.3" from the top of the cylinder to the top of the piston. At that measurement, the crankshaft will be exactly 50 degrees before bottom dead center. Loosen the set screws on the crankshaft gear, and without letting the crankshaft turn, turn the crankshaft gear clockwise (same as the flywheel direction) until the cam gear (which will revolve in the opposite direction) just begins to cause an upwards movement in the pushrod. This is hard to see, and is best done while holding a finger so it is touching the end of the pushrod and the top of the guide at the same time.--You will feel it when the pushrod begins to move upwards, under the influence of the cam.) Lock the crankshaft gear set screws at this point. Use a magic marker to put a line on the flywheel in line with one of the corners on the frame, for a visual reference. Now, turn the flywheel clockwise while holding the pushrod down with your finger. On one revolution of the flywheel(which corresponds with the intake and compression stroke) the pushrod won't move. On the next revolution, (Which corresponds with the power and exhaust stroke) the pushrod should begin to move upwards when the "witness mark" on the flywheel lines up with the corner of the frame. This may take some major screwing about. Again, there is a bit of leeway here, but keep it as close as you can. And--if you see that the pushrod hasn't fully retracted at the beginning of the intake stroke, don't worry---the exhaust valve stays open about 20 degrees into the intake stroke.


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## Brian Rupnow

One more bit of information, and then I'm off to mow the lawn before my wife skins me-----The exhaust valve spring (as of this moment) is .022" diameter wire, 0.100" between coils when in a free state x  0.9" long in it's free state and 0.195" diameter inside.


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## Herbiev

Hi Brian. Im still plodding along. Im on home oxgen due to emphysema which limits the amount of time i spend in the workshop. Dont like the idea of sparks and oxygen. Not sure if anyone else is on oxygen but would love to hear how they cope in the shop. 
Anyway the new crank web is half done and i just sliced off a lump of steel for the flywheel. Pics to follow.


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## Brian Rupnow

The engine is set up on my test bench. Fire extinguisher is close at hand. Video camera is up on it's tripod, and a borrowed gas tank is full and hooked up. Battery and all electrical connections are in place. Now I just have to wait for my wife to get up out of bed so I can make noise. wish me luck!!


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## james_III

Some other motors take longer to make and still they have complete set of drawing at the beginning. I think I lost something when translating but still thumbs up   :thumbup:


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## Brian Rupnow

Okay guys---here we are--First run. a couple of times you will hear a bit of clanking--the set screws came lose on the flywheel during the very first run. I made this video at about 9;30 this morning, but it took so long loading to YouTube that I had to leave it loading and go away for the day. I just returned home and see it is finished loading, so here is the first run---ever. I had one good long sustained run before I had to leave this morning--enough to satisfy me that the engine is going to be a good runner as designed.---Brian
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp1Ja2-xt8g&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


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## Herbiev

Its alive. Well done Brian.


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## Brian Rupnow

And here we have the engine with a lighter intake valve spring and a slightly richer mixture than the factory carb setting. Engine seems very happy to run as long as I want to let it now. I had a lighter spring here, but it was just a tiny bit too small on the inside diameter to fit down over the spigot on top of the valve cage. I used an old jewellers trick for "sizing" wedding bands and forced the spring down over a tapered mandrel until it "grew" just enough to slide freely over the top projection of the valve cage. That was really all it took to get good long sustained runs.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0kky3Zaths&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


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## Brian Rupnow

I originally planned on doing something really artfull and "swoopy" for the gas tank support, but practicality has taken hold. I decided on something simple, which would not only support the gas tank but would give some degree of height adjustability to the tank as well.


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## Brian Rupnow

Don't get too excited about this stuff--it is all in the pdf download. I just wanted you to see that the gas tank and support have been detailed and taken care of.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

Okay guys--here it is. Complete mechanical details of everything I have built on this engine as .pdf files, including assembly drawings and bills of materials. If you download it and build it, please let me know. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me. There is a lot of work in the preparation of these drawings, and I don't ask any money for them. However I really do want to know if you are building and what your progress is. The skill range required to build this engine, based on a scale of 1 to 10, with one being a complete novice and 10 being an advanced machinist with two or three engines successfully completed is about a 7. Have fun!!!---Brian
https://www.mediafire.com/?fh7wnz2d4cgt0s4


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## DavidLloyd2

Brian Rupnow said:


> Okay guys--here it is. Complete mechanical details of everything I have built on this engine as .pdf files, including assembly drawings and bills of materials. If you download it and build it, please let me know. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me. There is a lot of work in the preparation of these drawings, and I don't ask any money for them. However I really do want to know if you are building and what your progress is. The skill range required to build this engine, based on a scale of 1 to 10, with one being a complete novice and 10 being an advanced machinist with two or three engines successfully completed is about a 7. Have fun!!!---Brian
> https://www.mediafire.com/?fh7wnz2d4cgt0s4



Thanks Brian
                   for all the pdf files,
DavidLloyd2


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## Brian Rupnow

I almost forgot--You will need one of these to start the engine with.


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## Cogsy

I'm still making some progress. So far I have the flywheel, crank web and big end, con-rod, con-rod retainer, rocker arm and exhaust pipe completed. Plus half the carby. Still got a long way to go and my available shop time is about to dry up. Hoping to average a completed part per week until it's all done.

I found a tiny error on the carby body plans - the throttle stop screw hole is dimensioned as .294 deep, but then threaded 4-40 .394 deep. I have to ask - what does JAG stand for?


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## gus

Congrats. It did run on the first start. Great engine. I am about to run the Howell V-2 next week. Will take a good break doing everything but engines. Trying very hard not to this new engine but  my hands are itching. Will D/L your engine prints.


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## Brian Rupnow

Cogsy said:


> I'm still making some progress. So far I have the flywheel, crank web and big end, con-rod, con-rod retainer, rocker arm and exhaust pipe completed. Plus half the carby. Still got a long way to go and my available shop time is about to dry up. Hoping to average a completed part per week until it's all done.
> 
> I found a tiny error on the carby body plans - the throttle stop screw hole is dimensioned as .294 deep, but then threaded 4-40 .394 deep. I have to ask - what does JAG stand for?



The throttle stop hole breaks thru into the center hole that the throttle barrel fits into. You have to run your tap in at least 0394" to get past the taper on the tap.--Actually I just made that up!! The thread call outs are all an automatic function of the software. Occasionally they do something weird like that. Thank you for the update.--Brian


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## Cogsy

I forgot about the starter hub and push rod guide as well - I knew it felt like I'd made more parts than that...plus 2 extra con-rods and the flywheel being 3 pieces, feels like I'm halfway there. Here's a pic of my progress (minus the carb).


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## Brian Rupnow

Cogsy--Great stuff!!!  I'm setting here with a totally dismantled computer cooling fan with a 2.2" diameter blade diameter, trying to figure out how to mount it.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

I went up street this morning and invested a whole $11.24 in a small computer fan. After getting it home and tearing everything apart, I have a 7 bladed fan with the correct pitch, 2.25" diameter x about 0.7" thick, and a pair of sealed 3 mm dia. roller bearings. With a little creative design work, it becomes a cooling fan, driven by a 0.100" dia. rubber o-ring. I gave up on the friction drive for the fan, simply because this is so much easier. I'm not going to bother with a fan shroud, as the fan is plastic. (at least until the first time I nick a finger on it.)


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## Brian Rupnow

This is one of those situations where the picture may look better than the part performs. I Loctited an aluminum hub into a cavity in the back side of the plastic fan blade. Either the cavity was off center, or I got the hub in a bit crooked. I have some visible "runout" in my fan blade, relative to the shaft and bushings. I will wait and see how it looks when running on the engine. If it isn't bad, I will leave it. if it looks ridiculous, I may build a fan out of sheet brass.


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## Brian Rupnow

It fits---barely!! There is about 1/16" clearance between the face of the fan blades and the vertical pushrod guide. That's okay--a miss is as good as a mile. The two sealed ball bearings that I scavenged from the fan motor make it roll very smoothly and easily. I think I will have to turn a groove in the outer face of the flywheel to allow the o-ring drive belt to clear the table top. I've spun the fan by hand in the new housing, and the run-out doesn't look as bad as I first thought.


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## Brian Rupnow

My grandma used to say that something cleared something else "Just by the skin of it's teeth!!". If grandma seen this engine with the new fan and tank support on it, she would say it for sure. Everything fits and clears. I don't want to cut a groove in my nice bronze flywheel to give that o-ring some clearance at the underside, but that doesn't pose a problem for me as I can let the flywheel hang over the edge of my "test bench" when running the engine. The o-ring on there is 1/8" diameter. if I had a 1/16" diameter o-ring (I don't) it would clear without putting a groove in the flywheel. The o-ring on there is stretched too tight, so tomorrow I will try and get a slightly longer 3/32" o-ring to drive the fan. The engine quit on me yesterday, right in the middle of a good long run. I immediately thought, either the ignition cam has slipped or the crankshaft gear which drives the exhaust cam has slipped.  When I brought the engine inside today to tap the new holes for the fan support and tank support, I quickly determined that the ignition timing was okay but the valve timing was way off. I will reset the crankshaft gear and try out my new fan tomorrow, perhaps.


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## Brian Rupnow

Today I've been playing in the garage, trying to get everything up and running with the new cooling fan and gas tank. These Traxxas carburetors don't seem to want to lift the fuel up from the tank nearly as good as my home built carburetors do. I had my gas tank mounted in the traditional location, about 3/4" from the center of the carburetor down to the top of the gas tank, but the engine wouldn't stay running unless I constantly choked it. I thought perhaps it would perform better if I cut another half coil off the intake valve spring, and as I installed the shortened spring it got away from me. I recovered the spring itself, but the round brass "keeper" may now be up there somewhere with the space station. I had to make another "keeper".  The engine still wouldn't run without constant choking, so I raised the gas tank up higher than I normally would have it, and the engine ran fine. It took considerable "tweaking" to get the engine running with the fan in place, but once I got things adjusted it runs quite well. The fan puts out a considerable breeze, but then it should. With an approximate 5:1 ratio, when the engine is running slowly at 1000 rpm, the fan is rotating at 5000 rpm. I may have to put larger set screws in the flywheel---the ones that are currently in place as per the design keep coming loose. so--that is my update for today.---Brian
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaNN2ythTwU&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


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## Brian Rupnow

I switched from the Traxxas carburetor to my own home made JAG carburetor because I know my carburetor will lift the gas up from the tank below it. So---the fan works, and the gas tank works in the position I gave on the download of the drawings. The carburetor works. I may still take a half coil off the intake valve spring. The length and strength of that intake valve spring is a very subjective thing. When the engine is brand new, the spring needs to be strong enough to lift the valve up into it's seat, but weak enough to let the valve operate under atmospheric pressure. As the engine "runs in" and the valve gets a bit looser in the guide, you can start cutting half coils off of it. The more half coils you can cut from it, the slower the engine will idle. You just have to be careful and not get too ambitious with your coil cutting. If you cut too much off the spring, then the valve isn't going to seat and the engine will blow back through the carburetor because it isn't sealing properly. I don't remove the head to do this. I just make sure that the piston is at top dead center to prevent "losing" a valve into the combustion chamber. This is very delicate work indeed, and often requires that you have three hands to do it. I have not included drawings of the fan, because the chances of you getting the same computer fan as I did are slim to none. You should be able to see enough from my solid model and my videos that you can make your own copy of it. The fan I used is 2 1/4" diameter.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dfxoA7m6qw&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


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## Herbiev

Taken a week to build a flywheel. Two flywheels actually. First one is in the bin


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## gus

Demo WinZip just expired. Have to pay and then DL Engine Prints. Gus cannot resist building this wonderful engine. But priority comes first. Today as promised will dry test DIY Electronic Ignition Power Pack to fire the 2 spark plugs and move on to start/spin Howell V-2  Engine. Gus is World Best Procrastinator.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbiev said:


> Taken a week to build a flywheel. Two flywheels actually. First one is in the bin


Herby--Thank you for the update. What material did you use for the flywheel? Bronze is horribly expensive stuff to end up "in the bin".--Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

Today you all get to look on while I address a boo-boo. The side of the flywheel which faces the engine has two #8 set screws in it to lock the flywheel in place on the crankshaft. The outer diameter of this hub, as designed, is 0.980" and the bore is 0.375". That leaves an actual wall thickness of 0.302" and reduces even farther to 0.255" over the keyway. Normally, with a #8 set screw which is 0.165" diameter. This should have worked fine, as 0.255" is just a bit more than 1.5 x the diameter of the set screw. However, because of the dynamics of this engine (mainly the weight of the flywheel I think), I can't keep the set screws tight. I tighten them to the point where any tighter would strip out the threads, run the engine for 5 minutes, and CLANK CLANK CLANK---the flywheel is loose again. Now--because there is a lot of work in that flywheel, not to mention the horrendous price of bronze or brass, we fix things. Some measuring and calculating shows that the largest diameter that hub could be is 1.180". any larger than that and the hub interferes with the #10 shcs which holds the ignition points in place. It is very difficult to machine material back onto a hub----so----We make a separate ring of steel which is 1.180" outside diameter x .9375" inside diameter x 0.310" thick. You can see it laying on the white business card on the lathe saddle. We put the reverse jaws in the chuck, grip the outer diameter of the flywheel, and carefully turn the o.d. of that hub down to .9375". Then we move the flywheel over to the mill vice, tilt the mill vice to the angle which the set screws are at, and using the drill bit which was originally used to put the holes in the hub prior to tapping as an alignment guide we position the mill quill exactly over the set screw hole. Now with the X and Y slides locked in place, we raise the head of the mill up out of the way, slather the hub with #638 Loctite, and tap the steel ring firmly into place until it seats against the web of the flywheel. I have ordered an extra long #10-24 tap, which should be here tomorrow. I will then redrill in the exact location that things are now set at for a #10-24 thread. This will let me use a larger diameter set screw and x 3/8" long. I will have to do this twice, as there are 2 set screws at 90 degrees in the hub. the first one will be easy, because I could see the set screw hole to get everything lined up. the scond one will be tricky, because with that steel ring in place, I won't be able to see the second set screw hole to line things up. I may just rotate the flywheel 90 degrees in the other direction so that my second tapped hole is going thru virgins material all the way rather than trying to locate the exact center of a hole I can not see.


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## gbritnell

Brian,
The key (if it's tight) should keep the flywheel from oscillating. The  set screws are only there to keep it from moving axially. If the present  set screws didn't hold the larger ones won't either. My suggestion  would be to put a larger key and keyway into the flywheel and shaft.  When making engines I originally started out by just using 2 set screws  at 90 degrees. I was constantly tightening the screws to the point that  the crankshaft got all messed up. I bought a set of key broaches and in  some cases used Woodruf key cutters and have had no problems since but  the fit has to be snug when installed. A flywheel as large as you have  (and heavy) should use a good sized key. Another option would be to make  your own key and put a very small taper on it (.25 degree). Install the  flywheel and line it up with the slot then insert the key and tap it  home. This type of key is used on larger engines (hit and miss types)  for that very same reason. 
gbritnell


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## Brian Rupnow

George--thank you for stopping by and having a look. I thought myself that perhaps the key should have been 1/8" square instead of the .093 square key that I used. Putting a ring on the flywheel and larger set-screws is the "easy way out" of course. If it works, then I'm good. If it doesn't work, then a larger key is my next move. This will involve removing the crankshaft, and I'm trying to avoid that if I can.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

The larger set screws have done the trick. I just ran the engine for 25 minutes and the flywheel did not loosen up. The engine did not overheat either, as the fan blows quite a powerful stream of air around the cylinder to carry heat away from the fins. I think I have reached the end of my journey, as far as this engine is concerned. I see that the plans I posted for this engine have been downloaded over 100 times, so I truly hope it will generate some new build threads, and if you want to, by all means you can post your pictures here and continue this thread if you want to. If anyone has questions, or runs into difficulty along the way during their engine &#8220;build and run cycle&#8221;, by all means ask me, either here or by private email to [email protected]. I am running a mix of 40 parts Naptha gas to one part synthetic two stroke oil as fuel, and an occasional squirt of #30 oil from a squirt can on the gears and other sliding surfaces. ---Brian
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di3_vLtd5LM&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


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## gus

*SOS  SOS  SOS *

Hi Brian.

Need your expert advice. Please advice Vertical Engine at TDC ,clearance gap between piston top and outer head. I am getting very bad compression on V-2. With my palm cylinder opening, the compression seems very low compared to your Hit and Miss Engine.


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## Herbiev

Today i finished the flywheel and crank web. Tomorrow I'll start on the head.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--That looks really good. You are making good progress. What material do you use for the flywheel?---Gus the distance between the top of the piston and the inside surface of the cylinder head is 0.240" at top dead center. My engine has an approximate 5:1 compression ratio, and amazing compression when turned by hand.---Brian


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## Herbiev

Hi Brian.  The material i used for the flywheel is cut from an old steel garage door weight that i got for free. Just over 5" diameter and around 3feet long. The outer crust is a real pig to remove but once its removed the remainder machines great. 
I got some 2" ali yesterday so this weekend i shall give the cylinder head a go.


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## DavidLloyd2

Hi Guys
          Some more progress, 
Still working on the cylinder head,


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## Brian Rupnow

David--That is a beautiful thing!!! Thank you so much for posting the pictures. That just made my day!!!--Brian


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## Herbiev

Getting the "hinky" bit done. Not a great pic but the part turned out pretty good.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--that cylinder head is the one that really takes some thought. There are a number of ways to machine that and paint yourself into a corner, where there is nothing to hold onto for the next operation.---Well done!!!----Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

Today I hunted up my laser tachometer so I could get an rpm reading off the engine. It will set and run at this speed all day, without any stalls or unsteady spots.  A blazing 630 rpm, which is quite respectable for these small one lung engines. That big flywheel is doing exactly what I had hoped it would. I also took some video of the atmospheric intake valve so you could see how little they actually move during engine operation.---Brian
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JResK7CQ_-o&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


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## GKNIPP

Brian, absolutely beautiful.  I am actually going to start on mine now, I hope.  Some life issues have gotten in the way and took priority.  I'm sorry .


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## Brian Rupnow

GKnipp--don't be sorry--Be happy!!! You are about to embark on a wonderful journey, and I'm glad to have you join me. Mr. Knipp has had some problems downloading the plans from the website which hosts them for me. Has anybody else had that problem?-Here is the link again if anyone can't find it.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/fh7wnz2d4cgt0s4/VERTICAL_CYLINDER-RUPNOW_ENGINE.zip

--Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

Folks--be Aware--The drawing titled "Vertical cylinder-Rupnow engine" is a two sheet drawing. When you print that out you may get both sheets, which is fine, or you may just get one sheet with overall dimensions on it, and wonder what happened to the general arrangement sheet with the bill of materials on it. You may have to manually manipulate that particular pdf to show and print the second sheet.---And--If you have any questions about the ignition cam, the flat is tangent to the 0.625" diameter.---Brian


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## Herbiev

A bit more progress over the weekend. A couple of valves with handles.


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## Brian Rupnow

Looking good Herbie. I see that you have skipped a step on the valves, namely the short section which I would have turned above the tapered face to ensure concentricity between the stem of the valve and the head of the valve. If you machined them in a 3 jaw chuck, which will have .001 to .003" runnout then you will not have concentricity between the stem of the valve and the outside diameter of the head. I very recently posted a thread about "Making valves for model I.C. engines" on this forum. You should have a look at it. Your valves may work as built. Once you have removed them from the 3 jaw you will never get them back in the same way, so it's too late now to put them back in and turn that additional step.---Brian


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## Herbiev

Oops. Yes i did follow your thread on building valves Brian but being my birthday weekend i must have forgotten that part. (Dissolved a few too many brain cells). The good news is that i bought two yards of 3/8" rod to allow for mishaps Rof}


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## Brian Rupnow

Happy birthday Herbie!!!


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## Brian Rupnow

Today we are making gas tanks. Not for this current engine, but for other engines I have been "robbing" parts off of. The actual "tanks" are pieces of 1 3/4" o.d. steel pipe, with a 3/8" deep counterbore in each end about 0.030" larger in diameter than the stock i.d. of the pipe. The filler necks are short sections (0.9" long) of 1/2" nominal schedule 40 pipe (0.830" o.d.) with pipe threads on both ends. (I buy 2 1/2" long pipe "nipples" at the hardware store). I leave 1/2" of full threads on the end and turn down the remaining 0.40 inches to 0.218" diameter. This turned diameter fits into a drilled 27/32" hole in the side of the tank, and is silver soldered in place. I plunge mill a shallow "flat" on the side of the tank opposite the filler neck and silver solder a piece of 1/2" diameter cold rolled steel there to act as a tank mount. The "gas caps" are turned from 1/2" threaded cast iron pipe caps.
 The aluminum end plates are first layed out on a flat piece of 3/8" plate, then center punched with a good deep punch mark, then rough sawn to shape on the bandsaw. Two of the end plates have 3/8"-16 holes drilled and tapped through them, 1/2" off the center. (they will become the "outlet" from the tanks.) The next step will be to put 2 sided carpet tape on the "non punchmark " side of the end plates, then mount them one at a time against the nose of the 3 jaw chuck with the punch mark facing outwards. My live center in the tailstock will be centered in the punchmark and locked, with considerable pressure against the plate to hold it in place. Then I take small cuts and bring the outer diameter down to about 0.005" less than the counterbore in the ends of the tank. I put a bit of plasticene into the 3/8" threads to protect them, and then J.B. weld the endplates into the tank counterbores. The centerpunch mark faces in towards the center of the tank so it is hidden in final assembly.


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## Brian Rupnow

I found that on this lathe, the 3 chuck jaws are larger in diameter at the center than the gas tank ends I wanted to turn.So--I chucked up a piece of 1 1/4" round bar, faced it, and let about 1/2" protrude from the jaws. That way, I could butt the sticky taped side of the cut out plates up against the end, and since they are just a shade under 1.5" finished diameter I was able to take consecutive cuts across the full width of the plate until I had it down to the correct diameter. I repeated this operation for each plate, then mixed up a batch of J.B. Weld, coated the edges of the 3/8 plates and pushed them into the counterbores in the pipe ends. a pair of C clamps ensure that the plates are fully seated in the counterbores, and after 24 hours I will do a bit of clean-up and put these tanks back onto the engines that the tanks were "borrowed" from.


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## Brian Rupnow

And the last of this little "build within a build" series. The gas tank ends never end up perfectly "square" in the counterbore of the main tank body.--So---After the J.B. weld has set up for 24 hours, I stick the tank body back in the 3 jaw chuck on the lathe, and take a "facing cut" across the ends of the tank. This squares everything up nicely and makes it pretty. Another feature which you can barely see, but is extremely important, is a 0.040" diameter breather hole drilled thru the center of the gas cap. That little hole has an enormous effect on how well your engine will run. The tank cap and the filler neck that it screws onto are both tapered pipe threads. Being made from iron, the cap is heavy enough that just the vibration from a running engine will make it screw itself onto the filler neck tightly enough that the tank becomes "vacuum locked" and fuel won't flow freely to the engine carburetor. This is guaranteed to make you crazy trying to figure out why your nice running engine stalls and quits intermittently for apparently no reason. I have been caught by that one enough times over the years, that I always drill my filler caps when I make them.


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## Herbiev

Todays effort is making the con rod. I have ordered a block of aluminum 6"x5" x2". From that I should get a cylinder mounting plate and a frame. Also ordered 4" of 55mm cast iron for the piston.


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## Brian Rupnow

Very nice Herbie--I've been watching all week for updates.---Brian


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## Herbiev

And a couple more fiddly bits done over the weekend. I find this hobby 90% setting up and measuring, leaving about 10% for actual machining. All good fun. 
My cast iron and block of aluminum should arrive today so heaps to keep me busy this week


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## Brian Rupnow

Last week I realized that I had made no provision for a pulley on this engine, and that as a consequence, it couldn't work for a living. Now, that's just not right!!! All of my engines have to do a bit of work. I won't have any free-loaders setting around on my shelves. I don't have a lot of things for my engines to drive. Let me see, I've got the generating station, made from an old bicycle dynamo, I have the slinky machine, but it's getting pretty old and tired. I have the single acting lever pump, the sawmill, the buzz-saw, and the log splitter.--I like to suit the "work" to the size of the engine, and since this is quite a powerful engine, I decided to let it earn it's keep lifting 5/8" steel balls on my "Jacobs Ladder", driving thru my cone clutch. The distance between the three different "stations" is dictated by the lengths of rubber O-rings that I have available. They make excellent "drive belts". I had to move the engine inboard, away from the edge of the table to get all the pulleys to line up, so I put a couple of 1/8" parallels under the engine to give a bit of clearance for the o-ring that goes around the flywheel. Now that I know that the engine can "earn it's keep" doing some honest work, it will soon be dismounted, cleaned up, and retire to live out the rest of it's days on one of the shelves in my office. (Which are all getting terribly crowded from six years of engine building). I'm looking for updates from builders out there. I know where Herbie in Australia and David Lloyd in New Zealand and Mark from Virginia are on there builds, but I have lost track of everybody else. Please post an update to show the current state of your builds.--I'm curious.----Brian
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK1RvOyPaug&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


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## Herbiev

Great video Brian. I love the idea of " no freeloaders "


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## Cogsy

No progress for me to report unfortunately. I'm stalled out halfway through building the carb and it's doubtful I'll get even a day in the shed for the next 8 weeks or so, then it'll hopefully be full steam ahead until I get it finished.


----------



## Herbiev

Hi Brian. Im having a bit of trouble with the cylinder mount plate. The cam gear slot appears as 1.57" from the end on the top dwg and 1.25" on the bottom dwg. Just wondering if the 1.57" is for the .625 c'bore hole.
I am a bit new at this so perhaps I'm just reading the plan wrong.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Herbiev said:


> Hi Brian. Im having a bit of trouble with the cylinder mount plate. The cam gear slot appears as 1.57" from the end on the top dwg and 1.25" on the bottom dwg. Just wondering if the 1.57" is for the .625 c'bore hole.
> I am a bit new at this so perhaps I'm just reading the plan wrong.



Herbie--On my drawing, it shows 1.57" to the centerline of the counterbore for the pushrod guide in the top picture, and 1.25" to the center of the gear clearance slot in both the top picture and the bottom picture. As a general "rule" the numeric value of a dimension line will be found above the dimension line, or to the right or left side of the dimension lines, or between the dimension lines if the dimension arrows are "flipped" to the outside of the extension lines as is the case with the 1.570" dimension, but never below the dimension line.---Brian


----------



## Herbiev

Oops. My mistake. . Thanks for clearing that up Brian. Living " down under" we got to read all the plans upside down. Rof}Rof}
With a bit of luck i shall post the finished product by the end of the day.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie---It gets very confusing, doesn't it. Earlier this summer, I drew up 40 or 50 drawings of a shaper for a gentleman in Australia, who came originally from England. He provided me with all the finished sketches to work from. Only problem was that all of his sketches were first angle projection, as he had been trained in England. I have always worked with 3rd angle projection. I found that although his sketches were very well done, I had a terrible time reading his drawings, for to me, all of his projected views were "backwards". This caused me more than a few puzzled moments when I was trying to redo his work in cad.---Brian


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## Herbiev

So far i have been able to follow your plans without too much trouble at all. Im learning as i go along. The big test will be this weekend when i tackle the block of ali for the frame. Having a great time building this engine and sure appreciate all the time and effort you have put into this project.


----------



## gus

Brian Rupnow said:


> Herbie---It gets very confusing, doesn't it. Earlier this summer, I drew up 40 or 50 drawings of a shaper for a gentleman in Australia, who came originally from England. He provided me with all the finished sketches to work from. Only problem was that all of his sketches were first angle projection, as he had been trained in England. I have always worked with 3rd angle projection. I found that although his sketches were very well done, I had a terrible time reading his drawings, for to me, all of his projected views were "backwards". This caused me more than a few puzzled moments when I was trying to redo his work in cad.---Brian



Hi Brian,
Gus was trained by British Lecturers drafting and later working 32 years with Ingersoll-Rand,had no trouble to read/work with US Prints. I must be the odd engineer. Fortunately I somehow built your H&M Engine with no problem. But with the V-2 engine ,I fumbled with the mirror image Carbs.Made two right hand carbs and had a tough time making the left hand carb. Now about to head home after a great time in Thailand. 
Have great plans to get V-2 to spin.


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## Herbiev

Todays effort was carving the little block of ali.  Tomorrow I'll make a start on the big block.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--that looks great. Do you have a source for the gears? Gus--I wish you luck with your Howell V2--Gordon seems to be having problems similar to yours with his build. I suggested that he get in touch with you and compare notes.---That "mirror image" and "opposite hand" stuff has fooled a lot of people over the years. The place where I did my apprenticeship built a lot of conveyors and aggregate processing plants. Many of the discharge chutes were right and left hand. We used to draw the "right hand" chute, and add a note to the drawing which said "Make one chute as shown, make one chute opposite hand".  There were so many screw ups in the fab shop that eventually we had to fully draw and dimension the right hand chute, and then also draw and dimension the left hand chute. It took twice as long to do this in the engineering office (and yes folks, we are talking olden days, pencil and paper work) but it saved a great deal more by preventing screwed up chute-work in the fabrication shop. Another "shortcut" we used to take was to draw half a chute (which could be very complex when you had bolted in liner plates) and put a note on the centerline which said "symmetrical about centerline". After a few of our outside vendors built half chutes for us, we were no longer allowed to do that in the drafting office. We had to draw and dimension the whole chute.--- Brian


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## Herbiev

Not sure about thr gears Brian. I shall probably buy them from the link you suggested. Even with the high cost of postage, it will still be cheaper than buyin them here in Oz


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## DavidLloyd2

http://www.beltingonline.com/gears-...rial-4-to-32dp-376/spur-gears-24dp-steel-424/

Herbiev 
This is a good supplier for gears
I recommend them,


DavidLloyd,


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## Herbiev

Thanks David. I might give them a try. But shipping from the UK to Oz could still be a bit pricey. Meanwhile I thought I would make a start on the cylinder. 
First i faced then drilled with a 25 millimetre drill. 25

mm drill. 



Next went through with a 1" reamer
Oops. Pics came out in the wrong order but you get the idea


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## mjonkman

Herbiev, I was just looking at the cylinder mount plate and wondering if you made the same little mistake I made on my first attempt. On one side the cap screw holes seem closer to the edge then the other - perhaps an optical illusion. On my first attempt I mis-entered 1.440 distance between hole centers when moving from one side to the other - I had entered 1.400 instead. I alluded to a mistake in my build thread but was too embarrassed to state it outright  Course I had already made the frame so I was kind of had to make a new cylinder mount plate. If its not just an illusion then at least you have a recovery point by drilling the holes to match in the frame. 

At the rate your going your gonna be done months ahead of me.


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## Herbiev

Not sure what happened here  Mjonkman. The holes are in the right position bu the countersinks are off. I suspect an incorrectly sharpened countersink bit


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--that shouldn't happen. Doesn't your counterbore tool have a pilot on the end of it to keep it centered in the hole?


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## Brian Rupnow

Hey David Lloyd--Can we please have a progress update? Based on the speed which you were building, you must be almost finished.---Brian


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## Herbiev

Hi Brian. Unfortunately i just used a normal drill for counter boring. I can now see why conter boring tools were invented. They are now on my shopping list for next pension day :wall:
Meanwhile i just finished the cylinder and although the grooves seem uneven in the picture, its just an illusion by the camera. Although one groove is just slightly wider than the rest. 



Today i shall make a start on the frame. With rain forecast for most of the day it will be a good day to spend in the workshop.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie---Looking really good!! The problem with using drills as a counterbore tool (other than the one you've found already) is that they don't leave a flat bottom in the counterbored hole. This means that the underside of a socket head capscrew will only have a "line contact" with the bottom of the hole. Although that doesn't matter a whole lot with these small engines, on larger items if you do that and then torque the bolt down hard, the aluminum will eventually "cold flow" and the bolt will loosen up, which could cause a disaster. By the way--holes which have parallel sides like the ones you have put in to bury the head of a socket head capscrew are called counterbores. Holes which have sloping sides, either 82 degrees or 90 degrees to bury the heads of flat head capscrews are called "countersinks".


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## Herbiev

Just checked out countebores here in Oz as they seem to be an essential tool but the price was a bit of a shock. 
https://zoxoro.com.au/Products/Indu...2-Sizes.html?gclid=CJXr8Oze584CFcQHvAodS14HFQ
At least the shipping is free.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--that is FAR too much money. Let me see what I would have to pay in Canada. Okay--Here is a set from Travers tools that sells a seven piece set for $234 Canadian funds. At the current exchange rate that would be $237.50 Australian. You can buy the seven piece set, or you can buy them individually, but probably the set will be cheaper overall.
http://www.traverscanada.com/7-piece-3-flute-solid-cap-screw-counterbore-sets/p/92464/


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## Cogsy

Here's a cheaper set Herbie - looks to be exactly what I've got (which work fine)but in a more colourful box. Still pricey but better than what you've found http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/M3381.

Edit to add - I see they don't have a shop in S.A. but pretty sure they do shipping. If not I could always pick up a set locally and post them to you.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--the only thing that I might add in relation to counterbores, is to try and find them with .010" to .020" clearance. That number refers to the size of hole you have drilled for the capscrew. On small capscrews you very seldom drill the clearance hole greater than .010" to .015" larger than the bolt. Then if you have a counterbore tool that is sold as "1/32" clearance, the pilot won't fit into the bolt hole.---Brian


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## mjonkman

I have a set of counterbores on my wish list as well. My current solution is to use a center cutting endmill to counterbore the holes as needed using a straight  plunge cut after drilling the clearance hole for the screw. So far it has worked well, though one gets a ton of birds nests of aluminum shavings. The bigger counterbore on that cylinder support piece I had to stop and clear the birds nest about 3 times :-( But at least it gave me a flat bottom on the hole. 

I can usually get <$100 purchases past my wife without her really noticing. But once it gets up towards $200 I have to start treading really lightly because it can get real messy really fast and she has one heck of a memory for said purchases.

Sincerely
Mark R. Jonkman


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## Brian Rupnow

Heads up builders---The two cylinder head bolts that fit into the holes on the sloping side of the head--make sure that they aren't too long. I just noticed today that on my engine those two bolts were too long and had actually bent the third fin down from the top of the cylinder. Considering that the cylinder is all made from cast iron, I'm lucky the cooling fin didn't break.


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## DavidLloyd2

Brian Rupnow said:


> Hey David Lloyd--Can we please have a progress update? Based on the speed which you were building, you must be almost finished.---Brian



Brian.
        not to much progress to show in the last two weeks,
I sold my model (4.5") scale  Steam Roller and ride on trailer   so have spent the two weeks getting a new boiler certificate and making a new ride on trailer 
has been keeping me busy.

I will be back  on the vertical I.C. engine this coming Monday and will post progress next week,

Thanks Brian.

DavidLloyd,


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## Brian Rupnow

Love the steamroller!!!


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## Herbiev

Thanks for all the replies regarding the counterbores. I shall drop a few hints for " Father's Day "


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## mjonkman

Brian

Going over the drawings again this morning trying to locate the viton o-ring that I will need to order and noticed that it wasn't (or I failed to find it) on the assembly drawing bill of materials. You do mention the 1/16" cross section viton o-ring on the piston drawing. Thought I'd mention it since it would be nice to have it on the bill of materials as well. Some additional information on it might also be warranted as the choice of Viton O-rings at say McMaster-Caar seems like there are 10 different choices with various properties. I'm assuming the best choice there would be Abrasion-Resistant Viton Fluoroelastomer o-ring - but should it be 7/8" ID, 1" OD or should it be slightly bigger to create a tighter more compressed fit. As a first time internal combustion engine builder and not all that familiar with o-ring specifications I kinda am scratching my head on what to order.

The other thing I noticed and perhaps this has long since been corrected but it would be nice to have the 2 screw holes for mounting the gas tank support arm shown on the frame drawing. I see mention of it in the assembly drawing but not on the frame drawing. I might have wanted to drill and tap those when building the frame if it made no difference to the final outcome. Or is it meant sort of figure out where the individual creating the engine might want it to get more or less height on the fuel tank? 

Forgot this was a long weekend coming up so hopefully I get to work on the engine for a couple of days. 

I don't plan on ordering today from McMaster so no rush on the o-ring question, I just keep a shopping list active on McMaster's site so that when I'm ready to order its already sitting in the basket vs trying to find the scrap of paper I put somewhere with the list. So I thought I'd add it to the list while I thought of it.


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## Brian Rupnow

The o-ring is a Viton ring nominal 1/16" cross section (which actually measures about 0.070") x 7/8" i.d. x 1.00" o.d., brown in colour. I can't give you any more information than that, because that is the only information I ever used to buy one from my o-ring supplier. As far as the threaded holes for the gas tank support arm are concerned, that is one of those things where you make the gas tank support bracket as per the drawing, (It does have two counterbored holes for #8 shcs.), then use the dimension on the "assembly Drawing" sheet-1 of 3.93" from the base of the engine up to the top of the bracket and use your transfer punch to mark thru to establish the location for the #8-32 threads. Please keep in mind that as I was designing/building this engine, I didn't know where some of the threaded bolt holes were going to be located until I had actually built the parts and tried the gas tank at different heights and found the height at which the engine would run best.


----------



## mjonkman

Thanks Brian.

I'll go with the abrasion resistance one since it says meant for use in cylinders (probably hydraulic).


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## Herbiev

Not much progress to show. Spent two days carving a block of ali into a frame. Very slow going but im reasonably happy with results so far


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## Brian Rupnow

I always seem to have trouble at the point where the large radius transitions into a flat. I always end up having to do more file work there to make it look right than I should have to.


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## Herbiev

And after today we have a piston.


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## Brian Rupnow

Looking good Herbie. You are almost getting close enough to start assembly of the larger pieces. Are you converting to metric as you go along, or building in Imperial (inch)?


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## Herbiev

Its a bit of a mixture here regarding metric/ imperial Brian. Bright mild steel rod is mainly available in imperial but bolts and cap screws are mainly available as metric. Its all a matter of what's available and converting as i go. The actual machining i prefer metric, so when a dimension says 0.313 i just open the digital calipers to that amount and hit the mm/inches button. Although back in my school days everything was in inches , feet and yards etc i dont have any engineering background so mils and thou are still a bit of a mystery to me.


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## Brian Rupnow

GKnipp--Question---are you working on this engine?


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## Herbiev

My goal for this week is to make the carby. Looks pretty fiddly and complicated to a novice like myself but will give it a try.


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## Brian Rupnow

I see that my vertical engine has won the "Project of the Month" for September. I feel greatly honored by this, even if they have spelled my name wrong.--(I'm sure they will fix that as soon as they see the email I sent them.)---Brian


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## Shelton

It's fixed.  Thanks for the message.
(spell check on Labor Day holiday having a cook out).


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## Brian Rupnow

When you go to build the carburetor, that inlet cone on the main body, (that for some perfectly weird reason is dimensioned at 15.77 degrees included angle) isn't all that terribly critical, at least not to two decimal places. If you have a very small boring tool, then you can simply set your topslide over to 8 degrees and bore the taper after the 0.195 diameter thru-hole has been put in. On the other hand, if you don't have a very small boring tool you can build a D-bit like the one in the attached drawing. (which is what I did). There is a little story behind this. I first paid good money for a tapered spiral reamer with a 16 degree included angle to use for this operation. In the process of posting about it, I was warned by Gail from New Mexico that a tapered spiral reamer would "grab" and taking advantage of any backlash in the leadscrew nut would pull itself very deeply into the work. I decided to try this on a test piece of aluminum with a 0.195" hole in it. Gail was right. As soon as it started to cut, it grabbed and pulled itself into the work so badly that it stalled the lathe. so---I built this D bit to do the job, and it worked like a charm. The one critical thing on that carburetor body is that the taper must stop before it reaches the 0.394" center bore of the carburetor. There must be at least some of the 0.195" diameter hole between the end of the taper and that .394" thru-hole, otherwise the carburetor won't work right.


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Congrats Brian for the project of the month,

David Lloyd,


----------



## Herbiev

Made a start on the carby body. Started with some 1" round drilled centre and turned a couple of spigots down to .591". Then onto the mill to machine the square part to .591". 



Then after a day of machining we have


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Okay, all of you Canadian guys!!--I'm not just another pretty face. I just got my copy of the October/November "Our Canada" magazine, and a couple of my "Short stories" appear on page 62, titled "Grandpa has a blast". They got it mostly right except the very last paragraph. This is one of the first "non technical" articles that I have had published.---Brian


----------



## Brian Rupnow

For those of you who are toiling away on this build, I have a bit of advice for setting up the carburetor to run the engine. For an initial setting, open the needle valve one full turn. Set the throttle to about 1/4 of the way open. If you are lucky enough to have the engine start and run (hope--hope---) then let the engine warm up. Try screwing the needle valve in or out SLOWLY until the engine seems to be running at it's best. Back the throttle off until the engine is running at a medium idle, and set the idle adjustment screw so it prevents the throttle from closing any farther. At his point, you can start adjusting the air bleed screw. You will find that there will be a point of adjustment on the air bleed screw where the engine begins to rev faster. When this happens, adjust the idle adjustment screw to slow the engine down to it's original idle speed. Keep adjusting the air bleed screw until it doesn't change the engine rpm any farther, and lock it down there. I used the springs out of a pair of ball point pens and slipped them over both the idle adjustment screw and the air bleed screw, (captured under the head of the screws) to keep the screws from vibrating out of position. You will find that you probably have to cut the springs to the correct length.


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## Herbiev

Thanks Brian. Im still working on the carby. Ver fiddly little thing but getting there slowly.


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Not much  but  some progress to show ,

DavidLloyd,


----------



## Brian Rupnow

David--beautiful pictures, great work!! Thank you very much for posting.---Brian


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## Herbiev

It has taken me a week but i finally finished my first carby.


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## Brian Rupnow

There is a lot of "fiddly bits" in one of those "simple" carburetors. Why are the top and bottom plates bigger than the carburetor body?-----Brian


----------



## Herbiev

The heads of 3 mm shcs are bigger than 4-40 screws so im a bit undecided how to overcome this problem. All suggestions welcome.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--I thought that might be the case. When I run up against something like that, I generally turn down the head of the socket head set screw.  (Many places I would be shot for suggesting that) as long as the amount of turn-down doesn't break into the socket for the wrench. Mind you, the carburetor will work fine just as it is.---Brian


----------



## Brian Rupnow

David Lloyd--what is your plan for the gears? I see that Herbie got his made with Bazmaks help.---Brian


----------



## bazmak

Try using an M3 button hd and turn down the head as brian suggests
Smaller allan key so more meat to remove and it scales better
I have some nice S/S ones if you want to bob round


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## Herbiev

Todays effort saw the completion of the exhaust cam 



And here's a pic of progress so far.


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## Brian Rupnow

Looks sensational Herbie!!! You will find that after you have the gas tank finished and installed, that you will want to turn the carburetor 90 degrees from the way you currently have it. (See the position in one of my videos of this engine). The reason being, that any fuel left in the carburetor will run down the threads of the needle valve and drip--drip--drip after you shut the engine off. It is almost impossible to arrange the threads on the carburetor so that everything lines up exactly as you want them to, just as the threads tighten up. The answer to that is to first determine exactly how you want the carburetor to set, then unscrew it enough to put 1 or 2 drops of Loctite 638 on the threads and then position the carb the way you want it to be. After an hour, the carb will be locked in place, the threads will be sealed by the Loctite so they don't leak, and yet if you need to remove the carb after the fact a wrench will break the Loctite bond very easily without using any heat.


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Brian---I purchase my gears from the U.K.  Beltingonline.com  I have had lots of gears and gear racks from them and been pleased with them. I have made the cam.  
Next step is to lap the valves and gears in,

DavidLloyd


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Thank you, David. As near as I can tell, three people are currently building the engine. You, Herbie in Australia, and Mark Jonkman in USA, and you are all at about the same stage of development. I find this very exciting.---Brian


----------



## Blogwitch

A bit late, but here is a decent set of counterbores at a very good price. It is also very easy to make exact sized guide pins if you are working in imperial.

If you can't afford sets such as these, then milling cutters do a very good job, but don't give an exactly flat bottom, but for jobs such as this, that doesn't really matter.

http://www.amadeal.co.uk/acatalog/2...unterbore-Set-AMA_CT_HIPC02101SZJ.html#SID=54

John


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## Brian Rupnow

I have counterbores for #4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 1/4" shcs. One of them (and I can't remember which one right now) has an exceptionally large pilot. Every time I have to use it, I tell myself I am going to set it up in the lathe and grind the pilot down, but so far I have never remembered to. I have made up an aluminum block which fits into my quick change toolpost to hold my pneumatic grinder for jobs like that.--Maybe tomorrow----


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Today I set up a scrap piece of aluminum in the mill vice, and drilled the recommended size clearance holes for #4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 1/4" and 5/16" socket head cap screws, then tried all of my counterbore tools. The 1/4" and the 5/16" both had oversize pilots on them and wouldn't fit cleanly into the drilled clearance holes. (I didn't know when I bought them 6 or7 years ago that they even were available with different sized pilots.)  Since I don't have a tool post grinder for my lathe, I did the next best thing----Improvise!!! This is NOT a recommendation that anyone else do it this way. This is simply what I done. I have a home-made mount for my pneumatic die grinder which fits in my quick change toolpost, with a 3" abrasive cut-off wheel. I was not looking for a high degree of accuracy here, simply a way of reducing the oversize pilots to a size that would fit into the drilled clearance hole in the aluminum, and keeping them concentric with the cutter o.d.    I laid a piece of cardboard on the lathe ways to protect them, then with the lathe running at 200 rpm and the pneumatic grinder at ? rpm (medium fast), I took successive .005" deep cuts over the full length of the pilot (being very careful to not let the cut-off wheel touch the cutting edges of the actual counterbore tool). After each cut, I tried the aluminum bar with the hole in it to see if the pilot would fit into the hole. Not very scientific, but it worked well.


----------



## Herbiev

Found a length of tubing the specified size for the gas tank so decided to make a start on it while im waiting for the crankshaft bearings


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Thank you for the update Herbie.--I've been checking daily.-----Brian


----------



## Herbiev

A little more progress on the gas tank


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Looking good Herbie!! I just got an update from Mark Jonkman this morning also. He is attempting to cast his own bronze flywheel.---Brian


----------



## Herbiev

Another day of playing in the workshop and we have a gas tank mount. I've run out of 3/4" al so as a temporary measure I'm using 1/2" plate.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Progress is progress, Herbie. Non of those parts are really exciting, but they are all needed for the engine to work. Keep up the good work!!!


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Progress for this week,

DavidLloyd


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Wow, David!!!---that's a beauty!! You are getting very close.----Brian


----------



## Herbiev

Looking good. Yours will be running before mine I suspect


----------



## DavidLloyd2

I don't know Herbie you are doing pretty good,
Its springtime and lots of outside work to do,

DavidLloyd,


----------



## doubletop

DavidLloyd2 said:


> I don't know Herbie you are doing pretty good,
> Its springtime and lots of outside work to do,
> 
> DavidLloyd,



Dave

We need to have that conversation about ignition systems that we started on Wednesday.

Pete


----------



## DavidLloyd2

YES we do
MiniMag  Co have one?

DavidLloyd


----------



## Herbiev

Where can one get the Chrysler points from ?? Not having much luck in the auto shops in Oz.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--Those points were used on 1960 to 1973 Dodges, 1959 to 1972 Plymouths, and 1961 to 1972 Chryslers. they should be a stock item in just about any auto parts store.


----------



## Herbiev

Still shopping around for a set of points. After a bit of searching I think these points have different titles such as CS851, A110V, A110P, CH14VT so will try again today


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--it is A110P that you want. The condenser is G120P


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Cogsy--Are you still there? Are you so busy in academia that you have no time for engine building?


----------



## Cogsy

Brian Rupnow said:


> Cogsy--Are you still there? Are you so busy in academia that you have no time for engine building?


 
Unfortunately that is the case Brian. I just lost 2 weeks of semester to attend a research conference so I'm struggling like mad to catch back up, while trying to keep on top of my research as well. Another 4 weeks of semester then a couple of weeks of revision/exams then I'll be on summer break and back to some serious engine building. The plan is a running Rupnow Vertical by Christmas.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Cogsy--Glad to see you're still on board.--Brian:thumbup::thumbup:


----------



## Herbiev

Found a set of points and everything lines up very well. The condenser specified is proving hard to come by. I was going to try a 470nF polyester capacitor rated at 630 Volts. I figured it's only there as a spark quench device. Perhaps some of the electronics brains could comment on it's viability.


----------



## joco-nz

DavidLloyd2 said:


> I don't know Herbie you are doing pretty good,
> Its springtime and lots of outside work to do,
> 
> DavidLloyd,



Saturday's looking to be wet David.  Sounds like good inside hobby time to me. :thumbup:


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Those points should work fine. I think any automotive condenser for a 12 volt system will work fine for you.


----------



## Herbiev

Just need to get a coil and a battery and I'll be ready to start the little beastie up


----------



## mjonkman

Looking real good Herb your definitely miles ahead of me. If the weather holds and I get my code to run I might get to take the afternoon off and give casting the fly wheel another go.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--you have created a beautiful thing!! I can hardly wait to see it run. Your work looks a lot like mine did 6 years ago. I always wondered how people like George Britnell and Bill Lindsay ever got such beautiful finishes on their milled parts. Then I discovered the secret of laying a piece of 180 grit carborundum paper on the cast surface of my wood saw table, and rubbing the milled surfaces back and forth on it. It makes all the difference in the world.


----------



## Herbiev

Thanks Mark and Brian. And good luck with casting the flywheel Mark. Hope all goes well.


----------



## Cogsy

Good luck Herbie! Can't beat that 'first-start' feeling...


----------



## Parksy

Cogsy said:


> Good luck Herbie! Can't beat that 'first-start' feeling...



Agreed!! I wanted to tell everyone when I got my first pop and saw the flywheel gain momentum.

Looking forward to the running video.


----------



## Herbiev

Tried to start it up but no go. It didn't seem to suck in any fuel so I took a couple of turns off the intake Spring but still no go. The o ring I got was a bit small so I've just ordered some larger ones to see if that helps.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

The engine turns clockwise when the flywheel is facing you. Try choking it with your finger over the air intake---that will get fuel flowing up the tube to the carburetor. Your needle valve should be open about 2 turns initially.


----------



## Herbiev

Hi Brian. The flywheel is going clockwise and even with my finger over the intake the fuel doesn't seem to move. I shall strip it down this weekend and see if there is anything obvious that stands out. I have ordered some new O rings as the existing one was a very poor fit but the only one available locally.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Pull the head off, put your hand tightly over the top of the cylinder, and turn the flywheel by hand. You should be able to feel lots of compression. If you can not feel the compression, then it is your ring. If you can feel the compression, then your valves are not sealing.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

One other easily overlooked thing Herbie--you have to have a vent hole in the gas tank cap. If you don't, then there is not enough suction at the carb to "pull a vacuum".


----------



## Herbiev

Oops. Thanks Brian. I completely forgot about that. I shall remedy that and keep you posted.


----------



## Herbiev

I drilled a breather hole but still no go. Fuel sits in the tube but doesn't move even with my finger over the inlet on the carby.


----------



## Parksy

Have you tried blocking the exhaust port while the engine is on the intake stroke? This would indicate a leaking exhaust valve.


----------



## Herbiev

Thanks Parksy. I shall try that today.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

So---what's happening? I'm still waiting for the first pops of a running engine.


----------



## dalem9

Very nice work !


----------



## Herbiev

I have ordered some viton O rings but won't receive them until early to mid November. Hopefully that will solve my problems.


----------



## Cogsy

That's a long time to wait for O-rings. If you've got a local bearing supply shop (like CBC or SKF, etc.) they've likely got them on the shelf, or at least can get them in very quickly.


----------



## Herbiev

Thanks Cogsy. I did buy from CBC bearings but the only O ring that was close, ended up being a fraction too big and I sheared a bit off the outside of the ring when I inserted it into the cylinder.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--When you try to put a piston with the ring on it into the cylinder, you should use lots of 30 or 40 weight lubricating oil on the cylinder and on the ring and piston. If it is possible to insert the piston from the bottom of the cylinder, then you should machine a slight tapered lead in at the bottom of the cylinder and polish the entry to break any sharp edges with some 200 grit carborundum paper  while the cylinder is still in the lathe. If you have to insert the piston from the top of the cylinder, where a tapered lead is not acceptable, then at least break the sharp edge at the top of the cylinder bore with a bit of 200 grit carborundum paper. you can't just push the piston straight in, or you get the results you have already seen----shearing the outer diameter off of the ring and ruining it. It is a bit of an art.---I always make it a point to have the connecting rod attached to the wrist pin in the piston to use as a "handle". Insert the piston from the bottom of the cylinder, and "wiggle" it a bit as you try to get the ringed area into the cylinder bore. ---Brian


----------



## Herbiev

Thanks Brian. Some good logical information there. I guess, being a novice, I am falling for all the little traps out there.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Herbie---that's called "paying your dues". There is so much to this small engine building that you could never learn it all from a book. You learn by building them. If/when you get this engine to run, you will immediately start looking for another engine to build.


----------



## DavidLloyd2

A small up date
I still have to install a set of points and condenser and look for a coil,

DavidLloyd,


----------



## Brian Rupnow

DavidLloyd--that is a spectacular looking engine. I am still waiting for the first person building this engine to have a runner.---Brian


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Herbie---Have you got your O-rings yet?


----------



## Herbiev

Not yet Brian. Estimated delivery is from the first to mid November. Really hoping they come this week.


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Herbie,
 If you can send me a private messages with your address I will mail you two of them for free,

DavidLloyd,


----------



## doubletop

DavidLloyd2 said:


> A small up date
> I still have to install a set of points and condenser and look for a coil,
> 
> DavidLloyd,



Dave

Another great job

We still need to catch up on ignition for you. In the meantime head off to the scrap yard and get hold of  a plug mounted ignition coil that fits directly on the plug. The one I use comes from a Subaru but that's the the way ignition is done these days so there should be plenty to choose from. They are compact and easy to get to work, including if you want to use a hall effect switch instead of points. 

Pete


----------



## Herbiev

P. M. Sent. Many thanks David.


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Brian Rupnow said:


> DavidLloyd--that is a spectacular looking engine. I am still waiting for the first person building this engine to have a runner.---Brian



Brian,
Disaster  happen on my small I.C. engine.  I had it running   a bit rough but running   and then  Disaster  I dropped the intake valve  that small pin came out of its keeper and the valve dropped down into the cylinder,

DavidLloyd,


----------



## bruedney

At least it ran Dave

Shouldn't take too long to make a new valve.

Thanks for the tour yesterday and also the blocks of CI

Cheers
Bruce


----------



## joco-nz

Dave - in your capable hands I'm sure you'll have sorted pretty soon.

Like Bruce, thanks heaps for the tour, awesome shop and a setup to aspire to but likely many years in the future.  :thumbup:

Cheers,
James.


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Bruce and James,
Your welcome for The tour,

The worst thing was loosing the intake valve spring that I had working so good.
Will make a new valve and spring plus a new pin,
DavidLloyd,


----------



## Brian Rupnow

David--seems like you are going to be the first person with a runner. Really looking forward to it. If you get a video up, please mail me the link to it so I can see it run. Videos no longer work for me on this forum and I can't figure out how to fix it.---Brian


----------



## Herbiev

Hopefully not far behind you David. Keeping a close watch on the mail but alas, just bills and no O rings yet.


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Herbie,
           Hopefully tomorrow,
DavidLloyd,


----------



## mjonkman

You guys are making me jealous. Probably won't be until Thanksgiving before I get to go back into shop. Last week of Nov for those not in USA.


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Brian Rupnow said:


> David--seems like you are going to be the first person with a runner. Really looking forward to it. If you get a video up, please mail me the link to it so I can see it run. Videos no longer work for me on this forum and I can't figure out how to fix it.---Brian



Brian,
I have a runner. and will get a video up tomorrow,
DavidLloyd,


----------



## bruedney

DavidLloyd2 said:


> Brian,
> I have a runner. and will get a video up tomorrow,
> DavidLloyd,



Woohoo :thumbup:


----------



## mjonkman

Congrats on getting it running David!


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Thanks Mark.
                    Video will be up shortly,
DavidLloyd,


----------



## Brian Rupnow

I get a message saying 'this video is not available".---Brian


----------



## mjonkman

I get this video is private.

Mark


----------



## bruedney

DavidLloyd2 said:


> https://youtu.be/CFOfCsg4Jb8
> Hope this works,



Hi Dave

You need to set the video to be public for us to view it. On the Youtube page for your video there should be a pencil icon just below the Play arrow. 

In there is a drop down field to the right of the title. It probably says "Private" at the moment. Change this to public.

Cheers

Bruce


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Thanks Bruce,
Try this:https://youtu.be/u6JN7mud3AU


----------



## Herbiev

Congratulations David. It looks and sounds great.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

AND---DAVID LLOYD2 has the second operating Rupnow Vertical engine!!  Hurray for David Lloyd!!!---Great stuff, congratulations.---Brian


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Thanks Herbie,
I got there in the end,

I still have to tidy it up a bit and will post a better video,

Did you get the O-Rings yet?,

DavidLloyd,


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Thanks Brian,
That video of the engine  was running on fuel from my chain saw  two-stroke fuel possibly to much oil,

Thanks again,
DavidLloyd,


----------



## Brian Rupnow

David--that type of engine, where the crankshaft and camshaft bearings are not dependant on oil from the fuel, is very tolerant of oil mix ratio. The engine never really gets hot enough to burn the oil, so it just spits it out the exhaust pipe in droplets and makes a big mess. As long as there is some oil to lubricate the inside of the cylinder so the ring doesn't wear, the engine will be happy. I find that a 40:1 or even 50:1 ratio seems to supply enough oil, and mostly eliminates the mess coming out of the exhaust pipe.


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Brian Rupnow said:


> David--that type of engine, where the crankshaft and camshaft bearings are not dependant on oil from the fuel, is very tolerant of oil mix ratio. The engine never really gets hot enough to burn the oil, so it just spits it out the exhaust pipe in droplets and makes a big mess. As long as there is some oil to lubricate the inside of the cylinder so the ring doesn't wear, the engine will be happy. I find that a 40:1 or even 50:1 ratio seems to supply enough oil, and mostly eliminates the mess coming out of the exhaust pipe.



Thanks Brian,

DavidLloyd,


----------



## Cogsy

Congrats, runs great. I'm counting the days til I can back to working on mine. For your video link, you need to use the one where youtube is not split (not youtu.be) and that has the word 'watch' in it. Then just post it in your thread and it will display properly.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6JN7mud3AU&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


----------



## bruedney

Well done David

Looks and sound great

Bruce


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Bruce
        Thanks for that,
         Will you be next?
DavidLloyd,


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Cogsy 
         Thanks for that and good luck with yours,
DavidLloyd,


----------



## bruedney

DavidLloyd2 said:


> Bruce
> Thanks for that,
> Will you be next?
> DavidLloyd,


Not likely to be next but hopefully by end of the year.

Bruce


----------



## doubletop

Nice one Dave. I  must come round for a cuppa some time soon

Now you just need to finish that Lynx...

.... and the Hoglet (or did I miss that?)

Pete


----------



## Roboguy

Congrats David, looks and sounds fantastic! 

Cheers 
James Fitzsimons


----------



## DavidLloyd2

James,
           Thanks for that,
DavidLloyd,


----------



## Herbiev

Well I have installed the new O rings kindly supplied by David Lloyd but although I am getting a good spark the engine does not want to start. Is there some sort of check list I can follow to fix the problem?


----------



## Brian Rupnow

As said before--Pull the head off, put the heel of your hand over the top of the cylinder, and rotate the crank with your other hand on the flywheel. If the ring is sealing properly, it will be very difficult to turn the engine over with your hand sealing the compression completely. If that proves that the ring is sealing properly, then it almost certainly means that your valves are leaking. A test that I have made in the past, out of sheer desperation is to make up a dummy sparkplug with a hollow center that you can slip a rubber tube over. Make sure the engine is in the position it would be in with piston at top dead center, ready to fire, and submerge the whole engine in a bucket of clear water and blow your guts out on the other end of that rubber tube. If the exhaust valve is leaking you will get a stream of bubbles coming out of the exhaust pipe. If the intake valve is leaking you will get a stream of bubbles coming out of the carburetor. If the head gasket is bad, you will see bubbles escaping around the sides of the  head. Make absolutely certain that when the exhaust valve is not up on the cam that there is .005" to .010" clearance between the rocker arm and the valve stem. 99% of first time engine builders who have the problem of the engine not starting have leaking valves. The engine absolutely must have compression to start. Is it sucking up fuel now when you try and start it? Is it firing at all? try some "quick start" ether sprayed into the carb while turn the engine over with your drill. HAVE YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER NEARBY!!! Put your mouth over the inlet spout of your gas tank and blow as hard as you can---does that make the fuel rise up in the line to your carburetor.---that little test shows that you do indeed have a clear passage from the tank up to the carburetor. Do all of that and report back. I damn near went crazy with my first engine build, the Webster, because of leaking valves. Do not despair. I have a fix for everything you may run into.---Brian


----------



## Herbiev

Thanks Brian. I shall try those things out today and report any progress.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--You're keeping me in suspense. What is happening with your build?---Brian


----------



## Herbiev

Sorry Brian. Had a bit of storm damage here that's kept me busy for a few days. Luckily nothing too serious. I should be back to the engine Sunday or Monday.


----------



## Herbiev

I took the head off yesterday to check out the compression. Piston slides very smoothly and when I placed my hand over the cylinder it was impossible to turn the flywheel so compression doesn't seem to be the problem. Today I shall make a hollow dummy spark plu and give it the under water leak test to find out where the air leaks are.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Odds are better than good that your valves are leaking. I absolutely could not make valves that didn't leak  (well actually valve-seats that didn't leak) until I built a copy of the magical George Britnell seat shaping device.  It is not difficult to make, and it doesn't take much time, but it yields almost magical results.--If you have any questions about it, ask me. You can use O1 steel which is hardened by quenching in oil, or you can use W1 steel which is hardened by quenching in water. Make sure you sharpen it before you harden it, as you won't be able to sharpen it afterwards. There is no need to "temper" it after hardening it, just don't drop it on a cement floor or it will shatter.---Brian


----------



## Brian Rupnow

One more thing Herbie--I have found that if you can't get the valves to seal after lapping them properly, it is almost impossible to go in with this tool and "reface" the guides and make them seal. It is quicker and less frustrating to just make new guides and install them, then use this tool first and then lap the valves into the new guides. You can try to save your existing guides by refacing them with this tool, but I've never had any luck doing that. The tool will last virtually forever.


----------



## Herbiev

Thanks Brian. It looks like I will be making a couple of new valve guides. On submerging the engine and blowing air into the cylinder a steady stream of bubbles came out of the carby. Only a few out the exhaust.


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--It has happened to us all. I strongly advise you to make the Geo Britnell tool that I showed you.---Brian


----------



## Herbiev

Thanks Brian. Making this tool is my project for this weekend.


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Made a start, will be a slow build, material is the biggest problem, will use a mix of imperial and metric.
Cam and drive done. Cam cut with a fly cutter. Still have to drill and tap for lock bolt and grub screws.

Cheers
Andrew


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Ghosty--welcome to the gang. This is a fun project, and a good runner. There are at least three other folks down at your end of the planet building this engine, and if you get hung up on anything I will help however I can.--Brian in Canada--Your gears look great.


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Got the crank and the push rod and guide done, drilled cam gears for grub screws and lock screw. Found a supplier for the frame alloy block, also ordered some other sizes of alloy bar for other jobs. Should be sent tomorrow. Ball bearings all ready on the way.
Will finish pushrod off after the bearings arrive.

Cheers


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Great work Ghosty. I don't know why it is, but my engines are always a big hit in the land down under. I get more builders in Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand than I do in Canada or USA.---Brian


----------



## bruedney

Hi Ghosty

Looking good

Where did you source the gears from or did you make them yourself?

Cheers

Bruce


----------



## Ghosty

Thanks Brian.
Bruce, Thanks, I got the gears from http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/162212878642?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&var=461186782626&ssPageName=STRK%3AM3AIT EBIDX% 16T and 32T,very slow in the post but they get here.

Cheers


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Got two delivery's today, some 6mm hardened steel rod, and some ign magnets, and repair HT lead kits. I have several electronic ign's left over from my RC aircraft days.
Won't get much done tomorrow as I have a specialist 1 1/2hrs away at midday, will most likely be there all afternoon.

Cheers


----------



## bruedney

Ghosty said:


> Thanks Brian.
> Bruce, Thanks, I got the gears from http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/162212878642?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&var=461186782626&ssPageName=STRK%3AM3AIT EBIDX% 16T and 32T,very slow in the post but they get here.
> 
> Cheers



Thanks Ghosty

Gears ordered

Cheers

Bruce


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Got the exhaust push rod and support done, cut rocker out of 10mm round bar(don't have 1/4" square), and made up the exhaust with a twist "plans said Brass--Because its sexy!!!"
Material I am waiting on ended up being sent to the other side of the country, maybe here this week sometime.

Cheers


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Your ribbed exhaust is far sexier than mine. Looks like it may have a bit of French influence----


----------



## Brian Rupnow

My brothers around the world, I am asking for progress reports. It is 3 weeks until Christmas. Currently, we have two running Rupnow Vertical engines, one being mine, the other belonging to David Lloyd. Although I am forging ahead on other projects, I haven't forgotten any of you. I know that Herbie is right on the verge of a running engine if he can get his valves sorted out, but I lose track of where you other guys are on your builds. Please give me a heads up about where you are on your builds, and good luck to all of you.----Brian


----------



## Cogsy

I have restarted working on mine yesterday and got the carb completed and the cylinder head started. I won't have crank bearings for at least a week and I need to source some cast iron for the cylinder that fits in my meagre budget. I doubt mine will be running by Christmas after all.


----------



## Ghosty

Cogsy said:


> I have restarted working on mine yesterday and got the carb completed and the cylinder head started. I won't have crank bearings for at least a week and I need to source some cast iron for the cylinder that fits in my meagre budget. I doubt mine will be running by Christmas after all.


Cogsy,
Try this for the cast iron.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/262569189206?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Got my bearings from http://plaig.com.au/shop/

Cheers


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Got the con rod done, added 2mm corner rounding, was going to I beam it as well, but I don't think it needs it. Parcel for the alloy has ended up being sent to the other side of the country, may see it this week I hope.

Cheers


----------



## Herbiev

Well, I have been busy making a valveseat cutter, new valve cage, valve and Spring. Finally got no leakage at all using this little test pad I made up. 

Now to assemble the engine again and fire it up


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Con rod after first polish.

Cheers


----------



## Ghosty

Woo Hoo, My wayward parcel arrived, now to start with the chunky bits.

Cheers


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Ghosty--Be aware--If the center to center of the gears you are using is different than the gears I use, it will affect the position of the thru hole  for the camshaft in that biggest lump of aluminum.


----------



## Ghosty

Brian Rupnow said:


> Ghosty--Be aware--If the center to center of the gears you are using is different than the gears I use, it will affect the position of the thru hole for the camshaft in that biggest lump of aluminum.


Brian, Thanks, All ready worked out, used the same gears in another build. I need 24mm(0.9449) spacing, which if I remember is only just larger than your gears.

Cheers


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Ghosty said:


> Brian, Thanks, All ready worked out, used the same gears in another build. I need 24mm(0.9449) spacing, which if I remember is only just larger than your gears.
> 
> Cheers


Okay, 7 or 8 thou isn't going to matter.


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Brian Rupnow said:


> My brothers around the world, I am asking for progress reports. It is 3 weeks until Christmas. Currently, we have two running Rupnow Vertical engines, one being mine, the other belonging to David Lloyd. Although I am forging ahead on other projects, I haven't forgotten any of you. I know that Herbie is right on the verge of a running engine if he can get his valves sorted out, but I lose track of where you other guys are on your builds. Please give me a heads up about where you are on your builds, and good luck to all of you.----Brian



Final Video and engine is running good,

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4u1J67q1tM&feature=youtu.be[/ame]

DavidLloyd,


----------



## bruedney

Nice Dave - Very nice

Cheers

Bruce


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Thanks Bruce,

DavidLloyd,


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Beauty, David Lloyd!!!


----------



## Ghosty

David Lloyd, What a beauty, runs very well, congrats.
Brian, The countersink in the cyl mount plate bolts is only that depth for the cap head screws. If different headed screws are used the depth could be altered to suite?

I know what I will be doing today.

Cheers
Andrew


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Just make the counterbore equal to the head height of the socket head cap screw that you are using plus about .005". A countersink is for a flat-head capscrew. A counterbore is for a socket head capscrew.---Brian


----------



## Ghosty

Brian, Thanks, brain still a little slow after all the marking out.

Cheers


----------



## DavidLloyd2

Thanks Ghosty and Brian,

DavidLloyd,


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Another piece carved out

Cheers


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Made a start on the head.

Cheers
Andrew


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Looking good----Brian


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Head is done, will start on the engine frame tomorrow.

Cheers


----------



## bruedney

Wow Ghosty you are really motoring through this build (I know - bad pun)

You are putting the rest of us to shame

Looking good though

Cheers
Bruce


----------



## Herbiev

I'm still plodding along. Remade valve cages and the valves now seal well. Did the "Palm test" to test the piston ring and there was no way the flywheel would turn due to the suction. Reassembled everything but no joy. Doesn't even try to start. Getting a goo spark at the plug. I get the feeling the little beastie is making fun of this newbie


----------



## Ghosty

Brian, A question about the engine frame. Does it have to be the size stated? The main dimensions are the deck height C/L crank to the cyl mount plate face, crank web face to cam cut out. the block I have after squaring is 123mm(4.842")x 116mm(4.566)X 50mm(1.968). It would be a lot of mill work or cut the excess with a hacksaw as I don't have access to a band saw.
As long as I take the dimensions into account, I could set it out on the block that I have.

Cheers
Andrew


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Herbie---Do you want me to hop on a plane to Australia and give you a hand? Winter is coming in Canada right now. Any good excuse will do to get away for the next four months. If you have any questions at all, post them here and I will help you sort them out.---Brian


----------



## Ghosty

Herbiev said:


> I'm still plodding along. Remade valve cages and the valves now seal well. Did the "Palm test" to test the piston ring and there was no way the flywheel would turn due to the suction. Reassembled everything but no joy. Doesn't even try to start. Getting a goo spark at the plug. I get the feeling the little beastie is making fun of this newbie


Herb,
Double check the timing, CAM and IGN, use a deg wheel if you have one. If you have spark(at the right time) fuel and air it should run, or at least pop.

Cheers
Andrew


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Ghosty said:


> Brian, A question about the engine frame. Does it have to be the size stated? The main dimensions are the deck height C/L crank to the cyl mount plate face, crank web face to cam cut out. the block I have after squaring is 123mm(4.842")x 116mm(4.566)X 50mm(1.968). It would be a lot of mill work or cut the excess with a hacksaw as I don't have access to a band saw.
> As long as I take the dimensions into account, I could set it out on the block that I have.
> 
> Cheers
> Andrew


Andrew---The outside shape of the main engine frame can be anything you want it to be. If it isn't a surface that mounts to some other part of the engine, then make it whatever you want. Remember though, you are going to want to bolt this thing down when it comes time to run it.---Brian


----------



## Ghosty

Brian. Thanks for the reply, was not looking forward to cutting this block down to size, will be bad enough to cut the two side pieces out with a hacksaw.

Cheers
Andrew


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Marked out, mistake made on top, measured from wrong side., Checked with cyl mount plate. Now the fun starts 

Cheers
Andrew


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Crank and cam shaft holes bored. Now to spend the next couple of days fighting with a hacksaw:wall:

Cheers
Andrew


----------



## Brian Rupnow

Andrew--My arms are aching already. I don't know what its like where you are, but here in Ontario, Canada, you can pick up an old 14" wood bandsaw for $200 or less and convert it to metal cutting very easily. ---Brian


----------



## Ghosty

Brian, I live in a small coastal town, pretty much every thing has to be ordered. Finding a bandsaw is not the problem, postage/freight is the killer.
Started on the fuel tank. Parts I have for it.

Cheers
Andrew


----------



## Herbiev

Yeah Brian. Come on down to Oz. we have white Christmases here. White hot that is Rof}Rof}


----------



## Cogsy

I feel for you Ghosty, and I have the same fight coming up soon myself. Really not looking forward to it at all.


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Done with the hacksaw, arms feel like jelly.
Cylinder turned up this morning, just have to remove the scrap from around it.
Fuel tank done, waiting for more brass bar to turn up to make the mount rod, no more 1/2" bar.

Cheers


----------



## Brian Rupnow

That is a very pretty gas tank!!


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Thanks Brian, a copper tee fitting and a couple of welsh plugs and one gas tank. Had all of this in my junk bin.
Now for the cam cutout.


----------



## Ghosty

Hi All,
Got the engine frame done, will start on the cylinder/piston tomorrow.

Cheers


----------



## bruedney

Hi Andrew 

How did you do the Cam slot?

I have a few ideas but it has got me a little baffled at the mo

Cheers

Bruce


----------



## Ghosty

Bruce, Set up on the mill and done the outside first, then used the lugs on either side to set up on the mill, and with a long 12 end mill, opened up the slot to the width and 4mm short of the depth, then used a 4mm R long ball nose bit to the final depth, sorry only pic of it on the mill when I was test fitting the crank and cam. Hope this helps.
EDIT, If you have not already done, do all the vertical holes first, there is a clearance hole for the exhaust push rod that would be hard to do after. Also work the 0.719" side first(crank web side) as the exhaust pushrod is set that side, and then I made the slot to fit the cam I had made up.

Andrew


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## Ghosty

Hi All,
Not a lot, added some accent's on the parts, polished the cyl mount and fuel tank mount, made up the base board for it.

Cheers
Andrew


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## Brian Rupnow

So, Herbie--where are you at with your build? I thought that your engine would be running by now for sure.---Brian


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## Herbiev

I got sidetracked Brian. Had to clear the block of long grass etc to keep the snakes at bay this summer. Will be back into it this weekend with a bit of luck. And have a runner with a lot of luck


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## Brian Rupnow

Good luck---and keep away from them snakes!!!


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## Ghosty

Hi All,
just an update, short one flywheel

Cheers
Andrew


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## Herbiev

Looking great so far.


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## Ghosty

Hi All,
It runs, borrowed of another engine I have in storage.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axOYaJrSwJo[/ame]

Cheers
Andrew


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## Brian Rupnow

Congratulations Andrew--That is the third Rupnow Vertical engine up and running across the face of the world. Hopefully Herbie will be next up.---Brian


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## Herbiev

Been playing with my engine but it doesn't even look like starting. Ive got spark, good compression and remade the valves and cages to get a good seal. Not sure what to try next.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbiev said:


> Been playing with my engine but it doesn't even look like starting. Ive got spark, good compression and remade the valves and cages to get a good seal. Not sure what to try next.


Set your ignition points so that they are open about .025" unless the rubbing block is on the flat part of the cam. When the piston is coming up to top dead center, the points will close, and just before the piston reaches top dead center the points should open. When the points open, that is when you will get the spark. Take the sparkplug out of the engine, and lay it on top of the cylinder with the high tension lead attached. Make sure you don't have any fuel laying around the engine. (don't ask me how I know this.) Turn the flywheel by hand in the direction the engine would normally turn, with power on. If your timing is set correctly you will hear a "snap" and see a big fat blue spark jump across the gap in the sparkplug. If you don't see a spark, tell me. If the spark occurs at the wrong time, loosen off the set screw in the cam and adjust the timing to the way I have just told you by rotating the cam on the shaft. Since the ignition points are running off the crankshaft on that engine, it is going to be a "waste spark" system, which means you will get a spark on the compression stroke which fires the charge, and also on the exhaust stroke. Since there is no charge in the cylinder to ignite on the exhaust stroke, that spark is "wasted". Let me know what happenes. You may be on the other side of the world Herbie, but I'm right there looking over your shoulder.---Brian


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## bruedney

Herbie

I have just found something on my metric version that might be causing an issue on yours.

My counterbores on the cylinder head bolt holes are too deep and the 8mm thread (5/16" - 18 ) of both inlet and exhaust ports have broken through (JB Weld to the rescue) :wall: (Didn't read my drawings properly)

If the same has happened on yours then you may have a vacuum leak on the inlet side.

Cheers

Bruce


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## Herbiev

Many thanks for the encouragement Brian. I have now adjusted everything to your specifications. The points gap i had was about 1/8". I am now getting a spark exactly as you described at the correct time. One major issue i had was fuel leaking everywhere. On closer inspection i noticed the bit of air hose i used had longitudinal ridges running along the inside of the hose preventing a good seal on the barbs from the fuel tank and carby. I shall get some proper tubing on Thursday and try the engine out again. Will keep you posted.


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## Brian Rupnow

My fingers are crossed for you Herbie.:thumbup::thumbup:


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## Herbiev

Installed the new fuel line confident I would have a runner by now but alas, not even trying to run  .. very frustrating


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## Brian Rupnow

Next stage--check valve timing. The intake is automatic. You can't do anything there except make sure you are using the lightest spring that will still close the valve after you push it open with your finger. The stem of the valve should slide very freely with no binding in the guide. The exhaust valve--well, first turn the flywheel clockwise until you know the piston has reached top dead center on the compression stroke. Then keep on turning it slowly and watch as the piston approaches bottom dead center. When the piston skirt has reached a point about 1/8" before the very bottom of it's stroke, stop. Loosen off the set screw that holds the crankshaft timing gear in place, and without letting the crankshaft turn, rotate the crankshaft gear slowly clockwise until you see the cam just start to have some influence on the rocker arm. This is hard to see, so you might want to have a dial indicator positioned so that if the rocker begins to move you will see the dial move. As soon as the dial indicates that the cam is influencing the rocker arm, lock the set-screws in the crankshaft gear. That sets your valve timing.--report back to me what happened. Before you set the exhaust valve timing, make sure that the cam is not exerting any influence on the long lifter, use a feeler gauge and make sure you have about .005 to .008" clearance between the lifter rod and the rocker arm--that is called "valve lash". If you don't have that set correctly, your exhaust valve will never close properly and you will lose compression during the compression stroke.


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## Parksy

Herbie, i would try and run it with a vapour carb for trouble shooting purposes. Doesnt need to be anything fancy, just a glass jar and some tubing. Just to see if you get a different result.


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## Brian Rupnow

Is your fuel line transparent? If so, can you see fuel being sucked up the line from the tank if you hold your finger over the carburetor inlet while cranking the engine over?


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## Herbiev

No fuel at all was being sucked up in the fuel line Brian. I then made a little adapter to replace the carby and connect the fuel line directly in to the head. Just a slight turn of the flywheel and fuel shot up the line like a rat up a drainpipe. I guess the fault lies in the carby


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie-- You have to gasket every joint that you can. The fit of that center which revolves in the carburetor and turns with the throttle handle has to be a very, very good fit. All of the joints which screw together should be given a coat of clear liquid "seal-all" after they are screwed together .  If you have anything that creates a vacuum, like the pick up tube on a sandblasting gun, a good test is to put a flexible tube between the vacuum pick up tube and the engine end of the carburetor air-horn. This simulates the engine vacuum. Put a second clear tube from the gas line attachment on the carb into a glass of water. Open the needle valve on the carb 2 turns. When you blow air thru the sandblasting gun, it will create vacuum at the pick up tube and suck air thru the carburetor, the way it would normally act on an engine. You should see the water being sucked up the tube from the glass of water, quite quickly. if you don't then you have a major carburetor problem. Make sure you have an air bleed hole in the screw on lid on your gas tank. Your test holds no significance. It is not the air flowing into the cylinder that sucks up the gas in the tank like a "rat in a drainpipe". As the air flows thru the air horn of your carburetor, it passes thru the restricted area in the center of your carburetor and this restriction creates a "low pressure" area, called the "venturi effect". This low pressure is what sucks up the fuel from the gas tank. the reason you momentarily put your finger over the carb throat is to quickly get some gas up to the engine to start firing. You only do this for a second or less, because you don't want to flood or hydrolock the engine. As soon as the engine begins to run, there will be enough hi-speed air flowing thru the carburetor to keep the fuel constantly flowing to the discharge nozzle in the fuel jet which is controlled by the needle valve..


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## Brian Rupnow

Do you have a head gasket on the engine? It needs one, even if it's just cut from a cardboard cereal box. When you look down the air horn of the carburetor, can you see all the way thru it when the throttle is open. You should be able to. How "stiff" is the engine to turn over by hand? These little engines don't like friction, although with ball bearings there should be very little friction anyways. Are you turning the engine the correct way?--It turns clockwise when facing the flywheel side of the engine. If you try and "flip" the flywheel clockwise by hand, does it "bounce back" when it tries to go up on the compression stroke? If it is too stiff to tell, take out the sparkplug, liberally oil everything including the piston, and put a v-belt sheave on it, then drive it at about 600 rpm for two hours with an electric motor to loosen everything up---keep giving it the occasional squirt of oil--we don't want to burn anything out for lack of lubrication.


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## Herbiev

Thanks again Brian.i have used proper gasket paper and the rest of the check list checks out fine..absolutely no friction and good compression..I shall check out the carby today to check for blockages after Christmas dinner and the family have gone home. In the meantime I hope you and your family have a great Christmas.


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## Herbiev

Apologies to Bruedney and Parksy. I seem to have missed these posts.i checked the carby and somehow I managed to get a heap of solder into the spray bar preventing fuel from getting through. Drilled it out and started it up again  this time I got a couple of puffs of smoke out the exhaust.i then noticed the large gear wheel wasn't turning so today I shall tighten everything up and try again.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--where there's smoke, there's fire!!! Your getting close, man!!


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## Brian Rupnow

Well guys--It looks like we are going to finish out 2016 with 3 Rupnow Vertical engines up and running. Keep me posted, I'm looking forward to 4 more that I know of for 2017.--Brian


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## Cogsy

Brian Rupnow said:


> Keep me posted


 
My final update for 2016 - some small progress made, the top end is completely finished except for clean-up, plus I still need to make a spark plug.

And a family shot of my disappointing small collection of parts. I have the material for the frame and cylinder base plate but still need the cast iron for the cylinder, 1 more crank bearing (I got scammed on my purchase) and some sort of ignition.

Definitely be running some time in 2017 (almost certainly. probably...)


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## Brian Rupnow

Very nice Al. You do great work.--Brian


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--did you give up on this thing or has it been too hot to work on it?--I'm hoping the snakes didn't get you!!----Brian


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## Herbiev

Hi Brian. It's bee way to hot lately. I have only got a tin shed with no airconditioning. With temperatures around 42 degrees C or 108 degrees F it's hard to concentrate on the job. Cool change predicted for Monday in the low 30s so hopefully back into it by then.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--It is - 15c here as I type this, with about 16" of snow on the ground and 6" more in the immediate forecast. if I could send you down some cool, I certainly would.---Brian


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## Cogsy

According to my Fitbit, about 10,000 strokes of the hacksaw yields one horrendous blister on my palm and one rough engine frame. 

The second pic is the almost finished part - I'm really glad to have this piece behind me, I've been dreading that hacksaw work since I got the raw material.

Still no cylinder material and no extra funds in sight. I'm considering using some tool steel I have, which should clean up around 47mm, inside a bored out piece of seamless steel tube I have left over from my speedway days (roll-cage bar). It'll be a lot of work but it won't cost me anything so I'm tempted to give it a go. Not too sure how many more machining days I have before I have to get back into my research but I really want to get this engine finished.


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## Brian Rupnow

Al--I love ya!!! It takes real dedication to cut something like that by hand. Good on ya!!---Brian


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## bazmak

Rain and cool change is here Herbie,no excuse you should be finished now


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## Ghosty

Cogsy said:


> According to my Fitbit, about 10,000 strokes of the hacksaw yields one horrendous blister on my palm and one rough engine frame.
> 
> The second pic is the almost finished part - I'm really glad to have this piece behind me, I've been dreading that hacksaw work since I got the raw material.
> 
> Still no cylinder material and no extra funds in sight. I'm considering using some tool steel I have, which should clean up around 47mm, inside a bored out piece of seamless steel tube I have left over from my speedway days (roll-cage bar). It'll be a lot of work but it won't cost me anything so I'm tempted to give it a go. Not too sure how many more machining days I have before I have to get back into my research but I really want to get this engine finished.


Al, I know how it feels, had to do the same myself, at least the hard bit is over.

Cheers
Andrew


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## Herbiev

Well I'm now getting very close. I actually got it running for a couple of seconds before there was a huge spark behind the flywheel. The cap screw holding the points in place had worked its way loose and totally mangled the points. Not sure if I can repair the damage or need to buy a new set. I shall check it out when it gets a bit cooler. Today it's 39 C in the shade and 43C in the shed. It's a pity you can't email me some of that sub zero weather you got there Brian.


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## Brian Rupnow

I haven't forgotten you fellows. I've been a bit busy this past week, and keep looking for more running engines whenever I have a spare minute. Dang, Herbie, I can hardly stand the suspense!! If you had that thing firing a week ago you should be driving it around by now. Cogsy, I know all about the time and money crunch---been there, done that. Somebody named Franky contacted me early last week and said he was starting to build th eengine, but I guess he's too shy to put his build up on a forum. Bruce--what's happening with your build?- I have an idea for a new and wonderful engine that I want to start in February, but I have a couple of big design jobs coming up that may delay that a bit.--Brian.


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## bruedney

Brian, mine's hit a snag in the form of a worn (or damaged) MT2 taper on my mill and awaiting a new one to come from agent. Then I have to fit it and tram the mill. Plus I have been laid up with a bit of a head cold which has not been condusive to workshopping. Hopefully some movement soon.

Cheers
Bruce


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## Brian Rupnow

bruedney said:


> Brian, mine's hit a snag in the form of a worn (or damaged) MT2 taper on my mill and awaiting a new one to come from agent. Then I have to fit it and tram the mill. Plus I have been laid up with a bit of a head cold which has not been condusive to workshopping. Hopefully some movement soon.
> 
> Cheers
> Bruce


Bruce, I hear you. It's not fun being sick. Hope you feel better soon.---Brian


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## Cogsy

I'm still making some progress Brian. I'll post a proper update in a day or two. Like you, I'm eagerly waiting to hear Herbie has his running as well.


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## doubletop

bruedney said:


> Brian, mine's hit a snag in the form of a worn (or damaged) MT2 taper on my mill and awaiting a new one to come from agent. Then I have to fit it and tram the mill. Plus I have been laid up with a bit of a head cold which has not been condusive to workshopping. Hopefully some movement soon.
> 
> Cheers
> Bruce



Bruce 

Give David T a call. I know he's got MT reamers. If you pull out the quill I'm sure he could help you get it reamed on his gear.

Pete


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## bruedney

Thanks Pete

So do I but the spindle is hardened and it was going to cost twice the amount of a new one to have it ground

Cheers

Bruce


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## Cogsy

Thanks to a very generous fellow member, I got a piece of absolutely beautiful-to-machine cast iron and managed to carve a cylinder out of it. It was going very well and I'd virtually finished it when I managed to dig a tool in and eject it from the chuck :wall:. It survived but suffered some cosmetic damage and I had to lose the top, very thin cooling fin. In the photo the fins look burred but it's actually just loose swarf in there.

Although I intended to follow the plans fairly tightly with this build I've deviated somewhat and built an aluminium piston with cast iron rings instead of an o-ring. I made a few extra in case I needed them and I've left the extras un-split and not heat treated for now.







Here is a family pic of where I'm at right now. I still need to make a few fasteners and gaskets as well as sort out an ignition of some sort and something to mount it on, and the fuel tank and bracket as well. As I'm prone to getting sidetracked easily once an engine is running, I plan on getting this one pretty well finished before I attempt to start it.







So still lots to do and it'll be a while yet, but I'm still enjoying the build. Time will be getting tighter for me soon though.


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## Brian Rupnow

Good job Cogsy.--You're keeping the build ALIVE!!!---Brian


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## Cogsy

Attempted a trial assembly today just to see how things fitted together. All went well with only a couple of minor tweaks needed. Now it's pull it all down and get ready for proper fit and finish, then bash up some sort of wooden base and finally it will be time to try starting it up. With luck I might have a runner some time this week.

I found an old distributor in the shed (from a Cleveland V8 ) and I've repurposed the points from that. For the coil I dug one up that is marked with a warning about only being suitable for electronic ignitions. I don't know what it will do to a set of point but I guess I'll find out!


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## Brian Rupnow

Very nice, Cogsy.--I will have my fingers crossed for you.---Brian


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## Cogsy

I reworked the few things I had to and got it to the point where I could attempt a start. I videoed my attempt with the idea of showing how I fiddle with settings while spinning the engine with an electric drill, til it gets to the point where it fires regularly and slowly beds in the valves (and the rings somewhat) and eventually runs. I didn't expect it to start firing almost straight away and to start running so soon. This has been the easiest first start by far of any of the engines I've built.

The video proof:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4rsXymF1NM&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


However, as I thought there was a distinct possibility of having to re-lap the valves before getting the engine to run, I hadn't secured the valve retaining pins at all. I got a warning when the exhaust one nearly worked it's way out, but I didn't heed it and I ended up dropping the intake valve. The valve is bent (only a small amount but totally unusable) and I noticed after reviewing the video that the sudden stop has moved the crank disc on the crankshaft - there must have been quite a bit of force involved. It's not a difficult fix and I'm happy the crankshaft absorbed some of the shock rather than punching a nasty hole in the piston or something equally as bad.

Here's the 'blow-up' video.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A_jdkNxEL4&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


I might have to take a bit of time off before I get the repairs done, but I officially HAD a runner, and unless I'm mistaken, the first Rupnow Vertical to run with cast iron piston rings. As a side note, the table I used as a bench is extremely flimsy so the vibration seen in the video is because of that. I think the engine might be quite well balanced. I'll know more once I get a base made and try it without having it clamped down.

Finally, a big thanks to all that helped out with advice, etc. on the build, to my generous cast iron supplier and of course to Brian for his fantastic (and free!) plans.


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## Ghosty

Congrats Al, Great to see it running, shame about the valve keeper pin.
I use 2mm E clips on the valves that are recessed in the spring keeper.

Cheers 
Andrew


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## DavidLloyd2

Congrats Cogsy on a runner Looks and Sounds good.
That valve keeper pin  Don't feel to bad   Been there Done That,

Cheers
            DavidLloyd


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## Brian Rupnow

Congratulations Cogsy--a great runner, the fourth in the world if I haven't lost count.--and yes, the first with real metal rings.---Brian


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## Herbiev

Congratulations Cogsy on a great runner. My new set of points should arrive this week so hopefully I'm not far behind you.


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## mattty

Good morning, I am after a set of these plans, but am unable to locate them, could somebody steer me in the wright direction.
Kind regards Matt


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## Ghosty

mattty said:


> Good morning, I am after a set of these plans, but am unable to locate them, could somebody steer me in the wright direction.
> Kind regards Matt


Matt,
They are listed back in the thread, I can not upload the zip file as it is too large.
Zip file link can be found on page 17 post 167. You may like to read the hole thread as there is a lot of info and tips on how to build this engine.
Hope this helps.

Cheers
Andrew


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## mattty

Excellent , thanks mate.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--I haven't forgotten you. Did you get the new set of points yet?---Brian


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## Cogsy

I made two new valves, this time using Ghosty's method of retaining them with an e-clip which is recessed into the top of the valve keeper for extra safety. I didn't make new valve cages and simply spent about 2 minutes per valve lapping them in with toothpaste. When I reassembled it there was absolutely zero compression turning it over by hand, which worried me until I noticed I hadn't installed the spark plug. Once the plug was in compression was quite good.

The crank didn't take much effort to press apart and I was able to determine that the shaft had spun in the web about 45 degrees. Not wanting to make a new crankshaft or web, I simply ran a heavy, coarse diamond knurl on the end of the shaft and pressed it back together with a liberal amount of 635 Loctite.

Once the Loctite had cured I attempted a start and it fired straight up and ran immediately. All up I've got about 10 minutes of running on it so far, but as Brian experienced I cannot keep the flywheel grubscrews tight (I built version 1 of the flywheel with the smaller hub and grubscrews before it was redesigned). While it was apart I machined a small dimple in the shaft for one of the grubscrews to locate into, so the flywheel doesn't walk off the shaft, but it makes a lot of rattles and clonks as it runs. I'm thinking I'll have to make up a new tight fitting custom key with a very slight taper on it which locks the flywheel in place, as per George Britnells' suggestion.

I'll also have to hunt down some sort of cooling fan and mount it up. The engine is such a great runner that I'm sure I'll be wanting to run it for extended periods which wouldn't be a good idea without some cooling. Plus, with all the power the thing has, I will have to construct something for it to actually drive at some point. With the open design of the engine frame, I'm thinking about maybe building a power take off driven from the cam or crank gears rather than a putting a pulley outboard of the flywheel.

Here's a fairly poor pic of the new valve retaining clip. The engine looks grotty as it was still warm from it's last run when I took the photo and I'm making sure it's well lubed up while it runs in.


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## Brian Rupnow

I know that I'm off and running on a new engine project, but I haven't forgotten my builders on this thread. What's up guys? There are still two engines being built that I haven't seen any updates on in a long time. Is there anything I can do to help?----Brian


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## mjonkman

If you could invent more free time that would be cool.

Life has been busy - a weekend at colonial Williamsburg, sick the next weekend and this past weekend gad to put in 16 hrs of unpaid overtime, two vehicles needed oil changes, one friend needed help removing a prop from his inboard, then has to straighten and put back in the right curvature in one blade. Amother friend needed the guides i made him for measuring tenons for post and beam construction modified. Another friend needed some help automating inventory pricing for hus business.


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## Brian Rupnow

Mark, I know how it happens. Sometimes life just gets in your way, doesn't it. Hope you are feeling okay now.---Brian


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## Herbiev

Hi Brian. I got the new points but now having problems with the flywheel. I used socket head cap screws instead of grub screws on the original set up. These screws eventually worked loose and smashed against the screw that held the points in place. On trying to undo the flywheel screws then snapped off so now I'm trying to drill them out and replace them with grub screws.


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie---I had issues with the original flywheel myself, having it come lose. If you look in my build thread you will see that I ended up putting a steel band around the hub to give a bit more material for the grub screws to anchor in.  See post #153-- If you can get the flywheel off, you might have better luck cleaning out the bore and drilling /tapping new holes.---Brian


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## Herbiev

New holes is the way to go. Impossible to drill out the old screws. At least the flywheel is off


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## bruedney

Brian - Life has gotten in the way as well as some mill issues

Herbie - My plan is to use the Starting hub to compress a tapered mount for the flywheel. This should hopefully do away with any issues of things coming loose.

I can't see me getting much done before the end of MArch unfortunately. Maybe a few little things. I suppose they all add up.

Cheers

Bruce


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## tornitore45

I was searching for a carburetor to use with the Hoglet and found on the Hoglet tread a reference to this carb.
Duly down loaded.

I like to thank Brian for kindly sharing his designs and supply very professional drawings.


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## Herbiev

Well I finally got everything back together but still not running. I used to get the occasional puff of smoke out the exhaust but even that's not happening. Tried shortening the intake spring until it got too short. I've now made a new spring and will try again. I have renewed respect for pioneers like Henry Ford with his " kitchen sink engine".  He didn't have the luxury of logging on to HMEM to seek advice.


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## Cogsy

I feel for you Herbie, it's taken me ages to get engines running in the past. I assume you've still got compression? If so, you can put your finger over the end of the carb to force it to take a 'shot' of fuel even if your intake spring is too strong. If it won't fire that shot of fuel then it's not the spring causing the primary issue. So check valve and ignition timing, if they're both good then it can only be a carb issue.

With mine, I altered the cam a little, reducing it's duration. My exhaust valve opens a whisker before BDC and closes right on TDC. I'm not suggesting you alter your cam but just letting you know it runs fine on these settings. I have ignition timing set a couple of degrees before TDC but it runs fine bang on TDC as well.

When I first got mine running I didn't have any gaskets in the carb. After a while I made and fitted PTFE gaskets hoping I'd get throttle response and easier tuning but I couldn't get it to run again (although it was firing consistently) and I had to muck with the carb settings a lot, til I eventually had the best setting. I probably had more trouble getting it to run after fitting the gaskets than I did the very first time.

Keep at it, you'll get there!


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## Brian Rupnow

Herbie--I feel your pain. If you have fuel, and spark, and compression, then you almost have to get some puffs of smoke or pops or bangs. I don't know what other advice I can give you. So much comes down to having compression, perhaps more than any other factor.---Brian


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## mattty

Hi , I am close to finishing this engine, could someone help me out with what "o ring" size I need to order for the  piston.
Thanks Matt


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## Brian Rupnow

The o-ring is a 1/16" cross section Viton o-ring, with an outer diameter equal to the outer diameter of the piston.


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