# Issues with Myers Castings



## vederstein (Apr 21, 2013)

I've been diving into one of Myer's Stirling engines and thus far have been very disappointed with the quality of the castings.

Some of the issues:


Parting lines way way off.
Cast dimensions smaller than the final machined dimensions.
Casting so warped they cannot be used.
Voids in the castings.
This is the second casting kit I've got from Myers.  The earlier kit was bad, but this is terrible.

So, unless this guy gets his act together, I wouldn't recommend anyone purchase from Myers anymore.

...ved.


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## Tin Falcon (Apr 21, 2013)

I have always tried to live by the adage if you like the product tell the public. if you have a problem with the product tell the vendor. 


Have you communicated with Myers and asked them to make this right? 
Have you sent them photos and real data to support your concerns and dissatisfaction.  

while not exactly against forum rules it is best practice and common courtesy to make every attempt to contact the seller /manufacturer and give them a chance to remedy the situation before making a public complaint. 
Tin


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## aonemarine (Apr 21, 2013)

If you like his work tell others, if not please tell him. 
  I do my own casting and I understand what it takes to make a pattern to produce a part that will be easy for others to machine. When I design a pattern I look at things as what is critical and what is not, how to hold the casting, where it should be indicated at, and the sequence it should be machined. If I were to make and sell a casting, and it was found to be difficult for others to machine I would want to hear from them to work out the issues.  This could be either redesigning the pattern, or telling the builder the best way to go about machining it..  I would be interested in seeing pictures of your castings and thier measurements privately to advance my pattern making skills in preparation for my future casting kits.


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## hitandmissman (Apr 21, 2013)

I have bought two of his kits and had no problems. However with that said that was a couple yrs ago. I agree with the others that you should talk with him first and than post on here what answer you get. I have found that most vendors will make things right. I am sure they can't inspect every casting before selling it so talk to him first.


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## jwcnc1911 (Apr 21, 2013)

I have to say this attention may not be entirely bad, it took me to his website.  I'm now considering purchasing the popcorn casting kit as I generally disregard bad news like this until it's overwhelming or firsthand.  I had otherwise never heard of them even given all my Googling.


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## chrsbrbnk (Apr 22, 2013)

casting kits are all fairly spendy  I for  one would like to hear about these types of problems  Before I lay out my cash.  the whole point of these forums is to share knowledge If the vendor deserves praise give it, if they deserve criticism give it.  I have been building this 1/3 scale steam tractor  that has several casting errors that have apparently been made that way for a decade or so.  the fellow had numerous complaints but never changed the patterns.


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## aonemarine (Apr 22, 2013)

Something that also needs to be stated is that most guys selling casting kits are at the mercy of the foundry producing the castings from thier patterns. Its expensive to have castings poured, and rejected castings only add to the expense. Sometimes its just better practice to send out the castings, cross your fingers, and replace the ones that the consumer is unhappy with. This is the typical senerio. At the same toll, multiple complaints on the same casting over a decade warrent investigation and redesign, not only to suit the consumer, but to aid the foundry in its manufacture. Some things just cannot be accounted for until the consumer recieves the castings and finds errors. This error may not be present on all castings, but over time and a quantity of castings are sold/machined, things should become apparent.
  Bottom line is the real quality comes from how the seller of the castings responds to your concerns, replacement and helpful advice will surpass one or two troubled castings every time!


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## chrsbrbnk (Apr 22, 2013)

I've decided to try to buy casting kits only from people who have built one of the kits, like lonestar  where Maury's usually built it first.


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## vederstein (Apr 22, 2013)

Out of the seven castings on the kit I'm currently working on, only two look good (the flywheels) and one was ok.

I've read that Myers was taken over my his son.  It truly feels like his son is just throwing old, sub-standard parts into the mail until the material is eliminated.

If it was just one part, I'd understand - contact and ask for a replacement.  But this kit is awful. What am I to do?  I'll contact Myers, but I seriously doubt he's willing to replace 50% of the parts in the kit.  (some parts in the kit are not casting, but tubing and barstock).

I wrote my post as a warning to others.  Please do not scold me for trying to do a service for others.

...ved.


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## aonemarine (Apr 22, 2013)

Well why don't you try contacting him about it instead of just whineing about it.


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## vederstein (Apr 23, 2013)

I did.  I'm waiting for a response.


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## Fireguy976 (Oct 17, 2021)

Hi all,

this is a now almost 9 year old post.
What were the results?
Was the OP satisfied with the reply from Myers?
Has anyone Recently purchased a casting kit? And how was it?
Curious minds want to know???


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## deverett (Oct 17, 2021)

I'm currently working on a set of Myers castings that had been lying under my bench until they had collected enough dust to ensure they had matured sufficiently.  The major alloy castings have severe pattern shift that have warranted much use of files and J B Weld to eliminate.  I haven't had any issues with undersize castings.
It would have been difficult for me to return the castings because I live in Ireland and shipping costs would make it totally uneconomic.

Dave
The Emerald Isle


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## Richard Hed (Oct 18, 2021)

aonemarine said:


> If you like his work tell others, if not please tell him.
> I do my own casting and I understand what it takes to make a pattern to produce a part that will be easy for others to machine. When I design a pattern I look at things as what is critical and what is not, how to hold the casting, where it should be indicated at, and the sequence it should be machined. If I were to make and sell a casting, and it was found to be difficult for others to machine I would want to hear from them to work out the issues.  This could be either redesigning the pattern, or telling the builder the best way to go about machining it..  I would be interested in seeing pictures of your castings and thier measurements privately to advance my pattern making skills in preparation for my future casting kits.


Do you have kits now?


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## chrsbrbnk (Nov 13, 2021)

seems there is often  a change in casting quality  as the originators age out.  alot of the casting kit runs were in the low hundreds so it a little more risky  getting the last of the kits.  There are a few guys reworking the patterns  and shifting the prints to cad so they actually go together.  I think that posting dissatisfaction with the casting kits really helpful. Its bad enough sending several hundred dollars off into mail without at least some reassurance that the parts are good. notifying the vendors is good but not always successful  especially the dead ones.


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## Captain777 (Nov 14, 2021)

Fireguy976 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> this is a now almost 9 year old post.
> What were the results?
> ...



I saw this post many years ago, but I ordered a kit anyway.  I received it about 6 weeks ago.   Due to surgery and other issues, it has been sitting in the garage.  (Murdock Vertical Oscillating Engine Casting Kit)  I have never worked a casting kit so take what I say with a grain of salt.  After arrival, I inspected each casting.  The casting sprues seem overly large.  Looks like a LOT of file work will be required.  In my kit, the base casting was pretty much un-usable.  (Is it called wastage? A low spot on the base that would have been lower than the required machined area?)   However, I did call up the owner and he quickly replaced it with no questions.  I had the replacement within a week.  The new casting is ok, but will also require a lot of file work.  As these are aluminum castings, I think that they are doable.  On cursory inspection, there looks like there is enough "meat" to follow the drawings, but -just enough-.  Until I really get into the filing and machining, I won't know.   When I start building, I think that I will start with the base and work up.   Will not try to machine all parts, then put them together.  Every part (or pair of parts) will be worked in order and measurements adjusted to them.

Don't compare this to a Stuart casting kit, but then again, I only paid about 1/5th the price for a lot of metal castings.

One question for casting builders.       These are aluminum castings.  For mistakes or if I find a small hole in the casting, is filling the hole with "JB Weld" a good repair option or is there a better method of filling?

Dan


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## Vietti (Nov 14, 2021)

An air filer can be your friend.  Files can be made by welding a shank on a  regular file.

John


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## Jasonb (Nov 14, 2021)

I'd rather have a larger gate to remove than a casting that has been gouged out by over enthusiastic use of a saw or grinder at the foundry.

Yes JB welld will be OK but if it's just a cosmetic area that won't get hot then car body filler (bondo) will be easier to rub down


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## Captain777 (Nov 14, 2021)

Yes JB weld will be OK but if it's just a cosmetic area that won't get hot then car body filler (bondo) will be easier to rub down
[/QUOTE]

Thanks for that info.
Dan


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## Myers engines (Feb 4, 2022)

Hello, 
This is Brent Myers. My wife and I are running Myers Engine Works.  I thank all of the customers for there support. My father has passed in 2021. He loved going to the engine shows and catching up with all of our friends from around the globe. It is my plan to continue the work of my farther, and all the other mens work that we now have the honor of selling the casting kits they built. You may still find some of there names on the blue prints dating back to the 1970’s. We have had customers break parts. We have shipped parts that did not meet the expectation of the modeler working with them. It is not some thing that makes me proud to hear that folk are complaining to a forum rather than simply asking for a replacement part. To that end here is my phone number. No mater the sale date of the kit, I will replace any sub standard parts. No mater the failure mode of the part , you get a new one. Period
Here is my phone number: 419-376-3206

That is eastern standard time.
I look forward to many years of keeping the craft of model engineering alive and well
Brent and Nan Myers


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## deverett (Feb 4, 2022)

Myers engines said:


> Hello,
> This is Brent Myers. My wife and I are running Myers Engine Works.  I thank all of the customers for there support. My father has passed in 2021. He loved going to the engine shows and catching up with all of our friends from around the globe. It is my plan to continue the work of my farther, and all the other mens work that we now have the honor of selling the casting kits they built. You may still find some of there names on the blue prints dating back to the 1970’s. We have had customers break parts. We have shipped parts that did not meet the expectation of the modeler working with them. It is not some thing that makes me proud to hear that folk are complaining to a forum rather than simply asking for a replacement part. To that end here is my phone number. No mater the sale date of the kit, I will replace any sub standard parts. No mater the failure mode of the part , you get a new one. Period
> Here is my phone number: 419-376-3206
> 
> ...



That's very heartening to know, Brent.  I hope you have continued success with your venture.

Dave
The Emerald Isle


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## GreenTwin (Feb 4, 2022)

Myers engines said:


> Hello,
> This is Brent Myers. My wife and I are running Myers Engine Works.  I thank all of the customers for there support. My father has passed in 2021. He loved going to the engine shows and catching up with all of our friends from around the globe. It is my plan to continue the work of my farther, and all the other mens work that we now have the honor of selling the casting kits they built. You may still find some of there names on the blue prints dating back to the 1970’s. We have had customers break parts. We have shipped parts that did not meet the expectation of the modeler working with them. It is not some thing that makes me proud to hear that folk are complaining to a forum rather than simply asking for a replacement part. To that end here is my phone number. No mater the sale date of the kit, I will replace any sub standard parts. No mater the failure mode of the part , you get a new one. Period
> Here is my phone number: 419-376-3206
> 
> ...


I bought a Myers oscillator kit in 2012 and was very pleased with the quality of the castings and the way they machined.
I also saw some great Myers castings on display at the 2019 NAMES show, and again was impressed with the quality of the castings.

I would hope that the great Myers casting kit tradition can be continued long into the future.
I know from the experience of running my own business that you can do things perfectly for 20 years, and then if one problem occurs, everyone is up in arms, and folks will only remember the one problem, not the 20 years without problems.

So my advise is to be very proactive, and inspect every casting that gets sent out, to eliminate any castings with visible defects or serious distortion.  My business lives or dies by quality control, and I think that is true for many who run their own business.

Communication is also critical.
The joke in business circles is "Ignore your customers, and they will go away".

I won't name any names, but I have seen another great casting kit company fail a few years ago due to quality control and communication, when the ownership changed, so there are some lessons to be learned, which again tie into quality control and communications.

Best of luck in running your dad's business.
If you put forth the effort, you can make it succeed.

.


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## olympic (Feb 5, 2022)

A few years back I found most of the castings for a Myers Rider Ericsson Stirling pumping engine scattered about on a flea market table. I gave the lady her $10.00 and ran.

Though I had not bought their kit, Myers kindly supplied the few missing pieces cheerfully and expeditiously, and they are fine.


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## GreenTwin (Feb 7, 2022)

As I look back through my photos of NAMES 2019, I took a few at the Myer's booth.

And now that I think about it, I recall having a chat with someone who I guess was Mr. Myers.

We had a great chat about making castings, and building engines.
He was a super nice guy.
I assume it was the "Mr. Myers" himself.

He had a great array of castings, large and small.
I was very tempted to snag a few of those.

That was my first and only visit to NAMES, and boy am I glad I went, since the pandemic mess has trashed many of the shows for so many years,  including NAMES this year.


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## GreenTwin (Feb 7, 2022)

More Myers photos from NAMES 2019.

There were some great castings on display, and some BIG ones too.
All very nice castings in my opinion.


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## GreenTwin (Feb 7, 2022)

My NAMES story was that I was in the process of building the green twin oscillator, but it was not quite finished.
I had always wanted to go to NAMES, but was always busy with my work schedule.

I was very busy in 2019, and so I did not plan to make a trip to NAMES.
The day before the show, I decided "damn the torpedoes, I am going to NAMES; who knows when I will ever get a chance to go again" and so I told my wife "I am going to NAMES; be back in two days".
She was not in a position to go on a long trip on such short notice, else I would have brought her along.

In hindsight, it was a good decision, since I think the 2019 NAMES was the last show has been held in recent history.  NAMES cancelled in 2020, 2021 and 2022.  Will we ever see another NAMES show?  Who knows in this crazy world of vaccine passports and such.
I definitely won't be attending any shows that require any proof of anything.  Live free or die as they say.

I got to NAMES, which was a 12 hour drive from my house, and was checking into the motel.
Two guys in front of me were chatting about NAMES, and so I started talking to them, and said I had an unfinished engine, and would probably not display it.
They said they wanted to see the engine, so we walked out to the car, and I showed it to them.
They both recommended that I display it, and so I did.
A total of about five people walked over and looked at it during the entire NAMES show, and not really any significant comments from anyone.

Also on display next to my green twin was a Cretors-style flywhee that I made the pattern for and cast in aluminum.
I took my flywheel over to the guy who I guess was Mr. Myers, and he said "Oh I see you purchased one of our flywheels".
I said "No, I cast it".
It was very noisy in there with all the IC engines running, and so he did not understand what I said.
He said "Yes we offer some nice flywheel castings don't we" or something like that, and I repeated "No, I cast it".

He said "Oh, YOU cast it; that is very nice", and so we chatted for a while.
Great guy to talk with about model engines and castings.

This was my humble little unfinished green twin display at NAMES, along with my Cretors-replica flywheel.







And as I was walking down the aisle at NAMES, I ran into my casting buddy from Louisiana.
I said "What are you doing here ????", and he replied "What are YOU doing here ????".
Small world as they say.


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## 100model (Feb 8, 2022)

GreenTwin said:


> That was my first and only visit to NAMES, and boy am I glad I went


I went three times, 2007,2009 and 2012. Best show in the world bar none! Seems a long way to fly from Australia to Toledo and then to Detroit just for the weekend but I got my moneys worth. After my first visit I always made a point to see Myers castings stand and my favorite is the three cylinder radial engine scaled down from a steam engine that powered an aircraft. So sad to see that it has been postponed so many times.


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