# Help with Rider Ericson casting



## Nikhil Bhale (Jul 18, 2022)

Hello

I bought casting kit for Rider Ericson hot air engine from Myers.
I need some help with them.
While machining the leg I made a boo boo. I tried to take a deeper cut and broke one of the leg. I was thinking about using 2 part epoxy to fix it. Is there any better way to fix it.  





One of the other casting is slightly bent. Can I unbend it by applying heat? Or will it be better if I machine it as it is.







Regards                                                   Nikhil


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## DavidLloyd2 (Jul 18, 2022)

Nikhil Bhale said:


> Hello
> 
> I bought casting kit for Rider Ericson hot air engine from Myers.
> I need some help with them.
> ...


Is there a better way to fix it
Yes   silver solder it


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## Mechanicboy (Jul 18, 2022)

Use silver solder without problem. I did with the Stuart Steam engine block with fault measure of drill holes when I rebuild the non complete steamengine.


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## Mechanicboy (Jul 18, 2022)

Bend cast iron is not common, measure first if it's enough material to work after the drawings. If not, heat up to glowing and bend straight carefully.


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## RonGinger (Jul 18, 2022)

If that is the same engine I bought from Myers it is cast aluminum. Silver solder will not work. Good epoxy it the only choice. I would use JB Weld.


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## Mechanicboy (Jul 18, 2022)

RonGinger said:


> If that is the same engine I bought from Myers it is cast aluminum. Silver solder will not work. Good epoxy it the only choice. I would use JB Weld.



It was stupid, .. better to send the part that is incorrectly cast and get the new part. Contact your dealer.


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## Nikhil Bhale (Jul 18, 2022)

DavidLloyd2 said:


> Is there a better way to fix it
> Yes   silver solder it


The part is aluminium casting. I think silver solder will not work.

Regards
Nikhil


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## Nikhil Bhale (Jul 18, 2022)

Mechanicboy said:


> Bend cast iron is not common, measure first if it's enough material to work after the drawings. If not, heat up to glowing and bend straight carefully.


This is an aluminium casting. I think some zinc is also added to it.
The drawings supplied by Myers leaves much to be desired. I am referring to the book Steam and Stirling engine to build part 1 for the drawings. But the scale is different.

Regards
Nikhil


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## Nikhil Bhale (Jul 18, 2022)

Mechanicboy said:


> It was stupid, .. better to send the part that is incorrectly cast and get the new part. Contact your dealer.


This is easier said than done. I live in India and ordered the castings directly from Myers website. 
The shipping would be too expensive for me.

Regards
Nikhil


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## ccolby (Jul 19, 2022)

Nikhil Bhale said:


> Hello
> 
> I bought casting kit for Rider Ericson hot air engine from Myers.
> I need some help with them.
> ...


Greetings,
If it were me, plan "A" would be to obtain two replacement castings.  Plan "B" would be to have someone take a few minutes and re-attach the leg by TIG welding it.  Then I would heat the other warped casting red-hot and carefully straighten it.  If it is cast iron, it should straighten relatively easily considering how few degrees it needs to be bent.  If this second casting is also aluminum, it probably can / should be straightened at room temperature.

I have straightened many overloaded cast iron "C" clamps while heating them to redness.

Good luck!  Clark.


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## Mike Ginn (Jul 19, 2022)

This is a difficult joint to bond with epoxy.  Small area and long legs makes the cross section to length a non-viable joint.  Fortunately there is a solution which usually works.  Assuming the legs are straight or have been straightened then you need to insert a pin into the joint to give it strength and then use epoxy to hold the pin in place and act as a gap filler.  .....or get a new casting!
Best of luck - let us know how you get on!
Mike


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## Nikhil Bhale (Jan 1, 2023)

Finally it happens. I finished my Rider Ericson engine and its a runner. 


Regards
Nikhil


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## Nikhil Bhale (Jan 1, 2023)

I purchased castings and plan from Myers website. Castings were good but the drawings can be better. ( CAD instead of hand drawn). I converted all the imperial dimensions to metric. 
Some of the machining pics
















Regards
Nikhil


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