# The rocker bites again



## DavesWimshurst (Aug 16, 2009)

Wlindiii's post got me bit with rocker-itus only mine was on a Sunday afternoon. I used the materials as specified on the plans, mostly brass. Couldn't resist cutting fins. Took about 7 hours with a lunch break. Of course the play time continues on. woohoo1 woohoo1












Some build pictures follow:

Cross drilling piston rod with milling spindle:






Indexing off the chuck jaws for the flywheel:






One could do this with a 3-jaw using a level on each jaw in turn with the jaw pointing towards you and then with the jaw pointing to the back of the lathe for the other three divisions. If you have no milling spindle you can at least mark the positions with a tool in the tool post to scratch in the divisions.

I needed to finish the ends of some 1/16 inch drill rod. My 3-jaw doesn't close that small and I was using the 6-jaw anyway so I removed every other jaw:






Of course this leaves more room for chips to get in but it got the job done ;D

Drilling for the crank pin






Sorry I forgot to take pics of the milling and finning of the cylinder, I was having too much fun. Rof}

But I made a video:





Dave


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## rake60 (Aug 16, 2009)

Nice build Dave! Thm:

Rick


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## vlmarshall (Aug 16, 2009)

Nice! How much air pressure is that thing chugging away with? It's sure got a lot of bark, at a nice slow running speed.


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## DavesWimshurst (Aug 16, 2009)

Vernon,
My regulator gauge doesn't have numbers below 20 psi but I guess a little less than 5 psi. The steamer sound was a pleasant surprise. It wastes a lot of air for a small engine!
Dave


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## Deanofid (Aug 17, 2009)

Great looking little rocker, Dave. Makes a very good chuff-chuff sound for it's size, too.
Every time I see another one of these, (every few days), the urge to build one gets stronger.
They sure are a neat wee engine!

Dean


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## vlmarshall (Aug 17, 2009)

DavesWimshurst  said:
			
		

> Vernon,
> My regulator gauge doesn't have numbers below 20 psi but I guess a little less than 5 psi. The steamer sound was a pleasant surprise. It wastes a lot of air for a small engine!
> Dave



Ha, yeah,, they waste a lot of air, venting straight to the atmosphere on every exhaust stroke, with no intake valve. Still, every time I see one running, I slip a little closer to building one for myself. ;D


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## zeeprogrammer (Aug 17, 2009)

Great build Dave.

I'm quietly suffering rocker-itis myself.
Unfortunately, I have none of the screws and the pin will be a problem.
A cure eludes me.


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## b.lindsey (Aug 17, 2009)

Nicely done Dave...I like the fins too. Amazing how quickly the "-itis" goes away once you hold one of these in your hand and see it running :big:

Great pics as well.

Regards.

Bill


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## CrewCab (Aug 17, 2009)

Nicely done 8)

CC


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## arnoldb (Aug 17, 2009)

Good Job Dave Thm:

Hmmm... It would appear rocker-itis is still quietly festering in some unsuspecting victims :big:

Regards, Arnold


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## RobWilson (Aug 17, 2009)

Very Nice Dave, great work :bow:
Any chance of a few photos of you lathe drilling/milling attachment
Cheers Rob


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## Maryak (Aug 17, 2009)

Good one Dave. :bow:

Best Regards
Bob


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## NickG (Aug 18, 2009)

Dave,

That 6 jaw chuck looks a good piece of kit! Do you ever need anything else?!

Nick


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