# Plans  for casting



## Rational Root (Oct 30, 2020)

I do a reasonable amount of metal casting, bronze and aluminium. I'm looking for plans for a simple engine where I cast the main parts myself. While I can cast, I'm going to be starting out as a novice with a lathe, so something less complex to machine.

I did try google (which led me here)

Any direction would be appreciated.

Thanks


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## Tim Wescott (Oct 30, 2020)

I can't help you (but I'm interested in this thread).

Have you stuck chunks of metal of your casting into your lathe, and seen how well they cut?  I dunno about bronze, but I know that aluminum alloys have a wide range of machinability that depends not only on the alloy, but on the post-casting heat treat.  You may want to cast up some bars just to see how it cuts compared to 6061-T6, or other pleasant-to-machine alloys.


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## SmithDoor (Oct 30, 2020)

Making casting is simple you may have right sand in your backyard.
Try this site 








						foundry groups.io Group
					

A  group for casting , foundry setup and pattern making Casting in Aluminum , Bronze,  Brase, Cast Iron. How build furnace,  tongs for pickup crucible and foundry tools, How build and use burners Foundry sand and green san petrobond sand Lost wax, she'll casting




					groups.io
				




After read this site I can help you with sand casings 

Dave



Rational Root said:


> I do a reasonable amount of metal casting, bronze and aluminium. I'm looking for plans for a simple engine where I cast the main parts myself. While I can cast, I'm going to be starting out as a novice with a lathe, so something less complex to machine.
> 
> I did try google (which led me here)
> 
> ...


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## SmithDoor (Oct 30, 2020)

What part of world are you ?

Dave



Rational Root said:


> I do a reasonable amount of metal casting, bronze and aluminium. I'm looking for plans for a simple engine where I cast the main parts myself. While I can cast, I'm going to be starting out as a novice with a lathe, so something less complex to machine.
> 
> I did try google (which led me here)
> 
> ...


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## Rational Root (Oct 31, 2020)

I'm not looking for help with casting, I have quite a bit of experience working with greensand, oil sand, and thin shell ceramics. I'm looking for plans for an engine which I can cast the parts for.













SmithDoor said:


> Making casting is simple you may have right sand in your backyard.
> Try this site
> 
> 
> ...


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## Rational Root (Oct 31, 2020)

SmithDoor said:


> What part of world are you ?
> 
> Dave


I'm in Dublin, Ireland.


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## Rational Root (Oct 31, 2020)

Tim Wescott said:


> I can't help you (but I'm interested in this thread).
> 
> Have you stuck chunks of metal of your casting into your lathe, and seen how well they cut?  I dunno about bronze, but I know that aluminum alloys have a wide range of machinability that depends not only on the alloy, but on the post-casting heat treat.  You may want to cast up some bars just to see how it cuts compared to 6061-T6, or other pleasant-to-machine alloys.


The lathe is yet to arrive.
I'm using broken aluminium car wheels for feedstock. I believe it machines quite well.
I may also use Zamak for things which need weight, like flywheels. 
I know I will need to learn how to use the lathe, but there's nothing like a definite project to help learning, and if I mess up a part, it goes back in the furnace.


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## Rational Root (Oct 31, 2020)

In particular, I'm looking for an easier built from the machining point of view. I don't really know which type of engine would be a good first build. I don't want to try starting with something that requires expert level skills


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## SmithDoor (Oct 31, 2020)

That is to far to walk or drive.
To setup a foundry is not hard to do.
The biggest problem is finding a good sand. The rest is simple and can be found at the local hardware store and grocery store. 

I would use natural bond sand .
This simple but you have to find it. It maybe in your backyard.

Dave 



Rational Root said:


> I'm in Dublin, Ireland.


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## Rational Root (Oct 31, 2020)

SmithDoor said:


> That is to far to walk or drive.
> To setup a foundry is not hard to do.
> The biggest problem is finding a good sand. The rest is simple and can be found at the local hardware store and grocery store.
> 
> ...


See my post above with photos, I have a small foundry, and a fair bit of experience casting. I'm looking for a pointer to plans.

Also, while casting is not difficult to set up, it's very unforgiving if you mess up. It also takes a fair bit of practice to get consistent results.


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## Rational Root (Oct 31, 2020)

Ah, my previous post is pending moderator approval...


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## mervyn (Oct 31, 2020)

There was an interesting article published in Popular Mechanics magazne in 1936 describing the making of a fairly simple single cylinder air cooled engine, from pattern making through to machining. I've attached a pdf of the article, it may be what you are looking for, good luck!


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## L98fiero (Oct 31, 2020)

Rational Root said:


> View attachment 120524


Wow, considering the detail in that casting, I don't think you need many pointers in that department!


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## Rational Root (Oct 31, 2020)

mervyn said:


> There was an interesting article published in Popular Mechanics magazne in 1936 describing the making of a fairly simple single cylinder air cooled engine, from pattern making through to machining. I've attached a pdf of the article, it may be what you are looking for, good luck!


That's awesome, thanks


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## jasonh (Oct 31, 2020)

The Dave Gingery Books have a few engines all of which require home casting and entry level machining.
I can vouch for the stirling engine and the atkinson engine as being good runners..
The atkinson "differential" engine is apparently a PiTA to get working.


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## Bsl (Oct 31, 2020)

Nice castings.  I do aluminum castings.  I have found old cylinder heads make great castings.  Pour great, machinable, strong.  The BMW and Toyota (Lexis) heads are my favorites.  I go to the junk yard and ask for cracked heads.  I usually get them for free or $5 bucks.  I believe it is a silicone/aluminum alloy.    

By the way, have you looked up MyFordBoy on YouTube?  He is working a steam engine as we speak. He used a Zinc/Aluminum alloy for his flywheel for the mass.  Good luck!


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## Rational Root (Oct 31, 2020)

Myfordboy, swdweeb, tubal cain... Yup


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## bluejets (Oct 31, 2020)

Rational Root said:


> I do a reasonable amount of metal casting, bronze and aluminium. I'm looking for plans for a simple engine where I cast the main parts myself. While I can cast, I'm going to be starting out as a novice with a lathe, so something less complex to machine.
> 
> I did try google (which led me here)
> 
> ...


 There are plans etc. in here for a single cylinder a mate of mine designed for high school students. It has the option of a poppet valve for those who worked slower than others. 15cc if I remember correctly and can be cast or built up.
Video of it here.......


Plans etc. here......
Simple IC engine


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## HCNZ (Nov 1, 2020)

For my first casting and engine build I just modified Mr Pete 22’s vertical steam engine design from his you tube channel. I just used his dimensions and made a pattern and cast the main body instead of machining it from stock. Pretty simple and runs really well.


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## Rational Root (Nov 1, 2020)

HCNZ said:


> For my first casting and engine build I just modified Mr Pete 22’s vertical steam engine design from his you tube channel. I just used his dimensions and made a pattern and cast the main body instead of machining it from stock. Pretty simple and runs really well.


That is fantastic. What is it cast in it n?


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## rweber (Nov 1, 2020)

My first self casted engine was a Felgiebel. See Building the Felgiebel for some pictures.
A simple 2 stroke engine, quite easy to build. The book should be still available at ancient book stores.


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## vederstein (Nov 1, 2020)

This design may work for you:

I made this one for myself to run a home built Spin Art machine.  Seven castings.  Two cylinders, Double acting.  It may be a bit more complex than a beginner's wobbler, but it's not the hardest machine to build either.

Plans  for casting












						Two Cylinder Double Acting Steam Engine
					

As promised, here's the plans for the double acting V-Twin steam engine to which I've been working.  First are the PDF drawings (probably a couple of posts to get them all in here)...




					www.homemodelenginemachinist.com


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## TSutrina (Nov 1, 2020)

Gingery has many aluminum cast machine designs for a lathe, horizontal mill, shaper, to name a few.  They are I believe from the 40's and 50's.   Can still purchase plans and if you get lucky you many be able to get the books through the library inner system loans.    You will also find youtube builds of them.












						Building My Own Gingery Metal Lathe
					

Project:  Building a metal lathe based on the following David Gingery's books :   The Charcoal Furnace  The Metal Lathe   Difficulty Level (...




					chris-eigenheer.blogspot.com


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## SmithDoor (Nov 1, 2020)

The best advice I can give is use large radius it will pull out sand better.
As engine goes that what you like

Dave 




Rational Root said:


> I'm not looking for help with casting, I have quite a bit of experience working with greensand, oil sand, and thin shell ceramics. I'm looking for plans for an engine which I can cast the parts for.
> View attachment 120515
> View attachment 120516
> View attachment 120517


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## HCNZ (Nov 1, 2020)

Rational Root said:


> That is fantastic. What is it cast in it n?


Aluminium (old car wheels) sand casting basically just following Myfordboys method. Now I’m looking for the next project, maybe a beam engine, will be interested to see what you come up with.


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## Rational Root (Nov 2, 2020)

TSutrina said:


> Gingery has many aluminum cast machine designs for a lathe, horizontal mill, shaper, to name a few.  They are I believe from the 40's and 50's.   Can still purchase plans and if you get lucky you many be able to get the books through the library inner system loans.    You will also find youtube builds of them.
> View attachment 120554
> 
> 
> ...


I'm working on the lathe...



I've come across your work as part of my research into building the lathe.


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## TSutrina (Nov 2, 2020)

I am really interested in using concrete instead of aluminum.  Trade off is weigh for stiffness and much easier material to work with since you do not need a furnace and source of aluminum.  J. V. Romig  published in Popular Mechanics a concrete bed lath 6 in Turret Lathe SN23.  The rest is similar to Gingery.  Also has a bench mill/ shaper: Mar 1921 p449 - a small bench miller j.V.Romig;  Apr 1921 p611 - a small bench miller j.V.Romig;  
http://www.opensourcemachinetools.org/archive-manuals/bench-mill.pdf  Commercial machines of all types use composite bases from epoxy replacing concrete.   This significantly increases tension strength.   Also have the lathe based on Yeoman patented and built to do machining during WWII.


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## Rational Root (Nov 3, 2020)

TSutrina said:


> I am really interested in using concrete instead of aluminum.  Trade off is weigh for stiffness and much easier material to work with since you do not need a furnace and source of aluminum.  J. V. Romig  published in Popular Mechanics a concrete bed lath 6 in Turret Lathe SN23.  The rest is similar to Gingery.  Also has a bench mill/ shaper: Mar 1921 p449 - a small bench miller j.V.Romig;  Apr 1921 p611 - a small bench miller j.V.Romig;
> http://www.opensourcemachinetools.org/archive-manuals/bench-mill.pdf  Commercial machines of all types use composite bases from epoxy replacing concrete.   This significantly increases tension strength.   Also have the lathe based on Yeoman patented and built to do machining during WWII.


I think ordinary concrete tends to move and settle as it dries, so the designs that I've seen in concrete tend to use steel tubes that you can adjust after the concrete sets. it also misses part of the point for me which is to learn about machining. If I make the lathe from castings I'll learn a lot along the way.


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## Rational Root (Nov 3, 2020)

I now have plans for tubal cains vertical steam engine, combining that with the video for his horizontal one, which is made from castings, I think I should be good.
Many thanks for the pointers and help.
Dave


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## TSutrina (Nov 4, 2020)

Rational Root said:


> I think ordinary concrete tends to move and settle as it dries, so the designs that I've seen in concrete tend to use steel tubes that you can adjust after the concrete sets. it also misses part of the point for me which is to learn about machining. If I make the lathe from castings I'll learn a lot along the way.


Still plenty of casting opportunities remaining if only the none moving bed for a lathe or tower for a mill is made from concrete.  Often to use aluminum the DIY equipment doesn't have the capacity of metal needed, so have to break the base up into parts.   Post tension and using fiber mixes is they way to fight cracks.  The shrinkages is from the loss of water  which is why you do post tensioning.  By the time the other casting of the moving parts are made the concrete will be stable.


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## Richard Hed (Nov 7, 2020)

Bsl said:


> Nice castings.  I do aluminum castings.  I have found old cylinder heads make great castings.  Pour great, machinable, strong.  The BMW and Toyota (Lexis) heads are my favorites.  I go to the junk yard and ask for cracked heads.  I usually get them for free or $5 bucks.  I believe it is a silicone/aluminum alloy.
> 
> By the way, have you looked up MyFordBoy on YouTube?  He is working a steam engine as we speak. He used a Zinc/Aluminum alloy for his flywheel for the mass.  Good luck!


Do you still have that South Bend?  I am still interested.


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