# Halo triple radial



## JohnS (Jun 23, 2008)

In response to overwhelming demand - well one actually, thanks Ralph. I am now going to attempt to post my first photo on here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




The full version of this engine is a 5 cylinder arrangement. I was going to build a modest V twin version but as I had made a spare cylinder and head I decided to go for a three cylinder version. I believe Bogs is planning a build of the full 5 cylinder version later in the year. I think I am pushing my personal boundaries in making three of everything let alone five !

I am now approaching the stage where I need, to drill holes, angled and offset to accommodate the valve tappets. I already have a spare crankcase front section so I shall be practising on that !

John S


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## cfellows (Jun 23, 2008)

That's a very good looking engine. Nice work indeed. Can't wait to hear it run...

Chuck


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## Bogstandard (Jun 23, 2008)

John,

At last you have got over your shyness and come out of the closet.

Now you are really showing you have got over the newbie hump.

Very well done. You have achieved wonders in the last month or so, keep it up.

Bogs.


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## zeusrekning (Jun 23, 2008)

Very nice work John! About how large is it? I am bad with scale.
Tim


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## Brass_Machine (Jun 23, 2008)

Nice! I want to build one of those in a very bad way.

Eric


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## CrewCab (Jun 23, 2008)

Bogstandard  said:
			
		

> Now you are really showing you have got over the newbie hump.



Not kidding ..........  8) ............. very nice work John

CC


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## JohnS (Jun 23, 2008)

Thanks guys !!! Your words of appreciation really do inspire me to progress to the next stage. As a bit of light relief I am now working on a special flywheel. If it works out OK you will all be the first to know - if it doesn't I shall go back in my closet (Bogs). 

Zeusrekning - you were asking about scale - all I can say its tiny (should have gone to specsavers - uk joke, almost). On my next post, don't hold your breath I will include something in the pic to give an idea of size - no not that !!!)

John S


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## Bogstandard (Jun 23, 2008)

Don't want to hijack John's post, as it will get better and better, but here is the original question about Halo, and contains all that needs to be known at the moment. It looks difficult, but in fact when it is broken down into little pieces, with a bit of care, someone with a couple of normal engines under their belt should be able to complete one.

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=1987

I will be doing a blow by blow account later in the year. Using manual machinery.

For Tim, here are some dimensions:

.375 pistons with .375 stroke (square engine)

The engine is just under 5 inches overall OD

The cylinders are .75 inches OD

The crankcase is 1.65 OD

The Drive shaft is 1/4"

These are taken from Liney's site.

Bogs


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## Divided He ad (Jun 23, 2008)

Thank you John, I see now how well you can build ;D 

It has a very clean and symmetrical set of lines about it (the way it is supposed to be  ). You are definitely at a higher level... 

Hopefully I can achieve repeatable accuracy in the future? Until then I shall be turfing out one off odd pieces and hoping they all work with each other ;D Speaking of which I find myself intrigued about the flywheel!!?? 8)

Please feel very welcome to post even the smallest part for us to see in the future... That's what this section of the forum is all about, showing off your talents... ( no not that one!! ;D )



Ralph.

P.S. Be carefull John... posting pic's and general chat can become quite addictive!!! :big:


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## mklotz (Jun 23, 2008)

> You are defiantly at a higher level...



Gee, John doesn't seem defiant at all.


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## Divided He ad (Jun 23, 2008)

Damn spell check!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (may be the late night also??) soon to be corrected :big: 

Thanks for showing someone reads my ramblings Marv !! ;D


Ralph.


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## Cedge (Jun 23, 2008)

Marv
Actually it just might be the best one line description of the old sod that I've recently seen....LOL

Steve


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## Bogstandard (Jun 23, 2008)

Steve,

Hah!!!!

If you could read the post, it was about John S, not me.

So methinks an apology to John S for that one.

Defiant John


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## Cedge (Jun 23, 2008)

LOL.... okay.. apology extended to John S... but ya gotta admit, you wear it well...LOL

Steve


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## JohnS (Jun 27, 2008)

In response to overwhelming demand - well this time none actually but I thought I would give you an update anyway ! What I am trying to do is everything apart from committing myself to drilling the holes for the tappets and ruin my crankcase. So I have been concentrating on the top-end with valve rockers oh and a spoked flywheel.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




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## Bogstandard (Jun 27, 2008)

John,

Starting to look really juicy now. 

We are all waiting with baited breath here, so you are going to have to take the plunge soon.
Get your bit of paper out and get your machining sequence sequence sorted. Really it should have been done when you made the holes in the crankcase for the cylinders, but I am sure you can come up with another way.

Well done

John


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## JohnS (Jun 27, 2008)

OMG !!! You are right John - what a plonker I am - going to have to try and find TDC for each cylinder mounting.

John S


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## Bogstandard (Jun 27, 2008)

Not a plonker at all John.

Just a genuine oversight.

The lesson has been learned, you will solve the problem, and you will think twice before making the same mistake again.

Just tell me one person who has never made a mistake. I do it all the time, but I'm quicker at covering my tracks.

John


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## Brass_Machine (Jun 27, 2008)

Is it possible to be in love with an engine? ???

I absolutely love the radial.

Eric


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## CrewCab (Jun 27, 2008)

Brass_Machine  said:
			
		

> Is it possible to be in love with an engine? ???



Steady Eric  ................  ;D ............ ti's bloomin nice though ain't it ......... JohnS, your certainly no "plonker" being able to produce that little beauty mate. You'll sort the minor hiccup I'm sure.

CC


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## Divided He ad (Jun 27, 2008)

Looking good John.... The engine that is!  


Surely the minor oversight is just another one of those learning curve things? 
I am currently re-making my cylinder... Wasn't happy with the finish of the first one :-\ 


It will be good for you to have to figure the job out. It means that it will be ingrained more by the time you have finished  

That's the thing I love about my shop, in there I am the boss, There is only me to shout at... Not much point in that! If I make a part incorrectly, there is no piont in getting annoyed. I just think oh well and find some more material. Then it's just a case of make it again... As I have said before there is no stress in my shop. All that is left at work!


Happy machining, 


Ralph.


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## Cedge (Jun 27, 2008)

John
That engine is a thing of beauty!! I'm hoping to tackle it myself, in the future. I would have thought the 3 cylinder version would look a bit sparse, but you've certainly proved that isn't the case. I'll be watching with great interest as you progress. 

Steve


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## Bogstandard (Jun 28, 2008)

I think I have mentioned this before, but if anyone wants to build a fairly simple radial, contact me by email and I can show you how.

John


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## JohnS (Jun 28, 2008)

Like you Cedge I thought the triple might look a little sparse but its working out ok. Mind you the full five cylinder version will look pretty awesome and I am looking forward to Bogs build later this year.

Minor setback today - I tackled the one job I was dreading and that was putting in the tappet guide holes in the crancase - each one angled by 7 degrees then offset by .052. Just couldn't get my head round it until I had to carry out a post mortem - now I understand. I shall now have to make another front crankcase housing - it will be my 
third !!! No wonder the cost of ali is on the increase. 

John S


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## Bogstandard (Jun 28, 2008)

I told you a while back about that John, I couldn't fathom it out either, so you are not alone. You can tell me how to do it now.

At least you will be able to make crankcase housings in your sleep from now on.

The recycle box is the only resource in my shop that grows, looks like yours is going the same way.

Bogs


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## Cedge (Jun 28, 2008)

John S
No need to feel bad about the repeats. My own project is on it's second cylinder bore and upper valve section. (one really ought to tighten the vise before one begins milling) It's just part of what we do. I don't even cuss very much, anymore, when it happens. 

I too will be very curious as to how you solve the puzzle. I'm studying the drawings with an eye toward getting serious about this engine, probably early next year. The list of engines I want to build is not getting any shorter...(sigh). So far it definitely includes a "side rod" steam engine, an in line dual cylinder 8 valve poppet engine and the 5 barrel Halo.  The Halo engine is the only one I have any drawings for, so I'm in for more interesting challenges to come.

Steve


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## JohnS (Jun 29, 2008)

Steve

Its funny you should mention that you don't cuss any more when things go belly up. I am amazed at how philosophical I have become - at one time, when I was under the pressures of work and paying the mortgage, I would have been in a rage and the air would have been blue. But now, OK so I have to make another crankcase housing, so what ? if I wasn't making that I would be making something else so its no big deal and any way it delays the day when I connect up the air and find that the b****r doesn't run.

It was with both relief and surprise that the design and drawings for those tappet (rod ?) holes had caused confusion to others. I thought it was just my inexperience in reading engineering drawings. I am going to attempt one or two sketches to try and clarify the arrangement for others who may be interested in building a Halo.

John S


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## JohnS (Jun 29, 2008)

Putting in the tappet (valve operating rod) holes into the crankcase housing is a straightforward procedure once you understand the drawing. It took a bit of head scratching before I got my head round it. Forgive me if I am teaching grandmothers to suck eggs but I found Lineys plan for the radial very confusing.

Here is how I eventually interpreted the method - 






1 Using my RT the crankcase was centered beneath the drill on my mill with the pre machined flat to take #1 cylinder ensuring it was horizontal.

2 The crankcase was then rotated 7.5 degrees *anti-clockwise.*

3 Using the mill cross slide the crankcase was then moved .052 to the *right.*

4 The .125 hole to take the tappet guide was then drilled. 

5 Repeat this sequence for each cylinder.

6 The corresponding set of parallel holes are set in the same way but in reverse  the crankcase is rotated 7.5 degrees *clockwise* and moved .052 to the *left.*

One cautionary note  check that the hole positions also coincide correctly, fore and aft, with the cam surfaces.

I hope this is of some help if anyone decides to build a Halo.

John S


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## kustomkb (Jul 4, 2008)

Your engine is looking great! Is that a model in your avatar?


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## JohnS (Jul 4, 2008)

Hi kustomkb

Yes it is a half scale model of a manx norton single cylinder ohc motorcycle engine that dominated motorcycle racing in the fifties - now if I could build one of those !!!!

John S


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## CrewCab (Jul 4, 2008)

JohnS  said:
			
		

> now if I could build one of those !!!!



Just give it a few months John 

CC


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## JohnS (Jul 29, 2008)

Well after a 200 mile round trip to see Bogs to sort out the valve arrangement on my triple radial the engine is just about finished. I have decided to settle for the 'oily rag look' rather than disassemble it to give it some bling. Lessons learnt ? Many, but in particular, in adapting the designers original plan for the five cylinder arrangement to this three cylinder version obviously affects position of cylinders, con rod, etc., but also the position of fasteners which caught me out on a couple of occasions. 

Here is some video footage of the completed engine http://s256.photobucket.com/albums/hh200/cormorant2/?action=view&current=Halosequences.flv


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## Bogstandard (Jul 29, 2008)

Well done John,

A wonderful achievement.

Not only have you got a running engine, you modified the plans to give you what you were after. A massive step up in my opinion.

Learning from your mistakes is the best teacher in the world. You only usually do it the once.

I can now see who I will be coming to, to get the info on the future build.

John


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## Divided He ad (Jul 29, 2008)

John :bow: :bow: :bow: One for each cylinder on your sweet radial ;D 

Now that's a beauty! 


I like the use of what appears to be an agate slice... very different! ;D a good looking finished product me thinks! 


Congrat's on a good runner  



Ralph.

(p.s. if you use the 'IMG CODE' link on photochuckit it will put that pretty little picture thingy on the post  )


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## Bogstandard (Jul 29, 2008)

BTW Ralph, John has such a grin on his face, it touched at the back, and the slipstream blew the top of his head off. 

He is speechless when he sends me emails, but wouldn't you, after getting one like that running.

John


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## JohnS (Aug 3, 2008)

Thanks Ralph

I wondered why I only got a link and not a piccie on my posting. I shall know better next time. 

After struggling to set up the timing and valve settings (I won't tell you which B**** helped me out there) I had it up and running. The next day I had a delayed reply from Lance on his return from summer break with full easy set up instructions, apparently I have mine running backwards !

John S


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## Bogstandard (Aug 3, 2008)

I wouldn't worry about it John, we all go backwards sometimes.

Just think of it this way, you have produced a totally unique engine.

Bogs


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## NickG (Aug 8, 2008)

Lovely engine!


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