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Below is a short video of my 30cc Wallaby running. The Wallaby is my second IC engine build and my first to actually run successfully. I developed a set of plans for the engine from a construction article by Edgar Westbury published in "The Model Engineer" in 1962. Mine is built completely from...

Xander, I went for .005" gap, but in the real world, the rotor is not perfectly restrained in the distributor housing and the center rotating contact is not perfectly concentric with the outer fixed contacts. I found that the center contact was touching one of the contacts and had about...

Reporting Back on the Cylinder block de-rusting. The engine is back together and I am using Prestone 50/50 premixed coolant and I am sure the corrosion issue has been dealt with. I have a few other issues I need to work on before I can go for longer runs. In the photo below I have indicated an...

Wallaby – Distributor The first run of the Wallaby was done without a distributor, I used two separate ignition systems triggered by the same hall sensor on the fly wheel firing both spark plugs simultaneously. This was just an expedient to get to first run, but now I want to complete the...

I do beleive this is an example of "flash rusting". I was amazed at how quickly the corrosion developed and how extensive it was. I have sand blasted the rust away, then rinsed in a mixture of simple green and water, rinsed in water, blew it all dry with compressed air and finally used a heat...

I am looking for input on a cylinder block corrosion issue. I'd like your opinion on this corrosion issue I have in my cylinder block. These pictures were taken after the first run of the engine which consisted of maybe five runs lasting from 10 to 45 seconds each. The coolant runs through a...

George, Your 3D printed model looks great. It seems it wasn't long ago you were asking what to do with your new 3D printer. You have done a great job. As you know most of the work is on the computer creating the models in CAD. What scale did you print it at? 1/3 like the model 302 you built?

Awesome. I just love how you went the extra kilometer with all of the fine details. The colors and decals and fuel tank and starter and muffler to name a few. Great job, I really enjoyed following your build.

Take a look at this starter arrangement. A small pinion with a large ring gear and a clutch.

Offy – Vavles This is a quick update on my progress, I am working on fabricating the eight valves for the engine. I cut the 45 degree seat and large radius with the lathe in reverse to facilitate access of the tool. And below is the valve ready to be lapped into the valve cage. I leave the...

Yes, I will be using Loctite to retain the valve guides in the head. I had planned to use 638, but looking at the Loctite chart Peter attached 620 is intended for higher temperatures. They recommend an "Activator", which I have never used. It is a good tip to be careful of it setting too...

The PM Research Steam Engine #1 was my first engine and hooked me on building engines. https://www.pmmodelengines.com/shop/steam/steam-engines/steam-engine-1/ Lots of good youtube videos to help you along including Joe Pie and Blondihacks

Wow, I am amazed with how quickly and efficiently you work. It seems one week you are contemplating tackling a new engine and tossing CAD ideas around, then the next week you are cranking out parts. And so many at the same time. A mere mortal would be making each part one at a time, but not...

Offy – Vavle Guide Today I started fabricating the Offy’s Valve guides. Below is the result of the first one: I don’t have any aluminum bronze (954) on hand, but I have a stick of phosphor bronze so I will use that for my valve guides. I started with the 1/2″ diameter bronze stock chucked up...

Offy – Conrods Part 3 I have spent the past weekend developing the tools paths to machine the outsides of the Connecting Rods. I will be using the fixture shown below to hold the conrods so the entire side can be machined in one go, then it is flipped over and the opposite side is machined in a...

Using a softer bronze is a good suggestion, I do have some softer Bronze that I have designated for use in making the valve guides. I had some bronze bushings laying around and thought I would give them a try. It requires some special attention when machining. Below are a couple of snaps of...

I suppose if you changed the valve timing you could get a 4 stroke to run on compressed air. Of course you do not need a compression stroke in the engine so you could make the engine a 2 stroke, open the "intake" valve on the down stroke of the piston and open the "exhaust" valve on the up...

Offy – Conrods Part 1 I am going to try something different with the connecting rods. I want to install a bronze split bushing in the big end. It will be secured with Loctite and brass taper pins. As a warning, my first attempt was a failure as can see below: The bushing is too thin and the...

Not a V8, but certainly would be a challenge: I saw a full size replica running at Oshkosh Air Venture a few years back, pretty amazing. The crank is stationary and the cylinders spin with the prop.

Offy – Rings and Pistons I like to make my cylinder sleeves first, then my rings to match, then finally my pistons. I do this so each matches its predecessor if there are any discrepancies. This time around I did a good job of making the cylinder sleeves match, only one was different and it...