Are my machines big enough for...
- Thread starter V 45
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Help Support Home Model Engine Machinist Forum:
Flywheel is only 4" dia. Cutting the cooling fins in the cylinders will be the biggest test of the machine.
J
J
V 45 said:
I have not seen the plans for the engine but by the look of the engine your lathe should have the capacity to do it . I managed to make the cylinder and the fins for my Webster engine ( not yet completed ) on my little Taig lathe, so dimensionally at least you should be fine, rigidity of the lathe and the mill is another matter.
Regards,
A.G
You are asking the 64,000 dollar question.
It could be done on your machines, but don't complain when your motor/circuit board/spindle bearings/gears give up the ghost whilst trying to make it.
That is why machines sizes go up in stages, small machines are usually for making small pieces, medium machines for medium and small bits, and big machines for everything. If it was me making the decision, I would say that engine really requires a medium sized machine to make it with any ease.
Just because a chuck on a lathe can hold a large piece doesn't necessarily mean the lathe will be able to machine it safely and easily without doing damage. All those people who say fit a 5" chuck to a mini lathe, in all honesty, are having delusions of grandeur, they are lucky that the skinny spindle hasn't snapped off before now, without doing any machining at all.
Look to what your machines can safely handle, and make parts and engines within those limits. Later on, when you are a lot more experienced and enjoying what you are doing, then upgrade your machinery to take on larger projects.
John
It could be done on your machines, but don't complain when your motor/circuit board/spindle bearings/gears give up the ghost whilst trying to make it.
That is why machines sizes go up in stages, small machines are usually for making small pieces, medium machines for medium and small bits, and big machines for everything. If it was me making the decision, I would say that engine really requires a medium sized machine to make it with any ease.
Just because a chuck on a lathe can hold a large piece doesn't necessarily mean the lathe will be able to machine it safely and easily without doing damage. All those people who say fit a 5" chuck to a mini lathe, in all honesty, are having delusions of grandeur, they are lucky that the skinny spindle hasn't snapped off before now, without doing any machining at all.
Look to what your machines can safely handle, and make parts and engines within those limits. Later on, when you are a lot more experienced and enjoying what you are doing, then upgrade your machinery to take on larger projects.
John
One other thought is that instead of using CI for the cylinders and heads you could do as KustomKB did and use alloy with a CI liner and valve guides. These would be a lot easier going when cutting the cooling fins and if you use a narrow 1/16" parting tool and then widen teh grooves its not excessive load.
I used hollow cast bronze for my flywheels which again needs less work and can be held in a 4" chuck.
On the larger parts you are likely to have to take several finer cuts that someone with a big lathe that will hog it out quickly but it can be done. I made a Stuart 10v on a unimat 3 when I started out so you 7x16 would be massive by comparrison.
J
I used hollow cast bronze for my flywheels which again needs less work and can be held in a 4" chuck.
On the larger parts you are likely to have to take several finer cuts that someone with a big lathe that will hog it out quickly but it can be done. I made a Stuart 10v on a unimat 3 when I started out so you 7x16 would be massive by comparrison.
J
Thanx again for the input !! I wasn't sure about how to make the fins but taking out with a parting tool could work. Maybe I should shrink the motor down to a more reasonable size for my equipment. That would work..right ? I don't know that much about the electrics and spark plug that small tho.
If you go with the alloy heads & cylinder than you machine will cope, I did mine when I had an 8" swing lathe with no problem at all and I used cast iron.
J
J
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V45
Should you decide to shrink the engine down don't let the spark plug and ignition system get in the way. Many of us have built spark plugs in a lot of different sizes. Here is a link to my build of one. A link to the drawings is at the end of the post,
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=8096.msg122619#msg122619
If you don't have confidence in your wiring abilities you can get a prewired ignition system that is plug and play. It can work with either a hall effect pick up or conventional points. J.ust chooser the complete system on this page.
http://www.cncengines.com/ic.html
There are many other ignition methods that will work also. Since you won't need to worry about an ignition system untill near the end of the build just knowing that something is available is enough for now,
Gail in NM
Should you decide to shrink the engine down don't let the spark plug and ignition system get in the way. Many of us have built spark plugs in a lot of different sizes. Here is a link to my build of one. A link to the drawings is at the end of the post,
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=8096.msg122619#msg122619
If you don't have confidence in your wiring abilities you can get a prewired ignition system that is plug and play. It can work with either a hall effect pick up or conventional points. J.ust chooser the complete system on this page.
http://www.cncengines.com/ic.html
There are many other ignition methods that will work also. Since you won't need to worry about an ignition system untill near the end of the build just knowing that something is available is enough for now,
Gail in NM
