Decisions, Decisions...

[cfellows]

Thanks, all, for the thoughtful input. I just finished modifying my tool and cutter grinder and I also upgraded my belt grinder. Before that, I tore down my mill / drill, replaced the x-axis lead screw and added DRO's. So maybe I'm good to go for a while on my tool maintenance and upgrade. I think the list of tool builds I'm still thinking about are more wants than needs so maybe I'll just keep those on the back burner for a while.

Unfinished projects include my Little Blazer flame sucker engine and my compressed air powered Hoglett. I also need to build finish the boiler for my two cylinder double acting steam engine. But that requires a better propane torch that Idon't want to spend the money on right now, so that'll have to wait.

New projects that I'm thinking of right now are (in order listed):

1. Compressed air, stylized version of the Cirrus, inline 4 cylinder engine

2. Compressed air version of the 3 cylinder inline Fairbanks generator engine, a 1/3 or 1/2 scale version

3. Half or third scale Lister D IC engine.

4. A model hot bulb engine, sorry, no picture.

Chuck

 

[miner49r]

Chuck,
Any one of those builds would be awe inspiring to me. I do not yet possess the skills, patience, or insanity to attempt such an endeavor. I will however drool profusely shortting out a couple of keyboards watching your progress.
Alan

 

[CMS]

Having a talk with a fellow hobbyist/model engine builder, we both came to the conclusion the if you start a project, it should be completed before starting the next one. We both have a small forturn of time involved in a project or two that's been sitting around because something else better comes along.
In my case I've a 18" water pump casting that I just got in from Joe Tochtrop that I'm itching to start on. I would make an excellent display belted to my model Economy hit & miss engine at the antique engine and tractor shows this year. But I'm already about 1/4 the way through another Economy hit & miss engine build, and with another engine that's already on the back burner, I refuse to have two.

Good luck in whatever you decide,

Craig

 

[b.lindsey]

Chuck, any of those would be great projects!! Will anxiously await your decision

Bill

 

[steamer]

I'd say the Lister!....but that's just me! ;D

Dave

 

[Catminer]

Definitely the lister
Do you have drawings or know if they could be purchased anywhere?

Peter

 

[steamer]

Actually, it looks like a Whippet......could use the internals from that with a purpose designed/modeled block.....

Dave

 

[cfellows]

I don't have drawings for the lister other than what I've been able to scare up on the Web. But I think I have enough information to come up with a pretty good scale drawing on my own. The Lister is pretty simple from a design standpoint, pretty much a tall box that's 25.25" tall, 8.75" long on the crankshaft axis, and about 6" deep, if you don't count the feet and some of the flanges. There is a very slight taper on the 6" side.

It has an overhung crankshaft and two bearings between the crank disk and the flywheel end to carry the load. The camshaft and magneto are on the opposite side. It has overhead valves with the rocker and valve assembly all contained inside the rather massive head. The Lister has a 3" bore and 3" stroke, so I was thinking I would make it either half size with a 1.5" bore or maybe a 1.25" bore which would make it about a 40% scale. In either case, it would be the largest engine I've made todate and would definitely present a challenge.

Here's a picture of the internals...

\

And the drawing I found...

Stay tuned...

Chuck

 

[steamer]

I like the cam arrangement! the rockers could be set up like a Wallaby with an eccentric to set the lash.

The skew gears would be a project!


I like it!

.........and the answer is.....? ;D

Dave

 

[steamer]

The Whippet has the same kind of crank, but is side valved.

The Wallaby is OHV.

Dave

 

[cfellows]

I think the Lister is going to have to wait. There is a lot of thought and planning that will need to go into it and I'm itching to cut metal.

So, I think it's going to be the the Cirrus. I have drawings for a 1/4 scale model and if I divide that in half, it will be about right. I plan to use my slave valve assembly on my compressed air version it will have a 1/2" bore and overall length of around 4". This will the first model engine I've built where I carved the crankcase out of a solid piece of aluminum. Don't have any CNC so it should be an adventure. I still have a little planning to do before I get to machining, but hopefully I can get started next week.

Chuck

 

[steamer]

That's cool Chuck!

I'll be watching!

Dave

 

[b.lindsey]

Good choice!!! Will be awaiting the first flying chips :big:

Bill