Engine from Jan. 1953 Popular Science.

[GaryK]

Your killing me how close you work to your vise jaws by the way! Make you some soft jaws man!

Soft jaws are for wimps! 30+ years and I have yet to hit them.

Seriously, I ALWAYS check for clearance before I ever do anything near the jaws.

The press together crankshaft doesn't seem to work out like I had hoped so I will be making a new one.

I also got the engine running on one cylinder to test the timing for the eccentrics. I will be making two new of those also. The two will have the setscrew for adjustment.

So things will just take a little longer than I thought.

Gary

 

[GaryK]

Here's the new crankshaft.

Made in a more traditional way. My press fit one just had too much runout. This one is a lot better!

I like to double pin the parts in place. It eliminates any pivoting like with a single pin.

You will notice I also cut a groove in one end. This is to keep the set screw in the flywheel from gouging the shaft.

I think I will also add grooves for the eccentrics also or maybe just a hole.

I have started cleaning everything up, but I still have the two eccentrics with set screws to make.

Gary

 

[GaryK]

I thought I would give you an update on my progress.

I thought that since this engine was more of a show piece rather than a work horse I would make it look good. I have added what I call a "Random Jeweled" finish.

Here's a picture of it on my workbench.

I have it all cleaned up, assembled and working in both forward and reverse.

The only thing I have left to do is to add a lever to switch from forward to reverse. I'm trying to make it simple yet functional.

I should be done in a day or two.

Gary

 

[GaryK]

Just under 6 weeks and it's finally done.

Here's some pictures:

And finally a video to prove it works!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktq28UbOf9Y[/ame]

Gary

 

[mikegw1961]

Gary
That is very nice.

Mike

 

[davewaldo]

Beautiful. How do you achieve that finish and will you use a lacquer or coating to preserve it?

Thanks for posting so many photos!

 

[canadianhorsepower]

very nice work, love it Thm:

Brass must be cheap were you live

 

[GaryK]

Beautiful. How do you achieve that finish and will you use a lacquer or coating to preserve it?

I used a small Craytex (rubberized abrasive) in a Dremel tool. I also used a water based polyurethane on everything. Mainly because if dries very fast and it's what I had.

Brass must be cheap were you live

Brass isn't cheap anywhere that I know of.

Gary

 

[mnay]

Great job!!!!!!

 

[Septic]

PTFE is a superb material for the purpose although my personal preference is to use either a two part piston, or helical pressure ring in order to maintain a continuous seal around the cylinder, but that's more due to lack of confidence in my ability to get a good seal, than any doubts over the validity of using "split" rings...

 

[GaryK]

PTFE is a superb material for the purpose although my personal preference is to use either a two part piston, or helical pressure ring in order to maintain a continuous seal around the cylinder, but that's more due to lack of confidence in my ability to get a good seal, than any doubts over the validity of using "split" rings...

The ring fit tight in the cylinder bore before I cut it. Since I used a razor to cut it, no material was removed. After I cut it I placed it back in the cylinder by itself to check it and saw no gap at all. Any air that gets past the ring will be microscopic.

Gary

 

[Septic]

You'r solution to the problem is quite adequate Gary and I don't mean to suggest otherwise...

Even though doing it your way, very little pressure could be lost, I'd be constantly worrying about it because I'm so used to working with high pressure steam and hydraulics, which would blow through the tightest razor cut in microseconds.

My mindset is far too rigid really and even though I should lighten up, I've been at it so long that I have real problems accepting .... Anal doesn't really cover it in my case...

 

[GaryK]

You'r solution to the problem is quite adequate Gary and I don't mean to suggest otherwise...

Even though doing it your way, very little pressure could be lost, I'd be constantly worrying about it because I'm so used to working with high pressure steam and hydraulics, which would blow through the tightest razor cut in microseconds.

My mindset is far too rigid really and even though I should lighten up, I've been at it so long that I have real problems accepting .... Anal doesn't really cover it in my case...

I can understand with hydraulics, but I'll have to take your word about the blow through using steam.
When I plan on actually running something with steam, I'll keep that in mind.

Gary