ENV aero engine project

[Peter Twissell]

If it will swing that 48" X 30" prop at 3000 rpm, it would go a treat in the front of my Clutton Fred!

 

[Wez1]

That's interesting Tim. It certainly is used in industry and more particularly for depositing nickel. However I meant that there is very little of any practical help out there for the amateur working at home. BTW which acid will dissolve aluminium but not copper?

 

[Wez1]

If it will swing that 48" X 30" prop at 3000 rpm, it would go a treat in the front of my Clutton Fred!

Well you haven't had to pick it up yet!

 

[Peter Twissell]

Ah, what does it weigh?

 

[Wez1]

Ah, what does it weigh?

good question. Scaled weight net of all ancilliaries was supposed to be about 35 lbs but last time it went on the scales (other sort) it was heading for 45. So I would guess total about 50 lbs. Output should be max 10Hp at about 1500rpm. Quite fast enough. This is 1910 remember.

 

[Peter Twissell]

Lighter than I had imagined.
Fred can take up to 60kg of engine, but needs more than 10 hp.
The prototype aircraft flew with a 500cc Triumph motorcycle engine, which makes about 34hp.
Still, it's a very impressive engine.
Well done that man!

 

[Wez1]

Thanks Peter. I hope to run it again early Dec and then do some tests to get static thrust etc. If I don't get decapitated in the process I will report further.

 

[rweber]

Congratulations Stephen! What a phantastic piece of engineering work! I'm deeply impressed and looking forward to see more vids.

 

[johwen]

Just brilliant john

 

[Wez1]

Congratulations Stephen! What a phantastic piece of engineering work! I'm deeply impressed and looking forward to see more vids.

Thanks Robert!

 

[William May]

Cadillac used this exact same method on their early cars. The cylinders were surrounded by a copper shell that served as a coolant jacket. The engines are quite beautiful, and I often wonder what the production line for them looked like. It must have been a massive operation to produce all the cylinders they needed for their car production.

 

[stanstocker]

I can't think of much to say other than "WOW!". A beautiful and technically very impressive project. I won't be making such a high level project in this lifetime, but it sure inspires me to do just a bit better on every piece made. Thank You!

 

[Wez1]

This is the Zenith carb in 1/2 size, fabricated from brass and zinc plated. A friend cut the lettering out on his high speed CNC mill. I made the jets adjustable for obvious reasons. The hardest part to get right was the float valve. The sight gauge tells me if it's working! The extra air inlet slots proved unnecessary and have been blanked off while a simple choke has been added for cold starting.

 

[johnlaudano]

Thanks, what is the length of the rods?
John

 

[Wez1]

Thanks, what is the length of the rods?
John

4.75"

 

[mu38&Bg#]

This is an incredible build.

If anyone watches Leno's garage, you've probably seen this Benz-Mercedes with copper jackets.

 

[Wez1]

Many thanks! I am a great fan of Leno's - it was he who put me on to Evans coolant too.
The brass/copper/ steel jacket system survived until they cracked the problems of casting alloy in a solid block with water passages. I used electroforming to make the jackets which has its pros & cons like everything else, one of the cons being it's so hard to get an even thickness of deposit and without hi tech equipment, impossible to measure it. I used it for my induction pipework as well as the jackets but underestimated the effect of strong inlet vacuum; so there was a slight cave-in at a thin spot. I managed to push the dent back out and installed a light steel spring inside that section of pipe to reinforce it.

Cheers
Stephen

 

[Basil]

Absolutely gorgeous! Yes a true inspiration for lots of us.