Flywheel Castings

[scottyp]

Maybe this has been put out there before, but I just discovered it for myself...
If only there was a basic (and super cheap) casting readily available to make nice flywheels with. This will work

 

[Makerphil]

Maybe this has been put out there before, but I just discovered it for myself...
If only there was a basic (and super cheap) casting readily available to make nice flywheels with. This will work

Where did you get it from?

 

[scottyp]

Take a look here: The shipping does add a bit, but still a steal (cast iron ) in my opinion. I ordered the 3", but there are 4 and 5 inch also.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/06915037

 

[Makerphil]

Take a look here: The shipping does add a bit, but still a steal (cast iron ) in my opinion. I ordered the 3", but there are 4 and 5 inch also.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/06915037

Thank you.

 

[LorenOtto]

Maybe this has been put out there before, but I just discovered it for myself...
If only there was a basic (and super cheap) casting readily available to make nice flywheels with. This will work

What a great idea - thanks for sharing.

 

[Thommo]

What a brilliant idea ScottyP. Unfortunately I’m in Oz So the postage would probably be a killer. They look really nice machined btw.

 

[Harglo]

I recently wanted 7" brass flywheels so bought a cast iron one an had 2 cast in brass at a Amish run foundry in PA $110 for the both a great price. If any one would like the details how to contact them kindly note back. There very nice an very reasonable to work with.
Harvey

 

[Thommo]

Hi Harglo, I’d love to see some pictures of the flywheels!

 

[Harglo]

Hi Harglo, I’d love to see some pictures of the flywheels!

I purchased a 7" cast Iron from PM resesarch. Maching cast iron is such a mess so the brass. Bit off a trade off - of course tarnish. Cataill Foundy
Amish run {Gordonville PA} made a mold from the cast iron one. Yeah have to leave a number it may take em a day or 2 to responed. 717 768-7323.
Harvey

 

[Rocket Man]

I have taken casting to a local casting company and had copies made price is very reasonable. There are 2 companies in town 1 does cast iron the other 1 does zinc & brass.

 

[Harglo]

I have taken casting to a local casting company and had copies made price is very reasonable. There are 2 companies in town 1 does cast iron the other 1 does zinc & brass.

Hope it works out for you.
Harvey

 

[Steamchick]

My Dad was using scrap hand-wheels back in the last century. Also, the brass top from a scrapped fire extinguisher (the steel tank part was rusted). I have used a cast-iron trolley wheel. And I have bought cast iron and brass castings from various model suppliers in the UK. If you can borrow someone's machined flywheel, you can use it to make new castings after dipping it in wax, to give yourself some machining allowance. I find the wax adds about 1mm per dip. Use zinc alloy from scrap car Mazac parts. Melts at a relatively low temperature, stronger than aluminium, as fairly massive. Not as heavy as an iron flywheel, but close. Make a mould in 2 halves from plaster of paris, around the waxed part, split, and remove the waxed part. Carefully drill feeders, and cast the zinc alloy. Takes a few tries to develop your process. I have made simpler parts, but a friend cast an internal gear from a change wheel pinion from his lathe... that ring, with added brackets, made the part for his engine sun and planet gear for his engine to revolve within.
Enjoy,
K2

 

[Brian Rupnow]

There is a big problem with buying model flywheels if you live in Canada. On my recent build, the T head engine, I bought two 4 1/2" flywheels out of the USA (nobody in Canada makes model flywheels). These flywheels sell for $31 each in USA. By the time I paid for shipping, tax, and the difference in Canadian/USA dollars, it cost me $107 Canadian money for these flywheels. There is a Canadian company called Princess Auto that sells all kinds of hardware, and they sell aluminum wheels with bonded rubber tires on them that would make perfect flywheels the size I wanted for less than a third of what I paid. My plan was to buy two of these wheels, strip off the rubber, and attach a short piece of heavy wall pipe to act as a weighted rim. The day I went to buy two of these wheels, they had every size larger than I wanted and every size smaller than what I wanted, but didn't have the size which would work for me. I ended up buying my flywheels out of USA and paying thru the nose for them. Next time I build an engine I will be checking stock at Princess Auto to see if they have the size I need in stock.

 

[GreenTwin]

I had someone at an engine show recommend Martin Models.
https://www.martinmodel.com/collections/fly-wheels?page=1
I told them "I prefer to cast my own".
They said "Why cast your own when you have a wide selection available to purchase?".
I said "Because they generally don't make flywheels like I like them" ie: compound tapered elipsoidal section spokes with the correct looking taper, or custom flywheels like one to fit a hit-and-miss Galloway (that actually matches a Galloway flywheel exactly).

Flywheels that can be purchased have gotten infinitely better in my opinion than they were just a few years ago, and I think 3D modeling and 3D printing is helping with that (that is how I make the patterns for my flywheels).

PM Research also makes flywheels.
https://www.pmmodelengines.com/shop/gas/gas-accessories/flywheel-castings/
Here are two flywheels I have cast in the backyard:
Two have been in gray iron (for the green twin models), and one in aluminum as a test casting, ultimately to be cast in gray iron.
Iron flywheels can be buffed to a mirror finish.

While casting your own iron flywheels in the backyard is not necessarily easy or cheap, you can cast an exact replica of an old flywheel, not an approximation, if you are into that sort of thing.
I really like what having one's own foundry brings to the table as far as what you can make (kits that can't be purchased anywhere).

Here is an aluminum flywheel, which is a larger sized Cretors-replica.
I hand carved one spoke in wood, and then cast six spokes, made a rim, and then cast the entire flywheel.

 

[GreenTwin]

The Cretors flywheel I cast in aluminum, as a test.
My final flywheels are always in cast iron.
I showed this flyweel to a guy at NAMES in 2019 who sold flywheels, and he said "I see you purchased one of our flywheels".
I said "Nope, I cast it myself using my own pattern".

Most people are not aware that you can make your own flywheels, and make them very accurately as far as matching the original.

 

[ajoeiam]

I had someone at an engine show recommend Martin Models.
https://www.martinmodel.com/collections/fly-wheels?page=1
I told them "I prefer to cast my own".
They said "Why cast your own when you have a wide selection available to purchase?".
I said "Because they generally don't make flywheels like I like them" ie: compound tapered elipsoidal section spokes with the correct looking taper, or custom flywheels like one to fit a hit-and-miss Galloway (that actually matches a Galloway flywheel exactly).

Flywheels that can be purchased have gotten infinitely better in my opinion than they were just a few years ago, and I think 3D modeling and 3D printing is helping with that (that is how I make the patterns for my flywheels).

PM Research also makes flywheels.
https://www.pmmodelengines.com/shop/gas/gas-accessories/flywheel-castings/
Here are two flywheels I have cast in the backyard:
Two have been in gray iron (for the green twin models), and one in aluminum as a test casting, ultimately to be cast in gray iron.
Iron flywheels can be buffed to a mirror finish.

snip

While casting your own iron flywheels in the backyard is not necessarily easy or cheap, you can cast an exact replica of an old flywheel, not an approximation, if you are into that sort of thing.
I really like what having one's own foundry brings to the table as far as what you can make (kits that can't be purchased anywhere).

Here is an aluminum flywheel, which is a larger sized Cretors-replica.
I hand carved one spoke in wood, and then cast six spokes, made a rim, and then cast the entire flywheel.

snip

Your encouragement re: considering diy casting is duly noted!!

Methinks that some pattern making skills will also have to be learned - - - grin.
Besides by making a number of patterns - - - - what have you found for good resources for pattern making?
Raw materials for your casting - - - - sources?

TIA

 

[trlvn]

Princess Auto that sells all kinds of hardware, and they sell aluminum wheels with bonded rubber tires on them that would make perfect flywheels

Could you supply a link? I browsed their site but could only find wheels with plastic hubs.

Craig

 

[awake]

Sounds like a business opportunity for an enterprising Canadian!

 

[Brian Rupnow]

TRLVN--You have to go and look in one of their stores. They don't list everything they sell on the internet. Awake---there are about 33 million people in Canada. There are over 300 million people in USA. Such a small percentage of people in Canada who mess around with model engines, it just wouldn't have a large enough domestic market to make it worthwhile.

 

[awake]

TRLVN--You have to go and look in one of their stores. They don't list everything they sell on the internet. Awake---there are about 33 million people in Canada. There are over 300 million people in USA. Such a small percentage of people in Canada who mess around with model engines, it just wouldn't have a large enough domestic market to make it worthwhile.

Thus the smiley face at the end of my comment - it was meant to be tongue-in-cheek!