Hello All!

[Edc]

Hello from Canada! My names Ed, from Hamilton, Ontario. Thanks for having me on your forum. I am 27 years old and a machining student at Mohawk college. I would love to start modifying and building some small glow and diesel engines for R.C. aviation, my other hobby. I have become very nterested in engine building recently, half out of necessity, as its getting more and more difficult to find smaller size glow engines. The beautiful work in some of galleries brought me to this site.

Im especially interested in a inline twin called the hex2 designed by a mr. Jerry James. I saw it in a magazine, years ago and i thought it might make a fun (and flyable) project for a relative newbie. Any help to find a set of drawings,or better yet some advice from anyone who may have built and/or run one, would really help.

Thanks again
Ed

 

[steamer]

Welcome Edc!

Dave

 

[ksouers]

Welcome to HMEM, Ed.

There are many talented members here. I'm sure someone has the information you need.

 

[Maryak]

Ed,

Welcome to our forum. wEc1

Best Regards
Bob

 

[GailInNM]

Ed,
Here are some links that you will find helpful on the Hex-2.

http://www.jamesengine.com/index_files/Page435.htm
Ordering info for hex-2 plans from the designer. US$5 and they are emailed to you in PDF format.

http://modelenginebuilder.com/issuenine.htm
Issue of Model Engine Builder magazine that published plans for the HEX-2

http://modelenginebuilder.com/formchoice.asp
Back issue ordering information for MEB

http://modelenginenews.org/ed.2006.07.html
Design review of the HEX-2 on the Model Engine News website. Look around while you are there. The site has a lot of information about building model aircraft engines.

I have not built a HEX-2, but the general opinion seems to be that they have a fairly low power to weight ratio because of internal frictional losses, but that they are easy to build. The only tricky part of a build is the threading of the crankcase 17/32-40 to take the Cox cylinders. No problem if you have a screw cutting lathe, but if not a tap is expensive as it is a special.

Gail in NM
And welcome to HMEM

 

[cobra428]

wEc1 ED

Tony

 

[PaulG]

Hello Ed, & Welcome

Paul

 

[b.lindsey]

Welcome to the forum Ed. Its nice to see some of you younger guys with home model engine interests.

Bill

 

[rake60]

Welcome to HMEM Ed.

Rick

 

[Paolo]

Welcome to hour forum...Ed wEc1

 

[Edc]

Wow! thanks for the warm welcom and all the help. That IS the exact magazine article i was refering to. I'm ordering the back issue. Im not that concerned with power to weight... Just want to have something that will swing a 7" prop with a bit of class.

For now i'll be using my schools shop as i dont have much of my own stuff. They have a mix of top of the line cnc machines that are difficult to get time on and sloppy old dinosaurs you can use if you come in on a Saturday. Tooling is limited though, sort of b.y.o or use stuff thats in pretty bad shape. They do have a spiral cutting lathe, but as yet I'm dangerously underqualified to run it. Im considering picking up a small mill and lathe, and have been researching brands on this and other sites,but the budget is low while im a student.

I cant believe theres a casting available for the hex 4! I assume it could be cut down for a hex 2( or 2?) Might be lighter than bar stock too. I was just going to use aluminum square stock, the hexagonal stuff i can find is all heavy tool steel.

17/32 40 does sound like a weird one. I think theres a 40 tpi thread mill in the cabinet. Might that work? I'd still have to get someone to set up the cut for me though. I was also thinking about making a tap from an old cylinder, if i cant find a bolt. Thought it might be good enough for aluminum. Rookie idea? Failing that ill just break down and buy a tap.

Ill post some pics when i have something worth posting too. thanks again.
Ed

 

[GailInNM]

Ed,
I thread milled the threads for all of my Cox cylinder builds using a home made thread mill on a CNC mill.

Since you and Speedy are both building a Hex-X engine and I think both of you are in the same province in Canada you might try to get together and CO-OP the purchase of a tap thay you both could use.

The original HEX-4 castings were done in ZA-12 alloy and if they still are they will be heavier than an aluminum bar stock version as ZA-12 is about 2.5 times the weight of alumninum for the same volume.

Gail in NM