Howell v-2 four stroke gas engine.

[gus]

Gear Case.

Profiling the Gear Case required angle plate bought three years ago from the engineering hardware streets in HongKong.
With item secured the two flats for the cam tappet bushings skimmed to print dimensions. Job done with no goofs.
Milling the exterior profile was made tedious using a mini mill. Vertical feed was short by 3 mm. Had to lower mill head to finish cut. Job done again with no goofs. Both cuts too 3 1/2 hours. Gear Case Assembly will take the rest of the week.

 

[ShopShoe]

Gus,

This engine is getting to look better and better. I like it a lot and enjoy following your process of design and execution.

I know well the frustration of having a machine that is capable of a task, but has a limit of some kind to overcome. ("... Vertical feed was short by 3 mm. Had to lower mill head to finish cut. ...) Well done and I agree that this engine really requires that one extra special thing to accomplish: Patience.

Good Work

--ShopShoe

 

[gus]

Gus,

This engine is getting to look better and better. I like it a lot and enjoy following your process of design and execution.

I know well the frustration of having a machine that is capable of a task, but has a limit of some kind to overcome. ("... Vertical feed was short by 3 mm. Had to lower mill head to finish cut. ...) Well done and I agree that this engine really requires that one extra special thing to accomplish: Patience.

Good Work

--ShopShoe

Hi ShopShoe,

Thanks for following my humble post. The V-2 Engine has too many details to
make and must be as per print. As of Feb 2016, I took a long break to size up the situation. Went into some deep thoughts and sort of re-invent myself.This engine is very unforgiving and having only mini mill and mini lathe made it uphill task. With the completion of the Gear Case Sub-assembly,its about done. Next would the ensuring,I get enough lube oil going thru.

 

[gus]

Gear Case.

I have no depthing tool to mark out the centre distance between the Tail Shaft Drive Gear and Oil pump driven gear. Using 1/8''
Silver Steel Shaft,made a centre punch to the cross hair. End results was good with good gear meshing.

Dowel Pins

The Gear Case and cover must dowel pinned to hold alignment of cam shafts and the tail end of oil pump. Overhung/protuding pump must be sealed at the cover to minimise oil leaks.

Work today was more brain work than physical work. Any misalignment would ruin job.

 

[michael-au]

Nice work Gus

 

[Gordon]

I really wonder about all of the effort to get the oil pump to work. The only thing that it lubricates is the cams. I wonder how important that would be. There is no lubrication on the wrist pin for instance other than what splashes up so I wonder how important the cams are. I do not plan on running this engine for extended periods of time. That being said I do want the engine to be correct and per plan.

Gordon

 

[Brian Rupnow]

This small engine is like many of the other small engines that are designed. Not all of the features are absolutely necessary, but the intent of the plans is also to exercise your ability as a machinist, and make you expand your machining capabilities.---Brian

 

[Art K]

Gus,
The nice thing about this is that it's a hobby at any time you can step back and rethink what you're about to do. Good work
Art

 

[gus]

Gus,
The nice thing about this is that it's a hobby at any time you can step back and rethink what you're about to do. Good work
Art

Hi Art,

Thanks. After working with Ingersoll-Rand for 32 years,I still a baggage of bad work habits to rid off like solving engineering problems while in bed and ended up with no sleep though problems solved. Your are correct,its only a hobby and projects have no date lines,invoicing target shipping date etc.
The Gear Case is one that you cannot bash thru in one stroke.
Been a great day. I had another two gears meshed and pinned.

 

[gus]

Timing Gear Train

Two driven Cam gears pinned and meshed. As gears were DIY and hence centre distance will be hard to get or even guessed.
Resorted to WW-1 method using a 2 thou tissue paper in between both gears. Transfer punch and checked carefully. Acid test would be good meshing with no snag or excessive play. Taking a break now and most likely go after the first two cam gears. As I can see these two gears will be. slightly difficult to mesh. Its good idea to have the mini gears nailed down on plywood piece to prevent loss or mixed up. Been a great day with 3 gears meshed.

 

[gus]

Nice work Gus

Hi Michael.

Thanks for the support visit. Having very basic mini machine tools been very challenging but there were times when I wished I had all the old big/medium/small machine tools I used to have.

SOS SOS.

Not getting good cpompression. Please advise TDC Clearance between outer-head and piston top. Info vital to solve and get good compression.

 

[gus]

This small engine is like many of the other small engines that are designed. Not all of the features are absolutely necessary, but the intent of the plans is also to exercise your ability as a machinist, and make you expand your machining capabilities.---Brian

Hi Brian.

Well said.Thanks for the support. My sincere wish is when some HMEM Beginner embarking on building the Howell V-2 is kept informed/cautioned of the many pitfalls. V-2 is very unforgiving and not meant for the faint hearted hobby machinist. A beginner must have some good experience and having built some basis gas engines before tackling same engine.

Trust all is well.

 

[geo]

Gus
The offset for the camshaft holes is.737 I had my drawing sitting on the mill and read it as .732 the end of the seven finishes on a hidden detail line looks a bit like a two what's the old saying check twice do once . The point is as you say in your posts your not on deadlines the family farm isn't resting on the outcome .
I used your idea to pretest the oil pump looks ok . Thanks again for sharing

 

[gus]

Cam Gears

Put in two more cam gears and they mesh good w/o too much gap. Scribing/marking and pondering took up an hour. Will finish up the other two cam gears. Machining the blind holes to house the gears need to be fugure out. The hole depth must be to print so that gear train will operate properly.Some measuring tools required. Quite happy with the meshing.

 

[gus]

Gus
The offset for the camshaft holes is.737 I had my drawing sitting on the mill and read it as .732 the end of the seven finishes on a hidden detail line looks a bit like a two what's the old saying check twice do once . The point is as you say in your posts your not on deadlines the family farm isn't resting on the outcome .
I used your idea to pretest the oil pump looks ok . Thanks again for sharing

Hi Geo,

No worry. Somtimes its best to rework. Salvaging a job can be time wasting.
Its true I tried salvaging the gear case and ended up with burnt-out. Making a new gear case was rewarding. Anticipation avoided the fatal errors. Take plenty of tea/pea breaks to keep alert mind. For round I goofed on the Gear Case Cover dowel pins. As I get near to completion,I get worried of the last cut syndrome. Take your time. The oil pump is important as it is the only means of providing lube oil for the cam shafts,cams,gears,con-rods and cylnder lubrication. There is no con-rod dipper to get splash lube. All the oil ports must have oil shooting out at vital parts.

 

[gus]

Last 2 Cam Gears to mesh.
Laundry Day. But I cheated and drilled/reamed mini shaft holes for above. Measure twice and drill once.Results was good meshing.
Will work on the Gear Case Cover. The mini cam pins/shafts does entend into the cover for good support.
Boring the pit holes for the gear will another chore but hole depth must be done to print. Failure to complymeans gear train won't jive.

 

[gus]

Outer End Cam Shaft Support at Gear Case Cover.

The 4 Mini Cam Shafts are supported at Gear Case and Cover. That is both shaft ends supported. No Details given on Cover.
Any misfit/misalignment will end up with no support at the cover. Shaft ends cannot be left unsupported. See drawing. Cam and shaft end is shaded. The best way to drill these 4 holes is to cover put on gear case with dowel pins inserted and transfer drill. Job done. Took 30 odd mins to conceive idea and 10 mins to drill .Happy with end results. All four mini shafts inserted.

There is a fair bit of work to do on the cover. No room for error.

 

[gus]

Oil Pump

The oil pump has to be embeded into the Gear Case and surface flushed. With no DRO and no LMS Stops. Made a DIY Cheapie Stop.Use the pump casing to set stop. Again took many tea/pee breaks. Just two cuts away for finishing the ID again tea break.Job done. Pump fit with slide fit and flushed with surface. There is a long list of mini details to be done. You have got to love doing all the mini features. Its a mindset. Enjoy the machining of so many features or keep the Howell V-2 on the ''forgot shelf'' or scrap bin or newspaper weight..

 

[gus]

Cavities for Timing Gear Train

Here's another blow by blow post. All 6 Cavities/Pit Holes done. Except for one cam gear pit done a bit too deep but forgiveable with a shim washer. A DIY Face Plate was necessary to hold Gear Case for the boring with only one 5mm CheeseHead Fastener. Gear Case still have a long list of must machining.drilling/tapping 2 mm for grub screws,milling drilling and reaming etc. Cover still one last job to do. The Timing Gear Case is a sub-assembly to timing gear train,oil pump and tappet bushings etc etc. You got to love or hate doing Gear Case. No Fishing today.Fishing tommorow after morning mass.

 

[gus]

Gear Case

Entire Timing Gear Train fitted in and they spin and meshed good . Contemplating a good break. There is fear ham-fisted Gus may do damage. Sitting at PC Desk and hand spin the tail shaft and gear train. The rest of the metal bashing and completion will happen next week. Amen. And hugging the 30 year old Pneumatic Spear Gun which will be surrendered to Gun Licensing Board for scrapping. Had many choice fish for dinner. At 73, I am too old to free dive 60' to hunt for fish.