Issues with Myers Castings

[vederstein]

I've been diving into one of Myer's Stirling engines and thus far have been very disappointed with the quality of the castings.

Some of the issues:

• Parting lines way way off.
• Cast dimensions smaller than the final machined dimensions.
• Casting so warped they cannot be used.
• Voids in the castings.

This is the second casting kit I've got from Myers. The earlier kit was bad, but this is terrible.

So, unless this guy gets his act together, I wouldn't recommend anyone purchase from Myers anymore.

...ved.

 

[Tin Falcon]

I have always tried to live by the adage if you like the product tell the public. if you have a problem with the product tell the vendor.


Have you communicated with Myers and asked them to make this right?
Have you sent them photos and real data to support your concerns and dissatisfaction.

while not exactly against forum rules it is best practice and common courtesy to make every attempt to contact the seller /manufacturer and give them a chance to remedy the situation before making a public complaint.
Tin

 

[aonemarine]

If you like his work tell others, if not please tell him.
I do my own casting and I understand what it takes to make a pattern to produce a part that will be easy for others to machine. When I design a pattern I look at things as what is critical and what is not, how to hold the casting, where it should be indicated at, and the sequence it should be machined. If I were to make and sell a casting, and it was found to be difficult for others to machine I would want to hear from them to work out the issues. This could be either redesigning the pattern, or telling the builder the best way to go about machining it.. I would be interested in seeing pictures of your castings and thier measurements privately to advance my pattern making skills in preparation for my future casting kits.

 

[hitandmissman]

I have bought two of his kits and had no problems. However with that said that was a couple yrs ago. I agree with the others that you should talk with him first and than post on here what answer you get. I have found that most vendors will make things right. I am sure they can't inspect every casting before selling it so talk to him first.

 

[jwcnc1911]

I have to say this attention may not be entirely bad, it took me to his website. I'm now considering purchasing the popcorn casting kit as I generally disregard bad news like this until it's overwhelming or firsthand. I had otherwise never heard of them even given all my Googling.

 

[chrsbrbnk]

casting kits are all fairly spendy I for one would like to hear about these types of problems Before I lay out my cash. the whole point of these forums is to share knowledge If the vendor deserves praise give it, if they deserve criticism give it. I have been building this 1/3 scale steam tractor that has several casting errors that have apparently been made that way for a decade or so. the fellow had numerous complaints but never changed the patterns.

 

[aonemarine]

Something that also needs to be stated is that most guys selling casting kits are at the mercy of the foundry producing the castings from thier patterns. Its expensive to have castings poured, and rejected castings only add to the expense. Sometimes its just better practice to send out the castings, cross your fingers, and replace the ones that the consumer is unhappy with. This is the typical senerio. At the same toll, multiple complaints on the same casting over a decade warrent investigation and redesign, not only to suit the consumer, but to aid the foundry in its manufacture. Some things just cannot be accounted for until the consumer recieves the castings and finds errors. This error may not be present on all castings, but over time and a quantity of castings are sold/machined, things should become apparent.
Bottom line is the real quality comes from how the seller of the castings responds to your concerns, replacement and helpful advice will surpass one or two troubled castings every time!

 

[chrsbrbnk]

I've decided to try to buy casting kits only from people who have built one of the kits, like lonestar where Maury's usually built it first.

 

[vederstein]

Out of the seven castings on the kit I'm currently working on, only two look good (the flywheels) and one was ok.

I've read that Myers was taken over my his son. It truly feels like his son is just throwing old, sub-standard parts into the mail until the material is eliminated.

If it was just one part, I'd understand - contact and ask for a replacement. But this kit is awful. What am I to do? I'll contact Myers, but I seriously doubt he's willing to replace 50% of the parts in the kit. (some parts in the kit are not casting, but tubing and barstock).

I wrote my post as a warning to others. Please do not scold me for trying to do a service for others.

...ved.

 

[aonemarine]

Well why don't you try contacting him about it instead of just whineing about it.

 

[vederstein]

I did. I'm waiting for a response.

 

[Fireguy976]

Hi all,

this is a now almost 9 year old post.
What were the results?
Was the OP satisfied with the reply from Myers?
Has anyone Recently purchased a casting kit? And how was it?
Curious minds want to know???

 

[deverett]

I'm currently working on a set of Myers castings that had been lying under my bench until they had collected enough dust to ensure they had matured sufficiently. The major alloy castings have severe pattern shift that have warranted much use of files and J B Weld to eliminate. I haven't had any issues with undersize castings.
It would have been difficult for me to return the castings because I live in Ireland and shipping costs would make it totally uneconomic.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

[Richard Hed]

If you like his work tell others, if not please tell him.
I do my own casting and I understand what it takes to make a pattern to produce a part that will be easy for others to machine. When I design a pattern I look at things as what is critical and what is not, how to hold the casting, where it should be indicated at, and the sequence it should be machined. If I were to make and sell a casting, and it was found to be difficult for others to machine I would want to hear from them to work out the issues. This could be either redesigning the pattern, or telling the builder the best way to go about machining it.. I would be interested in seeing pictures of your castings and thier measurements privately to advance my pattern making skills in preparation for my future casting kits.

Do you have kits now?

 

[chrsbrbnk]

seems there is often a change in casting quality as the originators age out. alot of the casting kit runs were in the low hundreds so it a little more risky getting the last of the kits. There are a few guys reworking the patterns and shifting the prints to cad so they actually go together. I think that posting dissatisfaction with the casting kits really helpful. Its bad enough sending several hundred dollars off into mail without at least some reassurance that the parts are good. notifying the vendors is good but not always successful especially the dead ones.

 

[Captain777]

Hi all,

this is a now almost 9 year old post.
What were the results?
Was the OP satisfied with the reply from Myers?
Has anyone Recently purchased a casting kit? And how was it?
Curious minds want to know???

I saw this post many years ago, but I ordered a kit anyway. I received it about 6 weeks ago. Due to surgery and other issues, it has been sitting in the garage. (Murdock Vertical Oscillating Engine Casting Kit) I have never worked a casting kit so take what I say with a grain of salt. After arrival, I inspected each casting. The casting sprues seem overly large. Looks like a LOT of file work will be required. In my kit, the base casting was pretty much un-usable. (Is it called wastage? A low spot on the base that would have been lower than the required machined area?) However, I did call up the owner and he quickly replaced it with no questions. I had the replacement within a week. The new casting is ok, but will also require a lot of file work. As these are aluminum castings, I think that they are doable. On cursory inspection, there looks like there is enough "meat" to follow the drawings, but -just enough-. Until I really get into the filing and machining, I won't know. When I start building, I think that I will start with the base and work up. Will not try to machine all parts, then put them together. Every part (or pair of parts) will be worked in order and measurements adjusted to them.

Don't compare this to a Stuart casting kit, but then again, I only paid about 1/5th the price for a lot of metal castings.

One question for casting builders. These are aluminum castings. For mistakes or if I find a small hole in the casting, is filling the hole with "JB Weld" a good repair option or is there a better method of filling?

Dan

 

[Vietti]

An air filer can be your friend. Files can be made by welding a shank on a regular file.

John

 

[Jasonb]

I'd rather have a larger gate to remove than a casting that has been gouged out by over enthusiastic use of a saw or grinder at the foundry.

Yes JB welld will be OK but if it's just a cosmetic area that won't get hot then car body filler (bondo) will be easier to rub down

 

[Captain777]

Yes JB weld will be OK but if it's just a cosmetic area that won't get hot then car body filler (bondo) will be easier to rub down
[/QUOTE]

Thanks for that info.
Dan

 

[Myers engines]

Hello,
This is Brent Myers. My wife and I are running Myers Engine Works. I thank all of the customers for there support. My father has passed in 2021. He loved going to the engine shows and catching up with all of our friends from around the globe. It is my plan to continue the work of my farther, and all the other mens work that we now have the honor of selling the casting kits they built. You may still find some of there names on the blue prints dating back to the 1970’s. We have had customers break parts. We have shipped parts that did not meet the expectation of the modeler working with them. It is not some thing that makes me proud to hear that folk are complaining to a forum rather than simply asking for a replacement part. To that end here is my phone number. No mater the sale date of the kit, I will replace any sub standard parts. No mater the failure mode of the part , you get a new one. Period
Here is my phone number: 419-376-3206

That is eastern standard time.
I look forward to many years of keeping the craft of model engineering alive and well
Brent and Nan Myers