Odds & Ends Hit & Miss Engine

[Harold Lee]

I completed this engine in February and gave it to my 5 year old grandson. He calls it "Old Bessie".
This was designed by the late Philip Duclos and was published in Home Shop Machinist in 1987. The
plans are in his book "The Shop Wisdom of Philip Duclos" This is a very sweet running engine.
I am currently building two more...

[youtube=425,350]<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-x1yxKnYLEA&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-x1yxKnYLEA&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>[/youtube]

 

[BobWarfield]

Oh now this one is really sweet. Something about the proportions and how you've displayed it. What a wonderful toy for a 5 year old boy!

I fondly remember my old German steam engine that ran on those little tablets, but this is much more fun!

Your grandson has quite a grandpa. Hopefully you'll get him out to shop on a project of his own at some point.

Cheers,

BW

 

[Bogstandard]

Again Harold, you are showing your expertise in making these wonderful engines

John

 

[Charlie J]

Fantastic looking engine and your timing is great! I started this engine two weeks ago. Your engine certainly gives me the incentive I always need to complete projects. Thanks! I currently have the frame, baseplate and crankshaft bearings made and together. This weekend I plan to machine the cylinder/water tank and mount it to the frame. Then I can finish machine the bores of the bearings. I'm checking the scrap boxes at work for the needed material. We do major fabrications and machined components for Navy ships and submarines. There is always a variety of scrap and my employer allows me to take what I want as long as I only use it for hobby work. The paint job looks like Hammerite paint. Is it? I was actually going to use that color but now may have to look at some others. Have to have something original!
Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[lugnut]

Harold, thanks for posting your great! little engine. I ordered that book by Philip Duclos this evening $45 and plan to build one also. I have another little hit and miss almost finished. this one looks more to what I was wanting. Your video is great!
Thanks
Mel

 

[Harold Lee]

Charlie,

You are correct, the paint is Rustoleum "Hammered" which I purchased at Lowe's. Since this was to simulate a casting the texture of the paint more closely resembled it. If you are going to build one, let me give you a bit of advice which may save you some amount of frustration. The plans call for the ignition points to be made from a hacksaw blade and a 4-40 screw. When I made the engine it originally ran fine and after about 1-2 hours total I started having problems that I thought were problems with the carburetor. In Bob Shores book on ignition systems he states "90% of all carburetion problems are electrical". I ended up getting a set of points from Autozone for a 1970 Chrysler 300 and made a mounting plate that replaced the original points. The engine has run like a sewing machine since. If you would like, I could send you a drawing for the mounting plate when you get to that stage. If I can help answer any questions during your build, let me know.

Harold

 

[Charlie J]

Harold-
Thanks for the paint and points info and your willingness to help. Actually I need help with the entire ignition system. This is my first IC engine and although I have the original HSM magizine and Phil's book neither provide a good description of the electrical components. For example what make/model of coil and condenser are you using?

Thanks again, Charlie

 

[lugnut]

Harold. I got the Shop Wisdom book yesterday and have been soaking up some of the great information. Probably one of the best books I have seen. So many (new to me) techniques and illustrations of their use, that it will take a long while to digest them all. The many projects in the book will keep me busy for a long time.
I do have a couple of questions for Harold:
1. I’m having trouble finding the 5” diameter steel for the flywheels. Would aluminum work or would that not have enough weight?
2. I noticed the points used on one of the other engines in the book “Whatzit” engine he used a set of 61 to 72 Chrysler points. Is that the same set up you used on the Odds and Ends engine?

Thanks again for the photos and info on the book.
Mel

 

[bretk]

Mel,

Try Speedy Metals they sell it by the inch, here is the link for cold rolled

http://www.speedymetals.com/pc-1673-8230-5-rd-cold-finished-1045.aspx

-Bret

 

[the engineer]

hi had one given to me that would not run the old gent that made it put two to many teeth on the camgear so the timming was right every once in a while
he got so frustrated he threw it out
it now runs sweet i tried to give it back after i got it running but the old fellow sadly has had a stroke and is not fit for any thing a brilliant engineer gone to nothing his wife tried to give me others that were not running to keep but i was able to persuade her to speak to the family first before giving any away and as a result most have been claimed by nephews and neices that wanted some thing of the old boys work going or not
but i just love this little engine and am proud to have it as a memento of a generous old dutchman who lived to make old new again for so many

 

[Harold Lee]

Harold. I got the Shop Wisdom book yesterday and have been soaking up some of the great information. Probably one of the best books I have seen. So many (new to me) techniques and illustrations of their use, that it will take a long while to digest them all. The many projects in the book will keep me busy for a long time.
I do have a couple of questions for Harold:
1. I’m having trouble finding the 5” diameter steel for the flywheels. Would aluminum work or would that not have enough weight?
2. I noticed the points used on one of the other engines in the book “Whatzit” engine he used a set of 61 to 72 Chrysler points. Is that the same set up you used on the Odds and Ends engine?

Thanks again for the photos and info on the book.
Mel

Mel,

Speedy metals has the material for the flywheels. Aluminum would not have enough mass. I found the 12L14 from them is ideal as it machines almost like brass. You can buy it by the inch and I just bought two one inch thick slices of it.
http://www.speedymetals.com/ps-289-105-5-rd-cold-finished-12l14.aspx

Regarding the base I did use aluminum plate and angle for the base as well as the cylinder block. All of that
can be purchased from speedymetals as well.

The points are the same as the whatzit engine and you can take the dimensions from there to design a plate to hold them. If you need any help, let me know. Also The coil I used was a 6 volt motorcycle coil from JC Whitney. I think I paid $19.00 for it.

Harold

 

[Charlie J]

Harold-
Thanks for the points and coil info. I have deviated from the drawings a little bit and made the crankshaft bearings from bronze rather than cast iron. Today I made the bearing bolts from 5/16" AF hex 303 stainless. The 303 machines very well. I also finished the cylinder sleeve from 2" continous cast iron-a very good shop day!

Charlie J

 

[buckcreekman]

What a great build Harold,I am currently building a pair of these my self, if they turn out half as good as yours I will be well pleased. Buckcreekman.

 

[buckcreekman]

Hi Harold I am building this engine could you send be the drawing of the contact breaker mounting plate ,email is [email protected], Thank you in anticipation colin.

 

[buckcreekman]

Hi Harold have you a drawing of the contact breaker on the odds and ends engine you could email me my email address is [email protected], It was watching your engines on you tube that started me building a pair of them also , thanks in anticipation colin.

 

[idahoan]

Sadly, I don't think Harold is with us any more.

Dave

 

[buckcreekman1]

I have built two of these great engines. What a wonderful gift . Great build.