Southbend lathe book engine

[mnay]

I have a question. A friend has a reprint of the book, Machine Shop Projects, by South Bend Lathe Works. The last project in the book is a two-cycle gasoline engine. The instructions cover how to machine the parts, but it has a number of cast iron castings. It doesn’t seem to mention how to make the castings or where to get them. Did they come in a kit at one time? Or did they just expect you to make your own castings? Has anyone heard of one of those engines being built?

 

[Wizard69]

You have a few choices.

1. Build a iron casting foundry of your own. I don't actually recommend this. Iron casting is a step well beyond aluminum and zinc common with DIY foundries.
2. Fabricate a set of patterns and have somebody cast the parts for you. This might be a fellow model builder or a commercial foundry. There is actually a lot to learn here but the process of making patterns is something that is an art all on its own.
3. Build an Aluminum casting foundry. This is far more reasonable than going the cast iron route in my opinion. The level of danger is far lower and the resulting parts can be very suitable for home built engines. The biggest problem here is that there may be a need to make some modifications due to the different metals.

Not being familiar with that book I'm not sure if anybody is currently making casting sets for that engine. However there are a huge number of companies (well a few) selling various casting sets for other engines. I'd look for something that fits your fancy from businesses still operating. Frankly it is good for the hobby to buy from the various suppliers otherwise casting kits will dry up.

The other option is bar stock. In theory if you have enough time and tools you should be able to carve an engine out of bar stock that matches a cast engine.

 

[makoman1860]

My research on that engine, which is heavily based on a maytag upright engine, ended with the name of the foundry ( now defunct ) that supplied the castings, as well as others to south bend lathe.

 

[kwoodhands]

I have a question. A friend has a reprint of the book, Machine Shop Projects, by South Bend Lathe Works. The last project in the book is a two-cycle gasoline engine. The instructions cover how to machine the parts, but it has a number of cast iron castings. It doesn’t seem to mention how to make the castings or where to get them. Did they come in a kit at one time? Or did they just expect you to make your own castings? Has anyone heard of one of those engines being built?

I had a cousin who built either that engine or one that is similar. Mick was a machinist and had access to a local foundry. I believe he built his engine in 1962 . I have the South Bend project book. I only have built the simpler stuff, that engine is beyond my abilities. I know of no foundries in my area or I might have tried the hand crank grinder.
Your best bet is to find a foundry and give them a copy of the cast parts. They can make the molds correctly. I would not try it myself because I have only cast locomotive wheels in type metal. This was easy for me as I have the tools and knowledge to make those molds. Type metal is mostly tin which melts fairly quickly.
Good luck with your engine, mike