webster

[wesley]

Hi all have never built an engine before and intend to build the good old webster engine,but what l would like to do is double the size of it overall has anyone done this before,or can anybody se a problem with doing that and as for the gears am hoping to use old lathe change gears ,as l have a few spare and needing a use.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

There is no problem with doubling the size of the Webster, long as your machinery is large enough to do so. I guess my question would be "Why do you want to do that?" Unless you intend your engine to do actual work doubling the size of it gains you nothing. If you do double the size, then you will have to arrange an air cooling fan, as the Webster is rather borderline in it's cooling ability. I love the Webster. It is the first i.c. engine I ever built. Now, 24 engines later (about half of which are steam), the Webster still holds a special place in my heart.---Brian

 

[wesley]

Thanks brian yes my machines can handle the size ok, and yes it is to drive another model,cooling l will have to think about that.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Wesley--I read the p.m. that you sent me. I don't know what your money situation is, but if you want to send a Webster powered boat across a river then forget about wire guidance. Buy a single channel controller at a r.c. hobby shop with one servo linkage. Run the engine at a constant speed and use the R.C. controller to control a rudder. You can stand on the shore with the controller and guide the boat wherever you want it to go. This would allow you to use a conventional size Webster, and the money you save by doing so will almost pay for the r.c. stuff.

 

[wesley]

Nice one brian,you have me thinking now,l wonder if the good old webster engine has been fitted to a boat yet?,l do think l no off a glassfibre hull that needs a home,will keep you updated on this one

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Wesley--I'm sure that by now the Webster has been fitted to almost everything that you can think of. It's not the best of designs to run a boat, because if you take a direct drive off the end of the crankshaft to the propeller, the Webster's weight is all to one side of the flywheel, and your boat will list to one side. However, if you haven't built it yet, there is no law saying it has to have a horizontal cylinder. I don't know how you are with mechanical design, but it wouldn't take much to redesign it to have a vertical cylinder. Here is a link to my Webster build.
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/showthread.php?t=7687

 

[wesley]

Feeling like crap today,stinking cold an bad chest etc,plus they talk of snow grrrrr so shed time will be on hold a day or so,but did get an read your link to the webster brian ,great job,now thats got me even more wanting to build one,yes the prop would be a problem with the engine that way ,but not if l can it say from a belt to a little bevel type of gear so then the prop runs out the back,the hull l was after is a lot bigger than l thought at about 4 feet long an the width will take the engine in ok,it was made for a battle ship model ,but its at the right price at the end of the day it may well be made in to a webster battle ship, we will se ,l must get a camera and learn how to post pictures of this build and then share my daft ideas.Going back to the engine the barrel is going to be steel,that way l can silver solder a copper jacket and tank to it ok,like brian suggest a servo for the rudder an one for the throttle,plus if it was built in to a proper boat then the exhaust could run up a funnel, or am l going mad.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Steel really isn't a good choice for a cylinder. Most people make the cylinder and the piston from cast iron because cast iron has a lot of graphite in its metallurgical make up which is to a great extent self lubricating. You can get away with using an aluminum piston.

 

[Mechanicboy]

Steel really isn't a good choice for a cylinder. Most people make the cylinder and the piston from cast iron because cast iron has a lot of graphite in its metallurgical make up which is to a great extent self lubricating. You can get away with using an aluminum piston.

Combination of the high tensile steel cylinder and cast iron piston no problem since there is a lot of pockets of oil in the crosshatched honed cylinder wall to lubricate the piston ring.

 

[wesley]

Oh well more problems to get over,how about alloy piston steel liner and then steel round water jacket with copper tank,the water jacket being sealed with o rings to the liner,any thoughts on that way please

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Oh well more problems to get over,how about alloy piston steel liner and then steel round water jacket with copper tank,the water jacket being sealed with o rings to the liner,any thoughts on that way please

I sent you a private email suggesting that you look at my thread about attaching the waterjacket to my Rockerblock engine and sealing it with O-rings. Maybe you didn't get it. ---Brian

 

[wesley]

Hi brian ,no never got that one,will try and find thread on the forum,many thanks for your help with all this.
regards john

 

[Cogsy]

12L14 steel as a cylinder with an alloy piston and cast iron rings is a good combination, however 12L14 rusts quicker than any other steel I've come across so I wouldn't recommend it for water immersion without coolant. I'm guessing with a boat you wouldn't have a closed coolant system so it wouldn't be appropriate, just adding to you knowledge bank!

 

[wesley]

Thanks cogsy like that,l am intending to make cast rings as l have cast in stock,as for the cylinder l may well now after making that pack it with wet sand an then weld the water jacket to it,if it dont work can always make another one and go with o rings,one thing l would like to do is make the stroke a bit longer ,so l can have a bit longer cylinder to fit the water jacket,bet the skilled engine builders on here can put me right with that one.

 

[Blogwitch]

There is no problem making a water jacket, just tight coil copper tube around the cylinder and you will find that perfectly good enough.
A small water pick up behind the propeller, then up or down through the coil and out through the hull and the job is done.

Why make life difficult for yourself?

You can even get rid of all the electronic bits as well if you can make yourself a magneto

This is my magneto running a friends Webster, a complete lift out package

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r9ivpUR0T8[/ame]

John

 

[wesley]

Thats made my day ,people on here are very kind with there help and advice,many thanks

 

[wesley]

Have been given a set of plans to make the Howell 2-jet throttle carb,have many builders on here have built this carb,the build plans look very good nice an clear etc.