1" Bore x 1" Stroke Vertical i.c. Engine

[brian Rupnow]

Ugly, but it seems to be working fine. Will post a shot after Loctite has set up and pins have been filed and sanded flush with outer diameter.

[nickel-city-fab]

Brian, are you buying from Metals Supermarket? I have a store here south of the border only about 15km from me and they're traditionally 30-50% higher than anywhere else.

Would that be the one in Buffalo? I'm only 1/2 hr from there and I use Online Metals instead. Also, some great deals on eBay. Even with the shipping, it's still cheaper than the local guy -- by a large margin (>= 50%)

[brian Rupnow]

I buy a bit of stuff from Metal Supermarkets in Barrie. I used to buy material from Barrie Welding, but their prices make my eyes water. I have another supplier in Barrie who I generally buy my steel and aluminum from. He doesn't carry brass nor cast iron, so I buy cast iron from Barrie welding and brass from Metal Supermarkets. I don't really use enough material of any kind to get preferential pricing.----Brian

[brian Rupnow]

There is more work involved with this flywheel than I like to mention, but it is nice. You can see the top of the 1/8" brass dowels that hold the outer steel rim to the aluminum center. They cleaned up really nice. Also, you can see the steel starter hub on the near side where my electric drill starter connects.

[nickel-city-fab]

There is more work involved with this flywheel than I like to mention, but it is nice. You can see the top of the 1/8" brass dowels that hold the outer steel rim to the aluminum center.

That gas tank bracket really looks good from the flywheel side -- like they were made for each other, or from the same pattern. They kind of "rhyme" if that makes any sense. And I bet that flywheel works just as good as it looks!

BTW if you do need a deal on small amounts of brass, I have been happy with this seller: https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Pieces-1-...gAAOSwOghf26Uo

No affiliation, just a good deal - $26 for 5 pcs shipped ranging from 1/4" up to 5/8 all 12" long.

[brian Rupnow]

I had the devil of a time with this rocker arm tower. Had no problem making the large piece which bolts to the cylinder head. I reamed the top hole with a 3/16" reamer, and then decided that rather than silver solder the rocker pin into it, I would machine it to have a press fit. I started out with a piece of 1/4" cold rolled and machined it to be about 0.010" oversize. then I decided to take the remaining bit off with file and emery paper, aiming for 0.189" diameter for a press fit. I sanded, and I sanded and I filed and I filed, checking every 20 seconds with a micrometer so that I didn't turn it undersize. I eventually got it down to 0.189" and started to press it into place, heating the larger part with my oxy acetylene torch to expand it a little---and it went crooked!!! Then I had to take it apart, straighten it out (burned the Hell out of my finger doing so). Then I was successful in getting it pressed into place, but I'm sure glad I wasn't paying myself machinists wages, because it took about four times longer than it should of. The good news is that while I was rooting around in my box of goodies looking for a 1/4"-32 sparkplug, I found a couple of 1/8" ball bearings that I didn't know I had. They will be perfect for my cooling fan shaft.

[Cuttings]

"I had the devil of a time with this rocker arm tower." Sometimes thing s go smoothly and then there are other times. Been there more than I care to admit.
Good looking engine Brian. Specially the flywheel - interesting fabrication method .

[brian Rupnow]

Thanks Cuttings I just love doing new stuff (When it works). You are right, things go blazing along with no real problems, and then something that should be simple jumps up and bites you an the ,ah, ankle. I'm just tickled that an old fart can still come up with new and interesting ways to do things.---Brian

[brian Rupnow]

I've spent a bit of time sussing out the cooling fan, using the bearings I found earlier today while searching for a sparkplug. As it turns out, they weren't 1/8" after all, but were 3 millimeter. (which is about 0.118"). That's okay, close enough. I can make them work. I don't see any problem with the support bracket nor the pulley, but I'm afraid that if I make a fan it will look like it was made by a cave man. It's difficult right now with this Covid thing, because I can't actually go over to Sayal Electronics and look for a fan. I've looked at a great number of fans on the internet, but for something like this I'd really like to see it before I bought it. The fan as shown is 1 5/16" outer diameter with a 3mm center hole and it blows towards the cylinder, turning clockwise when viewed from the flywheel side of the engine. I could use a 35 mm diameter metric fan. I'm not sure just what I'll do, but I'm happy to get the bracket designed and to have found some bearings.

[brian Rupnow]

I wouldn't go so far as to say I HATE making rocker arms, but they are not something I'd machine for enjoyment. And they're stuck right up on top of the engine for God and everybody to see, so they have to be done right. I've managed to use up an entire morning making these ones, but they look okay. I'm running out of "easy" things to make, but I still have some lifter guide bushings and the gas tank assembly to finish.

[brian Rupnow]

There!! Enough work for one day. I see that I have mislabeled these lifter guides as valve guides. Oh well, I can change the name tomorrow. Going upstairs now to drink Kahlua.

[brian Rupnow]

Today I seem to be suffering from a bad case of "lazy arse". I don't feel like doing much. Maybe today I will prepare a couple of gear blanks. If I find any energy later in the day, might even cut teeth on them.

[brian Rupnow]

I like cutting gears. The more you do it, the easier it gets. As long as you have the right cutter selected---and as long as you have the cutter vertically centered on the chuck---and as long as your depth of cut is set right---and as long as your carriage stops are set so you don't run a cutter into the hardened chuck jaws and ruin it---and as long as you count the number of rotations and remember to move the sector arms each time you cut a tooth--and remember a little cutting oil once in a while, why, there's nothing to it!!!

[Joel]

Brian 'get 'er done' Rupnow - you are an inspiration for us to get off our duffs!

[The Metal Butcher]

I wish my productive days were half as productive as your lazy ones! Ha!