T head engine by Brian

[brian Rupnow]

Having a lazy day today. When I was reducing the 1144 roundstock for my crankshaft from round to flat the other day, I noticed that the cut was different in one direction than the other in the X axis. This is a sure indicator of a mill being out of tram. I tore down my set-up and got out the steel brake disc that I use for tramming the mill. Using my coaxial indicator I trammed the mill, then replaced the mill vice and part being worked on. Then I used a 2" face mill to mow away the other side of the round stock, and ended up with a flat bar of 1144 stress proof steel to make a crankshaft from. Not a lot of actual progress, but now I have the material to go ahead and start machining a crankshaft tomorrow.

[ammcoman2]

Nice progress on your engine.

Did the same (using 1144) when I made the crankshaft for my Holt engine that is still in progress. At the suggestion of a fellow club member I used the bandsaw to reduce the sides with a view to utilizing the cut-offs for something down the road. For the Holt though, the overall length is 13" so work holding was the key - held my breath many times!!!

Geoff

[Sparky_NY]

Nice progress on your engine.

Did the same (using 1144) when I made the crankshaft for my Holt engine that is still in progress. At the suggestion of a fellow club member I used the bandsaw to reduce the sides with a view to utilizing the cut-offs for something down the road. For the Holt though, the overall length is 13" so work holding was the key - held my breath many times!!!

Geoff

Beautiful work !

[Tim Clarke]

Hi, Brian! thought it was time to check in, and say things are looking good!

[brian Rupnow]

I'm about half way done with the crankshaft. So far, so good. I nailed the center diameter right on, and I'm about 0.001 oversize on the one end thats been turned. That last 0.001" will come off with a 220 grit sanding strip. Now I turn the part end for end, put my "lathe dog" on the finished end, and turn the remaining end to 1/2" diameter. I always triple check myself when I'm about to start carving on a crankshaft. I've heard far too many "Cut off the wrong piece" stories, and believe me, it's easy to do.

[brian Rupnow]

It's suppertime, and I have a finished crankshaft. It needs a couple of keyways, and I will add them tomorrow.

[brian Rupnow]

Crankshaft is in, dummy shaft is out. Crankshaft turns easily, nothing crashes. This is always a milestone event for me, because there are so many tolerances that can add up to cause some kind of internal interference with the crankshaft. I'm not going to put keyways in until I'm absolutely sure what I'm doing for flywheels. If I was rich instead of good looking, I'd buy a pair of flywheels, but at $35 each American, plus the difference in our dollars, plus tax, plus shipping, I'd be paying $100 for two flywheels.

[Sparky_NY]

How do you plan on adjusting the valve clearance?

[brian Rupnow]

Sparky---

[brian Rupnow]

Today I am going to make an aluminum piston. Nothing exotic here, maybe the skirt is a bit longer than usual, but other than that it's a plain old piston. We are going to run cast iron rings on this piston, and this time we are going to make the rings a bit thicker at 0.045" to be an exact match with what George Trimble did in his article on how to make piston rings. The ring radial width will stay at 0.039" same as the rings I made earlier in the summer.

[brian Rupnow]

We have a piston!! Everything went well, piston fits cylinder as I had hoped. I almost had a conniption fit when I went to cut the ring grooves. I couldn't find the special cutter that I had ground for me. I looked in all the usual places, and couldn't find it. Then I cleaned up all my work surfaces and I couldn't find it. Then I looked in all the unusual places, and I found it. Now I remember putting it in an unusual place and thinking "Now, I'll keep that separate so I'll know where to find it next time I need it." Growing old gracefully!!!

[Ringo]

Everything seems to always be in the last place you look!! isn't it ??

[brian Rupnow]

Today was connecting rod day at my house. I don't have much to say about it, but it has eaten up about six hours of my time. It turned out fine. Now I'm going to wash up, then go down to PartSource and pick up a sparkplug, ignition points, and a condenser.

[Willy]

We have a piston!! Everything went well, piston fits cylinder as I had hoped. I almost had a conniption fit when I went to cut the ring grooves. I couldn't find the special cutter that I had ground for me. I looked in all the usual places, and couldn't find it. Then I cleaned up all my work surfaces and I couldn't find it. Then I looked in all the unusual places, and I found it. Now I remember putting it in an unusual place and thinking "Now, I'll keep that separate so I'll know where to find it next time I need it." Growing old gracefully!!!

Don't feel too bad, I've been following that very same logic regarding "special" places to place valuables for most of my life.LOL

[J Tiers]

Last time I put something in a "special"place, it took me 6 months to find it, even though I looked there several times. I only found it when looking for something totally unrelated.