Westbury's Wombat

Has anyone built this engine? Reason for asking is that looking through the old issues of ME (3351-55) that the design was covered in there are differences on the positions of the ports as the crankcase has them dimensioned differently to the liner drawing when they should be the same?

I've looked through following issues and can't see any erata mentioned

Thanks, J

ETW didn't make errors. I'm sure that was just a way of increasing turbulence to improve fuel mixing

Neil

An American builder has suggested that he gave up trying to make a Wombat due to a series of errors in the drawings.

Regards Ian.

Or possibly Canadian? - the circle is complete

Rod

Yes Brian has given up his attempt to make a simplified version which is who I was asking on behalf of.

Neil, I now have it on good authority from one of the "Motor Boys" that Westbury did not get to make this engine as it was his last design he was in ill health at the time it was drawn up. The resulting errors could in Westbury's own words cause the crankcase to expload which would be quite turbulent!

Although he did get the conrod length on his Whippet wrong. And it did not increase the turbulence.

JA

I jest of course.

Although I have a basket case Seal awaiting attention one day. The crankcase is all from the solid, and all the con rods have been carefully bushed in bronze at their big ends.

Unfortunately this means that the crank won't rotate in the crankcase with the rods fitted, no wonder the original builder gave up in disgust - but his fault not ETW's!

Neil

Neil says "ETW didn't make errors." Are we to assume he didn't make anything then? His Jubilee Clock by all accounts wasn't a stunning success.

Edited By duncan webster on 09/02/2016 13:32:43

That was only because it wasn't a Jubilee year .

I was told by an eminent present day model designer that ETW probably employed a model maker to make his models. I guess that communications were only one way.

Neil - do you or any of your staff check drawings that are submitted with articles? Or is it a case of user beware? I imagine it has to be the latter.

JA

Well we look at them and try and spot obvious errors, but unless you are an expert draughtsman you can only check all but the simplest drawings by building the thing (unless it's in a 3D package). Obviously not practical to do this.

There's a plan in the next MEW that has been done in a 3D package so everything SHOULD fit but I bet some SA will find an error.

Neil

Some of ETW's writings (e.g. as Ned and Artificer) make it clear he had abundant practical experience, though its possible had used the services of others from time to time. Even LBSC didn't actually build all his designs though I doubt he would have accepted anyone else's work!

Neil