Mastiff

Hello all,

I have just completes Len Mason's Mastiff, and what a lovely engine to build. The question is what should I now do with it, I was considering powering a Blackgates Charlatan 08 shunter. Any thoughts as to whether it would power it, or suggestions as to what to drive with it.

Brian

If you put it in a loco it won't be visible and will be noisy, so will get more derogatory comments than admiring glances. No idea whether it will have enough power.

I suggest a dynamo or water pump. Both can demonstrate some output and could even be useful sometimes.

Have you any pictures? Please.

David

Maybe an open style boat/ launch of some sort ?

How fast does it turn? RPM tends to limit the power available until ‘breathing’ restrictions take over...

Might get a kiloWatt out of it, perhaps more? A generator would certainly be a device which could measure the power curve...

I would suggest a little gen set, there,s your next project, building a generator or alternator to match up. A good start just to see what it will do is to get an old treadmill motor(chuck out from gym/fitness centre), you can expect to get 50-60% of the crankshaft power out of such an alternator. You want a brushless motor for this, easy enough to rectify the out put if you want DC, or change voltage with a transformer.

here's a bit of a collection of alternators and generators for my hot air engines.

Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 09/05/2019 12:00:17

Further to the above, an alternator can be made using the frame and stator of any induction motor, a 4 pole motor would be a good starting place. Remove the armature, and make a new one similar to the one in a car type alternator, but instead of a wound coil use permanent magnets (ex microwave oven, or large speaker), the alternator in the photo is a 6 pole shaded pole motor.

Ian S C

I have completed the Len Mason Mastiff assembled all parts.The timing is correct but no compression!

took it all to bits,ground in the valves and checked the valves not kept open by the tappets.

Think got some compression but not sure.The cylinder head and cover plate plus plugs camshaft and crankshaft all reassembled and in position but don't want to take it further (really only setting the distributor arm) without someone knowledgeable casting their eye over it and reassuring me compression would be sufficient to get it firing

I would therefore like to contact Brian and unless he lives somewhere totally inaccessible and if he could spare an hour of his time then I could visit him.

not sure allowed to give tel no or email on a post so won't,but perhaps Brian could post re visit

There is more than a hint of desperation here! I started on Mastiff 5 years ago .... Simon

First of all my apologies that I have not been active on here, health and family reasons. Back to modelling again and I eventually decided on a 5" guage loco based on a Blackgates Charlatan chassis.You never know it may have enough guts to pull me around. Upload some pics soon.

what are you going to use for a transmission. Electric?

The bronze part at the end of the engine is the Westbury centrifugal clutch this drive into the rectangular box, which houses the reduction gearbox and a tumbler reverse. The gears I cut myself to fit the available space and drive the rear axle through an angle grinder bevel drive, thanks go to Neil Wyatt for suggesting those in his Southam loco.