Recommendation for next project

I am looking for my next project - A stationary engine.

I want some thing that will run under it's own power. A sterling, flame licker or internal combustion.

As a novice, I am looking for something that will challenge me, but not too difficult.

I am also looking for something that I can build from bar stock.

I was considering the Farmboy hit and miss engine. I have been following a build log by Andrew Whale on you Tube with great interest, but think think this is just above the level of complexity I would be comfortable to tackle at this time.

I have seen recommendations on another forum for the Webster 4 stroke. Has anyone any experience of building this?

Does anyone have any suggestions of similar engines I could consider? Thanks.

You could try a simple steam engine from Steve's workshop.

http://www.steves-workshop.co.uk/steammodels/simpleoscil/simpleoscil.htm

I made it a while ago and if is a good project.

David

Edited By David George 1 on 07/02/2021 22:53:34

Brian Rupnow does great plans for a small 4 stroke single cylinder engine .It's called a Rockerblock and it works a treat,I am now building an air cooled verticle engine of his design.His plans are excellent and at a reasonable price,He is also helpful if you need help ,the plans are sent to your computer as a file.The present engine is called a Thumper Rockerblock.The bulk of the aluminium cost about 200gbp.

Frank

There are heaps of free pland for building engines, etc on the internet. Some that are made from bar stock. Do a search on Google for ideas.

Like this site: **LINK**

Paul

I wanted to keep away from steam really. This is because of the safety aspect and I do not know what I am doing.

I have made one of Elmer's wobbler in the past, so looking for something a little more challenging for this project.

I have not come across Brian Rupnow or the Rockerblock before. That looks interesting, and possibly the level of complexity I am looking for.

Do you want an open crank IC or would a simple aero type glow engine get you started? If so have a look at the Firefly, drawings at end of thread.

Or for a flame licker the CHUKY is quite simple

Both the above are all from barstock, though the chuky looks best with a bought in flywheel casting it could be cut from solid, materials about £50GBP or less for each engine. They are all metric drawings.

You will find Brian's engine builds on MEM forum,

Lots of people have successfully built Websters (it seems to be something of a rite of passage).

Have a look at the Kerzel hit and miss engine - similar open crank design as the Farm Boy, but also built from bar stock. (It does need some milling, which is why I didn't build it).

Plans are very good, and freely available.

http://www.floridaame.org/GalleryPages/g1h0106.htm

(edit for correctness! )

Edited By Andy_G on 08/02/2021 08:52:55

Just for Clarity the Farm Boy is also a bar stock engine but designed to not look like it was built from bar stock when finished.

While on the Florida site take a look at Dario's "zero-six" which is somewhere between a basic Webster and the more refined farm boy though you can also make the zero-six look like it was from castings with a bit of work. Drawings available in digital back issues of MEB magazine That was my first IC engien.

I have just started CHUKY and Jason’s instructions and drawings are very clear and easy to follow. Not sure if it could be made without a rotary table. Webster is next on my list, there’s a few building threads on Model Engine Builder.

John

It would be possible without a rotary table if a few shapes were simplified, I did post an image of a simplified part on the first page of the build when someone commented about it being difficult, cylinder could be done to match and the cam can be done in a 4-jaw.

I have tried making a flame licker before:

First the Poppin. All went very well until the end, when the treads holding the cylinder to the frame started to crumble. It still sits in a tin in the workshop, taunting me. This taught me not to use small fine pitch screws in cast iron.

The second attempt of a flame licker was one of Jan Ridders design. At the time I only had a small lathe, and it did not seem to have the power to take a cut off the stainless I was using without rubbing and work hardening it. I have a larger lathe now, and I had considered restarting that.

Funny you mention the Firefly Jason, as I was reading the thread of your build yesterday. An aero engine does not interest me as much as a flame licker or internal combustion. I think because I already have half a dozen commercial ones sitting in my Father's garage.

I will look further at the other suggestions. Both the zero-six and the Kerzel look interesting at first glance.

Thanks.

Looking now at the Chuky. I see that uses M2.5 tapped holes into the cylinder. How do you avoid such a fine thread from crumbling in cast iron? Obviously the first thing is to avoid over tightening, but I do not think I did this before with the Poppin.

(note that I was talking about threads in my previous post, not treads.)

Edited By IRT on 08/02/2021 21:04:45

Another plan that I have been looking at for a few years is the flame eater Marc by Jan Ridders. I think this is a very pretty engine. Again the dreaded stainless steel! Now I have a bit more experience and a larger lathe I probably stand a better chance. Some care in the selection of the grade of stainless may help me. Last time I didn't know it would be an issue.

Has anyone built this and how did it run?

Should any of Jasons engines take your fancy I would highly recommend making a start on one.

I have only been into ME for a couple of years so not that much experience but last year I built his Jowitt Popett Valve engine which went well. I am also 90% through his Muncaster Entablature engine which will be finished when I,m clear of my loco build and the Muncaster is also going well so far.

The bonus with Jasons engines are his build threads which have lots of pictures of the set-ups and tooling used, plus the instructions on how to produce the parts and on some parts alternative methods should you not have the tooling. The drawings are very good to, not all squeezed onto one large confusing sheet but spread across a number of sheets, even quite small parts will only have 5 or 6 related parts on one sheet which is very helpful.

Good luck with whatever you decide on.

Should any of Jasons engines take your fancy I would highly recommend making a start on one.

I have only been into ME for a couple of years so not that much experience but last year I built his Jowitt Popett Valve engine which went well. I am also 90% through his Muncaster Entablature engine which will be finished when I,m clear of my loco build and the Muncaster is also going well so far.

The bonus with Jasons engines are his build threads which have lots of pictures of the set-ups and tooling used, plus the instructions on how to produce the parts and on some parts alternative methods should you not have the tooling. The drawings are very good to, not all squeezed onto one large confusing sheet but spread across a number of sheets, even quite small parts will only have 5 or 6 related parts on one sheet which is very helpful.

Good luck with whatever you decide on.

Check out the David Kerzel web site a nice hit & miss from bar stock

I think I have answered my own question today.

In earlier posts I mentioned my previous disaster with stainless steel.

Writing this made me wonder. This was 5 years ago with a mini lathe. I have learnt a bit since then.

I pulled the same part out of the bits bin today and tried again. Now I am using a larger lathe and a carbide insert boring bar.

Running at the right speed, and taking aggressive cuts; once I got through the hard bit, the steel cut like butter, with a really good finish.

I think I will re-kindle this flame licker - Jan Ridders' internal valve.

I will then look at the suggestions above for the next project once this is finished.

Thanks very much.