Miniature Magnetos

Hi folks,

I'm thinking I'd like to make an engine with magneto ignition. Minimag Co. used to do a kit but that hasn't been available for some time. Sarik hobbies sell a drawing by Charles Atkins which I have ordered.

Does anyone have experience of making magnetos for model I.c. engines?

Cheers,

Rod

There were a couple in Model Engine Builder such as the Vietti which is quite a bit smaller than the Minimag one

EDIT, he has a few engines with mags on his Youtube account, also sometimes posts on HMEM

Edited By JasonB on 23/06/2022 18:23:58

Thanks Jason. I've ordered ModelEngineBuilder #4 and #24 (I've already got #10 and #11). I'll see if the Vietti version is practical (by which I mean affordable!) in the UK.

Rod

Consider this an expression of interest should you make any 'out of the way' discoveries..

Unless I'm missing something Minimag are still able to supply ignition systems?

Robert Butler

yes Robert but no mag kits

The solid state systems, yes, but the magneto has been 'currently unavailable', for some time I think..

redundant post - apologies

..as the day begins, so does it end!

Edited By DiogenesII on 23/06/2022 21:52:09

I bought a Minimag short form kit (FMK) in 2019. At the time they were not in stock, and the comment from them was that they had stopped making them due to lack of demand, but that perhaps they should not have. Anyway, at the time they managed to source some of the necessary components and put together one for me, and I think possibly a few others. So it would be worth contacting them to see what they can do.

I had some fun getting mine timed up properly to get a decent spark, the breakthrough was when I bought an oscilloscope, (not just for this job) which enabled me to see the voltage across the points and so get the timing set accurately. I haven't actually run the engine yet, there are some fiddly bits on the carby that are giving me trouble, but I am confident that the spark will be OK. The Minimag kit is not too much of a challenge from the machining point of view, the timing is a bit tricky since the cam is inside and only accessible though a small hole. The engine is a PM research Red Wing.

regards

John

The main advantage of the Vietti one sis that they are half the size of the Minimag and don't look too out of scale when mounted on the engine. He also has a low tension one for use with ignitor sand an oscillating one that can be driven by the pushrod and not off the crank just like full size.

I have made a few engines with dummy magnetos which contain a magnet and hall sensor

This let's me make a scale sized and shaped unit that is driven by some small pitched chain

Dougie

The way I am doing it with the Red Wing is that the magneto mounts inside the base, so is out of sight. There are two extra gears to drive it, but being inside the flywheel and below the cam assembly they are not conspicuous. This is not original to me, there is a video on YouTube somewhere by the guy who came up with the idea. The Vietti one seems like a nice arrangement.

John