[SEL] model engine

[Arnie Fero]

Hi Luke (and others considering model engines),

What facinates me about "model" engines are the clever ones that aren't
simply scaled-down casting sets based on real stationary engines.

Rather it's like the sculptor who, when asked how he created his
masterpieces, replied that he just chipped away everthing that didn't look
like (whatever it was that he had sculpted).

Leroy Clark has made some incredible Striggs & Bratton engines.  During
one long BS session with Leroy punctuated by the sweet pop of his engines,
I asked him what was involved in making one.  I happened to be admiring a
horizontal, open-crank, sideshaft at the time.  He turns to me and sez,
"Arn, you just start with a sad Briggs FH and a hacksaw, and cut away
everthing that doesn't look like a horizontal, open-crank, sideshaft
engine."  Then with that classic-Leroy twinkle in his eye he sez "Oh, and
maybe add a couple of hundred hours of lathe & mill work."  8-)))

But the end result is something VERY different.  Another example is the
gent (or gents) who setup at Baraboo and have a number of hit & miss
engines that they've built from nice old cast iron air compressors.  In
that case you very often have a nice-looking finned cylinder, open crank
(maybe even inverted geometry), crankshaft, rod, piston, and flywheel.
The boys at Baraboo put out a VERY impressive display.  I've also seen
nice looking flywheels that were originally heavy valve handles.

After the Asheville show I'm thinking REAL hard about building one of
those "Henry Ford's first engine" jobbies.  You've probably seen it; about
four feet long, built largly out of scrap and pipe fittings.  VERY cool!

Lots of interesting options out there in addition to casting sets.

See ya,  Arnie

Arnie Fero
Pittsburgh, PA
fero_ah at city-net.com

On Tue, 14 Dec 2004, Luke Tonneberger wrote:

> If you need a piston for a model engine why not take one out of a Briggs and
> Stratton?  I'm currently attempting to make an engine and am using a piston
> and cylinder from a Volkswagon engine, crankshaft and gears from a Briggs,
> and a couple cast wheels for the flywheels. I'm just using junk that I have
> laying around.  All I have is a lathe and drill press.  Don't know if mine
> will end up running but it is fun making chips and scratching my head.