[SEL] model engine

Jeff Allen transteck at earthlink.net
Tue Dec 14 20:23:20 PST 2004


Hi Arnie, Luke, and list,

You both made some good points. I've seen compressors turned into engines in 
GEM, and never gave a thought to the stuff you brought up. I keep seeing the 
way cool models list member post from kits, but there is more to it than 
that.

I've been following the four part series in GEM,  and this month (Jan) he 
covered the head. Not more than a chunk of cast iron with directions. Way 
over my abilities, and couldn't or wouldn't spend that much on equipement. 
Are they all this hard. That head could be made from scrap without much more 
work and a set of plans.

Maybe one day I'll just buy one from Reg. The way the Sattley is kicking my 
behind, I sure don't need something else to join it. Still an interesting 
topic.

"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."

More than one way to go about it from what I am hearing so far.

Jeff Allen
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Arnie Fero" <fero_ah at city-net.com>
To: "The SEL email discussion list" <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 6:59 AM
Subject: Re: [SEL] model engine


> 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.
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