[SEL] thoughts on best repair

[Jerry Evans]

At 07:00 PM 01/12/2009, you wrote:
>Message: 1
>Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:54:06 +0000
>From: Jim French <fbi at insulate.co.uk>
>Subject: [SEL] thoughts on best repair
>To: ATIS Stationary Engine List <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
>Message-ID: <4B1406BE.3070401 at insulate.co.uk>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
>Hi all this is Jim not Dolly
>
>On Saturday me and twin bro Andy went to see a Ruston Hornsby not 15
>miles from our village that has sat there from new !!  The owner is an
>81 year old who showed it to us and has asked us to get it running
>again. It's in quite good order, still turning freely over but a valve
>has stuck (not the problem) and years ago he kept on turning the engine
>over to budge the sticking valve ... but bust the rocker arm !!!  What
>I'm asking is, what is the best way to repair the rocker arm as it is a
>clean snap - braze, cast rod stick welded, stainless mig weld ??
>Now the dark nights are here well and propper, this will be a nice job.
>Any thoughts?
>JIM
>Jim French

Hi Jim (or is it "Not Dolly :-)),
         Late answer but I only get the digest. You have got many good and 
constructive answers re, welding, brazing etc. and most are  good for your 
question.

         I do NOT have a better answer than those you have already received 
but would like to offer another idea for guys with small "broken" cast parts.

         Maybe we are fortunate here in South Africa, in that, we have a 
casting shop that is "restorer friendly".

         You could also just epoxy glue the 2 parts together (you said it 
was a clean break), fit bushes or plugs (nylon or any other material) to 
all the holes and take it to your local "restorer friendly" casting shop 
and askt them to make a "Sand Mould". They will use this "Sand Mould" to 
cast a new part at not too much cost (if they are as friendly as ours). I 
know that there is shrinkage etc. but these older parts usually had enough 
extra metal to accommodate that.

         On any "critical" surfaces you can always stick some shim stock, 
or even masking tape over them to compensate for shrinkage. when you 
machine the holes back in and reface the surfaces that need it. On smaller 
parts a few coats of a good quality "filler/Primer" will even give you 
enough "extra" to allow for shrinkage.

         As I mentioned - this is an alternative idea - not necessarily the 
answer to your question or problem - and will need machining afterwards.



Keep the revs up (or down)
Jerry Evans
Near Johannesburg in Sunny South Africa.
Etched Brass Engine Plates made to order:
<www.oldengine.org/members/evans/plates/index.htm>