I want to make a model of a Grasshopper Engine, but have had trouble finding a suitable cast fly wheel that would suite this type of engine, I tried buying a suitable fly wheel that is provided as part of a set of casting for one of Antony Mounts engines but I would have to buy the complete set of casting they wouldn't just sell the fly wheel. So I decided I would see if I could make one from a laser cut blank.
Its 160mm diameter (6") and its cut out of 12mm black mild steel
I skimmed up the face and thinned the spokes down a little and shaped the rim and put a roughing drill down the middle.
I then flipped it round and clocked the bore up, then machined that side up to match the other, and bored out the centre to 12mm.
I then turned up a 12mm mandrel mounted the wheel to it a skimmed up the rim.
To give the impression that the wheel is riveted together (that's what they did in the 1850) I drilled some 1/16" holes in the spokes to take some dummy rivets
I then made a 2 part hubs again with some dummy rivets
And stuck the lot together with high strength Loctite
I'll post some pictures of it painted when the paint dries.
Stew
