The Craftmans Shop > Model Engineering

Rockerblock engine--something a little different--

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Brian Rupnow:
When  built my Kerzel hit and miss engine a few years ago, I intended to run cooling water in the reservoir to keep the cylinder cool, but I didn't want the cylinder to rust. So---Not knowing any better, I made the cylinder from 316 stainless steel and the piston from aluminum. This has proved to be a very good combination of materials over the years. It seems to work fine when using a Viton o-ring and a bit of oil in the fuel. I don't think I would want to try it with cast iron rings, but it worked great with the much softer Viton.

Brian Rupnow:
I just got a price to waterjet cut 2 curved spoke flywheels.---$69.50 each. So----I called the guy up and whined at him. The price dropped to $49.50 each. That's 2 1/2 hours setting at my computer designing something for a customer. If I tried to machine them myself I might be 80 years old before I got them finished. I said "Go ahead and make them!!" This should be very interesting.

Brian Rupnow:
Don't ask!! This is about one of those "Having your cake and eating it too" things.

Brian Rupnow:
My "Gas demand valve" plans from Jerry Howell came today, along with some very small Tecumseh engine carburetor needle and seats parts and a diaphragm. The detail drawing of the parts I have to make seem to be well done, but it's pretty damned sparse on assembly drawings. In fact, there are no "assembly drawings" as such, just printed instructions that eventually make sense after you have read them and taken all the tiny parts out of the bags and studied on them to see how this thing works. Apparently I now have to buy a propane regulator to use with this thing, and I have no idea what that will cost, but will try to find out tomorrow. I had an email today from the waterjet cutter saying I could pick up my curved spoke flywheels tomorrow, so I'm fair excited about that. I am going nuts right now with design work, to the point where I can't get time to do my own "hobby" stuff.

Brian Rupnow:
Today we are talking "beautiful things". I went this morning and picked up my waterjet cut flywheels. Man, are they ever nice. These are 3/4" thick mild steel, and the finish on the inside of the cutouts is very, very nice. The man who cut them said he can cut up to 6" mild steel. I will be machining the outside diameter, the 3/8" bore thru the center, and will take a 3/16" deep "face" cut on both sides in the spoke area. I may paint the parts of the flywheel I don't machine. These flywheels are 4 7/8" diameter and have about 1 1/8" diameter inside the cutouts in what will become the hub area. These are the first parts I have had waterjet cut, and although they are pretty, they are not for the faint of wallet. I paid $90 for these two. Fortunately, I got a $100 bonus last week for finishing a "panic" design job ahead of schedule.--that worked out well!!! Laying on my old blue steel handbook you can see my two finished crankshaft webs. If anybody wants the dxf file for these flywheels, email me at brupnow@rogers.com and I will send it to you. I have to give credit to Philip Duclos for the pretty shape of the spokes/cut-out areas. I didn't copy his numbers, but his "How to" article in "The Shop Wisdom of Philip Duclos" was certainly a big help to get me started in the right direction.---Brian

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