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Elbow Engine - epic failure but still hope!

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raynerd:
This had doomed written all over it before I even began! I saw Johns and Stews several months ago when I first got my lathe and they blew me away -  :ddb: I find it really amazing how it runs and had to try one and after the success of my two little wobblers and my DRO and belt drive on my mill, I was up for anything and more importantly, in a state of mind that I knew this was perhaps a little above me and that I wouldn`t let it put me off if it did go wrong. I sound defeatist but I was just being realistic. After all, I bought a lathe several years ago and tried building a clock gear after about 2 weeks - as you can image, I soon gave up and lost interest.

Anyhow - this has taken me a good couple of weeks on and off. I knew everything had to be bob-on and so I took my time. I had all the bits I needed in scrap stock, the only thing I purchased specifically for the project was 1/4" silver steel for the pistons. I have also been using Stews build thread to help me along as well as asking quite a few questions, so cheers for putting up with a little pestering Stew.

I stuck pretty much to the plans on John-Tom, one thing that I noticed John and Stew had both changed on their builds, was to incorporate a valve port block on the vertical (flywheel) support as well as the horizontal base. I wasn`t confident enough to take this onboard as I would have had to change other dimensions and although this was an obvious alteration, I just didn`t dare stray from the plans.

Anyway, all the bits are shown below:



So I put them together and NO LUCK! It binds up right away - no movement what so ever!!! So I locked in each piston one at a time and turned it with toothpaste for about 20 mins each one  :lol:  and then back together and I was thrilled to bits to find that it turns manually.

 :) :) :) So project complete, right? It turns manually....  :ddb: :ddb: :ddb:




Regards
Chris


p.s have these engine meant to turn under pressure? Only I have been trying to get it to run off the compressor for several hours and I am coming to the conclusion that it is impossible right ?  :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :bang: :bang: :bang:

sbwhart:
Wher's the fly wheel  :scratch:

If you've got it turning manually sticking a fly wheel on it may do the trick.

Can you spin it.

Good luck

Stew

raynerd:
LOL oh, a flywheel!! Good point!! I saw the latest one over on "the other forum" without a wheel and presumed it would turn. I`d just totally lost the plot.....good point.

I`ll keep the project updated, I`m certainly not given up yet!! By the way, what do you mean by can I spin it?  - I can turn it manually with a little force.
Chris

sbwhart:

--- Quote from: craynerd on July 21, 2009, 04:53:12 PM ---
I saw the latest one over on "the other forum" without a wheel and presumed it would turn.

Chris

--- End quote ---

Every engine has differences what works for one may not work for another, you may not have a free running engine but a lumpy running engine is still a great success, and I bet you learnt a lot. 

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Stew

Bernd:
I'd say you have a winner there.  :thumbup:

If it turns over by hand it should turn over with some air pressure once a flywheel is added.

Keep at it. I want to see it run. :ddb:

Bernd

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