Author Topic: Laser cut fly wheel  (Read 8969 times)

Offline sbwhart

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Laser cut fly wheel
« on: August 07, 2015, 04:23:15 AM »
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.

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq32/sbwhart/Grashopper%20Engine/DSC02309_zpsler38neq.jpgLaser cut fly wheel

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.

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq32/sbwhart/Grashopper%20Engine/DSC02311_zpsq3c1z9yo.jpgLaser cut fly wheel

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.

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq32/sbwhart/Grashopper%20Engine/DSC02313_zps7hnxfvjj.jpgLaser cut fly wheel

I then turned up a 12mm mandrel mounted the wheel to it a skimmed up the rim.

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq32/sbwhart/Grashopper%20Engine/DSC02317_zpsxoykefgg.jpgLaser cut fly wheel

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

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq32/sbwhart/Grashopper%20Engine/DSC02325_zps4kpvpubw.jpgLaser cut fly wheel

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq32/sbwhart/Grashopper%20Engine/DSC02326_zpszb9jehxn.jpgLaser cut fly wheel

I then made a 2 part hubs again with some dummy rivets

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq32/sbwhart/Grashopper%20Engine/DSC02329_zpsiwrgkq1i.jpgLaser cut fly wheel

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq32/sbwhart/Grashopper%20Engine/DSC02330_zpszrjrvwfa.jpgLaser cut fly wheel

And stuck the lot together with high strength Loctite

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq32/sbwhart/Grashopper%20Engine/DSC02336_zpsmcncidev.jpgLaser cut fly wheel

I'll post some pictures of it painted when the paint dries.

Stew

A little bit of clearance never got in the road
 :wave:

Location:- Crewe Cheshire

Offline awemawson

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Re: Laser cut fly wheel
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2015, 04:38:49 AM »
Very nice  :thumbup:

If you had had it grit blasted with a coarse grit (before adding the rivets) you'd barely know that it wasn't cast as the texture would be very similar
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Chuck in E. TN

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Re: Laser cut fly wheel
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2015, 07:10:08 AM »
Nicely done, Stew! Saving this for future projects.

Chuck
Chuck in E. TN
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Offline Manxmodder

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Re: Laser cut fly wheel
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2015, 11:07:28 AM »
Thanks for sharing that, Stew. Turned out really nice,I'll also be filing this away for future use  :thumbup:

.......OZ.
Helixes aren't always downward spirals,sometimes they're screwed up

Offline krv3000

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Re: Laser cut fly wheel
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2015, 05:35:28 PM »
brill  Turned out really nice

Offline sbwhart

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Re: Laser cut fly wheel
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2015, 11:14:30 AM »
 Cheers  Guys.

The paint is dry so her it is in Seductive Black

http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq32/sbwhart/Grashopper%20Engine/DSC02340_zps3hsggwos.jpgLaser cut fly wheel

Stew

A little bit of clearance never got in the road
 :wave:

Location:- Crewe Cheshire

Offline Manxmodder

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Re: Laser cut fly wheel
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2015, 11:22:45 AM »
 :thumbup: Top banana . Looks just like an antique mill engine flywheel.....OZ.
Helixes aren't always downward spirals,sometimes they're screwed up

Offline SwarfnStuff

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Re: Laser cut fly wheel
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2015, 02:48:04 AM »
Excellent stuff. Pin stripes next? Looking great as is usual with all your posts.
John B
Converting good metal into swarf sometimes ending up with something useful. ;-)