Author Topic: Halo Three Cylinder Radial Engine (Read 16067 times)

John-Som · « **on:** December 31, 2008, 09:18:03 AM »

Nobody was more surprised, or delighted than me when this little engine sprang into life. I still give it a regular run as I love to see those tappets bobing up and down. The engine was modified from the plans for the original five cylinder version as I just didn't fancy the task of making five of everything. Knowing what I know now it really wouldn't have been any more difficult.

One lesson I did learn the hard way is that there can be unexpected surprises when altering plans. My lack of forsight and planning resulted in me having to make a second cranckcase as I had omitted to correctly reposition crankcase fasteners.

JohnS

Bernd · « **Reply #1 on:** December 31, 2008, 09:47:57 AM »

John,

Don't recall if this is your first engine, but either way nice job.

Bogs can be proud of his student. Very well done. Ok, now lets see the others that you have finished.

Bernd

Darren · « **Reply #2 on:** December 31, 2008, 01:19:11 PM »

Who around here said newbie?

That engine and the loco are superb, I wish i was a newbie then I could climb to your level too....

Very nice work John...

rleete · « **Reply #3 on:** December 31, 2008, 02:27:24 PM »

Darren, I was thinking the same thing.

What does that make us? Pre-newbie?

Nice, I've always liked the Liney engines. One I've been working on is a rip-off of their 2 cylinder horizontal wobbler. I'll consider myself successful if I build all of their engines looking as nice as they do on the website.

Brass_Machine · « **Reply #4 on:** December 31, 2008, 02:43:59 PM »

The Halo is probably in the top 5 of my favorite engines. I think it is just amazing to watch (and the sound!). I am going to buy the plans for the Halo and the RV-2 (the flat 4) and try to build them this summer.

Do you have any build pictures that you took during the process (besides the ones in the vid)? Did you do all manual or is there CNC involved?

Anyway, very very nice!

Eric

pabird · « **Reply #5 on:** December 31, 2008, 04:23:26 PM »

Very nice looking engine JohnS.

I'll be there one day.

bogstandard · « **Reply #6 on:** December 31, 2008, 04:33:52 PM »

Eric,

Quote

or is there CNC involved

Please, no swearing at my past apprentice. I don't want him hearing or seeing bad language, especially if he picks it up, he will then be way ahead of me.

I was going to build the Halo at the same time as John, but the workshop upgrade got in the way, and now health issues. But in the spring I hope to build a series of 5 Halo engines, with 1 to 5 cylinders (a total of 15 cylinders and 5 crankcases). I have already purchased all the US fixings from Lance at Liney (not generally available here in the UK). If I remember rightly, John did a sneaky, and wacked in the equivalent metric bits.

So basically, they are just waiting for me to get off my bum and make them. I will do a post when eventually I get started. But I do have a rather large backlog of unfinished engines to finish off before then, and they won't be started until the middle of January.

Bogs

Brass_Machine · « **Reply #7 on:** December 31, 2008, 06:18:03 PM »

Quote from: bogstandard on December 31, 2008, 04:33:52 PM

Eric,

Quote
or is there CNC involved

Please, no swearing at my past apprentice. I don't want him hearing or seeing bad language, especially if he picks it up, he will then be way ahead of me.

Good Lord John, I almost spit out my milk when I read that.

I would love to mix the Halo and the RV2 in design. I think a flat 4 with the valve action of the Halo would be cool as hell.

Eric

cedge · « **Reply #8 on:** December 31, 2008, 08:42:13 PM »

Eric
GMTA... already have the basic crossbreed idea worked up in 3d.

Steve

Brass_Machine · « **Reply #9 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:44:52 PM »

Quote from: cedge on December 31, 2008, 08:42:13 PM

Eric
GMTA... already have the basic crossbreed idea worked up in 3d.

Steve

Very cool! Can't wait to see it.

Eric

John-Som · « **Reply #10 on:** January 01, 2009, 05:28:19 AM »

Eric
Thanks for your kind words. I agree it does sound good when its up and running - the nearest I am likely to get to an I.C. engine ! I do have a few photos taken during the build but I don't think they reveal anything that would add to those in the video. Though if anyone is interested I will happily post what I have.

Certain techniques taught me (by someone who will remain nameless - oh OK it was Bogs) allowed me to make identical parts using simple jigs. In addition the cylinder head blocks were temporarily soft soldered together then machined as one before separating. I also found the use of an adjustable stop a tremendous aid in repeating machining operations quickly and more importantly with great accuracy. This pic shows this technique used when drilling port openings on my current build. I can remove the part from the vice, rotate it 180 degrees and repeat the drilling.

I know there will be many of you who are familiar with these techniques but if they help someone - as they did me - then it's worth repeating.

Apart from Elmer's 'Tiny' the Halo is the latest in a line up of 6 or 7 engines built over the last two years. I will put one or two pics in the gallery in response to the call from Bernd.

JohnS

sbwhart · « **Reply #11 on:** January 01, 2009, 05:35:54 AM »

Hi John

This is off topic a bit But:-

As I'm looking at buying a mill could I ask what the make is of the mill you are useing.

Cheers

Stew

bogstandard · « **Reply #12 on:** January 01, 2009, 06:58:43 AM »

I would just like to point out, I have nothing against CNC at all. In fact, if I could get my addled brain around it, I just might invest in a small machine later.

Bogs

John-Som · « **Reply #13 on:** January 01, 2009, 09:28:12 AM »

Hello Stew
My mill is a Chester Conquest which I have had for about a year and I am well pleased with it. Providing you are only machining smallish items then I am sure you would find it adequate. I did find that in machining a rollover edge on the base plate of my current build that I could have done with a larger mill and it took some jiggery pokery to machine the 9" sides. I have fitted DROs on X,Y and Z axis which transformed my ability to machine accurately. You will find details of my mill at

http://www.chesteruk.net/store/conquest_mill.htm.

I see you are located in Cheshire so you could take a look at the mill in Chesters showrooms - and maybe, in the current economic climate, negotiate a discount. They do thro in a free machine vice which makes their price even more attractive.
JohnS

sbwhart · « **Reply #14 on:** January 01, 2009, 09:46:44 AM »

Hi John

Thanks for the information, I live in Crewe not far from John, I know where Chesters is I've been over a couple of times when they've had open days and picked up one or two bits of kit they've had on reduction or shop soiled.

Thanks

Again

Stew

kellswaterri · « **Reply #15 on:** January 01, 2009, 12:59:20 PM »

Hi Stew,
I bought a ''Chester Conquest'' abot 5 years ago, I built the 10V...Score...app/70% James Coombes ...and about 50% of a Fleet Corliss...also about 1/2 of a Tich...so it has seen some hard work in the time I have had it.
AS John S, said ''SMALLISH ITEMS'' that is if you want the machine to last...if you would like have a look at the work it has done...
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b329/corncrake/P2280026.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b329/corncrake/P2280024.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b329/corncrake/P2280022.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b329/corncrake/P2280019.jpg

http://modeleng.proboards20.com/index.cgi?board=statgeneral&action=display&thread=1893&page=3
If you look in Model engine proboards...that flywheel is 10'' in diameter, quite a largr chunk...
Repairs to the machine were limited to replacing the driven ''PLASTIC'' gear and refitting the drive gear on the motor and ''Loctite''
The fine feed is a real ''masterpiese'' of the worst kind of design, so I would most certainly do as John S. suggests and fit D/R/O,s...also nip up the GIB screws when doing anything heavier than Light work...
for the current price now £366.00 odd pounds and bearing in mind that the motor is only less than 1/2 horse power and the possibility that the manufacturers have gotten their heads out of their a$$£$ then I would say Not too bad for the money...By the way John S,...I still have the free vice lying under the bench where I threw it when I bought the mill.
All the best and happy milling,
John.

sbwhart · « **Reply #16 on:** January 01, 2009, 01:43:46 PM »

Hi John

Thanks for the info it looks likr you certainly gave that mill a good testing.

Cheers

Stew

SPiN Racing · « **Reply #17 on:** January 01, 2009, 06:29:53 PM »

AWESOME Engine!

Very nicely done

(Takes notes and remembers to make a small stop for repeating operations. (THANKS!))

Its really quite funny.. I have my computers in the dining room of the house. (Im a network Admin.. and have been working/playing with computers since 1978.. so a bit of a nerd) I have a server rack in the kitchen with 2 servers and 4 PCs, as well as TV, routers, switches etc. Also have two laptops on deck on the desk here.

My youngest son (13) and my wife were in the living room and happened to walk out to the kitchen, (adjacent to the dining room) and I was going "OOOh oooh come see there is an engine!!! Badass look!!" and they were looking at me with the flat look.

Wife: Um Hun.. thats only Porn to you.. not me.
Son: snickers.. careful dad! Its just a lump of metal someone is drilling holes in.....

Then as the clip changes.. the smartass comments fade. and the oooh neat comments start.

Then OMG THATS COOL!!! from the youngest.
THen my wife.. Oooh thats really cool!

THen they are watching it run.. and the comments of Ohh you need to make one of those!

I love that.
When someone dees a lump of metal turn into something they recognise. That "we" could see in that "lump of metal" all along.

Nicely Done

Brass_Machine · « **Reply #18 on:** January 01, 2009, 08:43:31 PM »

Quote from: SPiN Racing on January 01, 2009, 06:29:53 PM

...

Its really quite funny.. I have my computers in the dining room of the house. (Im a network Admin.. and have been working/playing with computers since 1978.. so a bit of a nerd) I have a server rack in the kitchen with 2 servers and 4 PCs, as well as TV, routers, switches etc. Also have two laptops on deck on the desk here.

My youngest son (13) and my wife were in the living room and happened to walk out to the kitchen, (adjacent to the dining room) and I was going "OOOh oooh come see there is an engine!!! Badass look!!" and they were looking at me with the flat look.

...

Glad to see I am not the only one who calls themselves a nerd/geek. I don't have a server rack as I don't have the space, but I do have an old tower server, 5 pcs, 3 laptops and a bunch of other crap. I work as a VMware engineer in my day life.

On the second part of your quote, I do the same thing with my wife. She looks at me like that as well.

Back on topic.

Eric

John-Som · « **Reply #19 on:** January 02, 2009, 03:53:49 AM »

A server rack in the kitchen is that some new fangled device for stacking plates ?

Anyway, I am constantly in awe of the tinterweb. Here I am in the freezing north of England making little engines in my garage/workshop for no other reason than I enjoy the challenge (oh ok, and I also like playing with machines). I am so amazed when my latest creation actually runs that I make a short video, post it on the web. Next thing I know is that I learn I have entertained an entire family 4,000 miles away in Florida.

Thanks SPiN Racing, I feel warmer already

John S

HS93 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 02, 2009, 04:51:10 AM »

...
[/quote]

Glad to see I am not the only one who calls themselves a nerd/geek. I don't have a server rack as I don't have the space, but I do have an old tower server, 5 pcs, 3 laptops and a bunch of other crap. I work as a VMware engineer in my day life.

Eric
[/quote]

Ok whats a VMware engineer ...

peter

SPiN Racing · « **Reply #21 on:** January 02, 2009, 12:42:33 PM »

I have been constantly amazed at how small the world has gotten.
My wife and I have several friends we know via the internet, and a online game we used to play (Everquest). We exchange christmas gifts, talk on the phone the works.
One lives in Leicaster.

The other lives in Wisconsin, and is from Edinborough. (I hope I spelled that right.. she would be cross with me if I didnt)
Another lives in London
Another is from the Ukraine

And then again we have a variety of close friends who live in various places in the US.
All of these we talk to every few days... some via Phone, some via Yahoo Instant Messenger, some via a message board we frequent.

We have met up in person with several friends we have gotten to know over the internet for several years.

Much smaller world than when "we" were young. (Im only 41.. and it a lot smaller to me)

News:

Author Topic: Halo Three Cylinder Radial Engine (Read 16067 times)

bogstandard

bogstandard