Model engine design books ?

[TartanMac]

I have recently got access to an old Bridgeport milling machine and myford Super Seven lathe. And want to get a furnace to start doing casting I have never used any of this stuff before but through the person who is giving me access to it I should learn.

I would love to start learning about how to build model 2 stroke glow engines and would love to buy some books on it. But I have not seen anything on building aero 2 stroke glow stuff.

Things like where to start on material and how to work out stress and strains on crank and case figuring out case stiffness cooling fine area head strength and cooling properties. And also the chemical part on fuel oils.

Then porting port velocity crank case pressures carb jetting I would love to learn about it to create my own engine it anyone could help with this it would be great.

[Flyer]

There was a feature in RCM&E a few years back with Alex Wittaker making a 46 sized two stroke. Think it was over two issues.

Someone will no doubt point you in the right direction

Ade

[Jonathan W]

You could have a look at the MEN archive. It's mainly diesel-oriented, but lots of helpful stuff.

[Jon H]

To begin with you could start by making replacement parts for existing engines you have kicking about or trying to make parts for half dead engines from swap meets or wherever. You could even make a direct clone of something like an OS FP or max cross flow engine as a starter for 10 and then modify the design to observe the performance.

If you need material give me a call as I have bar ends and offcuts of all the materials we use and I can easily send them over to you for a few quid.

As for calculating stress/strain that can get really complicated and most engines are over built to survive the rigors of model flying. As an example all of our engines use the same gudgeon pin, the 80 and 120 share a conrod and things like cams and valve springs are also common to all.

[Denis Watkins]

As Jon suggests, the metals are all available to you at more than adequate strengths, strains, and cooling properties and it would take a lifetime of study for an individual to alter these properties, were a team of experts have already put in the time for you.

Your best course now is to study books on turning and milling for the hobbyist.

Casting too is a massive and interesting topic, but cleaning up and making useful existing motors would give you more time and success.

Just turning and milling small parts alone will give you great satisfaction, and google what the RC Car boys do to motors to get extra ooomph from them.

Edited By Denis Watkins on 05/08/2017 07:11:44

[Luke Lane]

Take a look at the Camden Miniature Steam Services site. There's 100's of books on model engineering and build manuals.

[Peter Miller]

The Model aero Engine Encyclopaedia can give you some basic information that you would find useful. It often come up on EBay.

True, it is all pre schuerle porting,The book does have full instructions for building the Sugden Special, a 2.5cc diesel

Using this book and what knowledge I had I did design a .19 glow engine back in about 1972

 I copied another engine's timing figures

The local CAV apprentice school built 6 of them and they worked very well considering my relative lack of knowledge.

I still have one and some years ago saw one in the Model Engine Collectors Association swapsheet for quite a large sum of money under the name CAV Victor.

Go for it, it is a great challenge but really worth the effort

Edited By Peter Miller on 05/08/2017 08:57:14

Edited By Peter Miller on 05/08/2017 08:58:15

[Mike Etheridge 1]

I have just found my copy of the Engine Encyclopaedia as compiled by Ron Moulton and costing twelve shillings and six pence and printed in 1962.

I would scan some of the pages but found out last night that due to Windows 10 updates I think that the programme 'paint' has been undermined so that you cannot produce cropped images in the same way such that they can be read on this blog due to print size?.

They do indicate a Sugden Special plan within the book which was published in the Aeromodeller in July 1955. There is no drawing number.

[David P Williams]

How about something like this?

[kc]

Various books still in print are sold by Tee Publishing

of those only the first one by Turner seems modern the rest are mainly 1930 to 1950 era.

Of course the ultimate book is Building the Bentley Engine

but I don't think you will need that for a few years!  Get it for inspiration at this stage.

There was also a very simple aero engine design published in Aviation Modeller Int which was built from bar stock with a Myford 7.

There is a magazine for engine builders -online only now but used to be print.

I think Engineering in Minature or Model Engineer magazines cover ic engines quite often. A trip to either the Midlands Model Engineering exhibiton or the London Model Engineering Exhibition at Alexandra Palace in mid January would get you in contact with engine builders. Both organised ( I think) by Tee Publishing / Engineering in Minature. A chat with the engineers on the Society of Model & Experimental Engineers stand will be worthwhile. They probably still hold courses on Saturdays at their Blackheath (South London) workshops.

The Whittaker Firefly 46 plan was a free plan with RCME March 2012.  Normally you could buy a copy of the plan but due to the Traplet situation not at the moment!  Probably find an aeromodeller who still has the engine plan though.

Edited By kc on 05/08/2017 13:56:02

Edited By kc on 05/08/2017 14:11:39

[thomas oliver 1]

I have been doing casting for myself and as a technology teacher for sixty years, starting at college, and got off on the right foot straight away, because as student, I obtained a free pack of all the necessary stuff. from a specialist firm. I have watched a lot of videos on YouTube but almost everybody omits on or two important steps. There is one called MYFORD BOY who is pretty good.

Since you will need castings to start with, I will refer to one or two notes on these.

Use good Mansfield red sand if possible and do not use oil bonded sand as it burns and you will have to dispose of most of it. Casting sand is a mixture of sand and clay and could be made from fine play sand and clay well blended. The trick is to add only enough water until a squeezed handful will just break into two when released.

You can sprinkle parting powder using an open weave cloth bag. Talcum powder can be used for this.

Next obtain a cooking seive - not too fine. Use it to completely cover the pattern first then you can chuck in sand and ram it willy-nilly. This is the most important tip of all and omitted most frequently. It gives a much superior surface finish.

Casting boxes about 8in x 10ins and 3 ins deep each can easily be made and wooden taper pins for runner and risers. A tiny trowel made from tin plate is useful for cutting gates.

I can send you further notes on simple metal melting to help if you wish and let me have your email address.

I have made a lot of petrol and diesel engines in the past, but as I am now well into my nineties, I'm afraid my memory has faded a lot, so you should be able to get your information from the sources suggested The Alex Whittaker one is good, as he also was a novice starting up.. Regards, Tom Oliver.

,

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Posted by Mike Etheridge 1 on 05/08/2017 10:33:56:

I would scan some of the pages but found out last night that due to Windows 10 updates I think that the programme 'paint' has been undermined so that you cannot produce cropped images in the same way such that they can be read on this blog due to print size?

The Snipping Tool in Windows will capture whatever is on your screen - just type snip into the search window...

[Mike Etheridge 1]

Thanks Martin, i now have 'Snip' on the desk top which seems to work much the same as Paint.