The Bucket Foundry

[Flettner]

They dont answer their phone, Ive left several massages.

No I'll just go back to what I used to do, get by the 210L drum from the people Fontera supply to, so nearly direct.

Funny thing, Gull told me in early 2019 they were considering abandoning E85, so all this above talk about shortages, rubbish I think. Aparently too expensive to maintain and upkeep the supply chain. I was told, anyway who cares now.

[husaberg]

They dont answer their phone, Ive left several massages.

No I'll just go back to what I used to do, get by the 210L drum from the people Fontera supply to, so nearly direct.

Funny thing, Gull told me in early 2019 they were considering abandoning E85, so all this above talk about shortages, rubbish I think. Aparently too expensive to maintain and upkeep the supply chain. I was told, anyway who cares now.
yeah quite possibly.....this one is also on the net.
https://fastlanespares.co.nz/products/e85-fuel-205l-drum

[Flettner]

https://youtu.be/x7mNoLA2e18

Prototype shell molding.

[Flettner]

Freshly cast, note the cored reed cavity, nice finish.

[Flettner]

Cant be bothered making a new clutch cover, just modify an old pattern.

[husaberg]

Cant be bothered making a new clutch cover, just modify an old pattern.

Hey Neil

Is this bit made from bits all glued together or ply half cut through (Ie Kerf)and bent?
347757

Years ago you used to use what looked like an epoxy imegnated laminate when you made the patterns was it amorboard
I remember at the time I couldn't find it?

[Flettner]

Can't even get it now.
Im reduced to working like a real pattern maker, glueing together lots of small parts, 3D jigsaw.
Ive molded a lot of bondifill blocks to be glued together in the basic shape of the pattern required, then CNC it out. For another aviation gearbox pattern I need to make soon.

[Flettner]

Bondifill is relatively cheap in bulk. Like four big tins at a time. I just use a plastic Tupperware container to mold it in. Its real nice to machine and if you make a #/// up you just paste some more bondi in, let it set, bang into it again, don't even need to take it out of the machine.

[Flettner]

Back half almost done, front half tomorrow. Might have a clutch cover ready to mold by Monday, maybe.

[Flettner]

front half,

[Flettner]

Bondifill has to be the best invention, ever.
Can fix multitudes of cock ups.

[Flettner]

Now just tidy up and paint.

[ken seeber]

Happened to be in Broome, WA for a few days and saw this at the airport. The cylinders appear to be turned steel, but unsure of how that was in terms of a bore material…a CI liner?

The head castings are pretty cool with very fine fins. Could they have done this with green sand? I seem to remember that they used linseed oil. Maybe even shell core sand.

Fletto, did your old man or grandad work as a patternmaker way back then? :msn-wink::msn-wink:

347788347789347790347791

[Grumph]

Machined steel cylinders were the standard of the industry for small radials for decades. First used around WW1, if it works don't change it was the industry motto.
The bigger, later ones had cast alloy cylinder and head in one unit. Eliminated head gasket problems.

I've used bog - Bondifiller - for patterns in the past. Yes, it's bloody handy stuff.

BUT - if you're machining it, you need a good dust extraction system. It is after all, only cold moulded chalk.

In the 80's a business partner and I took over a workshop which had been an automotive panel shop. Bog dust several inches deep....
The place got vacuumed - several times - and washed - several times - and painted, before we were happy to move in.
Even then, there was still dust blowing around if the doors were open in a breeze.

[Flettner]

Ive go one at my front door.
Lost wax process? Certainly well made castings.

My father and grandfather, probably the closest thing for them to patternmaking was fitting a new shovel handle.

[Flettner]

Because this tubular housing overhangs the main pattern, I need to shift the part line up around this overhang. Thats what this insert does, where this wood insert is will leave a cavity that will be taken up by the bottom sand mold.
When Im packing the mold I'll take a picture so you can see what Im talking about.

[Flettner]

Sodium Silicate / sand mixing, approx 2%.

[Flettner]

Bottom one packed, remove insert.

[Flettner]

Cast.
The sand mold split as I removed the pattern. So I ended up having to glue the sand parts together, I didn't want to show this, clearly there was an area without taper or perhaps slightly the wrong angle. Anyway it worked out in the end. Off to heat treatments tomorrow.

[F5 Dave]

Looks nice especially down that bore I'll call it.

[Flettner]

Looks nice especially down that bore I'll call it.

There is a Honda CR flywheel and stator that fit into this 'bore' , runs at 1.5 the speed of the crankshaft.
Opposite direction to the crank.

[F5 Dave]

Looks nice especially down that bore I'll call it.
Wow, that seems small. Guess mounted direct and sensor recessed or elsewhere. Goody amount of power available from the 8pole ones, I've driven a decent waterpump, ignitech etc

[Flettner]

yes, sensor mounted elsewhere seeing as its running at 1.5 crank speed.

[F5 Dave]

Of course it is. . . .

[Flettner]

The sacrifical lugs at work.

[Flettner]

Clutch case bolted on. Still to bore the flywheel housing and machine the water pump face, so the extra lugs can stay on for now.

[Flettner]

Progress,
13T gear, getting small.

[F5 Dave]

Ahh, I was trying to think of a brand to put on the sidecover. Best I came up with was NHS. But it would have been funnier in the UK.

[husaberg]

NTM or HTM
painted orange White and Black

[ken seeber]

Certainly not KTM ........they had their chance...:niceone:

[Flettner]

Aulternator gear drive layout.

[husaberg]

Sodium Silicate / sand mixing, approx 2%.

Similar idea i guess yours is the direct drive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c04x6ZF9kKc

[Flettner]

yeah, all well and good but when the drum gets filled too much, the rollers slip. I had one like this originaly but it kept slipping, ended up fastening emery tape to the rollers, was hard on the plastic drum. My current one will not slip, no matter how much you fill the drum.

[husaberg]

yeah, all well and good but when the drum gets filled too much, the rollers slip. I had one like this originaly but it kept slipping, ended up fastening emery tape to the rollers, was hard on the plastic drum. My current one will not slip, no matter how much you fill the drum.

with yours being lid driven is it hard to unthread it afterward?

Also was the armour board similar to what they used to use on the back of switchboards etc, kind of like a Formica?

[ken seeber]

Further to Hoosa's post:
1. Neil what rpm is yours running?
2. Do you have some form of baffles or blades inside to ensure good mixing, like a cement mixer?
3. Would a square moulded drum be better?
4. The youtube unit that Hoosa posted is a perfect example of over engineering. There is nothing better (well there is actually) than making such a gizmo,than to go to your scrap bins/piles and grabbing something, sometimes it is even better than you were looking for.:2thumbsup:2thumbsup

[Flettner]

revs? what ever is appropriate, its running a vairable speed unit, 3 phase.
I just throw in some aluminium blocks to rumble around with the sand.

[husaberg]

i hadn't seen this before expoxy and sand core.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pQriUQJNZ4
Stronger and maybe more durable less brittle by the look of it.
I found it as he was making a rather nice Muller

[lohring]

I have a lot of experience with molding and coating things in epoxy resins. I might try some castings with this method. I think the tiny transfers in the opposed piston cylinder will be a problem to clean out. Pistons would be my first thought since they will need to be machined over most surfaces in any case.

Lohring Miller

[husaberg]

i thought this was the stuff till, I seen the price.
https://www.kiwitooling.co.nz/
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5dc3df1bc25b0b21001f705f/t/5f92174375196c55b8fd910d/1603409731797/KiwiTooling_Pricing.pdf

[Flettner]

Lovely stuff but bend over if you wants some.

[husaberg]

Lovely stuff but bend over if you wants some.

i found some other stuff though. not sure re the price in NZ

CORAFOAM®/DUNABOARD


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymNK_IVw-_0

High Density Urethane
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/q6r-Ca_AdtXIn1kUQxvAnPQgUSP8QuSLegZzJhKS5cglpc416SDIfC G4RNtyU4iWCpO5u9TLajkFO9F0KOglhm_RkhARoWzAgMU-8ufpcZbztMiOpQ0RYHza2CEzXtQ

PVC Foamboard
https://www.hobbycity.nz/products/3inch-foam-board-2x1?variant=49291386695&currency=NZD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WutIBNmwHHs

[Flettner]

20 bags of sand, sodium silicate, spare crucible and a 210L drum of ethanol turning up this week, all set for Christmas.

[husaberg]

20 bags of sand, sodium silicate, spare crucible and a 210L drum of ethanol turning up this week, all set for Christmas.

no mater what you still have the ethanol.........

[husaberg]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImPWnJ44xio

[Flettner]

Im getting a real job next year, I wonder how that might go.
Havent had to work with people for over twenty years, I'll have to switch the social gene back on I guess. Im just getting too old for this hit and miss business stuff, combined with the previsional tax system, you need a reasonable float, I dont have that, so back to the real world for me, it will be intetesting if nothing else. Im just jolly lucky no one has been training CNC staff for years so people like me still have some worth, after all. I was starting to think I might be unenployable at my age.

[breezy]

Im getting a real job next year, I wonder how that might go.
Havent had to work with people for over twenty years, I'll have to switch the social gene back on I guess. Im just getting too old for this hit and miss business stuff, combined with the previsional tax system, you need a reasonable float, I dont have that, so back to the real world for me, it will be intetesting if nothing else. Im just jolly lucky no one has been training CNC staff for years so people like me still have some worth, after all. I was starting to think I might be unenployable at my age.

i would think that your wealth of experience will see you through Neil....but i think you may have to get them shorts extended a bit mate...:yes::laugh:

[Flettner]

You know how these managers are, try to make you feel like shit at the interview so you will not ask for too much money, but they gave it away a little by locking the door behind me, saying 'year nah', you need to stay here, run our machines, you are not going home tonight. Desparate I read that as.
It just might be nice to have a regular income for a change, so I might plan ahead a little less stress.
Ive just come through prostate cancer, thankfully they got it all, clear margins, havent been able to work for two months (officialy) that kind of was the last straw business / income wise. But IRD still want their money, or else, fuckers.
But it does leave me with a well equiped workshop, for my work only, yay.

[F5 Dave]

Sometimes life needs to change gears to suit the terrain ahead. Glad they sorted you out medically. We are lucky in this age and this country if not perfect at least tries to fix you.

[Flettner]

Yes Ive been lucky and very well serviced. We are well off here in that reguard.
Yes nicely put, change down and carry on.
Picked up by a simlpe PSA test, get one.

[F5 Dave]

Have done and will continue, sage advice.

[Flettner]

Santa came early, the kind of Santa you have to pay. A big fat drum of ethanol arrived yesterday. Yay.

[husaberg]

Santa came early, the kind of Santa you have to pay. A big fat drum of ethanol arrived yesterday. Yay.

Foundry closing sale on TradeMe
https://www.trademe.co.nz/stores/skylarc


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http://www.shinagawa.com.au/products/
they have an office in huntly

[Frits Overmars]

Santa came early, the kind of Santa you have to pay. A big fat drum of ethanol arrived yesterday. Yay.A Wee Dram eh? Great stuff for internal disinfection. Cheers Neil:drinkup:.

[husaberg]

Coating for the K wool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLqtekroNgQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgsU5EibFbA
Sand muller from agitator washing wachine gearbox
<iframe width="961" height="721" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DtFFZVE1dko" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

one a little more different

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-2vvsnPRVs

[ken seeber]

Not too sure if you noticed Wobbly talking about doing some EngMod2T design work for a 35 cc RC engine, but turns out the guy is in Oz. He rang me about making pistons. Came down to the fact that he has a mate with a 5 axis CNC lathe who could machine them from solid blanks.

So, as we were doing another casting batch of our pistons, I made up some simple CO2 moulds (Ø42 to suit a finished piston size of Ø38) , set these on a thick steel blank and poured it in. The idea being that the first/lower part would solidify first and be fed with the subsequent molten stuff above. Certainly some shrinkage in the upper section, but the lower section appeared to be ok with a single trial unit. Heat treated to T6.

Loving the CO2 process, it’s just so quick. Makes me wonder why that Aussie guy in Husa’s post #4787 went to the trouble of using resin to harden the sand and wait a day for it to set. I reckon he just stuffed up making his sodium silicate in the first place.



348127348128348129

[lohring]

You wouldn't be designing an engine for Tony Grinter, would you? I met him years ago on a trip to Australia. We were playing with the electronic ignition system on Quickdraws at the time. He was asking me recently about inertial dyno design and construction. I would love to see what you can come up with to shake up the model boat racing world.

Lohring Miller

[Flettner]

Im so over casting, metal unprinter.

[ken seeber]

Yeah I know, it's been a tad quiet here......so here's a refresher...

https://www.facebook.com/WoodworkingKH2020/videos/683729488961333

[OopsClunkThud]

Started making patterns for an exhaust stub/manifold for my Lambretta Imola cylinder. The core can be changed to support a 75% - 90% of port area.

348370
348371

[Flettner]

Im getting a real job next year, I wonder how that might go.
Havent had to work with people for over twenty years, I'll have to switch the social gene back on I guess. Im just getting too old for this hit and miss business stuff, combined with the previsional tax system, you need a reasonable float, I dont have that, so back to the real world for me, it will be intetesting if nothing else. Im just jolly lucky no one has been training CNC staff for years so people like me still have some worth, after all. I was starting to think I might be unenployable at my age.

That went well, two and a half days, went home and never went back. This working with others, not for me.

[F5 Dave]

That's the problem with other people .

. . Well, actually there's a list.

And it keeps growing.

[Frits Overmars]

That went well, two and a half days, went home and never went back. This working with others, not for me.I know the feeling. Working for others is not for me. I enjoy doing work that makes sense to me, not useless work assigned by thoughtless managers. But working with other people who have the same goal can be quite satisfying.
Working with me can be demanding, though. I may keep looking for the optimal solution while others would already have finished the same job in their sub-optimal way. But in defense of my market value I must say that I am quite good at finding simple solutions to both theoretical and practical problems.

[lohring]

That went well, two and a half days, went home and never went back. This working with others, not for me.

Amen brother. I kept being frustrated in all the various organizations I worked. I'm now on my second business where I have a great crew. I'm the boss but they handle the frustrating details. Besides, we need to hear about your opposed piston engine.

Lohring Miller

[Flettner]

I know the feeling. Working for others is not for me. I enjoy doing work that makes sense to me, not useless work assigned by thoughtless managers. But working with other people who have the same goal can be quite satisfying.
Working with me can be demanding, though. I may keep looking for the optimal solution while others would already have finished the same job in their sub-optimal way. But in defense of my market value I must say that I am quite good at finding simple solutions to both theoretical and practical problems.

I was quite shocked at the state of the business I worked for. Had me first up using a CNC that had a broken tool changer, had to line the tools up on the bench and load in order otherwise a mess. I was under the impression the toll changer had failed just reciently. The boss talked to me about getting a new machine. On talking to the boys in the shop I find its been out of order for ten years and the boss is always promising a new machine every year. Every bloody machine has a different control, none hooked to a central computer. I am so lucky to have full 3D Gibs Cam with off line progaming, I did not realise how advanced my little workshop is.
Then they wanted me to manually machine up a pair of B section pulleys, four belts ie matched sets, on a manual lathe with no digital read out. Possible but fraught with danger of mistake and slow.
So I loaded everything on my truck, went home and machined them out on my CNC. Delivered them back and said thats it, this workshop is not for me.
They had two CNC lathes, one busy all the time, the other, you guessed it, broken. Not what this company once was back when I used to do business with them.

[Flettner]

[QUOTE=lohring;1131180219, we need to hear about your opposed piston engine.

Lohring Miller[/QUOTE]


All projects are on hold, pending a stable income, unfortunately.

[F5 Dave]

Jezzuz were you working for Steptop and son? Places that do my work for work are constantly filling up warehouse with new machinery. Pallet loader 5 axis, laser the size of, well its pretty big. Hate to see thier overdraft but
Seems to work

[lohring]

I'm slowly progressing on my opposed piston engine. I think this is the final design for now. The next step is to make the various parts and assemble everything with a plastic, 3D printed cylinder and pistons. If that looks good, I'll get a metal cylinder cast or 3D printed. Below are some of the pictures. I tested various exhaust leads holding everything else the same. Low leads boosted bottom end at the expense of over rev. Higher leads did the opposite. I think a 4 degree lead is the best compromise.

Lohring Miller

348380348381348382348383

[Flettner]

Jezzuz were you working for Steptop and son?

You might well wonder.
Maybe Ill just go and drive tractors, we are rurual after all.

[husaberg]

Not foundry but interesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGKOPYoM4Qo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7BYKV91N6A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utKpSRpLzCE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNhNFNoG0JY

[jato]

You might well wonder.
Maybe Ill just go and drive tractors, we are rurual after all.

Nah that won't work - after a few hours you'd start to get bored and your mind would start wandering to a triple crank vee 5 with a common combustion chamber... just declare monday to wednesday is for paying customers and stick to it. the rest of the week would be yours with a clear conscience then...

[Flettner]

Jimmy,

So I have decided to get back to the 360 mk2 TPI project largely because its all been paid for. Just needs the time invested to dyno and tune. Got it fired up last weekend, 'plastic bottle injection' , Ignitech works. Now to sort the LINK, that will no doubt be time consuming.

[jato]

Great work! but we don't want to find the best inventors in the soup kitchen...

[F5 Dave]

Especially if he's serving. Those knees would put me off my soup.

[Flettner]

It fired up with the LINK, ran for about 30 seconds then stopped. Wouldnt restart apart from a few pops from time to time. Turns out the rotary valve had slipped around. So next weekend we will have another go and possibly a better valve drive arrangement.

[Flettner]

As I thought, the nut on the end of the crankshaft was loose. Nothing damaged, but Ill make up some special tools to hold the crank gear as I torque it up, tight.

[Frits Overmars]

As I thought, the nut on the end of the crankshaft was loose. Nothing damaged, but Ill make up some special tools to hold the crank gear as I torque it up, tight.Some special tools? What could be easier than fishing a gear out of your junk box and use it to block the primary transmission?
348542 348543
You can of course also shove a hammer handle or a broom stick into the exhaust port :whistle:

[husaberg]

https://www.velocekarting.nz/media/zoo/images/VK.WKTBP_c10c98541c8ca74211a9a66af85419ca.jpg:whis tle:

[Flettner]

348542 348543
You can of course also shove a hammer handle or a broom stick into the exhaust port :whistle:

Aww, Frits, yes Ive done that before but a bit rough though.
A much better idea is a tool like this. This one quickly made to hold the crank gear by all its teeth for the F9 Kawasaki, spread the load.
Tightening load goes only from all the teeth to the nut. This way some serious torque can be applied.
CNC makes a quick and simple job of it.

[palezu]

I posted last year about a cast iron cylinder that I cast. I finished it some months after that and it worked very well. Gave 11 wheel hp with 3 transfer ports and a pre-worn piston.

http://i.imgur.com/Ir6ct3qm.jpg (https://imgur.com/Ir6ct3q)

http://i.imgur.com/4LGfP6Em.jpg (https://imgur.com/4LGfP6E)

Now I'm working on a new cylinder, this time 50cc and now trying to get the best duct design possible. I have used transfer duct radial angles published by Frits in his scavenging concept picture. I hope that's 20hp guaranteed :drool:

After months of slowly designing ducts and the bloody core boxes, I have got about half of them done and made some cores

http://i.imgur.com/QCh0WNFl.jpg (https://imgur.com/QCh0WNF)

http://i.imgur.com/yvlZENRl.jpg (https://imgur.com/yvlZENR)

http://i.imgur.com/wDGeH9dm.jpg (https://imgur.com/wDGeH9d)

3D printing is really something when making casting core boxes. Almost hard to believe that the core piece turns out looking exactly like the model on computer screen. It's just a very time consuming process to think out how the box is split and creating proper clearance on a core joint etc...

This time I try epoxy as a core sand binder. Sodium silicate works, but I found that in an iron casting the cores will become almost rock hard and require a masonry drill and an awful lot of scraping to remove. I heard that an epoxy core should pretty much fall out after the epoxy has burnt. Only about 3% of epoxy is required(even less works with perfect core box design) and the core seems stronger than with sodium silicate. I just hope that the epoxy does not release too much gas.

By the way, always impressed with Flettner's creations! I plan to also cast engine cases some day, you make it look easy..

[Flettner]

I remember, melted down sewing machines. Good to see some real pattern making / casting going on, good on you.

I don't have a lot of time these days for foundry work, or for that matter any development work. Too busy, I've landed a nice manufacturing contract ( nothing engine or motorcycle unfortunately) but never the less good enough to keep the parasites off my back or at least give them some thing to feed on.
Weekends are looking way more precious.

[Flettner]

Like this Frits, just add a lever arm and we are good to go.

[Frits Overmars]

As I thought, the nut on the end of the crankshaft was loose. Nothing damaged, but Ill make up some special tools to hold the crank gear as I torque it up, tight.
Some special tools? What could be easier than fishing a gear out of your junk box and use it to block the primary transmission?
You can of course also shove a hammer handle or a broom stick into the exhaust port :whistle:

Aww, Frits, yes Ive done that before but a bit rough though.
A much better idea is a tool like this. This one quickly made to hold the crank gear by all its teeth for the F9 Kawasaki, spread the load.
Tightening load goes only from all the teeth to the nut. This way some serious torque can be applied. CNC makes a quick and simple job of it.... Just add a lever arm and we are good to go.Your hammer handle, broom stick and piston will be forever grateful :niceone:

[Flettner]

like this, nice and tight.

[Vannik]

like this, nice and tight.

And no bending moment on the crankshaft! Very good.

[Flettner]

It lives, runs pretty rough but it does go. Sliding gibs work perfectly, as a throttle so far. Spark plug is impossible to extract with the fuel tank in place, Ill need to make a fancy plug spanner. Default car fuel map is clearly way wrong. Typical raspy sounding rotary valve engine though.

[jato]

Fast and as ever brilliant work ... but i think you need to give the lawn the Burt Munro treatment ...

[Flettner]

There you go, the bugger runs, and idles even.
https://youtu.be/mS0cyt7F9js

[pete376403]

There you go, the bugger runs, and idles even.
https://youtu.be/mS0cyt7F9js

Is that putting put so much EMF that it can interfere with whatever camera you're using?

[Peljhan]

This is a cylinder I designed and made moulds for sand cores with 3D printing two years ago. Moulds are painted with primer and filler and hand sanded to nice finish.
I used CO2 method for cores and outer mould. AlSi12 alu. 700°C (1290°F).

First try was a failure. A lot of bubbling (like boiling) when casted. Large bubbles in finished product. Cores did move a little. When casted, I let mould in wooden box. After removing box, I noticed a lot of moisture on walls of a box.

Second casting was also a failure. I removed wooden box prior to casting. Alu temperature was increased to 720°C (1330°F). CO2 mould was buried in reusable "black sand". Result was better but still a lot of bubbles and unusable product.

Third casting was almost a success (usable product). I put CO2 mould in electric owen over night. Temperature was increased from ambient to 80°C over 4hrs and was kept at 80°C (176°F) until morning. We casted next day. Alu temp was 720°C (1330°F). There was almost no bubbles, only one large above exhaust duct which was later welded. Cylinder was CT scanned which revealed also two small air pocket channels between A transfer and water pocket. That was also welded.
T6 heat treatment was done. I did all machining on manual lathe and mill. After that I had no more energy to repeat casting as I needed like 8hrs to make moulds and than whole owen procedure and casting. We were casting in friends foundry that is not close to where I live.

Cylinder design is similar to Aprilia RSA, I did rear wall of B transfers straight. If that will not work I will fill it in hook type. It has exhaust valve as small as possible to ensure good water cooling around exhaust duct. From the outside, I kept cylinder as original Tomos GP cylinder from 1977 (it will go on classic Tomos GP77 replica).

After that, I sent it out for nicasil treatment and now I just need to make final touches and finish rest of the engine for testing. Cylinder head moulds were sent to my friend, so I am waiting to get them casted.

I am wondering, if someone knows, what did cause moisture in the sand? Is it from CO2 getting cold exiting gas tank and than condensing air moisture in sand? I believe that made bubbles in casting.

[Peljhan]

Some more pics..
At third try I made attachments for transfer and exhaust core to central core for better stability. Over pour channel and risers additional tube was added for higher pressure. Also sand was better mixed with "liquid glass".

[Peljhan]

More pics...
Cylinder was dimensionally pretty exact. about 0,3mm misalignment. Exhaust duct was lower about 0,5mm but I made it smaller as I must finish it afterwards anyway.
You can see First try on first and last pic.
Two cones from side are removed after box is filled with sand. Than two steel cones are inserted that are holding water core in place.

[Flettner]

Right, several things to note. I use a product called core fix, a sand glue, once fixed in place the cores do not move.
Ingate shape is important, you need a good consistent flow but not a turbulent or too fast flow into the mold, catching gas within the molten aluminium. A wide flat ingate seems to work best. Ingate should be the smallest area so the runner stays full throughout the whole pour.
Sand cores are porous and contain air. When hot metal arrives in the mold this gas expands and needs a direct path out of the mold, not through the molten metal. Gas needs to be able to escape through the core prints.

What sand are you using?

If the sand cores sit around too long they will absorb some moisture, gently pre heating the mold can help. I've got a steel plate with a gas burner underneath, just enough to drive out moisture, too hot and you will wreak the sand mold.

Nice job, most impressed.

[palezu]

Wow, that is a nice job. I used the same method to make core boxes by 3D printing. And the cylinder looks like it could have a lot of power too.

A couple of suggestions. Your pouring channel looks way too large. The aluminium will slosh like crazy inside that and pull air in and create turbulence, mixing oxides to the melt. The mixed oxide films are detrimental to casting quality. The pouring channel should be so small that you can easily fill it right to the top at beginning of the pour and keep it full, and the metal should flow in gently over period of about 10 seconds. To my eye that sprue looks so large that you can pour in the full crucible in just a few seconds. The good thing is that you have a filter there, that will help to slow down the flow and filter out oxides.

I recommend to check olfoundrymans video about the sprue design: https://youtu.be/m6W71s-cd_0
When I poured my iron cylinder, I used a sprue that was around 12mm at the bottom, yes 12mm and 14mm at the top and still that flowed so fast that I had trouble keeping up. I have also poured some smaller aluminium castings using a sprue with 9mm bottom diameter and that worked perfectly well. It would also be very good to reduce the height that the metal has to fall, but as the cylinder is oriented that way in the mold, it is hard to change it. I make a cylinder mold such that the cylinder is lying on it's side so the mold can be less tall.
The tall risers are completely unnecessary and a pouring channel riser makes the turbulence problem even worse.

About the moisture problem. I think the problem might not be necessarily moisture getting into the sand, but that the moisture cannot escape through the sand. How much % of sodium silicate you are using? Usually normal greensand can let the steam through very well when it's not rammed too tightly. It might also be that you have rammed the outer mold too tightly. You could also poke some holes into the mold that go near the cavity but not into it, letting the vapor out more easily.
I think the fill rate of the mold may also contribute to this. If you slow down the fill rate, the water has more time to vaporize and escape upwards through the mold before the mold is completely filled.

Edit: with aluminium, it's good to have a large mass riser to feed the shrinkage, but it should not be very tall just in hopes to increase pressure.

[Peljhan]

Re Flettner.
I used also this glue, but after first atempt, I made modifications to cores to have "hooks" to attach to central core. Misaligments on second and third try were only here and there on unimportant places. Base gasket fits on exactly, missalignment is around 0,1mm on two places. Definitely I would make it way different next time that I did it now. I wouldn't use this method again for only few cylinders as it was huge time consumer. Lucky for me, my brother did printing and it was free as total print time was like 150hrs and I had to repeat some moulds with modifications. It was my first alu casting project and I did quite complicate moulds for first time. Should pick something easier.

Cores were made one day and pour next day. I agree, moisture could not escape as when I did first pour with wooden box, after removing box, it was wet.

I was using silica sand. I don't have exact info as it was provided by foundry. They never had problems like this before and usually they make outer moulds from black wet reusable sand. I had to do it with silica and CO2 as I had to use glue on few places and glue does not stick to black sand. Edit: I was using 7% sodium silicate. (bonding liquid glass).

Re palezu.
It should have some power yes. I am expecting over 20hp on wheel with first tryouts, but with some time and experiments I aim for 24hp+. Will write more on ese thread if it is ok for you guys, as I am using also variable rotodisc and maybe I will try Frits idea of variable exhaust nozzle, so if that is interesting to you.

Too bad I didn't know that before about smaller (lower height) of inlet and riser channel. It looks like logic to do. Nice video.
Thanks for risers tip, I tought that was my first mistake that I made them too low.

I will attach video of pour somewhere (yt or fb) for you to see.

Here are some machining pictures and finished product..
1st and 2nd pic is machining of exhaust valve hole. 1.5mm milling tool.
3th pic is casted surface on transfers.
4th pic you can see that cyl was not welded enough around bolt hole (I must give it to laser welding shop as it allready has nicasil). Does anyone have suggestion if some JB weld or greenstuff will hold the side of M6 hole? Any other ideas to repair this?

[Flettner]

Modifications to the clutch case pattern. Make it more like my 350 Kawasaki but might make the outside cover from carbon fiber? How difficult could it be? Machine out a male and female die set?

[F5 Dave]

You seem like a man who needs a new project to fill in your spare time. Radical change of material could certainly do that. I'd kinda want inserts for the bolt holes/clamping area.

[Flettner]

Yes you are right, as always, stick to what I know.

[Flettner]

Side case work, in wood.

[Flettner]

More case work. Isnt wood a great medium to work with.

[F5 Dave]

My wood work is largely gardening quality.

[speedpro]

Okay, it isn't a bucket, but it is foundry related. Couple of castings that were dropped off at Heat Treatments on Friday.

[F5 Dave]

WTF? Water based?

[Flettner]

Jimmy jolly Steadman.

[Flettner]

Ripping around the yard, first mk2 TPI under self propulsion. 😁

[ken seeber]

Ripping around the yard, first mk2 TPI under self propulsion. 😁

Fletto, I'm sure Mr Yamaha will be mightily impressed, but disappointed that he can't see any bared knees....:msn-wink:

[Flettner]

Next video, the paddock long ruts it cuts😁.

[Flettner]

New clutch cover modified pattern progressing.

[Flettner]

Paint and sand, paint and sand, repeat.

[ken seeber]

Dewewewonnasplashsummetal? :confused::confused:

Here's a way to make a small electric furnace:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjlwc4x3GKE

Certainly a solid device.

[husaberg]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzbAZYqteLs&t=510s

[ken seeber]

You've gotta admire them, for so many reasons.

Makes one feel like an absolute woose wearing shoes when casting :confused:

One main issue doing this stuff, is losing the shrinkage allowance. Say the cover was 350 mm long, using a 1% allowance for aluminium, it would be 3.5 mm shorter. Definitely an issue.

[Grumph]

You've gotta admire them, for so many reasons.

Makes one feel like an absolute woose wearing shoes when casting :confused:

One main issue doing this stuff, is losing the shrinkage allowance. Say the cover was 350 mm long, using a 1% allowance for aluminium, it would be 3.5 mm shorter. Definitely an issue.

Depends if the main case it's going on has been cast using the same method.....

[ken seeber]

Correct Greg, but if you have fixed dimensions for, say crank & gear centres, then it would be an issue.

On the other hand, it could be a way to make miniature models, just do this 20 times.....:msn-wink:

[husaberg]

You've gotta admire them, for so many reasons.

Makes one feel like an absolute woose wearing shoes when casting :confused:

One main issue doing this stuff, is losing the shrinkage allowance. Say the cover was 350 mm long, using a 1% allowance for aluminium, it would be 3.5 mm shorter. Definitely an issue.


Depends if the main case it's going on has been cast using the same method.....

or you just wiggle the pattern...............

[ken seeber]

or you just wiggle the pattern...............

No-one minds the odd wiggle Hooser, but that's a fair old wiggle...:laugh:

[Flettner]

Paint the pattern with really thick paint?

[husaberg]

Paint the pattern with really thick paint?

Maybe some fine beads;)

[palezu]

New 50cc iron jug done for this year.

https://i.imgur.com/AyJLjMcl.jpg

First one was otherwise good but of course failed to core blowholes in the most critical part. I tried to fill them using cast iron as filler but that failed miserably, turned hard as a crystal.

https://i.imgur.com/Q20R20ym.jpg

Second one I improved cores by using sodium silicate for center core and making a bigger hole inside it. Other cores used about 2.8% of epoxy (net ratio maybe a bit over 2% after mixing losses). Epoxy cores work fantastically, they just fall out after casting. Sodium silicate core have to drill and hammer out. On top of that, it is hard to control the CO2 gassing. If gassed too much they will become extremely brittle.

Still two pores but this time much smaller and luckily avoids critical spots. I think these defects may be something other than core gas, maybe entrainment defects (bifilm). Could be fixed by improving gating system but hard to say how.

https://i.imgur.com/fE9tIDml.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0oodUvkm.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/yL4KdPXl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/OTRhgp3l.jpg

For the first one I melted again half of a Singer sewing machine. For the second one I used gating parts from previous melts, a little bit of Singer and some dirty scrap iron from barbeque oven plates. I had a belief that the sewing machine iron is much higher quality and will provide good machinability which the first cylinder was, so I wanted to spare the sewing machine iron and at the same time test if iron quality will suffer from remelt and low quality scrap. It didn't, machined just about as well but actually there was one small spot where it was harder.

Core assembly. It took around 5 months to design and 3D print the core boxes. After that only 2 hours to make and assemble cores not including glue drying time. Ramming up the mold takes about 1 hour. Soon can start mass production :violin: (not)

https://i.imgur.com/uCQzVmbl.jpg

[Grumph]

Very nice effort
I've had to clean up a couple of old Singer tables for my wife to repurpose.....i don't know what she's done with the machine bodies.
They're certainly nicely cast so probably a good quality decorative casting iron.

I think I'd probably have used a cut up engine block for iron closer to the correct specs but it may not make much difference.

For filling voids I'd use bronze welding. I've actually got the correct flux here for bronze welding cast iron. It's readily available.

[F5 Dave]

So I looked on EvilBay. Jeez they really aren't worth much are they? I guess they were so ubiquitous.

Maybe in another 40 years. Oh. Right.

[palezu]

Those old sewing machines seem to be those type of things that at first glance make people think "oh it must be valuable" but actually they are completely worthless. It probably is that millions of them were made back in the day. I found this one from a metal recycling place for free :first:

I have to try melting brake discs. They are a good source but I have heard that they may be a bit "harder" cast iron, thus the end product may not be as good to machine. Cannot know for sure until tried.

[Flettner]

Boring............

[Flettner]

Home casting at work in the real world. A few more hours.
https://youtu.be/2sdZ_pZLRXU

[husaberg]

Home casting at work in the real world. A few more hours.
https://youtu.be/2sdZ_pZLRXU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm8Y0XWEpIU

[ken seeber]

Jeez Neil, you're a real legend and, no one can deny it:

YOU STILL HAVE THE SEXIEST KNEES

Good job Fletto, you should be very proud...

[Flettner]

Its all well and good, the engine is running nice,
BUT at some point it will stop again. Its always on my mind when Im flying, looking to where I might land, when it all goes quiet. Cant tell if Im excited, or frightened, either way its exhilarating. Engine manual says 'should only be operated over flat ground'.

[Flettner]

The Uniflow 175, gear driven flywheel install. Special tool required.

[Grumph]

Embarrassing if it pops out....Some form of positive locking ?

[Flettner]

Perhaps.
There will be a small chainsaw pull start attached outside this flywheel.

[ken seeber]

Amongst other things, been progressing casting something from a 3D printed part. In this case it is a short inlet manifold runner for a Nissan VH45 V8, a foul stroke it seems.

So, printed the part using Polycast filament, a bit wax like. Then stuck on a couple of moulded wax bits for the ingate and riser and then invested it in a 2:1 (by volume) mix if Plaster of Paree and sand.

Then slowly heated it to successive melt out and then burn out the filament, the last step was overnight at 400 C. Lots of nice noxious smoke and smells. Made up an insulated burnout chamber, based on a 240 V hotplate element, controlled using an old thermocouple controller, not programmable though.

Letting it cool to room temp (didn’t do this the first time and went in hot…fail) and splashed in some melted down BMW rims.

Came out pretty well, some flaws when the plaster mould split, I think at the time of pouring as it wasn’t split before.

Pics tell the story.

[ken seeber]

349374349375349376

[Flettner]

360 mk2 TPI. New clutch cover nearly finished.

[WilDun]

360 mk2 TPI. New clutch cover nearly finished.

That looks very impressive Neil ! - I do look in now and then :niceone:

[Flettner]

Will, good to see you are still here, whats happening?

[WilDun]

Will, good to see you are still here, whats happening?

Nothing much really - clearing out my garage completely - preparing to move out in the near future! no more bike stuff etc ( too many other things to think about at the moment!).
BTW I found that Facebook is bloody ridiculous (have tried it and have more or less rejected it!). - this is good and so I'll keep looking in now and then - good luck with the new bike - have fun with it before you (have to) convert it to electric! :niceone:

[Flettner]

Ready to bolt up.

[Flettner]

Bolted on, looks about right.

[F5 Dave]

Indeed. Wheelies in shorts pictures :headbang:

[WilDun]

.........So, printed the part using Polycast filament, a bit wax like. Then stuck on a couple of moulded wax bits for the ingate and riser and then invested it in a 2:1 (by volume) mix if Plaster of Paree and sand.
Pics tell the story..........

Looks fine Ken - definitely getting there with the 3D printing/casting - I look in sometimes and have just spotted your post! ....... BTW where can I check out "Polycast" filament - does the filament break easily? - where did you buy it? - I would like to give it a try sometime (ie if I can find the time ........ and my foundry gear!! - I was going to give up, but then thought, you only get one shot, so why not - I don't want to miss out! :facepalm:

[Flettner]

Delicate bits safely tucked away.

[Flettner]

Loving this lock down.
Decided to sort the flywheel side out while Im at it. New counterweight gear, nice to have a gear hob at hand.

[Flettner]

Bob weight left side new housing.

[Flettner]

Flywheel cover, a little tidier.

[F5 Dave]

That looks great.


. . . The frame however could have met a wire brush and a shakey can.

[Flettner]

The whole thing could do with a spit and polish. She is certainly no silk purse. Rough though it is, Id like to see a trail ride event with it this year, finally.

[speedpro]

You may have already seen it and commented. "The Dirtbike Rider" simply posted the KTM propoganda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1yLUF3aHxQ

[Flettner]

You may have already seen it and commented. "The Dirtbike Rider" simply posted the KTM propoganda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1yLUF3aHxQ

Yes, but they are not intetested.

[Flettner]

Arrr, smashed the new side case.
Ive got two starters and they look identical. Powering up the starter all it would do is free wheel so I thought I must have installed the one way clutch backwards, so I changed it. Turns out one starter runs reverse. It undid the drive bolt, jamed and broke the new case. Bugger.
So Ive had to build another one. Now it works and I can start the engine off the dyno. I hate fu$$k ups for no good reason but inattention.

[Flettner]

Got my metal unprinter to make these parts. Air filter inner support and screw on cap.

[Flettner]

That unprinter at work again.

[Flettner]

Needs an airbox now.

[WilDun]

Don't come here much these days but seeing we are still locked down, I'm becoming curious again, - have I missed something? WTF is an "UNPRINTER"? - don't tell me you're off at a tangent again!! :rolleyes:

[F5 Dave]

A printer, like FDM or SLA works by adding material.

I'll let you work out the rest.

[WilDun]

A printer, like FDM or SLA works by adding material.

I'll let you work out the rest.


Yes, l have looked at all that and I have a common or garden 3D printer which I enjoy using (in conjunction with 3D Cad), but never heard of an "unprintrer" ! - maybe I'm falling behind ... again! - please help me to get up to speed.

UPDATE - Good old Dr Google (open even in Lockdown!) - so to me it appears that an SLA printer uses pretty similar technology to this mysterious "unprtnter" (ie it appears to be using the laser to cure resin).
Is it resin / metal powder?":confused:

[F5 Dave]

No no no. Think easier.

Printer adds material. Unprinter subtracts it.

You know, with spinning steel?

[Flettner]

WillDun, a milling machine.

[WilDun]

WillDun, a milling machine.

Ah yeah - Ahem, :o - Well, I knew that! - I also have an unprinter (just didn't realize that's what it was) - anyway, was just testing you! :whistle:

[Pursang]

One of these would almost fit the description (Un-printer).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O5AGuWpVmM

Waiting for the 'next' model with precision depth control and moltern material extraction.;)

[WilDun]

Waiting for the 'next' model with precision depth control and moltern material extraction.;)

That looks like a "dry run demo" it is really amazing, but not something for your average home workshop guy!

[Flettner]

Top crank case, reed induction

[Flettner]

A tight fit

[WilDun]

A tight fit
Going well - looks like it'll just fit in! - Guessing an easier fitting three cylinder version will come if this development/pilot model looks like being successful? - keep going - glad to hear the 360 Hintz Yamaha is looking good! - will look in again in another month or so and will be expecting some more progress! :yes:

[Flettner]

Concentrating on getting the 360 trail rideable.
Oil pump cover, air cleaner housing. Next a revamped starting system.

[ken seeber]

https://www.foundry-lab.com/

Many unanswered questions nonetheless. Typical kiwi I guess...:niceone:

Reading elsewhere I gather that there is a mould that is filled with metal powder or an ingot which would be positioned above the ingate and the switch turned on. Could be done in an inert atmosphere eg. nitrogen, which is nice.

[F5 Dave]

They're set up in an expensive part of town.

[Frits Overmars]

https://www.foundry-lab.com/
Many unanswered questions nonetheless. Typical kiwi I guess...:niceone:
Reading elsewhere I gather that there is a mould that is filled with metal powder or an ingot which would be positioned above the ingate and the switch turned on. Could be done in an inert atmosphere eg. nitrogen, which is nice.I don't know what 'typical Kiwi' is, but this https://www.foundry-lab.com/ site gave me a 'typical Merican' impression: lots of boasting and zero information.
"This is not metal 3D printing - we call it Digital Metal Casting".
Yeah, right. But how is their DMC different from the Selective Laser Melting process that was used in producing my symmetrical-scavenge cylinder over a decade ago?

[F5 Dave]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/127142209/wellington-startup-foundry-lab-raises-11m-to-help-make-metal-casting-easy

News article popped up today in local site

[speedpro]

They reckon they're fast producing cast parts. Obviously unaware of Neil.

[monkeyfumi]

I don't know what 'typical Kiwi' is, but this https://www.foundry-lab.com/ site gave me a 'typical Merican' impression: lots of boasting and zero information.
"This is not metal 3D printing - we call it Digital Metal Casting".
Yeah, right. But how is their DMC different from the Selective Laser Melting process that was used in producing my symmetrical-scavenge cylinder over a decade ago?




So, they print a sand mould, then use microwaves to melt an ingot in the feeder.
Besides the speed, which if true it is impressive, I don't see how this offers much advantage over additive manufacturing (DMS, powder bed fusion etc) which can achieve geometry not possible in casting, and incorporate hybrid process too (printing and machining at the same time)

[husaberg]

https://minimalistquotes.com/images/time-is-more-valuable-than-money-you-can-get-more-.jpg
Also casting is a skilled job if you can deskill the process its becomes cheaper.
in manufacturing time is very very important. if you can do something cheaper and quicker its very important

[monkeyfumi]

And how cheap do you think a microwave that can melt steel is?

[Grumph]

And how cheap do you think a microwave that can melt steel is?

I'd like to know the answer to that too. But I do have some idea of the wages paid to skilled pattermakers and foundry hands - and the costs of small batch production.
Once the initial investment is made, there's no holiday pay, sick pay or strikes. Another example of how to lose manufacturing skills.

[Flettner]

Yes, very wonderful. Sand printing has been around for a while now, great process but only for prototyping or low run, as its time consuming like all printing processes.
Production foundry tooling and or die casting can be very fast.
Ill stick to my ethanol fueled, vaccume cleaner powered furnace and old school pattern, tooling techniques.
Because of the cost effectiveness.

[Flettner]

The 360, I dont do fiberglass, sheet metal radiator shroud and air box in 1.6mm aluminium. Next to remake the kick starter arrangement, perhaps this weekend. Then look for a suitable trail ride.

[husaberg]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwQ4C2dNkp4&t=24s
pretty sure this has been posted prior

[Flettner]

Aluminium billet is getting expensive, Im told it will go up 40% in the next six months.
Funny how my scrap isnt worth anything still.
Back to patterns and casting, old alloy car wheels are worh f%^^k all and make great casting material being CC601.
This will be the last of machining from solid.

[husaberg]

Aluminium billet is getting expensive, Im told it will go up 40% in the next six months.
Funny how my scrap isnt worth anything still.
Back to patterns and casting, old alloy car wheels are worh f%^^k all and make great casting material being CC601.
This will be the last of machining from solid.
Urea went up $200 a ton last week
Urea is driven by fuel as its a petrochem derivative
its basically doubled in 6 months.
N drives the pasture and Hort market so expect veges and all food also to go up.

[Flettner]

Just need an outside case now.

[ken seeber]

Urea went up $200 a ton last week
Urea is driven by fuel as its a petrochem derivative
its basically doubled in 6 months.
N drives the pasture and Hort market so expect veges and all food also to go up.

Hewser, same thing over here, particularly with AdBlue, which is all basically 32% urea which is derived from ammonia. However all will be good with the hydrogen economy being touted as the savior ...

[husaberg]

Hewser, same thing over here, particularly with AdBlue, which is all basically 32% urea which is derived from ammonia. However all will be good with the hydrogen economy being touted as the savior ...
Well i heard the Hindenburg was especially clean burning

[Frits Overmars]

Well i heard the Hindenburg was especially clean burningNot really, but through no fault of the hydrogen that burns with an almost invisible blue flame. The visible flames came from the burning lacquer on the hull.

[husaberg]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25PmqM24HEk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrXnv-W_mCY

[ken seeber]

What an excellent cuppla vids.
This guy sets the standard for You Tube presenters. Clear & explanatory.

[husaberg]

What an excellent cuppla vids.
This guy sets the standard for You Tube presenters. Clear & explanatory.
i never go the a chance to view any other videos but they are something i intend to follow up later

[lohring]

I used his video to 3d print the mold for a one off model boat cowl. It worked really well and took a lot less time than building the male plug and female mold conventionally. See namba.com/content/library/propwash/2021/October/16/

Lohring Miller

[Flettner]

Not really, but through no fault of the hydrogen that burns with an almost invisible blue flame. The visible flames came from the burning lacquer on the hull.

And magnesium.

[husaberg]

Hi i was talking to Neil the other day about this dudes work


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhWyN0wKkR4&t=9s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3oaRDKulwA


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzYjrlugI2Q


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdgGkqvk5mc


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P3qKutb_zQ

[husaberg]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch_GpIyDCx0

[ken seeber]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch_GpIyDCx0

Old mate has spent a lot of time setting up a tidy and efficient “boutique” style foundry. The sign at the front might read: “We can cast anything as long as the pattern plate can fit into our one design of corebox.”
Couple of well thought out features there. The aluminium sand feed ducting and the long corebox threads look to be a bit annoying.

[husaberg]

Old mate has spent a lot of time setting up a tidy and efficient “boutique” style foundry. The sign at the front might read: “We can cast anything as long as the pattern plate can fit into our one design of corebox.”
Couple of well thought out features there. The aluminium sand feed ducting and the long corebox threads look to be a bit annoying.

i wondered, How does that feed system work was it a pneumatic vibrator on a gravity feed with a guillotine slide
thats how we used to feed or cement from 200T silos.

[ken seeber]

i wondered, How does that feed system work was it a pneumatic vibrator on a gravity feed with a guillotine slide
thats how we used to feed or cement from 200T silos.

Hooser, had another look at the vid and right at the start he shows a square stainless tapered trough with a mixing arm in it. From the underneath it looks like an inclined auger that takes the sand up high and discharges into the aluminum duct.

Looks like he must have had good access to some used machinery/equipment joint and designed it all about what came up. Good on him.

Wonder what his main products are?

[husaberg]

Hooser, had another look at the vid and right at the start he shows a square stainless tapered trough with a mixing arm in it. From the underneath it looks like an inclined auger that takes the sand up high and discharges into the aluminum duct.

Looks like he must have had good access to some used machinery/equipment joint and designed it all about what came up. Good on him.

Wonder what his main products are?

You are going to make me watch the video aye.
I was thinking the same thnig a lot of gear that's useful but Spendy to set up even SH.
i never watched the whole video or any others on his feed to see what he actually did.
Looks like he builds model steam engines.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPS78p6CpoY

edit i must have fast forwarded it through the first bit lol
i know how much all the auguer etc cost as i have the same set up on my coal fired boiler

in the comments me mentions the sand is oil sand called mansbond never heard of that one.

[Flettner]

Finally getting around to finishing off this sand water gallery die, copy cast in cast iron. So I can use the Shell Sand Mould method. Much stronger sand cores. After market Subaru EA81 heads.

[el chupacabra]

For anyone interested here is my first (second) attempt at lost foam casting. It’s a crankcase for a Honda c50/Lifan motor. I decided I wanted a v twin after watching Allen millyards videos. It’ll be bucket legal too. I am still amazed by the dimensional accuracy and how cheap it was to make/prep.
350741350742350743350744350745

[Flettner]

Ejector pins fitted. Need to be shortened to the correct length yet.

[lohring]

CPI has been in the two stroke cylinder casting business a long time. The founder, Calvin Pollet, had a lot of interesting discussions on cylinder design with other members of this forum, but no one questioned the quality of his castings. The video below shows the production process. Sand casting doesn't need to be the crude method people think it is.

Lohring Miller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2uvgoUCh3g

[F5 Dave]

Um, actually people have questioned quality. My first Cheetah block caused me all sorts of grief trying to tune an inconsistent big bore. Until Wobbly suggested one of his customers had a porous barrel. Hmm. Dumped mine in a bucket with an airline. . . Ahh! Powervalve machining was leaking water into the engine at inopportune times.

All replaced by Trinity the distributor and they started testing every one going out the door.

But I'm not bitter about it, it was good customer service on a low volume part. I'm just mentioning it.

At the other end, several years ago there was some talk from Steve Rothwell on the Aprilia forum and Calvin joined in. He was very knowledgeable and went into depth on how they had to develop the shape of the pistons to cope with thier application. Steve on the other hand was a complete Turkey with wild theories about the bore under the transfer area overheating. Calvin was rational and only stepped out when Steve was saying the Athena was the way to go. I think Calvin was quite sick at the time. It was a pity as it was an interesting story of development.

[Flettner]

A first sand water core set from my cast iron dies.
Perhaps Ill get in and cast an Autoflight / Subaru head this week, or at least have a go. At the moment Im manually filling these dies with Shell sand and heating them in the oven to set the bond off. Slow but good for test runs.

[Flettner]

Ive been thinking about how to make the exhaust piston for this engine. Id like to make it from 4140 steel but the machining is going to be quite complex and not really what I want.
Thought came to me, make it in two halves, tig weld it together, finish machine the outside. That way I can machine the inside of the piston quite thin and easily. Just a 3D die cut on the CNC, or better machine a carbon eletrode and spark erode, get very fine detail that way. Keep the weight acceptable.

[Grumph]

if you were making enough to make it worthwhile, you'd press the piston in two halves from sheet. Then TIG weld and finish machine.

But dies are time consuming to make - unless someone can 3D print a master to use to cast them.

[Flettner]

if you were making enough to make it worthwhile, you'd press the piston in two halves from sheet. Then TIG weld and finish machine.

But dies are time consuming to make - unless someone can 3D print a master to use to cast them.


The CNC can make the steel dies.ok. Another thought..
Can you get 4140 in sheet?

[husaberg]

T

The CNC can make the steel dies.ok. Another thought..
Can you get 4140 in sheet?
Apparently yes well close enough.
https://www.apparts.co.nz/product/4130-steel-sheets/

[Flettner]

Apparently yes well close enough.
https://www.apparts.co.nz/product/4130-steel-sheets/

4130, Ive got a sheet of that at 0.065"
Make some of my gyrocopter bits from it.

I want 4140 so it will nitide.

I might be better to machine it out of three parts then weld together. Two sides and a crown.
Maybe press the sides and machine the crown?
Can you nitride 4130 I wonder?
Or better still machine the main part of the piston from both ends then weld a machined crown on. Stronger and only one weld needed.
Working with steel means you have different options to play with.

[husaberg]

4130, Ive got a sheet of that at 0.065"
Make some of my gyrocopter bits from it.

I want 4140 so it will nitide.

I might be better to machine it out of three parts then weld together. Two sides and a crown.
Maybe press the sides and machine the crown?
Can you nitride 4130 I wonder?

Google says yes

Materials that can be nitrided include low carbon steels, which will develop file hardness, alloy steels such as 4130, 4140, 4340 and Nitralloy 135M which are the most common nitriding steels.

https://blog.metlabheattreat.com/posts/nitriding-and-carburizing/#:~:text=Materials%20that%20can%20be%20nitrided,ho t%20work%20and%20shock%20steels

[Frits Overmars]

Ive been thinking about how to make the exhaust piston for this engine. Id like to make it from 4140 steel but the machining is going to be quite complex and not really what I want.... Thought came to me, make it in two halves, tig weld it together, finish machine the outside. That way I can machine the inside of the piston quite thin and easily. Just a 3D die cut on the CNC, or better machine a carbon eletrode and spark erode, get very fine detail that way. Keep the weight acceptable....
I might be better to machine it out of three parts then weld together. Two sides and a crown.
Maybe press the sides and machine the crown?... Or better still machine the main part of the piston from both ends then weld a machined crown on. Stronger and only one weld needed.Neil, the piston design shown below was intended to be produced without access to CNC or spark erosion. You can make the skirt as thin as you want, zero welds needed.
The only place that is not easy to reach with conventional milling is right above the gudgeon pin bores, but you need support between the pin bores and the crown anyway. And since most of the mass of any piston is concentrated above the pin bores, placing the pin high in the piston is advisable if you want a light piston.
This design, intended for a short gudgeon pin, shows a through pin bore, intersected by the recesses milled from below, but of course it can also be made with a blind pin bore. It also shows short, straight load support paths and heat paths between the crown, the pin bores and the skirt.

[Flettner]

A bit like this,

[Frits Overmars]

A bit like thisIf you're going to screw caps into a piston, it'd better not be an aluminium one. Steel will definitely provide stronger threads. Or you could consider titanium: lower mass and better high-temperature strength (and terrible detonation-inviting heat properties, but steel won't be so much better in this respect).
I know you're only going to use it for the exhaust piston of your uniflow engine; still...

[F5 Dave]

Said with the disdain of an 80s boss paying wages "heres your weeks worth, even if you'll only spend it on beer and hookers" :laugh:

[Flettner]

If you're going to screw caps into a piston, it'd better not be an aluminium one. Steel will definitely provide stronger threads. Or you could consider titanium: lower mass and better high-temperature strength (and terrible detonation-inviting heat properties, but steel won't be so much better in this respect).
I know you're only going to use it for the exhaust piston of your uniflow engine; still...

Hypereutectic aluminium heat trasfer properties aren't wonderful either.
I have a plan Frits, as you might imagine.

[Flettner]

A wee press tool to make some dimple holes to aid airflow from the radiator.

[F5 Dave]

That should prove quite sturdy. I was looking out for you at Bermbuster this weekend on the off chance.

[Flettner]

That should prove quite sturdy. I was looking out for you at Bermbuster this weekend on the off chance.

One day soon I hope. I havent wreaked the engine on the dyno, just yet. Did some runs Saturday with Wayne Blackwood, its running a lot better but still needs work. One issue is this extra fuel needed as the engine gets hot, E85 an oxygenating fuel apparently. I need to keep the engine temp constant while we tune it. At the moment we have a few minutes window then temp climbs away.
Im setting up a centrifugal fan that I will attach diret to the
radiator.
Once this is initial tuning is done I can work on the temp related extra fuel variation.

[ken seeber]

Well, been getting distracted from working out how to test (various dyno designs) the wonderful & huge power increasing benefits of the DCI system, been doing more casting stuff.

So, following on from my last post in Foundry of #4881 (nearly a year ago) and some to-ing and fro-ing, have been casting qty of inlet runners. These are for an Infiniti V8 engine that has been fitted to a Nissan 300ZX. The runners fix to the heads and, with a rubber boot, connect to a series (4 left & 4 right) of Hayabusa throttle bodies.

Been using a mix of Plaster of Paris and fine sand. Still they can crack up. So added a small mix of chopped fiberglass to give it some reinforcement. Doesn’t stop catastrophic failures, but contains this to very fine surface cracks. Made a small fixture to hold the castings for machining the flange face.

Just can't help to add that the smoke and carcinogenic fumes when burning out the 3D print are not less than really impressive.

In hindsight, it would probably have been easier to two patterns and corebox and mould in sand. However, it was a bit of an exercise in lost 3D casting. The Polycast printed ok and could be vapour polished using Isopropyl alcohol, but it was really annoying that the last 25% of the roll of filament was bonded together and unable to unroll. Not cheap stuff. Will stick to PLA for any future exercises.

351062351063351064351065351066351067

[Flettner]

Almost too ashamed to show this.

[F5 Dave]

I'm not surprised. The photography is dreadful. What am I looking at?

Although I'm reading this on a phone in a cafe over heating in too much riding gear.

[Flettner]

The red patterns are Glenn's, they should have been used years ago but now I have to cast some cylinders might as well have a hack at one and see what happens.

The other is the 175cc uniflow cylinder, another failure so it got cut in half to look what went wrong. A core slipped.

Now I have another stacked up ready to pour.

And here, some pictures of last weeks castings. Two more 360 cylinders and two Subaru EA81 four port cylinder heads

[Grumph]

I think I was the delivery system for those patterns of Glenn's. It has been a while. Weren't they warped ?
Can you work around that ?

[Flettner]

Yes they were but sitting in my dry (ish) shed all this time they seem to have straighted out again. Im not entirely sure how it all fits together but I guess Im finding out now. Just make some sand parts and see.

[Flettner]

Now I see why I havent done these before, the centre core is so intricate that its almost impossible to fill. Asking a foundry freind this evening it seems the patterns were designed to run in a cold sand blowing machine. There is only one such machine in NZ and they dont do out work.

Looks like I might have to modify the die to get access to the intricate exhaust. Then have a plug fit in to seal it off afterwards. Or make a cold core blower, will need to consult the patterns owner I guess.

[Flettner]

The transfer cores come out well.

[Grumph]

I can see the pattern's owner now searching the internet for a tutorial on making a cold core blower from old truck parts.....

OTOH, it wouldn't surprise me if there's one in his dad's collection of "useful shit"

[Flettner]

Unfortunately it requires some nasty chemicals, I doubt Its avaialble to general public. Triethalamine gas, aparently not so good for people.

[husaberg]

DEA would not share how they done it.
plus i have been up Blenheim and back today so no googling Greg.

[Flettner]

DEA would not share how they done it.
plus i have been up Blenheim and back today so no googling Greg.

Sooo, do I modify the core box?

[husaberg]

Sooo, do I modify the core box?

i say Do what you need to make it work.
That other stuff smells like a smelly cooter.
i think there is a video of someone using the original process.
it might have been in this thread with the Italian giani.

[Flettner]

This is how my core box works, sand can be loaded from the top, bottom and through the exhaust port. Easy access.

[Frits Overmars]

i think there is a video of someone using the original process. it might have been in this thread with the Italian giani.Looking for Giani won't get you many hits, mainly because the guy's name is Gabriele Gnani.
Here are some links. I don't know if that's what you're looking for, but they're definitely worth a look.

2016:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONS0elyCX8s&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEeMHT0E1m8&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rh6J6stfMQ&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ys5PfS___g&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_VWzz7HMn0&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwX8qCTT2nQ&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5Df3ICSy48&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgynmhCn2wM&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCm5ZCyy4Gc&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irw9-pK-tT0&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8aZR-c1V2A&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdDPvVVrVBM&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_j5Yjm7-0E&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

2017:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WxgXOe5ma4&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQmrG8u_ijE&t=147s&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbSracHHIvw&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGjpDo6yp2U&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

[husaberg]

Looking for Giani won't get you many hits, mainly because the guy's name is Gabriele Gnani.
Here are some links. I don't know if that's what you're looking for, but they're definitely worth a look.

2016:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONS0elyCX8s&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEeMHT0E1m8&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rh6J6stfMQ&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ys5PfS___g&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_VWzz7HMn0&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwX8qCTT2nQ&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5Df3ICSy48&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgynmhCn2wM&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCm5ZCyy4Gc&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irw9-pK-tT0&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8aZR-c1V2A&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdDPvVVrVBM&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_j5Yjm7-0E&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

2017:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WxgXOe5ma4&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQmrG8u_ijE&t=147s&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbSracHHIvw&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGjpDo6yp2U&ab_channel=cristiancorticchia




thanks Frits i did have all the letters though,:innocent: i think this was the video sequence i was looking for

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G0Q4yJ1N1I


https://youtu.be/Xgf4LfhH9Lk


https://youtu.be/eaVZD35R9Ks

Aws you have said before the photos are in english.

4.37 in the second video i believe he says its a Amine catalyst.
351129
then i think it says
he puts sponge on top to defuse it as its applied at about 58 PSI
or it could be a recipe for some fine food

[Flettner]

Lowering the exhaust port timing, simple as a bit of bondifill. These next cylinders will be for another Autogyro engine, lower rpm, lower exhaust.

[Flettner]

360 sand cores in place.

[ken seeber]

While there was some discussion on ESE re transfer passages, I though that the location of these to the main central core in the mould is important and how to do it. Fletto obviously has his methods, but here is a way as well that we were involved in.

These were done on the basis that the main core incorporates both the exhaust and inlet passages, obviously for a piston port engine.

The darker core is a shell moulding and is around 25 years old. Initially the transfer cores were located into reliefs in the central core, but this provided a poor location and innacuracy. So, these being CL linered engines, we got a finished ported liner, slightly bored it out such that it fitted neatly over the central core and shortened it such that reached to below the BDC position, and locating over the simple parallel sided divided exh passage. The provided a location for the transfer passage cores. Unfortunately I have no cores for these to show.

The white (plaster) central core , for a 2 transfer port engine, is similar as is the location for the roof of the transfer cores. In this case, we 3D printed core boxes that incorporated an arc like wraparound extension to the core. This, in conjunction with the top end location produced an excellent alignment with the CNC machined ports in the liner.

Obviously these are really simple examples.

351211351212351213351214

[Flettner]

More foundry stuff.

[Flettner]

Success for a change

[F5 Dave]

Still following this thread in awe.

[Flettner]

Assembling water cores in another Subaru head.

[Flettner]

Sides get guled in as final step so as to be able to blow loose sand out and view to see that all core are in place correctly.

[Flettner]

Same shit, different day. More EA81 heads and a rocket body. All in CC601, off for heat treatment tomorrow.

[F5 Dave]

Very Wallace and Grommet rocket.

[Flettner]

Money box rocket, for the latest gandchild.

[husaberg]

Rocket Didnt Yowling (Mike ) cast one at the start of the thread?

What was the reason for using the early Subrus Neil as a base where they were lighter?
Or the bodies all rusted out before the engines died?

[Grumph]

What's the port layout on the Sub heads ? Looks like separate inlets but siamesed exhausts ? Or is one twisted around the corner of the head ?

[Flettner]

Exhaust port layout, needed to avoid the pushrods tunnels.

[F5 Dave]

Well the rocket is the coolest thing in this thread so far. :Punk:

[ken seeber]

Well the rocket is the coolest thing in this thread so far. :Punk:

Putin will be shitting himself now....

[husaberg]

Putin will be shitting himself now....

ethanol-powered jus like the V2 as well....

[ken seeber]

ethanol-powered jus like the V2 as well....

Fuck him. Switch to nitro and increase the comp ratio....get there quicker....

[Frits Overmars]

Fuck him. Switch to nitro and increase the comp ratio....get there quicker....Yeah, right.
351418 351417

Oh well, I suppose it's one way to get rid of all those foul-strokes.

[husaberg]

https://c.tenor.com/tvXQCJbY1gMAAAAC/shit-buff-out.gif

[lohring]

40% nitro in a 26 cc engine below. The electrode nicked the piston and exhaust port on the way out. 15% ran fine. The fuel was 20% oil with the rest methanol.

Lohring Miller

351419

[Flettner]

Into it, OP Uniflow 175cc.