The Bucket Foundry

[speedpro]

Sir Stanley Hooker

[WilDun]

Adolph Galland ( Ace German pilot) insisted that the Daimler Benz V12 used in the Messerschmitt was a much better engine than the Merlin which he called the "Mermaid".
Admittedly the DB engine was fuel injected and I've heard it said that the precision used in that engine was second to none.
All credit to the Poms though, they managed to produce these engines in really trying conditions with some very old factory machinery - nothing like the cutting edge stuff which Packard had available when they took on production of the Merlin.
The Americans had a joke saying that the only visual difference between the RR and the Packard engine was that the Packard was the one with the oil inside the engine!
Having said that, it seems that Packard had huge problems at the beginning, with bearing seizures causing crashes with the Mustangs - they found using too tight tolerances to be the cause of the problem.

http://www.enginehistory.org/Piston/.../RHM/RHM.shtml

[WilDun]

I saw an example of a Merlin at one of our airshows, it was the marine version though and to be honest, the main casting couldn't exactly be described as pretty but then it probably didn't need to be, just needed to be functional!

Flettner,
Talking about casting again, what do you do with the used sand from the CO2 process - is it at all re-usable or does it have to be dumped? I would have a problem there but I would still want to at least give it a try.

[Flettner]

I saw an example of a Merlin at one of our airshows, it was the marine version though and to be honest, the main casting couldn't exactly be described as pretty but then it probably didn't need to be, just needed to be functional!

Flettner,
Talking about casting again, what do you do with the used sand from the CO2 process - is it at all re-usable or does it have to be dumped? I would have a problem there but I would still want to at least give it a try.

My sand all ends up in the drive way.

So, who was watching, the cores and core boxes for the Merlin engine?

[husaberg]

My sand all ends up in the drive way.

So, who was watching, the cores and core boxes for the Merlin engine?

At around 12 minutes from memory I was they were beautifully made and looked very sturdy as well I was surprised at the detail achieved they seemed to be a very cohesive sand?
I also seen the de casting stuff.

[WilDun]

So, who was watching, the cores and core boxes for the Merlin engine?

Yes, I'm sorry, got to admit, I haven't managed to see more than the first 5 minutes as yet, I'm looking after the grandkids and they have to come first it seems!
I couldn't hear a thing because of Seriff Calley etc.etc.on TV. - I get a bit Grumpy sometimes. but I do have a bit of time to myself occasionally, then it rains and stops any casting experiments. (just stopped for lunch now).

Got a concrete driveway and our local tip costs an arm and a leg to take anything there so maybe it'll have to be greensand! - still going to try the CO2 stuff though.

[Flettner]

Yes, I'm sorry, got to admit, I haven't managed to see more than the first 5 minutes as yet, I'm looking after the grandkids and they have to come first it seems!
I couldn't hear a thing because of Seriff Calley etc.etc.on TV. - I get a bit Grumpy sometimes. but I do have a bit of time to myself occasionally, then it rains and stops any casting experiments. (just stopped for lunch now).

Got a concrete driveway and our local tip costs an arm and a leg to take anything there so maybe it'll have to be greensand! - still going to try the CO2 stuff though.

You will need at least CO2 sand if you want to make cores, green sand is worthless for that.

[WilDun]

You will need at least CO2 sand if you want to make cores, green sand is worthless for that.

If I can find someplace close to get rid of the stuff for f*** all then it'll definitely be CO2 sand for both pattern cavities and cores, does seem the best solution to me.
Sometimes I think the battle is a little too much, ie. fighting for both the space and the time to do it all, but I didn't embark on this slow journey just to give up! - yeah, I know, "sob, sob"

Yes I'm trying to find a quiet peaceful place to watch (and listen) to the video (it needs the sound turned up full blast to hear properly) - also the TT, Moto GP, WSB, Speedway etc.!!

I have always wanted to do this ever since I went into the local foundry on the way home from school when I was 14 and in my ignorance (accidentally) ran over their freshly made moulds! - needless to say I stayed away for quite a while!

[F5 Dave]

If I can find someplace close to get rid of the stuff for f*** all then it'll definitely be CO2 sand for both pattern cavities and cores, does seem the best solution to me. . . .

Isn't there a bit in the Great Escape where they store it up their trouser legs & go for a walk in the courtyard releasing a bit at a time? Perhaps a suburban variant with the mobility scooter?

[WilDun]

Isn't there a bit in the Great Escape where they store it up their trouser legs & go for a walk in the courtyard releasing a bit at a time? Perhaps a suburban variant with the mobility scooter?

Trouble is Dave I'd be pissing myself in case the Gestapo, I mean the local constabulary were watching and you know what a messy problem that might create! - there's always a solution of course, but I don't want that sort! - but maybe I should try it.
My mobility scooter would give the game away, on the overrun going downhill it sounds like a Stuka in full cry! .

[Grumph]

Just put it in your rubbish - If anyone spots it, just say it's cat litter. They won't look any further...

[Yow Ling]

Put it in the rubbish bin outside the dairy.
I got busted for overfilling our skip last week so I a bit bitter and twisted about the rubbish at the moment 1200kg didnt seem too much at the time

[WilDun]

Put it in the rubbish bin outside the dairy.
I got busted for overfilling our skip last week so I a bit bitter and twisted about the rubbish at the moment 1200kg didnt seem too much at the time

OK,ok, settle down you guys, I'm trying to watch the Merlin thing - I've got a window of peace and quiet right now!

[WilDun]

Have now watched the RR video, guess what it teaches us is that if humans have a good reason to pull together then just about anything is possible.

The foundry was very impressive - and I'm sure that a lot of modern foundries wouldn't have changed much. Terrible places to work though and I guess each person had his little job to do day after day for years.

I'm not sure if shell moulding was in use in those days, but i'm sure the resin coated coresand was. Guess I would need to watch it a few times to take it all in (and I probably will).

The Masport foundry used to impress me in my younger days but I guess all the technology they had was originally pioneered & developed by companies like RR.

Very interesting stuff.

[Frits Overmars]

Adolph Galland ( Ace German pilot) insisted that the Daimler Benz V12 used in the Messerschmitt was a much better engine than the Merlin which he called the "Mermaid". Admittedly the DB engine was fuel injected and I've heard it said that the precision used in that engine was second to none.

I don't know about the precision, but the british engine won on parts count. I've been told you'd need two Daimler engines to equal the number of parts of one Rolls.
The Benz was a lot easier to produce than the Rolls. I'm glad the Germans didn't win the war though (although, judging by present-day economics, they did after all.)