Author Topic: Retlas  (Read 89936 times)

Offline Chipmaster

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 988
Re: Retlas
« Reply #195 on: October 18, 2016, 07:50:41 PM »
I have spent this afternoon filing the inlet valve lever to shape, an improvised shape so far to incorporate the function of the part whilst trying to make it look right - a bit more graceful than the plan.

222 Retlas Valve Operating Lever (Gas Type) by Andy, on Flickr

I have copied the style of lever seen in photos of other completed Retlas engines.

Building Retlas 734 by Andy, on Flickr

Building Retlas 734 (2) by Andy, on Flickr

I am also tempted to use commercially manufactured rod end bearings, they have a very smooth action and would accommodate the slightest misalignment. I also reckon they would look ok... any observations?

Building Retlas 736 by Andy, on Flickr

Andy


Offline Myrickman

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 264
Re: Retlas
« Reply #196 on: October 19, 2016, 01:50:50 AM »
Congrats on your new digs Andy! You've come this far with this nice build, I'd go for the hand made rod ends. Looking at the other pix, they do add a nice touch and add to the other detail work you've done.  More work, but there is a certain satisfaction to be had in doing it 100% IMO. Is this kit available for sale in the US? Sure would like to have a go at one.  Paul

Offline Art K

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1761
  • Madison, Wisconsin USA
Re: Retlas
« Reply #197 on: October 19, 2016, 03:21:27 AM »
Andy,
I seemed to have missed your build here, Your work is very good. As far as the purchased item. The beauty of this hobby is that you can personalize your engine any way you want and it's not wrong. :old: That's my bit if wisdom. I built an Upshur vertical single and modified the cylinder and head giving it a lot more cooling. It has gotten hot enough to melt the Perry carb (plastic) but has never seized up due to overheating, in spite of running 6000rpm for 20 minutes. I've since moved the carb further away. This has the effect of cooling (refrigerating)the carb now.
Art
"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you" B.B. King

Offline Alyn Foundry

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1653
  • North Wales, Great Britain.
Re: Retlas
« Reply #198 on: October 19, 2016, 06:45:45 PM »
Hello Andy.

Andy wrote.

 " I am also tempted to use commercially manufactured rod end bearings, they have a very smooth action and would accommodate the slightest misalignment. I also reckon they would look ok... any observations? "

I have attached a photo of one of the slightly later vertical Gardner enclosed crank engines. I think that with the right flat head screw and a little reshaping those joints would look just fine.

Kind regards, Graham.

Offline Alyn Foundry

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1653
  • North Wales, Great Britain.
Re: Retlas
« Reply #199 on: October 19, 2016, 07:05:42 PM »
Congrats on your new digs Andy! You've come this far with this nice build, I'd go for the hand made rod ends. Looking at the other pix, they do add a nice touch and add to the other detail work you've done.  More work, but there is a certain satisfaction to be had in doing it 100% IMO. Is this kit available for sale in the US? Sure would like to have a go at one.  Paul

Hello Paul.

There is now a single Retlas kit living in the USA..... It moved earlier on this year.   ;)

At the present time Geoff Challinor has no one running the Anson engine museum shop, I will let members know when and if things change.

I have decided to let the museum have all my engine patterns for both preservation, and or use.

kind regards, Graham.

Offline Chipmaster

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 988
Re: Retlas
« Reply #200 on: October 19, 2016, 09:03:18 PM »
Hi Paul, unfortunately this Alyn Foundry kit hasn't been available for several years, I was extremely lucky to obtain the castings about a year ago. I'll use the commercially made rod end bearings to speed things up but will probably make my own when / if the engine is running and ready for cosmetic treatment.
Andy

Offline Chipmaster

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 988
Re: Retlas
« Reply #201 on: October 19, 2016, 09:12:14 PM »
Hi Art, I've been watching your Upshur vertical single roaring away on YouTube, it runs very well. The black plastic carb looks like a barrel throttle surrounding a needle valve which reminds me of my old Electronic Developments (ED) diesel engines that I used to power various model boats. ED switched from alloy to black nylon carbs, the engines never got hot enough to melt the carbs.
Andy

Offline Chipmaster

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 988
Re: Retlas
« Reply #202 on: October 19, 2016, 09:25:46 PM »
Hello Graham,
thanks for that picture, the rod ends are very similar to the pair I bought on eBay for £5.36. To hold the end bearing in place for the photo I poked a 1/4 Whit cap head screw though the hole. Don't fear, I'll rectify that. Now what do you think of the dome head nut on the end of the support pillar ? :stir:

Andy

Offline Myrickman

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 264
Re: Retlas
« Reply #203 on: October 19, 2016, 11:46:31 PM »
Thanks for the update on the kits Andy and Graham. Certainly  a nice looking engine. The valve mechanism is pleasing.

Offline Alyn Foundry

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1653
  • North Wales, Great Britain.
Re: Retlas
« Reply #204 on: October 21, 2016, 07:05:32 PM »
Hello Graham,
  Now what do you think of the dome head nut on the end of the support pillar ? :stir:

Andy

Hello Andy.

Nice touch!

You may have mentioned it but, what form of ignition are you going to use?

I have seen original drawings for a contact maker fitted to the horizontal engines, just wondering what you are thinking of ?

Not many know that Gardner kept almost all production items " In house " even down to Lubricators and Spark plugs. If you manage to get over to the Anson I will ask Geoff to show you a Gardner HT plug....... they're really unusual to look at !!

Kind regards, Graham.

Offline Chipmaster

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 988
Re: Retlas
« Reply #205 on: October 22, 2016, 11:41:20 AM »
Hi Graham,
I thought I'd be admonished for using the domed nut, I think my chances of getting to the Anson museum next weekend are slim. Will you be running a selection of Alyn Foundry engines on the Sunday?

For the Retlas ignition I am thinking of using an electronic system that would be easy to conceal. I have two to chose from, one is a Minimag system that I bought at the Harrogate show last year which works very well. The other is an unused R.H.C. system that I bought on eBay several years ago but I haven't tried it out because I'm not confident of how to connect a battery to it....

Here is the system complete with a tiny spark plug, I think these were meant to convert engines such as Merco 61's into sparkies.

R.H.C. EM8 electronic ignition system by Andy, on Flickr

RHC igntion system by Andy, on Flickr

RHC instructions by Andy, on Flickr

My problem is that there are three wires White Red and Black in a plug which would be connected to the battery harness that I don't have. The instructions state the unit runs on 4.8v so why have three wires going to the battery - does anyone have any thoughts on this ?
I would assume the black wire is the negative connection and the red and white wires could be linked together. However it would be a shame to ruin it.
I tried to contact the manufacturer Ray Crago using the numbers printed on the box and instructions without success.

Here is the spark plug included in the kit.
RHC spark plug by Andy, on Flickr.

Andy

Offline Roger B

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6133
  • Switzerland
Re: Retlas
« Reply #206 on: October 22, 2016, 02:02:22 PM »
The plugs and cables are standard RC model servo cables so Red +, Black -, White control signal. Can you check the connections on the back of the Switch and see if and how the white wire is connected?
Best regards

Roger

Offline Chipmaster

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 988
Re: Retlas
« Reply #207 on: October 22, 2016, 03:16:04 PM »
Thanks Roger,
the white red and black wires entered a small black rubber sleeve just before the switch, I pulled the sleeve back and could see the that only the red and white wires were connected to the double pole slide switch

P1060049 by Andy, on Flickr

I removed the rubber sleeve to show the -ve black wire had simply been looped inside the sleeve.

P1060053 by Andy, on Flickr

Should I connect the white control signal wire for my stationary engine model? What is the control wire for, it appears to run throughout the system from battery plug to the Hall sensor.

Regards
Andy

Offline Roger B

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6133
  • Switzerland
Re: Retlas
« Reply #208 on: October 22, 2016, 03:25:49 PM »
The white wire from the hall sensor carries the signal to the ignition system. I'm not sure of the purpose of the white wire in the battery connection. I would suggest that you initially ignore it and just use the red and black wires.
Best regards

Roger

Offline Chipmaster

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 988
Re: Retlas
« Reply #209 on: October 22, 2016, 03:35:20 PM »
Thank you very much for your help Roger.
I had compared the RHC system to the Minimag which has two wires for connection to a battery as expected. I'll see whether I can set the RHC system up for testing.

Andy

 

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal