Author Topic: Retlas  (Read 89899 times)

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #315 on: February 14, 2018, 07:16:31 PM »
I have returned to reassembling my Retlas engine after its paint job having spent the last few months working on a new kitchen and model Robinson Hot Air engine.
I'm carefully fitting and making new parts doing away with several shims and washers used to jury rig the engine to get it running for the first time about a year ago. Fitting the fabricated gear guard over the assembled gears and eccentrics was difficult but I managed to do it without damaging the paint.
New push rods are made of nickel silver also known as German Silver. I'm following the example of a friend who used the alloy for parts of his engine, it polishes up to a high finish and seems to stay shiny for a long time.

Building Retlas 932 by Andy, on Flickr

Building Retlas 933 by Andy, on Flickr

Andy

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #316 on: August 24, 2018, 08:30:50 PM »
Still making slow progress with Retlas. I have tidied up the valve gear and almost finished a trolley. Haven't worked out how to hide the hall effect sensor, may have to hide it behind a pulley on the timing side of the engine.

Andy

Building Retlas 935b by Andy, on Flickr

Building Retlas 939 by Andy, on Flickr

Building Retlas 946 by Andy, on Flickr

Building Retlas 973 by Andy, on Flickr

Building Retlas 981 by Andy, on Flickr


« Last Edit: November 26, 2018, 12:02:36 PM by Chipmaster »

Offline Jo

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #317 on: August 24, 2018, 08:47:04 PM »
It is coming on nicely Andy  :)

I see you also have a casting shopping trolley  ::) 

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #318 on: August 24, 2018, 09:07:21 PM »
Yes Jo, I think you might make out three shopping trolleys in those pictures if you include an old Black and Decker cart with a useless floppy handle design.
Has an Allman inlet valve casting jumped from one box to another?
Andy

Offline Jo

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #319 on: August 25, 2018, 06:25:32 AM »
I acquired one of those folding handle trolleys and find it useful for putting in the back of the car for moving models around at shows  :)

Has an Allman inlet valve casting jumped from one box to another?

Yes and there is no signs of us getting it soon  :'(

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #320 on: August 25, 2018, 06:58:06 AM »
Don't worry Jo, I've got the dogs to pee on it and will leave it outside so it has that nice patina that you like so much by the time I give it to you ;)

Offline Alyn Foundry

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #321 on: August 25, 2018, 11:37:35 AM »
What a superb job Andy, well done.

Your gas supply line looks perfect.

I'm guessing the water tank support is the next headache? Now, with regard to a pulley. Most Gardner engines were single flywheel with the drive pulley fitted on the other side. I noticed you have fitted yours next to the flywheel. This might just hide your ignition timing sensor?

You might be interested to know that Vincent's original Retlas has been rebuilt by one of the Anson engine museum volunteers recently. Peter has successfully got it to run on hot tube! Sadly the damage the engine sustained caused by Vincent's burglary sees a bent crankshaft and a rather wobbly flywheel. More to be done as far as I'm concerned.

Cheers Graham.

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #322 on: August 28, 2018, 08:57:17 PM »
Graham, how sad that the original Retlas suffered such damage, do you have any pictures of the engine?

I may make a second pulley for the timing side to hide the sensor simply to avoid stripping the engine down in order to drill and thread appropriate holes in the base.

Perhaps hot tube ignition is the way to go, eventually, if I obtained the chimney and gas ring castings.

Andy

Offline Alyn Foundry

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #323 on: August 29, 2018, 11:38:20 AM »
Hi Andy.

I made an extensive search on YouTube but found nothing video related, other than your own.

I'm not sure if I've got any spare castings for the chimney and burner, definitely no tops!

I have to say that I was most surprised that Peter had managed to successfully run the engine via hot tube as we had spent many hours tinkering in the past. We found preignition was the main problem due to the higher compression ratio of the Retlas. Maybe Peter " dropped lucky " on the internal diameter?

Cheers Graham.

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #324 on: September 01, 2018, 06:40:34 PM »
Hi Graham,

It looks as though Tony Harcomb also fitted a hot tube and chimney to his Retlas. This picture was in one of your early posts to this build thread January 13th 2016.

Andy

Offline Alyn Foundry

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #325 on: September 02, 2018, 11:16:15 AM »
Good morning Andy.

I now make a habit of checking the sub categories these days, your post had already vanished!

From the picture, yes it would appear so but look closely at the gas supply pipe running horizontally. I'm pretty sure I can see a HT lead. And I can't see any joint in that gas line for teeing off to the burner assembly either.

What's nice is that Tony has fitted one of our aftermarket exhaust bottles. Although they were originally designed to sit on the floor.

Last year I passed on the pattern and corebox for the bottle casting to Geoff at the Anson. He sent them on to the foundry that's been making the museum kits. Without thinking he asked them for a few from the pattern.
Imagine the shock when they had had several " miss runs " to ask a price of £90.00 each! Sadly the museum is now " stuck " with them as they are grossly overpriced.

Cheers Graham.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #326 on: September 02, 2018, 01:25:50 PM »
Graham, if you click "show unread posts since last visit" that should be next to your avitar top left you will get a list of all posts since you last visited so no excuse for missing anything.

J

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #327 on: September 08, 2018, 09:19:35 PM »
To mount the Hall Effect Sensor I have copied Jason's idea that he posted in a thread in January this year.
I filed a small piece of brass to accept the trapezoid shape of the sensor then soldered it to a brass ring that is clamped around one of the main bearings. The steel rod with the knurled brass knob can release the clamp for adjustment of the ignition timing, after the correct timing of the engine is established I'll probably substitute a short cap head Allen bolt. The associated neodymium magnet is fitted in the brass disc that is behind the flywheel.

Andy

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #328 on: September 09, 2018, 07:07:26 AM »
Timing bracket looks good, just need some braided sleeving to hide those three modern wires now.

Offline Jo

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Re: Retlas
« Reply #329 on: September 09, 2018, 08:22:22 AM »
I'll probably substitute a short cap head Allen bolt.

Would a stud and nut look more in keeping with the engine  :thinking:

A bit of black heat shrink over those wires is another way that would hide them  :)

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

 

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