Parksy's single cylinder engine

[Parksy]

Hi all

First time poster but long time lurker on this site. i just wanted to share my recent project which is still under way, but running.
There are no plans except sheets of paper with my scribble all over and most of the design was on the fly. I just picked a bore size and stroke which was dependent on what materials I had and went from there.
Bore is 27mm and stroke is 28mm from memory.

[Perry]

Hello Parksy, very nice and solid engine, looking for video of running engine

[Parksy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFNfYNB3k7k

Crank is one piece 4140 which runs on nice smooth Japanese ball bearings
Conrod is 431 stainless with bronze bushes
Piston is 7075 with two cast iron rings
Cylinder is cast iron
Valves are 316 stainless which ride in bronze valve cages
Flywheels are steel
Ignition is a Hall effect spark ignition from an rc aircraft

[b.lindsey]

Very nice Parsky!!  As Perry said, a very robust design, it should be around and running for a couple hundred years   I like it!!!

When you can, please post an introduction in the "Introduce Yourself" section so you can be welcomed properly (even if you have been lurking a while), and tell us a bit more about your modeling interests.

Bill

[Parksy]

Thanks guys, strength was an important aspect as I didn't want any failures with this one.


I have sorted the intro part out...

[b.lindsey]

Many thanks Andy!!

Bill

[yogi]

Very nice engine Parksy! 
Any plans to turn it into a Hit 'n Miss?

[Parksy]

Thanks yogi. I did intend to convert it to hit and miss at some point, although I made the crankshaft too small to fit the gear onto it. I may have to come up with another governor design.

[Parksy]

Here's some more photos. I didn't like the painting on the flywheels so I polished the outer rim and nickel plated them. Came out pretty good.

[Dave Otto]

That turned out very nice!

Dave

[crueby]

Looks great!

I like the nickel plating on the flywheel - do you do that yourself? Does it take special equipment (read, large/expensive/dangerous, or something a home hobbyist can do) ?

[zeeprogrammer]

Very nice. Beautiful work.
I like how the base doesn't take away from the engine.

[Roger B]

Very nicely done    My first engine was also made up as I went along.

Which ignition system are you using? Some have automatic advance systems that can be a problem for low speed engines 

[b.lindsey]

I like the base to Parsky. Yes as to more information on the nickel plating too when you have a chance.

Bill

[Parksy]

The nickel plating was done by myself and is very straight forward to do.
Need to create nickel acetate first. Pour vinegar into a non metallic container, size to suit what ever you want plated. Then place two chunks of nickel into the vinegar, connect the power supply to each chunk of nickel. Use clothes pegs to hold apart into the container. It's important that the leads or alligator clips on the power supply don't get submerged into the solution. Plug power in and leave for several hours. This part takes the longest depending on how much vinegar you've put in. Eventually, the vinegar turns green. This is nickel acetate.
From experience, the nickel acetate can be re used so don't throw it out. Leave the nickel on the positive supply and connect what ever you want plated onto the negative. A couple of minutes in the solution is all it takes. It helps to rotate the part evenly as the electricity will take the path of least resistance. Depending on how well prepared the part is will determine how shiny it appears. I only polished the outer rim on the flywheel and not the inside. Although the inside is plated, it doesn't look the same as the outer rim.

All you need is vinegar, a 12v power supply and pure nickel. I got my nickel off eBay.