Author Topic: 45CC Wall Wizard  (Read 24842 times)

Online Jo

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45CC Wall Wizard
« on: June 20, 2018, 08:04:25 AM »
The Wall Wizard is a 45CC Horizontally opposed twin engine that was designed by Elmer A Wall in 1933, in Chicago, Illinois. Lets be honest I would not call it pretty  ::) But Elmer claimed that "that the engine was so well balanced that it would "start on the first turn-over if machined properly and that it would idle down to a tick or roar full speed when the throttle is opened."  :noidea: ... So I am hopeful I might be able to make a running engine   :)


Most recently these castings sets could be purchased from Coles in the States but no longer. My particular set was extracted purchased from Mike Paitence, Worthing UK who is a fellow model engine casting hoarder enthusiast. Sadly during Mike's fondling sessions the flywheel was lost from the set  :ShakeHead: and if it ever had a base we will never know  :disappointed:

Initial casting fondling has shown that the crankcase machining is going to need to have to be a compromise  :facepalm2:

Jo
« Last Edit: June 21, 2018, 08:15:04 AM by Jo »
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Online Jo

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2018, 09:03:30 AM »
A visit to my Supplier allowed me to have a dig through his scrap bin before the scrappie took it away and I came up with three pieces of bronze to make the flywheel out of. Ok yes I know that I am not fond of shiny bronze bits on engines  :hellno: but decided that it might make the engine a little prettier and bronze silver solders together ok.

Stick the two smaller bits together  to provide the required width, make some spokes and turn up the ring. then follow on with a bit of fettling to make the pieces more rounded in appearance before silver soldering together. Turn the rim true by holding on the boss.

The flywheel is now ready to have its taper cut, which will be done at the same time as cutting the taper on the crankshaft  ;)

Jo

P.S. I roughed out the crankshaft last autumn when I was at home recovering  :embarassed:
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Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2018, 07:26:48 PM »
I’m really going to be watching this one Jo; as I have a set of castings that have been aging for a couple of years. I kinda thought about a 12-14” prop in place of the flywheel  :thinking:.

Big E

Online Jo

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2018, 08:00:34 PM »
Hi Big E  :)

Pleased at least one person is interested in this engine  :ThumbsUp: I was getting worried no one was interested after I suggested this is not a pretty engine   ::)

I kinda thought about a 12-14” prop in place of the flywheel  :thinking:.

It would need a big one something around a 24"+ Prop  :paranoia:

Jo
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Offline b.lindsey

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2018, 08:37:35 PM »
Well a Victorian Beam engine it ain't, but still quite an attractive engine in its own right Jo. Hmmmmm….I am thinking Eric is holding out on us as to what he may have in his collection. May have   to send Roy D. Mercer over there to Tennessee to check things out. (Big E will understand this) Anyway, carry on, I am sure a lot of us will be watching  ;)

Bill

Online Jasonb

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2018, 09:13:11 PM »
Was it originally designed to run anything in particular?  and was the smaller pully on the flywheel used for starting or to take a belt?

At least your pinkies will be safer with the flywheel so you could even play with it by yourself, having a throttle it won't get away with itself unlike the open venturi aero engines.

Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2018, 09:51:31 PM »
Excuse me Jo. Bill, tell him to come on but he better brang a bunch of old boys with him  :lolb:. Jason, I want to say that in full scale they were targeted to the early home aircraft builders . Can’t say for sure: maybe I dreamt it  :shrug:. Perhaps Dave Otto has a clue  :stickpoke:.

Cletus

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2018, 09:52:56 PM »
I think it looks interesting. I'll be following along.  :popcorn:
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Offline Dave Otto

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #8 on: June 20, 2018, 11:37:18 PM »
Excuse me Jo. Bill, tell him to come on but he better brang a bunch of old boys with him  :lolb:. Jason, I want to say that in full scale they were targeted to the early home aircraft builders . Can’t say for sure: maybe I dreamt it  :shrug:. Perhaps Dave Otto has a clue  :stickpoke:.

Cletus

I don't know, I think he just liked designing and building model engines. Here is an excerpt from an article in a 1932 Popular Science magazine.

“For a number of years, an experimenter in Chicago, Elmer A Wall, has been turning out unusual miniature gas engines for model air planes and boats”

There used to be a tribute web page to Mr. Wall but I can't seem to find it right now.


Dave

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2018, 12:19:49 AM »
There used to be a tribute web page to Mr. Wall but I can't seem to find it right now.

Is this it?

It's an interesting story.

http://modelenginenews.org/gallery/p18.html
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Offline Dave Otto

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2018, 01:07:01 AM »
There used to be a tribute web page to Mr. Wall but I can't seem to find it right now.

Is this it?

It's an interesting story.

http://modelenginenews.org/gallery/p18.html

Not exactly the one I was thinking of, but probably contains the same information, thanks Zee.
 
Dave

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2018, 02:16:03 AM »
Interesting....thanks zee.

Bill

Offline wdeputy

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2018, 05:32:31 AM »
The catalog lists it as being 1.5 HP (1.2KW) and "a favorite for model boat enthusiasts".
Walt

Online Jo

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2018, 06:34:16 AM »
Big E I do not think that it was designed with aircraft in mind as the bearing arrangement uses a pair of standard ball races rather than a thrust bearing which is what you would expect if it was designed to take a prop. If you wanted to build a twin Aero engine then the Aeronca is rather nice (Castings are available) :embarassed:

Walt's right I could see this as a big boat model engine or maybe as it is compact being used to power a small generator.

Jo
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Offline Vixen

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Re: 45CC Wall Wizard
« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2018, 07:52:13 AM »
That flywheel is a nice piece of fabrication work. Did you say what the diameter is?

Mike
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