Wanted Part built Westbury 15cc Seal engine

[vcutajar]

Mike

If you manage to find the engine you are looking for, will you be doing a build log on the Armortek forum?  Would love to see how you go about it.

Vince

[ChuckKey]

A handful of model petrol engines usually appear in a Dreweatts (say 'Drewits') Transport Sale. The next is 7 April, but no catalogue yet. They tend to fetch a lot less than they probably would on Ebay.

My two pence worth is that I would not buy a nearly-finished engine without a very careful inspection. I suspect that in many cases they have been ballsed-up in a way that the original maker could not summon the enthusiasm to try to fix.

[Vixen]

My two pence worth is that I would not buy a nearly-finished engine without a very careful inspection. I suspect that in many cases they have been ballsed-up in a way that the original maker could not summon the enthusiasm to try to fix.

Thanks ChuckKey, that's a very sensible piece of advice. Truth is, we all have a stalled build hidden away for just that reason.

Vince, we can decide which forum, if any, when we get there.

Well my enquiry has had a very good airing on the forum, over 200 views. At the moment, my only option appears to be a new set of castings from Hemingway. Nothing else has appeared out of the woodwork or dusty shelves.

Cheers

Mike

[zeeprogrammer]

Truth is, we all have a stalled build hidden away for just that reason.

Or more than one. 

...we can decide which forum, if any, when we get there.

Here please.

[Zephyrin]

a part build engine...
it means often a unfinishable engine owing to hidden flaw or hardly recoverable mistake...it is generally faster to start from scratch...

why not a Toyan engine, 4 stroke glow, many version do exist, from single to v4 engine, with electric starter, dedicated to drive RC models...

https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/4000317927878.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000023.12.30df7bf9MPaUo8

[gadabout]

It's a simple and reasonably quick engine to build, hey if I can anyone can! There are quite a few errors on the plans and original build log , mine runs very nicely and am very pleased with it!
Mark

[Jasonb]

Mike

You could also put a Wanted add in the classifieds on ME website and also Home Workshop, both probably get more UK visitors than here

[Vixen]

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for your help, suggestions and good advice.

The search for a part build engine is now officially OVER. I have just ordered a set of castings from Hemingway. They should be here early next week.

On reflection and from listening to your advice, it will probably be quicker and easier, in the long run, to start from scratch; rather than to try and fix someone else's cock-ups

Thanks again, You are a great bunch of guys and gals    ,

Mike

[Jo]

We are looking forward to reading all about it in your build log Mike 

I might have to get back to my ones or you could finish yours first 

Jo

[Vixen]

Hello Jo,

This will be my first ever engine built from a casting set. So that will be a new experience and a whole new learning curve. I am sure I will be seeking your advice from time to time.

I guess the first thing is to square off both ends, top and bottom of the crankcase casting to provide a reference datum; then it's coordinate drilling and boring; like I am used to.

The very first job is to redraw Westbury's plans into a metric (or decimal inch) drawing. How could anyone work with a dimension like 37/64"?

Mike

[cnr6400]

How could anyone work with a dimension like 37/64"?

Mike

What, and miss the opportunity to deal with fractions like 37/192" if laying out 3 even spacings along a 37/64" distance? Oh, the joy!   

Just kidding. A very wise thing to go through it and convert it, and verify dimensions at the same time. 

[Jasonb]

Well if you are going as far as redrawing it you may as well have bought a couple of blocks of 6082 and cut from solid Or print off a pattern for the crankcase and get Jo to cast it with her Kiln the rest are probably as quick to make from solid as they are from castings as you are likely to have to "adjust" hole positions to suit the castings rather than drill to drawing which is easier to do on a machine with handwheels.

[ChuckKey]

I guess the first thing is to square off both ends, top and bottom of the crankcase casting to provide a reference datum ...

May I suggest the first thing is to make a detailed survey of the castings so that you can work out exactly where, within each casting, the finished part lies.
You are likely to find places where you have very little metal to play with, or worse. However, often you cannot be sure until you have machined some datums, taking the minimum workable amout of metal off. Then, after re-examination you may find your ideas need adjusting in terms of both position and angle.   

[Jo]

Or print off a pattern for the crankcase and get Jo to cast it with her Kiln

Not sure why you are poking Jason, he was offered a second hand set of castings but we agreed that it was probably better to buy a set from Hemingway as they are rather good value for money Some of the castings are rather interesting..

Jo

[Jasonb]

Just interested to see if the kiln can melt some metal and if it could be used with printed patterns.

So long as the basic mechanicals are the same the casting's don't have to be an exact match to the cast originals, that casting on the left could easily have the fins milled and a small pocketing op for each of the areas around the fixings and the other cavities are not that difficult certainly no harder than anything Mike has already done on his other engines. It may even be better to do it this way as the design could be tweaked to suit Mikes installatiion restrictions for example it may be better to have the top water outlet in a different position to help with plumbing.

But I do agree a virgin casting set is better than taking a risk on a part made one and costs for the two options will be about the same.