Author Topic: Westbury Seal by Vixen  (Read 38394 times)

Online Vixen

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #285 on: August 13, 2020, 08:44:53 PM »
Hello Jason,

You could be right about the conrod width, but it's fixed now. Dont forget I have also increased the bore and the stroke to get from 15cc to 18.2cc, which must have contributed to the need for the notches.

I believe Mark (gadabout) also found the need for the notches.

Mike
« Last Edit: August 13, 2020, 09:47:23 PM by Vixen »
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Offline gadabout

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #286 on: August 13, 2020, 10:11:52 PM »
Mike,
 In the words and music there is a comment on notching the sleeves, I would think the cylinder offset of 1/8" might not help much .

"In view of the offset of the cylinders, it may
be found that the connecting-rods tend to foul
on the valve chamber side when at the position
of maximum angularity. They must not be
wider than shown on the drawing, and may be
rounded on the edges to reduce this tendency,
but even so, the usual expedient of filing notches
in the lower edges of the liners, to give clearance
at this point, may be necessary."
regards
Mark

Online Vixen

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #287 on: August 17, 2020, 05:43:32 PM »
The tedious (but important) work on the cylinders and pistons has been successfully completed. Now for something more interesting.

The next item to be made is the vertical distribute and water pump drive. The Westbury drawings call up a pair of spiral gears with a 0.25" PCD. I did not wish to cut these helical gears or find an exact match to buy. Instead, I selected a pair of Crossed helix gears from HPC which have a 0.295" PCD. HPC part number H48-10. Consequently the distributor drive box had to be redrawn to accommodate the slightly larger gears.

This meant I would not be able to use the Hemingway casting. Instead I machined the part from a small billet of HE30 (6082). This probably made the job easier as I would not have to play the 'hunt for the part within the casting' game and I could be sure there were no hidden flaws or blow holes to contend with. Furthermore a flat billet is much easier to hold for machining.

I started by squaring up the saw cut billet to the required 1.125 inch width, which could be securely held in the machine vice. From there, I was able to machine the complete distributor drive box by machining four faces.

The machining of the left and right side faces created the features for the vertical shaft bearings





The billet was then mounted upside down so that the internal pocket and bottom features were machined







The billet was then repositioned to machine the upper features. I started by cutting the outer profile of the front face leaving the rear firmly attached to the stock material. I then started to profile the rear face which would have the effect of parting  off the distributor drive from the stock. Below, you can see I have cut part way through the block. I forgot to take a photo of the next stage, which was to clamp the distributor drive to piece of stock below. The clamps allowed the parting off cut to be completed without the distributor drive box being ejected.







Here you can see the freshly machined distributor drive box sitting in place on the timing gear case. I still have a little hand work to do to radius the corners of the box.





A very satisfying day's work

Stay safe

Mike
« Last Edit: July 29, 2021, 05:29:45 PM by Vixen »
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline cnr6400

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #288 on: August 17, 2020, 06:10:24 PM »
 :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

Looks top notch Mike!
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Online Vixen

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #289 on: August 21, 2020, 01:24:32 PM »
I have been busy this week, making a start on the components for the distributor.

First up was the distributor base,  machined from 40mm diameter aluminium bar stock. The first photo shows a 1/8" radius form tool rounding off the bottom edge of the distributor base. The second shows a slitting saw making the lower cut of the clamping arrangement. The clamp screw holes have not yet been drilled and tapped and the vertical cut has yet to be made.









Somewhere in that pile of plastic swarf is the lower half of the insulated distributors cap being machined from 50mm diameter Delrin bar stock. It was a bit wasteful to use this large diameter stock, but it was all I had available. Delrin machines quickly and easily but it does make a lot of mess. Thankfully they invented the vacuum cleaner !!!







This is the rotor being machined from the same 50mm Delrin bar. I will be using a Hall effect magnetic pick up in place of ignition points. You can see the four recesses for the four tiny rare earth magnets in the underside of the rotor.





Here the top part of the distributor cap is being removed from the Derin bar stock. More work for the 1/8" corner radius tool.







Here is a family shot of all the distributor parts and how they will be assembled onto the engine. So far, only the main shapes have been machined so far, there is still a lot of work to be done on the details and then fitting everything together ready for the shower of sparks.







Oh!, that's the spare piston on top of the engine, showing the 1/16" section, Viton piston ring.





Stay safe

Mike

« Last Edit: July 29, 2021, 05:31:19 PM by Vixen »
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Online Vixen

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #290 on: August 25, 2020, 12:14:40 PM »
More bits for the external drive.

Here are the components for the water pump. First is the top cover. I will be fitting a lip seal instead of the packing gland.





This is the main body of the pump







Finally, a family shot of the water pump parts, including a straight finned impeller. 





I have still to decide what to do about the pipework between the pump and the water jacket and radiator.

Stay safe

Mike



« Last Edit: July 29, 2021, 05:31:58 PM by Vixen »
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline Jo

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #291 on: August 25, 2020, 12:25:00 PM »
I'm looking forward to we seeing all your good work at the show Mike  :)

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Online Vixen

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #292 on: August 25, 2020, 12:29:26 PM »
 :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline Tonyr

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #293 on: August 25, 2020, 05:18:58 PM »
Hi Mike,

That is looking really good.

Tony

Online Vixen

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #294 on: August 25, 2020, 05:39:22 PM »
Thank you Tony :ThumbsUp:

The Westbury Seal has been an interesting distraction during my enforced isolation. And there is still lots to do.

How are you making out up there in Manchester? As a kid, I grew up in the Longsight district of Manchester

Stay safe

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline Tonyr

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #295 on: August 26, 2020, 08:55:28 AM »
Things are ok up here. Not as bad as everybody seems to think.
You look to be most of the way there with the engine, or is that an elusion.
What ignition are you planning on using.

Tony

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #296 on: August 26, 2020, 10:52:22 AM »
Hello Tony,

There are, as always, many loose ends to finish and sort out. The devil is in the detail.

I am going to try some Minimag ignition components. I have not tried them before, so it should be interesting. I have no connection with Minimag, i'm just a paying customer.





I will be trying out the Minimag MIC-1A ignition controller and the Minimag Novus-1 single ended ignition coil. These will be triggered by by a Hall sensor and four rear earth magnets under the rotor arm.

Good to hear things are not too bad up North

Stay safe

Mike
« Last Edit: July 29, 2021, 05:32:41 PM by Vixen »
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Online tghs

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #297 on: August 26, 2020, 01:26:57 PM »
outstanding work (as always) will be interesting to see how those ignition parts work.. looking very hard at this engine for a vintage boat project..
what the @#&% over

Online Vixen

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #298 on: August 26, 2020, 01:42:24 PM »
Thanks jghs.

I like your idea. A varnished, mahogany planked open launch and a Westbury Seal; the two were always meant to go together. :Love:

Mike
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Offline Tonyr

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Re: Mike's Westbury Seal
« Reply #299 on: August 26, 2020, 08:04:13 PM »
Hi Mike,
It will be interesting to see how the ignition system performs.
I have a rcexel ignition for the Austin engine.
I have it making sparks when I Spin the magnets by hand.
I got it from Ali express, not bad price on there.
I have heard that the hall sensor can be damaged by having it close to the high voltage in the distributor.
I haven’t seen it personally, just something I have read.
Something to keep an eye on.
Tony

 

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