E-gad, he’s making another one of those crazy pop-up things

[Craig DeShong]

Yep, I am.  My friend Bill Hazzard told me I haven’t built a 2nd generation Otto & Langen model yet; so of course, that was all the impetus I needed to commence the design and build.  He suggested I model this engine.


and after reviewing my photos of 2nd generation engine versions (they were built by the home German firm: Gasmotoren-Fabrik Deutz, but also under patent license by- Crossley Brothers: a Brittish firm, Schenck & Co.: a Belgium firm, Langen & Wolf: an Austrian firm, and Sarazin/Panhard: a French firm) the above engine (a 2 HP engine in Oslo, Norway) seemed a reasonable choice.

I don’t have any detailed elevation drawings or measurements of this engine so I won’t be able to claim I’m building an exact scale model; still I have enough detail photos so the model should pass approval with all but the most rigorous of scrutiny.

The CAD design has been progressing steadily since early November (it’s taking a while to design this one).  With the cold weather outside I’m in no hurry to finish the design.  I have already procured those items that I’ll need that might be hard to locate at the size I need them; specifically the honed cylinder and the flywheels.

Just so you can see where I’m going with this design I’ll include a few elevation pictures from my Alibre software.  (If I were willing to spring for the Expert version of the software I could give you some keyshots that are supposed to look very ‘real’; but for a modeler, I can’t justify the additional charge).



I still have the governor and slide valve to design/draw but other than that, the design, for the most part, is complete.  I expect construction to start around the first of the year but it may be slow going if the cold weather really sets in. 

[fumopuc]

Hi Craig, good idea. I will following along.

[Jo]

 

Maybe we all need to keep our eye open for any more in the collection you haven't made a model of yet 

Jo

[Alyn Foundry]

How about full scale Craig?

Picture of a full scale replica of an Otto, Langen and Roosen 1871 engine.

Built by a couple of good friends of mine several years ago.

Cheers Graham.

[Craig DeShong]

Achim: thanks for the encouragement.

Jo: I'll take all the help I  can get!

Graham: Full size? !!  A bit beyond my machine shop capability, and WAY beyond my budget.  Also, who would want deal with all that weight?  I fell down the back porch stairs last Summer, carrying my 1st gen. engine (well, more like I thought I was on the ground when I had one more step to go).  As I teetered, way out of balance, I remember distinctly thinking "This has the potential to end poorly"... with a 60 lb. cast iron model in my arms.

Fortunately, I ended up just sitting down on the steps with the model in my lap.  Other than an abrasion on my arm and a lump on my noggin (where the flywheel cracked me in the head) there was no lasting damage to either me or the model.

So.... That's all the weight I'm willing to deal with. 

Think I'll stick to the models.  (Wouldn't a full size be a gas though?) 

[Alyn Foundry]

Hi Craig.

I do agree and as we get older these toys seem to get much heavier by the year....

I was showing what can happen when you put a great machinist and a patternmaker/foundryman together in a room for a few months.

Their biggest challenge was the cylinder bore, Dave designed a special " line borer " to do the job.

Cheers Graham.

[Dave Otto]

Always fun to watch these projects come together, looking forward to this one as well!

Dave

[Don1966]

I am also interested Craig should be enjoyable to tag along and see how this engine materializes. ...



 
Don

[Craig DeShong]

Thanks for the interest, this project ought to be quite fun.

I’ve volunteered for duty (in other words, I’m spending considerable hours and not getting paid) as videographer and audio/video music editor for our church.  We are offering online services only, so there is lots of work involved to deliver a meaningful service every week.  There are lots of people involved in this and I’ve sat back and watched long enough.

That is really my first priority now-a-days, so I haven’t been pushing myself to spend long hours at the computer, but I have finished the design since I last posted.

A few things really caught my interest with this model and helped me make the decision to build this particular engine.  One is the “stabilizer bar”, anchored to the column and used as a fulcrum for the pawl release mechanism.  Most of these Otto Langen designs have an extended table where the fulcrum just attaches to the table top.  This design uses this, kind-of, floating fulcrum.  I have photos of several engines that use this feature; they all appear to be Deutz built engines.




I was also attracted to the position of the flyball governor; having it mounted at the rear of the table as opposed to hanging it off the side of the table as is usually done.




This version of engine also has an overcharge compensation system; the two springs that you can see hanging down under the table top.  This is going to get interesting if I over charge this model, and the table starts jumping up off the column.

With the design complete, I’m using my Alibre software to make drawings (prints) of all the component parts so I have something to take out to the shop and start making parts. 

I’m also raiding the piggy bank, trying to scrape up the funds to purchase the aluminum for the base and column.  Other than the flywheels (which I’ve already purchased) and these sizeable chunks of aluminum, there are only a few other remaining “big ticket” items I’ll need to purchase.




I expect construction will begin around Christmas or after the first of the year.

[crueby]

Quite an interesting design!  Were these engines used for a particular purpose, or were they a general-purpose engine?

[Johnmcc69]

Very nice Craig!
 What size flywheels will you be using?

 Looking forward to following along!

 

 John

[Craig DeShong]

Thanks for stopping by.

Chris; the particular engine I’m modeling is a 2 HP engine.  This is one of the larger-ones produced; I understand that Otto built a few 3 HP models, but these things really pounded their mounts when they were put to work.  Not many 3 HP were made.  This is a stationary engine of course.  I suspect it might drive a line shaft and a few lathes, looms, whatever equipment a factory might have employed.

John.  The flywheels are a bit over 13 inches in diameter.  These Otto Langens characteristically have large diameter flywheels with slim rims.  Since most castings you find are for thicker rims, I purchase a 15 inch flywheel, and then reduce the diameter to the 13+ inches so it looks correctly on the model.

[Craig DeShong]

Thanks for stopping by.

Just before Christmas I bought myself a Christmas present; a new PC.  My old tower; with a standard video card and 6 Gig of main memory was having a hard time running the current version of my Alibre design software.  I was running Version 18 with no trouble for several years but apparently with Version 21 they switched to some new libraries that were putting a huge strain on my hardware.   Now the current version is V22.  I got on the user forums and poked around and everyone was saying that for hardware you need a “gaming” computer.  It figures since the software is graphics intensive.  So for  Christmas I bought a new Dell; a “gaming” PC with an NVIDIA gaming card with a gaggle of on board-processors and 6 GIG of memory on the video card alone.   This new machine runs my Alibre software like a “scalded dog” so I'm back in business, design wise.  With the help of this new machine I finished the model design without any more headaches.

It's time to start construction on this thing... I've dawdled long enough.  If I start construction today, then I can truthfully say that I started building the model in 2020.

I have all the materials for the column and clutch and for probably a few more of the smaller parts were I to thoroughly check the inventory.  This should be enough, baring any foolish errors, to keep be busy for a while.

While the column of this engine  on the full size was cast as one piece; in my design, I've used three separate pieces.  This was not only for economy but also for ease of construction.

There are any number of sequences where construction could start; I'll start on the bottom of the column and work my way up.  Here you see I've chucked a 7 ½ inch diameter piece of aluminum in the lathe and I'm facing it off.



Once that's was complete, I reversed the piece in the lathe chuck and  faced the other side,  reducing the thickness of this piece to the required 1.4 inch thickness.



The center needs bored out to receive the bottom of the column with inserted sleeve.  Here I'm just making a hole, making room for my boring bar.



and with some working room, I'm beginning the boring operation.



With the thorough hole established I'm making a shoulder on which a flange on the lower column cylinder will rest. 



Having finished the shoulder I've moved to forming the outside of the base.  This is just cosmetic work; trying to make this chunk of aluminum resemble a casting.  (I can hear Jo now.... “If you used castings you wouldn't have this work to do”) .  Jo, I agree, but then if I used castings I'd have ornery elephant to deal with .... oh wait, that's YOUR problem.



In the photo below I've met one of my exterior dimensions.  The next few steps will be more “art” than machine work; attempting to cut some gentle curves into these outside edges in order that they resemble the full size base of the engine.


This seems to be a good stopping place for today; outdoor temperature willing, I'll continue tomorrow.

[Jo]

Having finished the shoulder I've moved to forming the outside of the base.  This is just cosmetic work; trying to make this chunk of aluminum resemble a casting.  (I can hear Jo now.... “If you used castings you wouldn't have this work to do”) .  Jo, I agree, but then if I used castings I'd have ornery elephant to deal with .... oh wait, that's YOUR problem.

Sadly most of the Foundries are not currently running  so currently hacking out of bar stock is the only option   


Surus is not bad tempered  he is just "protective" of his castings - think of his reaction a bit like how you would react if you found your other half rooting around in your workshop    - like all fellas there are ways of getting round him   

Jo

[kvom]

I was going to offer some 3" diameter 6061 rod for the column as I have a 3' long stick, but it looks as if the column is a larger diameter.