Author Topic: The Le Rhone 9C  (Read 58064 times)

Offline Vixen

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #60 on: September 26, 2021, 08:05:02 AM »
Hello Craig,

That crankcase is pure eye candy

To my eyes, there is nothing that can beat the brilliance of light refected off freshly machined aluminium surfaces. The interaction of the light reflected off the bores and the nine facets of the Le Rhone crankcase,  make it look like the a mechanical jemstone. Beautifully executed.

The only pity is the brilliance fades with time as the aluminium surfaces slowely oxidise in the air.

Well done,  :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:

Mike
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Offline cnr6400

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #61 on: September 26, 2021, 12:22:41 PM »
 :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Online Roger B

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #62 on: September 26, 2021, 04:50:46 PM »
That's some splendid machining  :praise2:  :praise2:  :wine1: How do you keep track of the steps, a notepad, chart or similar?
Best regards

Roger

Offline Craig DeShong

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #63 on: September 27, 2021, 10:25:48 PM »
Chris, Kim, Dave, Mike, CNR, and Roger; thanks for your kind complements.  This engine case has been trying.  Still a bit more to go- but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks also for everyone else who stops by to see the latest.

Today, I finished the remainder of the flats inside the engine case.  A photo of the “near complete” engine case is shown below:



The last remaining task is finishing the boring and then threading the openings in which the cylinders will mount.  The cylinders thread onto the engine case with the original and this seemed like a reasonable attachment method.  The problem, of course, is that buying a large tap for this one-time use would be foolish.  I thought I might-could thread the cylinder mount holes on the lathe, using another ‘fixture’; and what a strange fixture it is. Below I’ve started carving it out of a chunk of 5 ½ inch by 6 ½ inch by 1 ½ inch aluminum.  Here I’ve just located the corners of the recesses and drilled holes for clearance.


Next was the task of hollowing out the inside of the fixture.  This was done on the turn table so I was sure to get the angles right.



With the fixture mounted on the lathe in the 4-jaw chuck and the engine case mounted in the fixture, I’ve made a centering locator that fits snugly in the cylinder mount hole and I’m centering the fixture with attached engine case.  I am delighted with the rigidity of this setup.  It allows me to finish boring the cylinder openings and threading them with negligible  movement of the engine case.



Below I’m finishing the bore of the first cylinder mounting hole, widening the opening to 1.094 inches in preparation to threading the cylinder mounting hole.


Next was threading the opening at 32 TPI.  I want a fine thread so that I can adjust the position of the cylinder in the engine case without it experiencing much in-out movement.



When making a finished internal thread with the lathe, I always have made a piece with a finished external thread so I can ‘test’ to know when the threads I’m cutting are the correct size.  I’ve pre-prepared this steel plug that simulates a cylinder.  I can use it so that I’ll know when the threaded hole size is correct and by using it with all the cylinder mount holes, all the threaded cylinder mount holes should be identical in size.


One down, eight more to go.  This is a long, tedious, time consuming process.  The steps to create each of the nine threaded cylinder mount openings needs repeated, starting with centering the fixture with attached engine case in the 4-jaw chuck.  This is a lot of detail work so it will take some time to complete this.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2021, 01:01:50 AM by Craig DeShong »
Craig
The destination motivates us toward excellence, the journey entertains us, and along the way we meet so many interesting people.

Offline Kim

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #64 on: September 27, 2021, 10:44:50 PM »
Wow, that's a really cool setup for boring and threading the cylinder holes.  That is just neat.  That will be quite a job to get all 9 of those done!

Kim

Offline deltatango

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #65 on: September 27, 2021, 11:06:41 PM »
Craig,
The picture of the engine case sitting on the drawing is a real delight! I've been following along for a few days and been impressed and inspired all along.

Your approach to making a very complicated part is a lesson in how things really should be ("need to be" in this case) done.

I'm going to be nervous until the part is finished!

David
Don't die wondering!

Offline RReid

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #66 on: September 28, 2021, 01:18:45 AM »
I'm really enjoying following along, Craig. Not only is your machining work beautiful, but your posts are full of good tips and ideas. :ThumbsUp:
Regards,
Ron

Offline steamer

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #67 on: September 28, 2021, 02:36:05 AM »
My awe in your work is only paralleled by that of your tailor......      He is surly a skilled maker or trousers!!! 8)

Keep it coming Craig....I'm loving this!

 :popcorn: :DrinkPint:

Dave
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Damned ijjit!

Offline derekwarner

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #68 on: September 28, 2021, 03:00:31 AM »
Sorry Craig, I had difficulty in understanding what I was seeing :facepalm:....until I rotated the setup block 180 degrees :Doh: ......

When I go back to the original, I still see 4 of the 5 intersecting holes appearing as drilled :hammerbash: @ an angle

I thought I had a reasonable ability to visually understand complex shapes, but just proves me behind the 8 ball here
So, did everyone else  :stickpoke: find the image easy to comprehend?

Brilliant work

Derek
« Last Edit: September 29, 2021, 04:15:42 AM by derekwarner »
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Offline crueby

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #69 on: September 28, 2021, 04:03:44 AM »
That engine case is a real piece of jewelry, stunning!


 :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

Offline Kim

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #70 on: September 28, 2021, 05:42:30 AM »
So, did everyone else  :stickpoke: find the image easy to comprehend?

I wasn't sure what I was looking at till I saw it in use in the next few pictures. Then it made sense.  I'm not sure I can blame it on the picture's orientation, though.  :D

Kim

Offline MJM460

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #71 on: September 28, 2021, 11:21:23 AM »
It’s like one of those puzzle pictures, where different people see totally different content.

Like Derek and others, I saw the pattern of machining marks and was trying to make a sensible 3-d form out of that.

Again like others, after looking at the following pictures, I finally started looking at the shape of the plain surface surrounding all that detail, and it suddenly appeared out of the confusion.

Not only remarkable design ability, but remarkable work and brilliant photography.

Thanks Craig, for allowing us to see what goes on in your workshop.  I never miss an update.

MJM460

The more I learn, the more I find that I still have to learn!

Online Twizseven

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #72 on: September 28, 2021, 03:21:59 PM »
Craig,

That is lovely work.  I cannot imagine the level of concentration need to repeat all the operations exactly the same 9 times over.

Regards,

Colin

 :popcorn:

Offline bent

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #73 on: September 28, 2021, 06:44:30 PM »
Wow!  I am assuming the threading went at dead slow rpm?  Fixtures like that make sense, but also make me nervous...the first time at least.  I bet you will breathe a deep sigh once all the holes get threaded.
 :o :cheers: :popcorn:

Offline Laurentic

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Re: The Le Rhone 9C
« Reply #74 on: September 28, 2021, 10:30:50 PM »
Yes Derek, it took me a while to figure out what I was looking at too, in the end it made sense, especially then when I saw it holding the crankcase.  At first I saw it as a form on top of the holding block, not a block with the innards milled out so you were looking at a hole rather than an external form.  Glad some others struggled initially to figure it out too!

That said, lovely workmanship and clever thinking in the design department, well done so far Craig, nice one, love the work, following on with interest on the build of an interesting and by todays standard an unusual engine as all those rotary engines were.

Chris

 

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