Hispano Suiza V8

[RReid]

Hi Petertha.

I needed a trio 1:1 bevel gears at the crankshaft end, and two pairs of 2:1 at the camshafts. The dimensions of the cam covers and the lower gearbox case limited the overall size of the gears, of course. While I have made my own gears for other projects, I have also bought some from an ebay vendor who has a very large inventory of NOS small gears. As it turns out, he had exactly what I needed, a very low cost, so that's what I chose to go with. This is a link to the specific listing:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/335022965542

Now that I've gotten the cam drive mechanism working, and with my new larger workspace, I decided I can indulge a different interest and start building another small boat. This one will be a 13 ft, double ended pulling (rowing) boat, based on the Pea Pods used on the coast of Maine. The design is by Doug Hylan and is known as the Beach Pea. Inner and outer stems have been laminated up from Alaskan Yellow Cedar (not actually a Cedar but a kind of Cypress), and the building molds that define the shape are almost all cut-out at this point.

The H-S project is not abandoned by any means, but I felt the need for a change of pace.

[crueby]

Thats the same guy I just bought the ladder chain from, for my striking clock!  Was great to deal with. Had not seen all the gears they have too...


Interesting boat project. I've used Alaskan Yellow Cedar, very nice stuff. Didn't know it was a cypress variety - new fact for the day for me!

[vtsteam]

Ah, boat building, Ron! Getting the urge myself, lately. 

[cnr6400]

 

[RReid]

Hi Chris. Small world keeps getting smaller! He is an excellent vendor, my go-to for that kind of stuff. As for AYC, it really is nice to work with, but it doesn't smell as good as real Cedar. Not bad in small doses, but I was glad I did the heavy ripping to get out the lams outside.

Go for it Steve! Like these engine things, one boat always leads to another. A certain skiff is waiting patiently in my own queue. Along with several other possibles. Usually the deciding is harder than the building.

Cheers CNR!

[Kim]

That looks like a fun project, Ron! 

You going to take it out rowing in Cheadle Lake?

Kim

[RReid]

Hi Kim. Cheadle lake is only about 1.5 miles from our front door, and we sometimes like to go for a morning walk there. In fact, just yesterday we saw two Bald Eagles while walking there, one of which had just caught a small duck and was busily plucking it, while sending a gentle fall of feathers onto the path directly below. However, as a boating lake it is rather small and rather choked with weed and grass, especially in summer. Maybe useful for a test splash, but Foster Lake is only a short way away and is both larger and prettier.

[Kim]

Well, I'm not really a boat person, so I wouldn't know a navigable body of water if I fell in!    I have been to Cheadle Lake a few times, years ago, but don't really remember much detail about it, clearly!   I'm glad you have much better lakes for paddling around in. 

And that picture of the bald eagle is really neat!  We see them up around where I live from time to time - mostly flying high, looking for food, I'm sure.  They are majestic creatures!  The one I see the closest is in the Oregon Zoo, however. 

Kim

[vtsteam]

Go for it Steve! Like these engine things, one boat always leads to another. A certain skiff is waiting patiently in my own queue. Along with several other possibles. Usually the deciding is harder than the building.
Cheers CNR!

Must wait for Spring, unfortunately, Ron -- boatshop is the great outdoors!

[RReid]

Oh, well yeah; I can see that being a problem in wintertime VT!

[RReid]

We'll be having a sub-set of our adult kids and grand-kidlets visiting over the Holidays. One night we will be sleeping 11 in our 3 bedrooms plus the camper (aka “the annex”). The only engine progress of late is this morning I cleaned off this mess on the Hispano-Suiza assembly table, converting the space back to a spare bedroom. I even removed the boat plans from atop the kidlet beds (a pair of stackable twin beds, a handy item from Ikea) so that they can be set-up.

Happy Holidays everyone!

[vtsteam]

Happy Holidays, Ron! 

(wow the HS looks pretty big!) 

[RReid]

Having completed the boat project I mentioned in the posts from 5-6 months ago, I've been re-wetting my feet on the H-S project. Some relatively easy parts are in order in this case, so I've been making up the set of valve guides. These are a straightforward lathe job in bronze; the only mildly tricky part being getting the major OD just so, so that they are a nice snug fit into their bores. The pictures below show only three, two installed and one on display. As of today I've got 9 of the 16 needed finished.

The boat is proving to be very easy to handle, a pleasure to row, as well as comfy to just lounge about in while drifting lazily. I'm pleased with it.

[Dave Otto]

Hi Ron

Good to see you back at it, very nice boat as well!

Dave

[Kim]

That is a beautiful boat, Ron!  And a great picture of you paddling around on the lake! 

And nice to see you making forward progress on your engine too!

Kim