Author Topic: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine  (Read 17224 times)

Offline cfellows

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #15 on: June 02, 2013, 05:19:36 AM »
Thanks, Don.  Today I finished the connecting rods and the pistons.



I made the rods out of 1/4" x 3/16" aluminum, the milled the crankshaft ends to overlap each other.

Chuck
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Offline ths

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3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #16 on: June 02, 2013, 06:34:34 AM »
Looking good Chuck. How did you go about indexing the casting for milling on that fixture? Is It a bit of angle iron?

Hugh.

Offline cfellows

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #17 on: June 02, 2013, 03:46:47 PM »
Thanks, Hugh.  The casting is mounted on a piece of 4" x 4" x 1/2" aluminum angle.  I picked up 3 pieces of this angle at a scrap yard a number of years ago and kept them for fixturing after squaring them up.  For indexing, I just laid a flat piece of metal across he top and eyeballed it against the top of the aluminum angle.  There's also a thin line scribed on the aluminum angle that is directly in line with the threaded rod holding the casting to the fixture.  Side to side positioning of the cylinders on a radial engine doesn't need to be terribly accurate as long as it looks straight.

Thx...
Chuck
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Offline b.lindsey

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #18 on: June 02, 2013, 04:21:22 PM »
Its looking great Chuck!  Did you take any pics of how you split the three legs to clamp the cylinders?

Bill

Offline cfellows

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #19 on: June 02, 2013, 07:02:34 PM »
Thanks, Bill.  Here is a photo of the setup I used to cut the clamping rings for the cylinders.



I used the same setup to drill and tap the holes for the clamping screws.  I may have already stated this, but the casting was pretty uniform and accurate so it didn't require any extraordinary fixturing setups.

Chuck
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Offline b.lindsey

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #20 on: June 02, 2013, 07:45:37 PM »
Uniformity does help....thanks for the setup pic.

Bill

Offline cfellows

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #21 on: June 03, 2013, 04:19:34 AM »
I think tomorrow will see this thing running. 







All I have left to do is mill the air valve flat on the crankshaft and make the air inlet tubes.  The cylinders are complete with the exhaust pipes, the slave ball valve, and springs installed.  The rods and pistons are also complete.  The engine turns over freely so if I can get the flat on the crankshaft in the right position, it should run.  Oh, yeah, I also have to make a mount for it.

Chuck
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Offline vcutajar

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #22 on: June 03, 2013, 06:17:31 AM »
Chuck

You are killing me.  In less than a week you are going to have another runner.

Looking forward to see it.

Vince

Offline ths

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3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #23 on: June 03, 2013, 06:46:43 AM »
Smart work Chuck, thanks for showing us. The dremel set up is also instructive. And as Vince said, another week, another engine.

Hugh.

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #24 on: June 03, 2013, 02:20:26 PM »
Chuck, are you planning on running it with a prop or flywheel?

Bill

Offline cfellows

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #25 on: June 03, 2013, 10:54:29 PM »
Thanks, guys.  Bill, I got the engine running today.  I have a small flywheel mounted on it for the time being.  However, I'm planning to make a prop out of thin steel since I think it needs a prop and the weight makes the engine run smoother.

I want to make a stand for it before I do a video of it.

Chuck
So many projects, so little time...

Offline cfellows

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #26 on: June 04, 2013, 11:25:59 PM »
Here's the finished engine.  Runs great, scary fast!

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrL0M3OkADY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrL0M3OkADY</a>

Chuck
So many projects, so little time...

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #27 on: June 05, 2013, 12:35:38 AM »
That runs great Chuck.  I see it is running clockwise when viewed from the front. Given the valv set up will it run either direction?  Nice job btw!!!  :praise2: :praise2:

Bilk

Offline Don1966

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #28 on: June 05, 2013, 12:44:00 AM »
Chuck you're just to much, another engine and great runner. Your making us look bad man!  :lolb:
Great work as usual.   :praise2: :praise2:

Don

Offline MuellerNick

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Re: 3 Cylinder Radial Compressed Air Engine
« Reply #29 on: June 05, 2013, 06:47:07 AM »
Hey Chuck!


Your's clearly sounds better than mine, I have to admit!
I'll add your valve design to my plans as an alternative in the near future.


 :cheers:
Nick

 

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