Another hello from Australia

[gunna]

Hi everyone, my name is Ian and I live in the suburb of Scoresby in Melbourne. No matter which topic or thread I look at I am amazed at the helpfullness and general encouragement given by all members. Maybe I will receive some someday. I have built a couple of steam engines, a hot-air engine, and am currently part way through a (almost) free-lance hit&miss. It is loosely based on the "Rina" design recently in Model Engineer but uses a commercial cylinder and piston from a weed trimmer (4-stroke) with fabricated flywheels. I know - pictures please!! I will see what I can do there.
Ian.

 

[tel]

Welcome Ian - you got the bit about pictures right! th_wwp

 

[krv3000]

Welcome to our forum.

 

[gunna]

Thanks guys, lets see if I worked out how to post pictures. The cylinder and piston are from a Ryobi whipper-snipper that was only sold for a short time in Aus. (too expensive!). As I only have a lathe but not a milling machine, there are a lot of handmade bits and pieces here. The frames are 1/2" alluminium while the flywheels are pieces of steam pipe about 5.5" diameter with brazed in hub and spokes. They look a bit spidery to me and may not be heavy enough but time will tell. The cam was filed to a shape that "looks like a cam" and may or may not be any good. Ignition is to be by CDI with an optical trigger which is just visible through the bottom of the flywheel and operated off the cam. I managed to find two coil springs that are the same diameter as the original valve springs but much softer. The lighter one is in the input of course and seems to work easily when the flywheels are given a spin by hand. The governor has only one spring on it as when I ran that wheel up in the lathe, it opened at about 500rpm so that's near enough for the moment. I need either softer springs or heavier weights in order to have it all look right with two springs. Anyway, enough for now, let's see if this works....

Ian

 

[GailInNM]

Welcome to HMEM Ian.
Your engine looks very good to me. It should be a nice runner.
Gail in NM

 

[nev]

Welcome Ian
Another Aussie
I'm only relatively new here myself
And am just a few hours east of you

 

[gunna]

Thanks Gail and Nev.
Nev, just a few hours east? By bicycle or plane? I grew up in Maffra if that means anything to you.
Ian.

 

[T70MkIII]

And I'm a few kilometers west. Welcome aboard, Ian.

 

[nev]

I grew up in Maffra if that means anything to you.
Ian.

Sure Does so did I

 

[ironman]

Hello Ian

Welcome Welcome Welcome

ironman (Ray)

 

[gunna]

Thanks everyone.
Pat J: Not real close by then!
T70MkIII: Almost as far too from this side of Oz.
Nev: This is getting spooky, next you will say Maffra High school or something like that.

Ian.

 

[nev]

59Nev: This is getting spooky, next you will say Maffra High school or something like that.

Ian.

No sorry
Sale Tech

 

[gunna]

No sorry
Sale Tech

Nev, believe it or not MHS 1961-63, ST 1964-66.
Ian.

 

[nev]

Nev, believe it or not MHS 1961-63, ST 1964-66.
Ian.

NO sorry I was born in 1960 St Davids Hospital maffra
They pulled it down a while after I was born I wonder why lol

 

[waynes world]

a welcom from me to you ,i am also very local to you guys as im in newborugh and i go to carribean gardens on regular basis for my other interest of r/c boat racing.
welcome to you.
wayne

 

[gunna]

Hi Wayne, a few more of us and we can take over this forum. :big:
Nev, I'm sure it wasn't completely your fault.

Ian.

 

[metalmad]

Hi gunna
I recon we aut to act like we dont have a secret agenda anyway ;D

 

[tel]

Shades of 'Pinky and The Brain'

 

[AussieJimG]

Hi Gunna,

I am also working on a version of Rina and have just come across this thread. But we have not heard from you for a while. How is it going?

Jim
Just outside of Canberra