Casting the Wright Model B Crankcase

[mrehmus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kcUJeg4Ifk&feature=youtu.be

From the description of how the cores were made through pounding sand and pouring metal, you will learn a lot from these professional foundrymen.
An article on the John Palmer, the builder of three new Wright engines can be found in Model Engine Builder magazine.
www.modelenginebuilder.com

About 2 hours long.

Mike Rehmus

 

[BronxFigs]

Hello Mike-

Watched the video with great attention. Very informative to see what it takes to produce engine castings for this historic piece of machinery. I can't even imagine what the process might have been when engines like a full-scale, massive, Bruce Macbeth, or a Fairbanks were cast.

Many thanks for sharing your video. Great show! Too bad half-scale castings aren't available for this four-banger. Just saying.

Frank

 

[mrehmus]

I have tried for years to get someone to do a casting of the crankcase. The problem is the complexity of the crankcase and the very thin sidewalls. Experienced foundrymen doubt it can be sand cast and will require either an expensive mold or someone will have to build it up from individual pieces. I doubt multi-axis CNC could be used either.

Today, with lots of $, it could be printed.

 

[deverett]

I have tried for years to get someone to do a casting of the crankcase. The problem is the complexity of the crankcase and the very thin sidewalls. Experienced foundrymen doubt it can be sand cast and will require either an expensive mold or someone will have to build it up from individual pieces. I doubt multi-axis CNC could be used either.

Today, with lots of $, it could be printed.

Lost wax casting? Again, maybe expensive.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

[mrehmus]

Lost wax casting would work although I don't know if an inexperienced person could cast it in aluminum. ZA18 or one of the other zinc alloys would probably do it better because of their ability to be cast in thin sections and they are about 3X stronger than aluminum.

I've not worked with lost wax although I've had articles on the process in my magazine. From what I know, I think the wax master would have to be built up of individual pieces unless one could 'print' it.

Assuming the engine was not to be flown and the internals were changed around to be easier to cast, a simplified crankcase could probably be sand cast.

It would be no different than most model engines that are what we call 'arms-length' scale. They look like the engine on the outside but internally they are modified so they will run well.