Lister D compressed air engine

[cfellows]

My Bessemer Oil Field engine is taking a lot of design time and not affording me much shop time. At the moment, I'm waiting on a 1/16" NPT tap and die set, so I decided to start on another engine that would let me make some chips while I'm not able to work on the Bessemer.

This is a compressed air powered engine, 3/4" bore and 3/4" stroke. It will be as close to looking like a Lister D engine as I can get. I've always had a fondness for the Lister D because of it's simple, utilitarian design. It will be a 4 stroke engine and will use my slave exhaust valve with a cam actuated inlet valve. Here is a picture of a full size model which has a 3" bore and 3" stoke.

Here are some pictures of the block that I've started...

The block is made from 2" square aluminum bar stock and is about 3.625" tall. It will have some further shaping done on the outside once I finish all the internal machine work.
Chuck

 

[starnovice]

Super! Another cfellows build thread!!

Pat
IF I ever grow up I want to be like Chuck Fellows

 

[Brian Rupnow]

What do you do in your spare time, Chuck????--Brian

 

[Philjoe5]

Chuck,
I too am a fan of the Lister diesels. Some years ago I acquired one of these Indian copies of the Lister D, 6 hp @ 600 rpm.

This was a great running engine and started right up, ran smoothly and had great amounts of power stored in those two 24" flywheels.

It was a perfect introduction into the mechanical world for me, eventually leading me to model engineering. Who'da thunk? I've since sold it as it was a big space hog.

Good luck with this build. I am wondering how the diesel will scale down, and what are your plans for the injector?

Phil

 

[rodw]

I'l be interested to see how this progresses. We had quite a few Lister engines on our property powering shearing plant, pumps and lighting plant when I was a kid but none quite like this one. I have wondered how easy it would be to make a model petrol engine based on these designs. I just did not know how to deal with the magneto. Maybe you might show me how.

PhilJoe, I do remember how much easier it was to start the diesel engines as they had a decompression lever to let you get up to speed on the crank handle! I think our Lister diesels in the shearing sheds lasted 50 years or more before electric motors rendered them obsolete.

 

[Swifty]

Hi Chuck, you must have 14 days in your weekseeing the amount of great models that you produce. Keep up the great work.

Paul.

 

[ChrisLister]

Hi,
I will folow this build becourse I have 2 Lister Ds of my own one from 1927 and one from 1941.

Where do you get the plans from?

Greetings,

Chris

 

[Generatorgus]

Wow, two cfellows builds at the same time. Way to go Chuck.

I have a D based light plant and have a booklet about repairs to them.
If you need any pictures of details I'll be happy to help.

GUS

 

[skyline1]

Hi Chuck

I've seen a fair few of those in my time, I only live about 1/4 Mile from Lister's works, (or what's left of it)

Regards Mark

 

[cfellows]

Got a little more done over the past couple of days. The kids and grand kids are staying with us for a few weeks and I don't have as much time in the shop.

I finished the crankshaft and the crank bearing block. The bearing block is made from cast iron and the crankshaft is all turned from a single piece of 1 inch diameter 12L14 steel. Got a nice fit and finish on the crank. Here's some pics...

Chuck

 

[cfellows]

I made the flywheel this afternoon. Used some of my prized brass, so now I probably won't want to cover it up with green paint... we'll see. The flywheel at 3" OD is a little oversized for the scale of the engine, so I may trim it down some.

Kind of knocking out the simple stuff for now. I'm going to have to tackle the timing gears and cam soon but havent completed the design quite yet. Maybe the head next...

Chuck

 

[cfellows]

Finished up the piston and connecting rod today. The fit and finish of all the parts are very nice.

Unfortunately, I ran into a connundrum all too common when building engines from my own design. After going to the extra trouble of making a one piece crankshaft, the engine cannot be assembled. :cussing: There's no way to get the rod over the crank pin with the crankshaft in place. I'm going to have to machine off the crankpin and make one that attaches with threads.

Oh, well, that's how it goes.

Chuck

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Into each life, a little rain must---Aw Heck. I know you'l get it right Chuck. You always do.---Brian

 

[Generatorgus]

Into each life, a little rain must---Aw Heck. I know you'l get it right Chuck. You always do.---Brian

I'll second that.
Chaos reigns supreme on my turf.

Gus

 

[gus]

Hi Chuck

I've seen a fair few of those in my time, I only live about 1/4 Mile from Lister's works, (or what's left of it)

Regards Mark

Hi Mark,

Merry Christmas.
From the 60s ----80s I bought Lister Diesel Engines to drive air compressors.

Is it true Lister is gone forever?If so what a waste.They make good engines.

When the Japanese came up with Yanmar,Robin and Kubota ,Lister and Petters side lined. I get better aftersales service from the Japanese. The Chinese engines will take some time to catch.And when they do,Yanmar etc will be gone.March of the times which is unstoppable.

 

[cfellows]

Been working some on the Lister D. I got the head cut to shape and most of the plumbing drilled & sized.

I maded a detachable crankpin so I could get the engine assembled...

This will be the other side of the crankshaft and the primary timing gear, cut from 9 tooth, 24 pitch pinion wire.

Here is the blank for the secondary timing gear. The blank was turned down from a brass gear like the one in front of it. I bought a bunch of brass gears on ebay several years ago thinking they would be useful. Turns out they never have the right number of teeth but they do make good gear blanks.

Here's the head setting on top of the block. I will eventually taper the sides of the block in to match the width of the head. But first I need to make sure all the other machining on the block is done.

Chuck

 

[skyline1]

Nice to see a "D" type being modeled, Not as pretty as many of the models on here, no "works" to be seen. But they are great workhorses, many full size ones are still "Bump, Bumping away" decades after they were made with little or no maintenance.

Gus, Lister's exist in name only now, they have a little site in Dursley but in the words of one of their few remaining employees they "just screw badges on S*** from India". As you said unstoppable march of the times, but it is a waste, it hit this area really badly when they folded up. I think the main reason was political rather than practical. Plus the fact that they are so tough once you buy one you never replace it, you don't need to, it's becoming a throwaway age so that sort of business model won't work anymore.

Regards Mark

 

[gus]

Nice to see a "D" type being modeled, Not as pretty as many of the models on here, no "works" to be seen. But they are great workhorses, many full size ones are still "Bump, Bumping away" decades after they were made with little or no maintenance.

Gus, Lister's exist in name only now, they have a little site in Dursley but in the words of one of their few remaining employees they "just screw badges on S*** from India". As you said unstoppable march of the times, but it is a waste, it hit this area really badly when they folded up. I think the main reason was political rather than practical. Plus the fact that they are so tough once you buy one you never replace it, you don't need to, it's becoming a throwaway age so that sort of business model won't work anymore.

Regards Mark

Hi Mark,

Lister Diesel Engines last forever,in particular the small marine engines.I grew up and grew old with Lister.
Sad that Lister UK did not go over India build a plant to make and ship parts back to UK to assemble.

IR had a plant in NW India and they ship completes back to Kentucky to assemble into receiver packages.Today Kentucky Plant survived.Politically it nearly did not work out.Fortunately IR India makes very good compressors.
Some months back I had dinner with the ex-Indian M.D. who was also my boss.He is my hero who fought tooth n fang for drawings to build more IR products in India. The IR Type 30 were built in the backroom in secret away from his U.S.Boss.Gus was quielty packaging big compressors in the backyard.The Corporate Boss came ,saw it and asked my local boss why wasn't Gus building more.So we have his blessing to build more. Been fun.

Yanmar,Kubota and Robin engines are rugged but not as long lived as Lister.
I used them as back up in tender bids as they are cheaper.And eventually the local goverment Public Works specced in these engines. The local army to spec in Robin Engines too.

 

[cfellows]

I got the engine running this morning. Sounds great. But now to the task of actually making it look more like a Lister D. Here are some pictures of my progress.

I tapered the sides of the block and made the base with bolt holes. I also carved out the top of the head to look more realistic.

I'll post a video after I get it finished.
Chuck

 

[cfellows]

I have now made a muffler. There is no carburetor and all the valve gear including the push rod is hidden inside the engine Unfortunately, the flywheels is about all you can see moving on a Lister D.

Here are a few more pictures of the (nearly) finished engine in the raw before I paint it.

Here's the paint I'm planning to use.

Chuck