Slotting Tool & Flywheel

[RobWilson]

Hi cast these today to try out new furnace, The body of a slotting tool for my myford lathe and a 5 1/2" flywheel.

 

[bearcar1]

Those castings look terrific Rob :bow:, no voids or other nasties. Great looking FWs, are you going to make them and sell? If yes, let us know and I am certain you would get many interested individuals.

BC1

 

[RobWilson]

Thanks BC1
I had not planned to go into production,but since the flywheel dose not take allot of iron i could always mould a few every time i cast.
do you think there would be a market for them?
Rob

 

[cfellows]

Rob,

Cast iron flywheels are hard to find. The one's that I have seen available are expensive and cost a lot to ship. About the most complete selection I've seen is at:

http://www.martinmodel.com/

I would think there might be a market, but I doubt there is a fortune to be made. I have to think there is a fair amount of work in ramming up the moulds.

Chuck

 

[RobWilson]

Hi Chuck,
Thanks for the link your right , they want 25$ for one 5 1/2" flywheel like mine plus shipping . that gets expensive when you need two for a gas engine. It takes me about 10 minutes to mould the flywheel,may be i will offer them to HMEM members free if they pay the shipping as i get the oil and scrap free.
Or maybe i could join a team build and do the flywheels ;D
Rob

 

[bearcar1]

Rob, That is very generous, but do not cut yourself short. A modest cost could be charged for your hard work and as stated, you wouldn't get rich from your efforts but it would help to offset the cost of your other pursuits. AFA shipping goes, USPS has a flat rates, anything up to a certain weight goes for a flat fee. Check it out. I'd be in for a set of those FW's in iron, they would look fabulous and add some elan to one of my engines.

BC1

 

[John S]

BC1,
Rob is in the UK and no USPS here [ unless they are lost ]

JS.

 

[RobWilson]

HI all i have had a look at some shipping cost UPS,PARCELL FORCE etc and as i live in the UK and one fly wheel weighs 1.3 Kgs so to ship to the USA , Hope your sitting down 2 FWs 3 kgs from £47 to £62 , ouch. so UK only sorry
Rob

 

[bearcar1]

oh: you know I didn't think (?) about Rob being in the UK. oops. Sorry Rob, and yes, you are correct about the shipping costs. I'm sure the chaps there in the kingdom will be able to appreciate your fine efforts just the same. Carry on.

Best regards :bow:

BC1

 

[xlchainsaw]

your furnace must work well then!! excellent results rob. postage from the uk to oz is a killer!! and many of my friends are reporting mail losses !

 

[RobWilson]

Cheers XL , furnace runs great the only problem i have is i live in the north of England and it rains allot , so i have to try and plan my casting around the weather, Have you made a start on that SS barrel yet?
Rob

 

[xlchainsaw]

i havent started on the new furnace yet .im waiting to see some results of some homemade crucibles before i start. i like my "pot on the handle" but i think my new one might be crucible only. if i go "pot on handle "then i will have to make a relief in the side for the handle. a guy in melb.aust made a furnace with a handle relief in the side. i have lots of spray painting equip (retired painter) here and have been thinking of converting my 2 litre pressure pot to oil.

 

[tmuir]

I have no need for a flywheel that size yet but would love to get one for 'just in case'

I'm going to be in the UK for all of June so if you plan on making any before mid June I would love one and could get it sent to where I'm staying and take it home in my suitcase (along with all the other tools and gear I will / have already bought).

I have no issues with paying you some extra to help cover your costs, just set a price.

 

[RobWilson]

Hi tmuir i am sure we can sort something out are you still saying in DURHAM ?
Sent PM

 

[tmuir]

in the end all i had to do is add an internal chill to the mould. so i made one from some welding rod i had .tomorrow i will start to machine the casting.

For all us out here that don't know the first thing about casting iron can you explain what this 'chill' does?

Nice job and thanks for posting the photos.
Thanks

 

[RobWilson]

Hi tmuir the use of chill's in casting is to promote the rapid cooling at a point in the casting to avoid shrinkage caused by a hot spot
or they can be used to make the casting harder,and O boy is the casting harder so hard i cannot machining it :-\
Rob

 

[tmuir]

So I guess it works by the bigger area cools quickly, shrinks some whilst elsewhere is still molten so that can flow to fill the shrinkage.
Simple but clever idea.

 

[RobWilson]

You got it tmuir, well seen that i am having some issues with iron at the moment and fineding a crack in my castiron crucible this morning and not having tongs, poring shank made up for the large crucibles , i decided to cast the slotting tool body in bronze ,it came out fine first time, well their is a bit off scaling on the cope side , i can live with that i just want to get it machined up.
tmuir hope you don't mined bronze fly wheels.

 

[tmuir]

No issues with bronze from me. I love bronze or brass, to be honest I'm just happy to get a couple of large flywheels for my to make something around in the future.

I've got a 1920s Bing steam engine with a 6 inch cast flywheel to restore which is my next major project to do and I'm hoping it will provide inspiration to scratch build something.

Its on my long term goals to be able to cast ali and brass but I have other goals to get to first.
I'm actually partial to redbull and vodka on Friday nights and I've been saving all my redbull cans for 2 years now just so I can make something out of it and then say 'redbull gave it wings' :big:

Glad you've finally got results you can work with

 

[RobWilson]

Tmuir , I used the fly wheels i made about 12 years ago on my odds and ends , hit n miss by Philip Duclos, its a fun engine to build.