Small castings

[itbookham]

Hello,

I am new to the group and would like to say hello to everyone.

I have a Cowells 90 lathe. I am interested in building a small IC engine, but I am not too sure there are castings available that will be small enough for the Cowells. The lathe centre height is 1.75", total swing of 3.5".

Any ideas will be most welcome.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Welcome to the forum Mark.

I'm too new to help but I'm sure others will chime in.
If you've been cruising around here you'll know the forum is full of very helpful people and that everyone enjoys pics.

I'd be interested in seeing a pic of your lathe.

 

[itbookham]

Hello Carl,

Thank you for your greetings.

Details of Cowells lathes can be found at: http://www.cowells.com/90me.htm

I have a slightly older version than the one pictured.

All the best,
Mark

 

[GWRdriver]

I have a Cowells 90 lathe.

I have the 90CW (clockmakers) version of about the same vintage as yours and they are very well made little machines. What I need to do is take some time and make a few more bits of tooling for it to get the most out of it.

 

[tel]

Welcome Mark.

Geez! Has everyone in the world got a Cowells? - I've always lusted after one of those little buggers.

 

[Maryak]

Mark,

Welcome to our forum. wEc1

Best Regards
Bob

 

[cobra428]

wEc1 Mark,

You might want to try one of these. might need a small mill or attachments for your lathe. Might get away with a hacksaw and some good filing. 3.5 flywheel 3.25 I'm sure it will work

http://hamiltonupshur.tripod.com

(not the one on top of the page :big

Tony

 

[itbookham]

Hello,

Many thanks for all the feedback and suggestions.

Actually, a used Cowells lathe is not as expensive as you might think. In the UK you can pick up a decent used Cowells with a motor and basic tooling for about £400.00, less than a 7 x 12 mini-lathe. However, the down side is that unless you are a clock and watch maker you are limited on what you can make with it.

There is a good website that I came across featuring the use of a Cowells CW lathe: www.watchmaking.weebly.com

Those elusive ic castings for a Cowells lathe are still a remote possibility. Even the tiny Atom Minor MK. 3 castings (a Westbury design) from Hemingway kits are too big for the Cowells. Oh well...

Regards,
Mark

 

[cobra428]

Try this place

He has the Elf

http://www.precisionserv.com/web/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=58

http://www.precisionserv.com/web/DesktopDefault.aspx?&tabid=59&path=&currentstrip=1

Small stuff

Tony

 

[itbookham]

Hello Tony,

Thanks for your suggestions.

I will look into the antique model aeroplane kits. They look as if they can be machined on a Cowells.

I am unfamiliar with these engines. Presumably the kits come with drawings as well?

Regards,
Mark

 

[deverett]

Hi Mark and welcome to the show.

If you are interested in hit 'n' miss type engines, you might consider the Engineers Emporium 'Junior'. Construction was written up by Stan Bray in ME in the 1990s. They also do other small engine casting kits which may take your fancy.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

[CrewCab]

Welcome aboard Mark

CC