Stuart 10V - Missing Part I.D.

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I did not know it, but you can actually build up the surface of babbitt bearings with a torch, and then re-machine them, saving a lot of money.

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Several years ago I came across a secret system that the people were going to patent and make lots of money from if they got it to work doing similar. They had built a roller system with a robotic MIG welder which would deposit the Babbit in a series of passes inside a bearing housing.
The bearings were for a steel rolling mill and I was told that the system normally used was to send the bearing away for remettaling, often to a far away place. Their plan was to do this on-site saving lots of money.
The bearing shells were tubes around 1200mm. or 4 feet diameter and a meter / yard wide. Used in a similar way to an Oilite bush, they were exchanged on a schedule.
I expect that they either got their patent granted or stopped by now but I found it interesting.
Scraping such bearings wouldn't be much fun in a rush though.
 
Probably did not get the patent as it was really only a different wire to what is used for jobs like this. Same machine will then line bore the hole

 
Probably did not get the patent as it was really only a different wire to what is used for jobs like this. Same machine will then line bore the hole


Now THAT was really something! Enjoyed it immensely and would love to do this type of work. I found it interesting that he went to a flux core to weld up the spacers rather than the usual gas interface. Save a buck where you can!!!

Thanks for sharing,
John W
 
As I said some suppliers do certain parts in Ductile, the ones marked in the Gade photo were the Ductile iron ones. Other makers such as Nick Rowland of RMC and also Dennis at Historic Reproductions both do all there iron parts in ductile iron. So yes Typical models are using ductile iron. Moving on to things like model traction engines then again axles and crankshafts are SG or Ductile.

Even Stuarts when they were supplying their crankshafts as castings did not us egrey iron for those, early ones were described as cast steel and I think later were SG Iron so yes "Typical" models use ductile iron.

You missed my point about using ductile iron for small section parts, would not need to use a sledge hammer to break a delicate part like this if it were in grade 40, but it was cast in ductile iron so will tend to bend rather than snap.

When I first started trying to melt gray iron, lots of folks (pretty much everyone perhaps with a rare exception) said to use a cupola/cupolet with coke as a fuel.
I set about to find coke (coal heated in the absence of oxygen), and came up empty handed, except for a semi-truckload, which was readily available for about $12k.

I finally settled on a diesel burner, and that worked well once I figured out how to tune it correctly.

Finding nicklemag4 has proven even more difficult than finding coke.
Even when I find a supplier, they won't sell it.

I don't have time to drive all over the country to ask foundries if they would share, but I think that is what it is going to take.
No time for that now.
I can purchase a ton of it from asia, but it actually has a shelf like, and I would only use a few pounds.

I do have the materials to make lead-free bearing bronze, and am interested in casting that.

There are not that many pieces in an engine casting kit that need to be ductile iron.
Perhaps the crankshaft and connecting rod; beyond that I think it would be just a wasted process, other than perhaps some thin parts that JasonB mentions.
My philosophy is don't fix things that are not broken; if the part will work well in Class 40 gray iron, don't upgrade to ductile iron for no gained benefit, because ductile iron cost more money to make.

Those mini-Wilton vices were cast in steel, and that is the ultimate achievement in my opinion, although many commercial foundries would find it routine.
The casting magazines point out that ductile iron is a less expensive alternative than casting the same part in steel in most cases, and they publish a lot of successful case studies of folks converting from both weldments and steel castings to ductile iron castings, with great success.
Ductile iron castings rival steel castings, and sometimes exceed the qualities of steel in strength-to-weight ratio.

Steel casting as I understand it is a much more complex process than ductile iron casting.
Steel castings basically force you into induction melting, whereas ductile iron can be made using a diesel burner.

Rome was not built in a day, and so hopefully one day I will find a source for additive that will make ductile iron.

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I'm using Aluminum bronze to repair some gouges in a shaft. TIGging it on. It is tough material for sure, tough AND strong which are two different properties. However, I was practicing on a separate shaft and I turned the shaft after TIGging the practice pieces. It machined off nicely but I had to cut small cuts. Left a nice finish. Don't know if Al-Bronze is used in much else. It's strength while not as strong as steel, it is in the same approx area of strength.

Its a great material for bushing in heavy duty applications.
Use a hardened steel pin and add some seals to keep the grease in and you can get some fairly low maintenance pins/bushings on heavy equipment.
 
Now THAT was really something! Enjoyed it immensely and would love to do this type of work. I found it interesting that he went to a flux core to weld up the spacers rather than the usual gas interface. Save a buck where you can!!!
I would guess that the use of the flux-core wire was more for use in the outdoor or on-site rather than requiring the use of either hordings or the necessity of transporting the piece to a shop. Flux-core is often also used with CO2 shielding its just that in the outdoors gasses are a right royal pita!
 
I think you are correct.

Thanks much for that.

I don't really need this kit, but purchased it because of the price, so if anybody really wants this kit, I will consider passing it on at cost plus shipping.
It may be such a nice kit that I decide to keep it though.

We will see if it arrives intact in the mail.
It is amazing how many folks have put a bit of scotch tape on a box containing metal parts, shipped them out, and had the metal crash the end of the box open during shipping.
It has happened perhaps 5 times to me, so I never count on anything till it arrives at the door.

Its quite a shock to get an empty package at the door.
I am surprised that the shipping companies deliver an empty wrapper, but they do.

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GreenTwin just wondering did the V10 casting kit arrive intact?
 
The Stuart kit arrived intact, and while I liked it a lot, I had to face the fact that it was just not something I needed in the grander scheme of things.

I have passed it on to another member here, and hopefully he will enjoy and appreciate it for years to come.

Very nice parts and machining on those Stuart kits.

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The Stuart kit arrived intact, and while I liked it a lot, I had to face the fact that it was just not something I needed in the grander scheme of things.

I have passed it on to another member here, and hopefully he will enjoy and appreciate it for years to come.

Very nice parts and machining on those Stuart kits.

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Good to know you received it intact, been getting some bang up packages here lately from the USPS.
 
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