http://start-model-engineering.co.uk/films/Halo-3-cylinder-radial-engine[www.savevid.com].flv
This is a selection of the engines I have built since 2007. One or two have been ‘non-starters’ but generally I have managed to get most of them up and running and each one has given me an enormous feeling of satisfaction.
I have learned many lessons in the course of building each of these engines. The most significant is not to become impatient. Rather than accept a part which is not quite good enough I will toss it in the scrap bin and start again. This is based on the principle that I prefer to produce something to the best of my ability than accept something of lesser quality.
I would rather spend an entire day (and I frequently do) making just one small component to the best of my ability rather than making a pile of inferior bits. I have tended to be impatient throughout my life but my experience with model engineering, perhaps aided by increasing maturity, has changed all that giving me greater satisfaction in the projects I undertake.
Click on any picture for larger image
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- My first engine – it did run for a short while before self destructing
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- Elmers ‘Wobbler’ an ideal first engine project which is relatively quick and simple to build.
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- Elmers ‘Twin Wobbler’ a lovely engine and an ideal second project
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- My first attempt at a twin cylinder double acting oscillating engine – sadly a non runner
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- A twin cylinder oscillator which due to simplified crankshaft joined the ranks of runners
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- A Mill Engine, my first with sliding valve for input/exhaust, steam chest and reverse running.
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- A three cylinder rotary engine adapted from a 5 cylinder design by Liney USA
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- Elmers ‘Tiny’, a lovely little engine well worth adding to your ‘to do’ list
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- A V-twin poppet valve engine that steadfastly refuses to run despite many hours of work.
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- Elmer’s #33 Mill Engine at original size
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- Elmer’s Mill Engine #33 built 50% larger than plan
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- Little and large – Elmer’s #33 Mill Engine
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- Beam Engine, a more recent project built to a French design and mounted on an acrylic base.
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- My ‘art deco’ version of the currently popular Rocking Engine which employs a novel method of input and exhaust.
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- Elmer’s ‘Standby’ engine with inlet and exhaust control via crankshaft porting.
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- Another one of Elmer’s little engines – #3 Open Column with reverse with added finning detail to cylinder barrel and head.
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- An attractive double acting oscillator engines – see my build notes under ‘Step by Step Projects’
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- Elmers #32 vertical open column mill engine built 50% up on original plan size
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- The baby on the right is Stan Bray’s Opus Proximum compared with Elmers vertical mill engine on the left.
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- ‘Debbie’ a two stroke engine to a design by Jan Ridders completed March 2011
John. thank you for this websight.I have just retired (age 67) and have bought a mini lathe & mill.Not having used a metal lathe before this site is a good source of information.There was not a lot of information to be sourced locally (australia) to assist the hobbiest,so thanks once again. cheers peter
Thanks Peter
Very best wishes on your retirement. I have been retired for over 10 years and it still feels like a holiday everyday, except when I have to go household shopping of course !
Good luck with your new hobby and I am pleased to say this site receives many visitors on a daily basis from ‘down under’.
John
Wow briliant and accurate machining. I lave the accuracy and art of your models. They are really fantastic……..love this site. it will be my homepage now…..
An inspiring and very well present site. Great engines.
Hi John.Your first attempt at the D/A oscillator seems similar to Stan Bray’s in”Model Marine Steam”.Any suggestions on how to avoid the crankshaft alignment problems,please?Did you have any concerns regarding expansion at the port block face,given the absence in the design of spring-loaded pivots?(Or did you intend to run it on air rather than steam?)Funds are low,and won’t run to a compressor yet-was boiler-failure the cause of your very first model’s self-destruction?For my money,one of the best characteristics of your site is an apparent recognition that many newbies just can’t afford all the desirable equipment to say nothing of sets of castings.
Hi Peter
If you look at My Engines page you will see that my first twin oscillator was a non runner due to difficulty in making the crankshaft which is the very point you are making. My second twin oscillator did run due to the simplified crankshaft arrangement. Plans of this engine are available to download free of charge from . I am not too clear on your point relating to air versus steam and in my experience models that run on air will run on equally well on steam and visa versa.
My first oscillating engine self destructed due to the weakness of soft soldering of the cylinder pivot. I would stress that in my opinion you should not attempt to construct a boiler using soft soldering techniques – extremely dangerous !
John
Hi,
Found your site by accident, I have built Jan Ridders 2 stroke, the vertical option and am now on to the horizontal version. The vertical one did run eventualy. but is a bit difficult to start, I use a motor and pulley, needs about 1000 revs to get going and will run for about 10 minutes. Speed control is not very good but it will run. I am using a motor cycle coil and 12 volt battery with cam operated micro switch. Spark plug is from a Ford escort.Hope I have better luck with the current engine. Great site now in the favorites.
Regards
Brian W
Hi Brian
Good to hear from you and pleased to hear of your success with Jan’s 2 stroke. As you may have seen the problem with ‘Aussie’ Jim’s engine was insufficient compression and he solved it by making a new flat top piston with just a 5mm transfer channel. This might be worth considering with your current build.
I was interested in that you use a micro switch as your contact breaker. I found that the ones I was using were not up to the job so after destroying half a dozen I changed to a CDI unit.
John
Great site John, thanks for sharing.
Are there any plans available for your first slide-valve/reversible mill engine (second image down in righthand column above)?
Hello Paul
This is Elmer’s #43 Mill Engine with reverse. Plans are available to download free from John-Toms site
John
Hi John.
I love this website. I’ve just gotten hooked to machining and using the skill eventually to making model steam engines. And i should warn you that i’m saying this without any machining skills whatsoever, no hardware tools besides a drill for making holes on the wall now and then, no money (yet!… i hope) for purchasing a lathe to start with let alone mill, and so much more handicaps.
But i’m reading your builds and other articles here one by one to familiarize myself with hardware terms and methods. I have so many questions reserved for you especially on how to make certain shapes from a block and what tools/accessories to use, but i’m holding back hoping that i’ll get the answers by reading (eventhough Bogs said it should be 75% doing and 25% reading, hehe).
Sorry for the long post.
Best regards,
Lutfi
Hi Lufti
Glad you like the site which was set up to help people just like yourself. I look forward to hearing from you when you eventually make a start. Good luck.
John
Hi.
I am normaly a ticker and make clocks. Interested in your elmer 33 mill engine and would like to make, have a a fully stocked workshop, CNC,manual mill, Bantam, mini lathe, dividing heads, etc
and the nice part, fully retired, just.
Do you have plans for this mill, or where did you get yours, any help would be appreciated.
Best regards
George
Hello George
Good to hear from you and congratulations to you on your retirement – now the real work starts !
The plans for Elmers #33 mill engine are available to download at simply scroll down the page until you come to #33.
As you may have seen I built this first at plan size and I was so pleased with the engine I built another at 50% up on size and it ran even better ! Sounds as though you have a well equipped workshop and I look forward to hearing how you progress – please remember pictures are always welcome.
best wishes
John
I love this stuff, it makes engineering come alive.
Glad you like it Dave !