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Member Videos / Re: All Metal 5 Cylinder Radial Aeroplane Engine Demonstration Model Build
« Last post by John Rudd on Today at 02:29:17 PM »
If it were me, I?d confirm the firing order?if they?re sequential then it?s a matter of lighting the leds to follow the sequence?using the triggering mechanism used for generating the spark for each?.

If this isn?t the case, then I?d need to know how the spark is triggered for each cylinder, using the trigger, this could be used to ?enable ? a transistor to drive? each led?

A bit more info please?.


Typing gremlins have crept in?
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Member Videos / Re: All Metal 5 Cylinder Radial Aeroplane Engine Demonstration Model Build
« Last post by AdeV on Today at 06:09:22 AM »
Quote from: Jim Dobson on November 07, 2026, 10:01:31 PM
Has anyone got any ideas how I could mod this so that a small red LED could 'fire' when the piston is at the top stroke and in the order that a radial engine fires?

MikeC would probably be the best guy to confirm this - but from my limited understanding (if I was listening properly at MMEX earlier this year), all radials fire when the cylinder is at the top of the circle (I guess that would be the bottom if the aeroplane is inverted!). I haven't watched your video yet, so I don't know if you've built the ignition setup - if not, you'd ideally need to do that, then you can simply run 2.5v up to the "spark plug" using the spark wire(s) themselves.
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New from Old / Re: The Sequel - Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe (Beaver TC 20)
« Last post by AdeV on Today at 06:01:44 AM »
Quote from: awemawson on November 07, 2026, 07:27:12 AM
...I have to go to Heathfield and buy some sheep wormer !

Can't you just put sugar in your coffee like the rest of us?  :lol:

Seriously though - excellent progress! And I see you've just posted, so now there's another episode to read  :thumbup:
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New from Old / Re: The Sequel - Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe (Beaver TC 20)
« Last post by awemawson on Today at 05:58:40 AM »
Today's objective - dismantle and remove shaft.

The first obvious thing to do is unscrew the axial countersink bolt from the end of the shaft which should allow the 'hedgehog' position sensor drum and curvic coupling to slide off. They are presumably keyed to the shaft.

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Well no - that wasn't playing ball  :bang: So I decided to remove the rear part of the casting which is aluminium and bolted by a ring of M6 cap screws to the front steel casting. The idea being to get better access. Someone has obviously been in here before as half the M6 bolts were missing.

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Although access IS now far better still no progress with that counter sink screw with it's M8 socket.
I will play a hot torch on the assembly later and see if it loosens up. May well be loctited, or just loosen with expansion but I'm now called away to other duties.

Disappointing but that's how it goes sometimes.

Remember this is just practice - this tool post won't be used - you an see the crack in the picture above.
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New from Old / Re: The Sequel - Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe (Beaver TC 20)
« Last post by awemawson on November 08, 2026, 09:54:02 AM »
Today's Tasks: Clear the bench, Invert Tool Disk on Trolley to inspect the Curvic Coupling and dust seal, Lift body of Tool Turret onto newly cleared bench.

How hard can it be! Well I was about to start and we were hit by another power cut. Two hours later I could start. Strategically placed dust bin at the end of the bench and a hand brush cruelly applied solved the bench clearing (with a few item saved!)

Re-arranging the lifting strap turning the tool disk over onto wooden cribbing was relatively simple:

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Lifting the body of the Tool Turret was a bit messy due to it's shape but up it went - getting it high enough to sit on the bench was slightly complicated by to boom of the crane fouling the bench lighting but manually swinging the load away from vertical got it there, but I must say the rigging was decidedly dodgy  :bugeye:

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Once on the bench it was a case of using levers to get it on a firm base and I could move the crane out of the way and start inspecting it.

It rotated reasonably freely which is more than the one currently in the lathe will do, AND it will move outwards to lock the curvic coupling AND back again. Features missing from the other one.

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So why am I not going to use this body! Well it's casting is cracked and it lacks the powered tooling features, so this is simply an education lesson for me before attacking the other turret.

But that's enough for today, I'll hope to continue tomorrow.
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Member Videos / All Metal 5 Cylinder Radial Aeroplane Engine Demonstration Model Build
« Last post by Jim Dobson on November 07, 2026, 10:01:31 PM »
All Metal 5 Cylinder Radial Aeroplane Engine Demonstration Model Build
This is something a little different for me.
Radial Engines have always completely fascinated me. Man's ingenuity to engineer and machine such complicated engines so long ago with the tooling they had available at the time is just incredible.
They made them up to an incredible 18 cylinders with them arranged in two banks of 9, how did they time these? How did all those parts move in harmony at extreme speeds? It honestly just blows me away. 
As I said a little different for me, not a steam engine, not a hit & miss engine it's a non-working cut away but I enjoyed every minute building it.
Anyone every had anything to do with radial engines?
Has anyone got any ideas how I could mod this so that a small red LED could 'fire' when the piston is at the top stroke and in the order that a radial engine fires?

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New from Old / Re: The Sequel - Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe (Beaver TC 20)
« Last post by tom osselton on November 07, 2026, 04:52:56 PM »
I?ve got the same thing it works good maybe not too good for on ears though I?ll still use a drill bit.
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New from Old / Re: The Sequel - Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe (Beaver TC 20)
« Last post by kayzed1 on November 07, 2026, 03:48:00 PM »
had a few things from them with out problems..
lyn/
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New from Old / Re: The Sequel - Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe (Beaver TC 20)
« Last post by John Rudd on November 07, 2026, 12:24:55 PM »
 Not wishing to hijack Andrew?s thread?.What?s your experience of Aliexpress? Any good?
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Member Videos / Re: My week this week, my workshop videos!
« Last post by hermetic on November 07, 2026, 10:50:47 AM »
Hi folks,

We start to wind up field work for the year, make a start on fixing the poly tunnel door, and on Wednesday, for my sins, I help to fit a new vinyl roof to an aircraft hangar! Nobody died so that was a good outcome! The 2cv tractor is rescued from the healing weeds, and soon its back to the nice warm workshop! video goes live at 4-00pm BST.

Phil, in damp but not cold East Yorkshire!

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