Club Mills!
#353
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Doonside Mills Mk II No. 678. Originally sold by "The Modellers Den" of Bath, England.
For those who may have thought the Aurora Mills .75 intake port holes a little "odd" for not being on the same plane, I have added a further image.
For those who may have thought the Aurora Mills .75 intake port holes a little "odd" for not being on the same plane, I have added a further image.
Last edited by fiery; 02-19-2015 at 07:47 PM.
#354
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FWIW-despite what its says about available crankcase colours in the instruction leaflet-I've never seen a black case Mk2 Doonside 75 anywhere-but I've seen all the variouis head colours over the years-my two are gold (#122) and black (#737) respectively. A black case gold head would look quite distinctive-a bit like the Irvine anniversary limited edition one....
ChrisM
'ffkiwi'
ChrisM
'ffkiwi'
#355
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The Millish TBR from Red Fin:
"New Millish TBR .5cc Diesel "
"The brand new Millish TBR diesel .5cc is now being made in Ukraine and the quality is superb! Crankcase is similar to Oliver practice and has neat touches like the brass comp screw. A friend of ours who builds and repairs engines rates it very highly. This is from the first batch of 20 produced."
I have a weakness for the redheads myself.
"New Millish TBR .5cc Diesel "
"The brand new Millish TBR diesel .5cc is now being made in Ukraine and the quality is superb! Crankcase is similar to Oliver practice and has neat touches like the brass comp screw. A friend of ours who builds and repairs engines rates it very highly. This is from the first batch of 20 produced."
I have a weakness for the redheads myself.
#359
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Earl
Red Fin engines have a show case and on-line store here:
http://www.redfinengines.com
The "Kompish" .5 cc Diesel TBR will be released as a production engine shortly. Twenty have been made for field testing and feedback from existing Red Fin owners prior to general release.
There are other engines in development, including a small flat twin diesel.
Chris
The only 'charcoal' case Doonside Mills .75 Mk. 2 I have seen is shown in a colour photograph on page 146 of the book "Gordon Burford's Model Engines" by Maris Dislers. So, there must some out there.
Red Fin engines have a show case and on-line store here:
http://www.redfinengines.com
The "Kompish" .5 cc Diesel TBR will be released as a production engine shortly. Twenty have been made for field testing and feedback from existing Red Fin owners prior to general release.
There are other engines in development, including a small flat twin diesel.
Chris
The only 'charcoal' case Doonside Mills .75 Mk. 2 I have seen is shown in a colour photograph on page 146 of the book "Gordon Burford's Model Engines" by Maris Dislers. So, there must some out there.
Last edited by fiery; 03-08-2015 at 12:10 AM.
#361
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Derek-we know from the Irvine that modern Al-Si casting alloys can be coloured-and the Doonside case was from one of these-I was just commenting that despite Ivor F mentioning it in the appendix to the instructions as an option, I've never seem one either in the flesh or on Ebay leading me to speculate that very few cases were actually blacked. I have a vague feeling that the extremely rare-only 10 or 20? glow Doonside Mills produced by ivor as a whim from the leftovers of the project might have had black cases?
ChrisM
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ChrisM
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#362
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Redfin Kompish 0,5 c.c. TBR
Here is the Kompish. Made in the Ukraine, I suspect by FORA. Beautifully fitted, and surprisingly powerful. Very nice in all respects.
It has an interesting 'tabby cat' mottled charcoal finish on the case exterior, presumably to mimic the finish of the early magnesium case E.D and Mills engines.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB2I4X1m_yk
It has an interesting 'tabby cat' mottled charcoal finish on the case exterior, presumably to mimic the finish of the early magnesium case E.D and Mills engines.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB2I4X1m_yk
Last edited by fiery; 04-20-2015 at 02:52 PM.
#363
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I make exact replica tanks for the Mills .75's Mks I and II's and for the Mills 1.3's. The 1.3 tanks I machine from nylon 6/6 bar. The originals were moulded in nylon 6/6. Please let me know if of interest. I believe tanks used on other engines such as ED were moulded from CAB (Celluose Acetate Butyrate). Same material as used for screw driver handles. Polycarbonate is unlikely to be suitable as it suffers badly from solvent stress cracking. Acrylic ones as used for the Mills .75 tanks can also suffer from this. Delrin (polyoxymethacrlylate) makes the best plastic tank material (the auto industry has been using it for years) but it does not have the translucency of nylon 6/6. Did look at trying to source clear PETP (polyethyleneterephalate) bar but whilst moulding pellets come in clear, bar stock doesn't. Is used for the Optics used for dispensing spirits and has good solvent resistance..
As well as making the Mills 2.4 venturi assy. pictured by fiery above I have also made exact replicas of the Mills 1.3 Mk I complete venturi and tank assy. see pics. attached. Made all parts except the 6BA screw but also make any model engine screw as required including Phillips head ones.
#364
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Here are most of my Mills.
75's are from top Irvine NIB,2 Doonside and Indian from Saturn Hobbies NIP There are 2 Originals not shown one in Cardinal and another in a drawer somewhere.
1.3's from top Irvine NIB, Original, Indian, and Original NIB. One with broken lug damaged in C/L model around 1960
.
75's are from top Irvine NIB,2 Doonside and Indian from Saturn Hobbies NIP There are 2 Originals not shown one in Cardinal and another in a drawer somewhere.
1.3's from top Irvine NIB, Original, Indian, and Original NIB. One with broken lug damaged in C/L model around 1960
.
#366
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Back to a pukka item. The first of the breed.
Below is a Mills 1.3 Mk. 1 Ser.1. This is No. 22 of '46.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd6R...ature=youtu.be
Below is a Mills 1.3 Mk. 1 Ser.1. This is No. 22 of '46.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd6R...ature=youtu.be
Last edited by fiery; 05-16-2015 at 01:16 AM.
#367
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VA Mills .25 c.c. A sweet little engine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi5Labv3JAc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQOwSBZvugA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi5Labv3JAc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQOwSBZvugA
Last edited by fiery; 05-16-2015 at 05:11 PM.
#368
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Hi avalonnovi
I hope you can direct me, after receiving my dads engine collection would like to get some information on the Mill engine which is part of his precious collection. As a child we flew control line planes and for a trainer we put the Mills diesel ( the same as the one pictured in the middle of you picture) as it was called, on a 20' plane on 12' lines and flew it on the net ball courts at the local school, although very slow we had hours of fun and started many a school friend into the sport. I have found a number stamped on the right hand engine mount 01 as it was used firstly in a tether car (8th scale aluminum Bugatti ) long gone now a tether boat then in the trainer plane as explained, it is missing the plastic tank and the original spinner other than that she a goer, i would like more info on its history if you or any readers can help.
thanks Chris
thanks Chris
Last edited by cbsos; 06-05-2015 at 01:59 AM. Reason: wrong name listed
#369
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Hi, hope you can help me put my mind at rest or possibly otherwise. Recently obtained an Irvine Mills 1.3 described as BNIB with box, all documents and other bits. After I recieved it I gave it a close inspection with an eyeglass and there are no signs (lug marks, piston verticle marks, smell etc) of it being run. It turns smoothly with plenty of compression. But, the prop driver has a large amount of clearance behind it to the nose of the front of the crankcase(no wear signs). Also, the crankshaft moves freely back and forth in the crankcase and ball race, unlike my other two Irvine Mills 1.3's. Additionally, there is no serial number anywere on the mounting lugs. I think I've been sold a 'ringer' possibly made up from spares or put together by some other dubious activity. Its coming apart shortly but I wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this.
TIA
TIA
#370
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Locktumbler
I bought a cast case (Mk. 1) Irvine .75 "Mills" which also was sub-par, and had no serial number on the lug.
There is anecdotal evidence that the last Irvine "Mills" engines were assembled in the Far East, and not to the same high standard as the UK build engines.
I bought a cast case (Mk. 1) Irvine .75 "Mills" which also was sub-par, and had no serial number on the lug.
There is anecdotal evidence that the last Irvine "Mills" engines were assembled in the Far East, and not to the same high standard as the UK build engines.
Last edited by fiery; 06-08-2015 at 12:10 AM.
#371
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When I was a young fella my Dad would get the motor running in his 22" balsa speed boat in our plastic two tier paddling pool, not having any length to the pool the best he could do is make a whirlpool and get mum cranky, but he loved that motor. It was purchased early in his marriage not sure what came first me or the motor. When my brother and I were older and became interested in control line flying it broke his heart to watch us fly his motor on the concrete netball courts, the best we could do were prop rides we didn't have enough power to safely do a loop without whipping the lines to get a faster approach.
#372
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Well I've done some dismantling and investigation. I took the opportunity to take apart one of my other Irvine Mills 1.3 Ser.No. 01622, its developed a rough ball race, and use it as comparison. This engine I bought new from a reputable UK retail outlet many years back and have only just started to run it. Although stored in the house, well oiled and frequently turned, after a couple of runs the roughness appeared. I suppose you can always get a 'bad 'un' slip through! Anyway, its provenance is certain. I found that on this engine(like my other long owned one) the crankshaft did not move fore and aft as the recently aquired one. This was due to, what looks like 'bearing fit' having been used by Irvine to secure the crankshaft to the inner race(does any one know if this was standard practice by Irvine?). Once cleaned this allowed the crankshaft to slide further foward and gave a propdriver to crankshaft nose clearance of 15 thou, there being virtually none before. The other engine has at least twice as much. I could find no differences in crankcase or crankshaft measurements using my Mitutoyo digital calipers and it looks to me to be down to the sit of the propdriver on the crankshaft taper. Before a good clean and reassemble I'll lap this in to give a 10 to 15 thou end float. Otherwise the new engine looks good and un used internally.
Questions:-
1/ Use 'loctite bearing fit' on crankshaft to inner race?? Yes/no??
2/ What is the thicknes of the cylindr gasket (looks to me to be about 15 thou) and what other materials have people used in place of the original material as gasket sets are no longer available??
3/ Whats the size and the best type of ball race to replace the rough one??
TIA
Questions:-
1/ Use 'loctite bearing fit' on crankshaft to inner race?? Yes/no??
2/ What is the thicknes of the cylindr gasket (looks to me to be about 15 thou) and what other materials have people used in place of the original material as gasket sets are no longer available??
3/ Whats the size and the best type of ball race to replace the rough one??
TIA
Last edited by LOCKTUMBLER; 06-08-2015 at 04:07 AM.
#373
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I would have thought it was normal for a single ball race engine to have some fore-aft shaft movement.
In TBR engines the lack of movement is due to the locking the front race onto the step in the shaft and the outer races being a controlled distance apart dictated by the case machining.
I don't think it's good practice to lock the shaft itself to the inner race by tight fit and its would not be necessary to lock it in with Loctite either.
A bit of fore/aft movement does not do any harm, provided an electric starter never gets near then engine (banish the thought!).
The Irvine Mills will not ask very much of any bearing, anything the right size should do, but I suggest it should be open or shielded, and NOT sealed.
Playing cards make good gaskets around 15 thou'.
In TBR engines the lack of movement is due to the locking the front race onto the step in the shaft and the outer races being a controlled distance apart dictated by the case machining.
I don't think it's good practice to lock the shaft itself to the inner race by tight fit and its would not be necessary to lock it in with Loctite either.
A bit of fore/aft movement does not do any harm, provided an electric starter never gets near then engine (banish the thought!).
The Irvine Mills will not ask very much of any bearing, anything the right size should do, but I suggest it should be open or shielded, and NOT sealed.
Playing cards make good gaskets around 15 thou'.
#374
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So, I have an Aurora (Indian) Mills 1.3 MKII replica I finally got around to running. Far as I know, it was never run before, so I did some lighter running in on it (rich, low compression), and then started leaning it out and increasing compression a bit and backing it off, and repeating that cycle a few times per tank. I've allowed the engine to cool between tanks, and now have about 15 tanks through it (about 24 minutes of run time or so).
Using a Zinger 10x4, I've gotten up to 6600RPM, and up to about 7700RPM with a Master Air Screw 9x4. These seem to be decent numbers for these props, from what I can find, yes?
I noticed, however, that vibration was excessive at the higher RPM numbers, particularly with the 9x4. Now, I'm no expert on prop balancing, but I got both props to balance fairly well on a Du-Bro balancer. I'm sure I could fine tune them further, but they seem adequately balanced, and the PAW 1.49 I had the 9x4 on previously didn't seem nearly so "vibe-y" while running it.
My question is this: are long-stroke diesels prone to more vibration than a short-stroke diesel like a PAW? Or am I actually that far off my prop balancing skills and need to brush up? Or perhaps it could be something else wrong with the engine itself? I'll have to open it up and see if the conrod ends are worn, but they looked fine upon initial inspection, and I have a hard time believing just a few tanks could open the ends up that much so soon.
Using a Zinger 10x4, I've gotten up to 6600RPM, and up to about 7700RPM with a Master Air Screw 9x4. These seem to be decent numbers for these props, from what I can find, yes?
I noticed, however, that vibration was excessive at the higher RPM numbers, particularly with the 9x4. Now, I'm no expert on prop balancing, but I got both props to balance fairly well on a Du-Bro balancer. I'm sure I could fine tune them further, but they seem adequately balanced, and the PAW 1.49 I had the 9x4 on previously didn't seem nearly so "vibe-y" while running it.
My question is this: are long-stroke diesels prone to more vibration than a short-stroke diesel like a PAW? Or am I actually that far off my prop balancing skills and need to brush up? Or perhaps it could be something else wrong with the engine itself? I'll have to open it up and see if the conrod ends are worn, but they looked fine upon initial inspection, and I have a hard time believing just a few tanks could open the ends up that much so soon.