Here is a crankshaft made up by BME for a twin 23.6

They do not have to be absoultly perfect, especially if you are using Gas-Glow.

Wow!!!! Those are very nice photos of that crank assembly. That engine will be a good runner I bet! Have fun flying when you get it in the air. Best Regards Capt,n

Wow, that looks good-
What type of welding was done on that crank- is it TIG welded?
Would brazing possibly work?

That is Tig welded by Keith at BME. Brazing wouldn't work as it would overheat the crank and probably wouldn't be strong enough in any case. I mig welded mine, but it was a bear. Tig welding would be the best.

AV8TOR

As usual Av8tor you are right.

Although TIG welding is hotter than gas welding it is so much faster that the piece doesn't get as hot.

I also believe it was welded with stainless rod, but I can't say for sure.

Just looking for a method of joining the crank that I could do at home- all I have is a Miller 225 stick welder-
I'd never do something that intricate with it- although I have done some stuff I'd never have thought possible with it before.

I think you are probably right about the brazing temperature and over heating the crank- but then again, after chucking a crank up in the lathe and turning some metal off of it, I think that all the heat treat the crank has is probably a case hardening of the journal. It is quite possible that a brazed joint with full penetration of the
filler into the joint- all the way around would have more strength and less internal stresses than the small surface area of TIG welds I am seeing in the pictures.

If I build one, I will probably just get it TIG welded- to be on the safe side- but the brazing is kinda tempting to me.

When you join the two cranks together the rod bearings are on the crankshaft.
That kind of heat would destroy them.

The $20.00 to have it welded would be a pretty cheap investment.

OK- you got me on that one- I didn't consider the bearings.