I am looking to start making engine parts and eventually build my own engine. Where do you obtain the Cast Iron that is used for piston's and liners? I believe it's called leaded Cast Iron? What is the best all around place, book or website or whatever, for informatin on getting started machining engine parts? Who all sells casting kits for engines? Also, is there a forum somewhere for engine builders?
Thanks
Tag

I am model engine builder and can tell you, you can use cast iron from old camshaft (between cam are cast iron easy to turn in lathe) for piston and steel from drive shaft to example from front wheel drive car for sleeve (cylinder).

Picture of the first modelengines who are not beautyful but works well and easy to start and later more better and beautyful..

Go to Yahoo Groups and search after model engine builder for forum..

Jens Eirik

Tag -

I have this site bookmarked -<http://modelenginenews.org/index.html>

Don't know if it's the best but it seems up-to-date. I'm sure others on this board know more about it.

Cheers - LeeH

This is are not a forum, mostly as a news for model engine builder and newbeginner who are learning how do make own engine..

Here are the best forum for you:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Min_Int_Comb_Eng/

Jens Eirik

Hi there,

As Jens said, you don't really need any kind of 'fancy' cast iron to make the parts. Any cast iron (without flaws) should give you good running parts and good longevity. If you do get a specific type of cast iron, then meehanite cast iron is probably recommended, but not a necessity.

Again for the steel, almost anything will work reasonably well, so you may as well get something that's easier to machine. If you are going to be using a cast iron piston, then steel is probably better for the liner than cast iron. It will probably last longer (avoiding iron running on iron) and is easier to a certain extent to machine, as you won't have to deal with thin-walled iron cylinders, which are very brittle and delicate.

www.modelenginenews.org is a great site with LOTS of information. It's definitely recommended reading and is especially helpful for the beginner.

Regards
Warren

Which material i used in my modelengines:

Steel from driveshaft, annealed before machining ,do not hardening after work, the steel are hard enough. : Cylinder, crankshaft.

Torsion spring bar for suspension in car, annealed before machining ,do not hardening after work, the steel are hard enough. : Cylinder, crankshaft.

Cast iron between camshaft, cut near as possible against cam before work. : Piston and contrapiston, piston ring, bearing for crank shaft (diesel engines only)

Non ventilated brake disc (often made of cast iron) : Small piston and contrapiston for small engine as 0.2-0,8 cc model engines, piston ring

Waterpump, cylinderhead, engineparts of aluminium, melted and poured to turning bar or pattern of the crankcase to example (need knowledge about casting): Casted crankcase, cylinderhead, back cover, cylinderhead with coolingfin for the sleeve etc.. etc Never for connecting rod who need more strong against pressure, force etc..
The casted crankcase of aluminium are good as bearing for crankshaft.

Duraluminium: connecting rod, back cover, machined crankcase, cylinderhead, cylinderhead with coolingfin for the sleeve.

Old piston: Piston

Bronce: bearing for crank shaft for both model diesel- and glow engines.

Drill rod: Wrist pin

Coilspring: lock ring for wrist pin (inside the piston)

Brass: Parts for carburator as spray bar..

Pianowire: Main needle, idling needle

The picture of 0.5 cc diesel engine: piston of brake disc, crankshaft and cylinder of torsion spring bar for suspension in car, crankcase of aluminium bar. Nothing are impossile.

Steel against steel must be hardened against scoring and wearing and it is difficult to make good and precise sleeve and piston, need special tool to grind and fit these parts togheter.

Cast iron against steel are good and do not need hardening sleeve of steel.

Cast iron against cast iron are too good and easy to work, nothing to hardening. Common in our norwegian model engine David Andersen model dieselengines and other model engines of E.T. Westbury. Not knowledge about other of model engines of brands.

Jens Eirik

Thanks for all of the replies.

Jens- Could you please describe your annealing process? I'm hoping to find a neighbor that I don't like and borrow their car!!!

Thanks
Tag

Warm up the hardened steel until whole steel get cherry red glow and let it cool until steel are cold. Use the blowlamp. Not orange or white glow who can make steel bad..

Jens Eirik

The best results at anealing are obtained if the metal is brought up to dull cherry red slowly so the part is heated the same temp right through, followed by slow cooling- easiest way to acheive slow cooling is to bury the hot object in builders lime( quicklime,white powdery lime) and leave till the next day or longer if a large peice.
Stewart

Thanks again to everyone for their time and replies. This is that very sort of information that we new engine guys need to be able to get. Sometimes it's the little things like this that will keep people from trying things. Being able to get materials so cheaply, a person is more liabe to try to machine an engine or part. It really would be nice to have a forum just for engine building.

Thanks again,
Tag