Is there a product that I can buy that will allow me to break in a Norvel BimgMig Sport .061? Or do I have to construct one? Either way, information would be highly appreciated. Thank You.

Take a scrap piece of 2x4 and cut out a notch to fit your engine. That's it. I've being doing just that for a long time - with engines rangine from an AP .09 to chainsaw gassers with no problem. Most commercially available test stand will only accomodate a certain size range.

I just bought the engine test stand by PSP. It's all metal (aluminum?) and it's really a nice piece of equipment. I know it probably costs more than the Norvell engine($80.00)! but you can use it on engines from .049 to 1.80 and larger!

Up till now I've used the homemade wood test stands and they do work too. But this new one................sweet!

Second the psp stand. Just got mine last month for my Saito 100... Sehr Gut!!!

Here is what the PSP looks like. For future references.

http://www.pspmfg.com/

Lee

Thanks. That's what I'm getting. I really appreciate your help and advice.

3rd the PSP stand. Got mine with the pole and have used it up to a Moki 1.80.

I've been happy with the Volfy 2x4 method. $80 buys a lot of other neat stuff.

banktoturn

Plus, I've yet to find a test stand that will accomodate this little jewel.

Volfy,

I've wanted one of the OS Wankels literally since I was a kid. How do you like it? Does it have decent power? Is it pretty trouble free? How big a plane have you used it on?

Thanks,

banktoturn

It doesn't belong to me (how I wish ). A friend of mine is an engine collector and bought one just because he wanted a Wankel to complete his collection. He wanted to see it run, so I helped him set it up to break it in in my backyard. It runs beautifully and probably has the power of a good BB .36 piston engine. I was surprised at how much vibration it produced though. I would have thought rotaries are much smoother. Sounds pretty much like any old 2stroke glow engine - may be a tad mellower.

The machining on it is just gorgeous to look at. It is a jewel in every sense of the word. The backplate says Graupner, so I'm not sure who produced it or if OS purchased the license to manufacture from Graupner.

Never did put it on a plane, unless... you can call the sawhorse we mounted it on "a plane". the wingloading on that thing is atrocious, consequently "the plane" never took off.

I drove an RX-7. It had a 1.1 liter wankel with a 4 barrel carb! VERY smooth, gotta love it!

I wish I had the cash for the OS unit...

I probably shouldn't fault the engine too quickly. It could very well be an unbalanced prop.

Though I can't fault your wisdom about the 2x4 and $80.00 (Actually my stand and pole came in at closer to $140.00), it does have an optional mounting plate designed for rear-mounted engines (most gas engine fit into that category).

Nice Wankel. That's a rotary, right? The smallest functioning engine on Earth is the size of a stack of pennies. Go to Google and type "wrold's smallest engine." And just to let everyone know, I was originally going to get the "CBA/Tatone Engine Test Stand w/Tank" on Tower Hobbies under R/C Engine Accesories Misc.

When the wankle was first mfg I flew two or three of them. They are really smooth. So smooth that I held one with my hands while we started it and ran it at idle only. Try that with a piston engine. The Wankle was .40 with the equivalent power of a .30. It burned an excessive amount of fuel. It is very heavy. I think the wankle was originally designed in Germany. When they gave up the Japanese bought the right to produce it. They finally gave up. The engine was too expensive to mfg. They remedied the fuel economy but more expense and weight.
That is about all I know.
Lee

You ran the engine in your hand? I used to want to do that with a .049 with the prop off, but then I realized that it would burn me.

The original wankle engine mount was shaped similiar to the wankle rotor. I wore a glove and when the mount started to show signs of heating I shut then engine off. The rear mount heated slower than I thought.
Lee

Didn't mean to veer this thread off into talking about Wankels, though it's a interesting topic. I was just picking an example of a tough application for the typical commercial test stand.

I went back and browsed the PSP website again, and sure enough it does have an optional rear mount plate.

Another reason I like the 2x4 blocks is that I end up with engine stands on which I can rest the engines in my workshop, even with a prop attached the engine. I got tired of engines dripping oil and dentingthe drywall surface of my building table. BTW, on engines larger than .46 size, I typically use 2x6 block instead.

Also, the flexibility of sawing and attaching pieces of 2x4 also allows me to mount tuned pipes and secondary mufflers (to minimize the neighbor annoyance factor) at will on the same sawhorse.

Volfy,

My engines pretty much live on that 2x4 until they're ready to move to an airplane. I hook them up, and when I'm ready to run them, I take them out back and use drywall screws to tack the 2x4 down to a big tree stump.

banktoturn

If you think that was fun, you gotta try a 3rd gen twin turbo 1.3L... About 280 RWHP, VERY smooth...

Nice ride. I hear Mazda will be resurrecting the rotary sportster in the very near future.

Anyway, here's another example of another off-the-wall setup. Took me probably 20mins with my deWalt circular saw and drill-driver to come up with this contraption.

I used the 2x4 method for several years until one day when I was running a new Saito 80,and watched as the screws I had holding the engine backed out and the engine hit the dirt.It did'nt take over five seconds for that to happen.I got the brain equilvelant of dumb thumbs and just watched it instead of chopping power.I've got a fine al. mount now,not sure of brand,that has locking pins to hold the engine there,as long as the hold down bolts stay tight.JMHO.

Bill

Storing them nose up or nose down on those 2X4's??? LOL

Ernie

ALL 4 SCREWS BACKED OUT IN 5 SECONDS??!!

Wow! Unbelievable! Those screws must have been possessed.