There is a group dedicated to small radials,

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


Many there have completed the Forest Edwards on small machine tools in home
shops.

Charles


Michel wrote:
> Hi,
>
> First I would like to thank all who offered suggestions and questions, it
all helped.
> It is very comforting to use new comers to this hobby to know there are lots
of understanding enthusiast out there willing to help.
> I did make fins and will put pitchers in a folder under mict04.
>
> My lathe is a Craftex b2227L 1 hp
>
> The engine is the Forest Edwards 5 cylinder drawn by Robert Sigler.
> Plans are available on R & R engines yahoo group, free for learning & building
but for non commercial use.
>
> It seems like a nice project to learn how to use my lathe,
> (nothing beats getting in over our heads to really learn some thing).
>
> The cylinder is of 6061 and has a liner for which I am using schedule 40
pipe (call me cheep).
> This is my first project other then making little bushings for the Pioneer
engines on my Lazair.
>
> I tried different angles with narrowed cuttoff tool.
> I also grinded down a piece of high speed steel cutting tool to the width of
.040. This worked best till it broke off.
>
> There always seems to be some clogging up of knife tip with aluminium. So
I end up stopping machine to clean fairly often.
>
> I have also noticed some looseness in my knife table.
> Maybe this is because it is new and needs to be adjusted snug.
> I got rid of some looseness by locking in the top slider (the one that can be
turned to different degrees).
> I will try to figure out how to adjust looseness this week, before tackling
motor base.
>
> It seems to have worked but I still don't know exactly what was wrong and
why?
>
> I have included some pitchers in photos section under mict04.
>
> Michel
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> --- In HCIRadialbuilder@yahoogroups.com, "Jason Nixon" <jasonixo@...> wrote:
>
>> Make sure you still have side relief angles on the cutter after grinding it
down. You should only be cutting with the front edge, not the sides. The tip
should be the widest part of a grooving tool.
>>
>> Also, be certain your tool is on the centerline of rotation. A quick way to
determine this is place a strip of stiff, flat metal material (like a metal
ruler/rule/scale) vertically between the tip of your tool and the part. Close
the gap just enough to hold the ruler up. If the ruler is vertical, you are on
centerline. If it is leaning towards or away from you, the tool is too high or
too low.
>>
>> Jason Nixon
>> Machining Student
>> Future Mustang II builder
>>
>>
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> Yahoo! Groups Links
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