Tom KayIn looking at the camshaft, does the cam lobe open the exhaust valve, continue rotating, then the intake valve? And, is there 1 rocker arm with 2 rollers that opens both valves? Can’t quite see it. If I’ve got this correct, I can see big advantages, such as lack of complexity, spindle shafts, weight, etc.. Especially compared to the Merlin.
It’s also interesting to see the similarities, but not surprising.
More pictures, please ! Tom.
Tom KayThanks minimans. I have used the double nut method, but it would be good to find that tool, so I’ll search.
I just put another 300+ Merlin pics on my Flickr page. They range from good, small, rough, blurry, clear, duplicated, as I have just collected every picture I could find over the years. I’ll try to upload the rest at some point.
Tom.
Tom KayAnd speaking of studs, the original subject of this thread, how does one safely remove a tight stud from a casting? I just used Vise-Grips to unscrew one from my cylinder head. It worked, but the teeth scratched the daylights out of the stud body. Is there a tool that clamps down well on smooth cylindrical objects, without slipping and gouging?
Tom.
Tom KayPete;
Something else I just figured out. Flickr behaves differently on Firefox than it does on Internet Explorer. In IE, I can easily find the page that gives all the picture size choices, but in Firefox it doesn’t show up. So as much as I like ANYTHING other than Microsoft products, that’s what I’ll use for digging up images on Flickr.
I also want to say that I have a supercharger that has one little bolt boss half-broken off it, and a scratched hole through the intake bum, as if it’s been dragged on a paved road for a mile. I might have looked at that and said “Woe is me, that will never run, or even look good.” But after looking at your site, especially the Mk XX rebuild, I think Noah’s Ark is re-buildable. I am blown away by the effort that you went to in putting together the wheelcase in particular, but lots of other parts. Unbelievable! Tons of welding. I guess once you weld, it’s a relatively straightforward task of grinding to imitate the original casting external shape.
So I will go ahead and upload everything I have on Merlins, although I’m not sure what to do with a few PDF files that I have. I suspect that you have not uploaded pics from all your rebuilds, so I’d like to ask you to at least consider doing that, time consuming though it is. From each new batch of pictures I learn so much.
As an example, I have a cylinder bank, but the transport liners are very firmly seated in the holes. I assume there are something like rubber O-ring seals that sit near the top and bottom of each liner to secure them into the cylinder skirt, and keep coolant in. I can’t see inside my aluminum casting, so when I looked at your pictures, I learned that at least some cylinder skirts have a large open window from one cylinder to the next. However, I think I’ve also seen pictures where there is an obvious partition between each cylinder, so I’m guessing one is an earlier design. I might yet try to press one liner out and learn more.
Well, c’est tout pour maintenant. Thanks again Pete. Hope I’m allowing you to get some work done. Tom.
Tom KayI obviously don’t have Flickr entirely figured out, because I was able to do some good things from my computer at work, but not at home. For example, I can view my uploaded pictures at the high resolution that I wanted at work. There was no window that said “View All Sizes” on my home computer.
Second, I was able to right click and download both my pics and your pics, Pete, so let’s assume this issue is solved. Now I will up load as much as I can. I may not sort all my Merlin pics into directories, but they should all be there soon.
Cheers, and hope somebody wants a few of these photos. Tom.
Tom KayOK, I’ve uploaded 88 photos to Flickr. This is what I shot on Saturday so it’s only a tiny fraction of what I have, but gotta start somewhere.
I’m really not happy about the resolution (max) size. I don’t know how to upload at maximum size, so these are pretty small and do not blow up well. Also, I tried right clicking and saving, and it won’t work. Not sure how to set that up so people can easily download them without doing a screen grab for each one.
Here’s the link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/130143587@N02/with/15747703303
Please let me know if it doesn’t work and I’ll keep working on Flickr. Tom.
Tom KayOK, NOW I could tear my hair out. I had no idea this resource existed ! AHHHHHH !!!!
That’s my way of saying nice pictures, Pete. I noticed it won’t allow right click and save. Is this a choice made by the person who uploads the files? I would be willing to make mine public, unless someone can think of a compelling reason why that’s not good.
I’ll try to wade through Flickr. Thanks Pete.
Tom.
Tom KayRelated: Any good upload place for Merlin Pics, high resolution?
I finally visited Vintage Wings in Gatineau Quebec yesterday, and had a good 3 hours. I’ve been meaning to do that for years. First thing you’re greeted by is 6 Merlins of various Mks, and the Mk XVI Spitfire. There’s also a Mk IX Spit, 2 hurricanes, Lysander, Corsair, P-51, Chipmunk, F-86 Saber. Quite the place.
I took several close-up, high-res pics of the Merlins, and would like to share if anyone sees a value in doing this. I know I could have benefited from close up pics, especially of a good cutaway engine.
Is there a proper upload place on this forum for doing that? Each pic is about 6 megs. I have around 50 from yesterday, not to mention hundreds from over the years.
Tom.
Tom KayI can’t easily read the data plate, but it appears to be a very early Mk II or III. Still an interesting project, if you wanted to get it running. A tad high in price, if the indicated price was accurate, but maybe it’s me who’s out of touch with the value. I think Vince O’Connor in Canada has a Mk III for sale at about one-third that price.
Tom.
Tom KayMerlin supercharger on Ebay, right now, at least the US version of Ebay. IT says Mk 1 Merlin, but I really think it’s around Mk 45 or so. It’s not a side entry supercharger, but a central entry. Just look up “Merlin Supercharger” not Merlin engine, since they don’t have the word “engine” anywhere in their title.
The Merlin cylinder head that was on Ebay UK, appears to be gone.
Tom.
Tom KayHi Rich;
I’d consider any reasonable approach top getting decent Merlin parts, but I am not aware of wrecks that I could go pillage. No doubt they exist, but the whole concept of buying a Tilly hat and mosquito netting and trudging off into the wild North is another massive can of worms. Plus, wrecked parts tend to be hopelessly bent and rusty.
I will use modern techniques, such as the internet to hunt for parts, and patience with saving up “expendable” funds. I just got a quote today for many of my missing parts, some of which are reasonable cost, some aren’t. For example, today’s carburetor quote was for $400 US, as opposed to $1100 CAD from another collector near my city. So I’ll buy what I can when I get the chance.
However, the ideas are appreciated. Tom.
Tom KayWell, it’s a little late for Christmas, but it still feels like it. This is a leap of faith and trust, sending a fair bit of money to a man I’ll never meet, 2 or 3 thousand miles away, in a different country. But so far, so good. Here are the castings, crated and awaiting pick up by the shipper.
Several high res pics would sure have helped me with my quarter scale Merlin project, so if I get a request for specific pictures looking at some part of the Merlin castings that I have, I’ll be happy to oblige.
Tom.
Tom KayQldSpitty;
I think the rapid sand molds would be perfect, but they are very expensive. Shame, because it is the perfect technology for this.
Rich;
I wrote to that outfit about Meteor parts, so thanks for the link. I know I’m in for a shock. I suspect it’s easier to come up with Meteor parts in England than Canada.
Thanks, Tom.
Tom KayPete;
I recall seeing a Spiteful that had suffered a Griffon supercharger failure, and that had a piece of impeller embedded in the wing root. I think it was a 2 stage, 3 speed charger on the Griffon. Belly landing, pilot survived.
Not surprisingly I have dreamed about finding the critical inner parts to make this a runner. Barring some real luck, I have to stay within my current scope, a static display. Plus, if I ever did collect all the parts, I’d be pinging YOU a lot more often than I currently do, no doubt. I know nothing about carburetion on a Merlin.
The idea about getting a meteor engine and scavenging usable Merlin parts is very good. But Meteors are also likely pretty rare. I’ll keep an eye out for one.
I have given early thought to creating large castings. I don’t have the port side head and bank. I can likely come up with a real head (burnt through roof) for about $200, but the bank is a little harder to come by. I made an inquiry to company Exone in Troy Michigan about rapid printing a sand mold, ready to pour. It’s all possible, just bloody expensive. Wish I had a large scale sand-binder printer. Probably what would make this financially survivable, would be to make the wood patterns and cores, and the sand mold myself, using a binder to keep the mold shape, then asking a local foundry to melt and pour. Maybe heat treat so I can machine the cyl skirt.
Pete, other than your upper section of front reduction gear casing on the crankcase, has anyone else done any major Merlin castings since 1952?
Lastly, I enjoy sharing (and reading about other projects) so yes, I’ll keep the group posted.
Cheers, Tom.
Tom KayHi Mike;
You raise a good point, but there are reasons why I will likely never succeed at having a running Merlin. First, I am missing so many of the key components, such as crankshaft, con rods, pistons, all camshaft gear including fingers, etc. No carb at this point, and many accessory parts missing from the supercharger. Although the wheelcase and supercharger are full of original gears.
However, I was thinking like you, and will try to do operation-worthy repairs to the engine parts, sort of like an airworthy warbird rebuild, even though nobody expects the aircraft to fly again. For example, I’ll use engine-rated paint to colour the large castings. That way, if I ever do stumble upon a cache of parts that will get me closer to running the engine, I won’t have to take it all apart again and apply the right paint. I’m still searching for all kinds of parts. They’re all findable, but at killer cost.
I really would have preferred a running Merlin, but life is what it is.
Cheers, Tom. Keep the ideas coming !
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