DavidR8's shop shenanigans

trevj

Ultra Member
Can't find -8AN nuts. They do have brass nuts for compression fittings. That may work and at $1.09 each it's worth a try assuming the threads are correct. Their web page doesn't list that information.
A bit late to the party, but I have bought a lot of specialty hardware and some tooling from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty.

EG AN nuts.. https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/hapages/an818.php Under $4 each, in Aluminum.

You can download their whole catalog, if that is more your browsing style. They don't seem to be overcharging for the stuff they sell, from what I have seen some outfits marking up stuff.
 

jcdammeyer

John
Premium Member
A bit late to the party, but I have bought a lot of specialty hardware and some tooling from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty.

EG AN nuts.. https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/hapages/an818.php Under $4 each, in Aluminum.

You can download their whole catalog, if that is more your browsing style. They don't seem to be overcharging for the stuff they sell, from what I have seen some outfits marking up stuff.
Thanks. I've ordered 2 and although they will take a few weeks they weren't super expensive. I did think about making my own. But already too many things on my plate.
 

trevj

Ultra Member
Honestly, I really figure that most of the guys here could do a lot worse than to download the free copy of the catalog, and have a browse through it to see what ideas and solutions pop up as you see what is out there! They stock tubing, pipe, raw materials of known alloy and provenance, sheet goods ranging from alloy aluminum, to galvanized tin, and just a PILE of really useful hardware that might be just what a fella needs to solve a problem.


They stock pretty much all the materials and hardware needed to build and repair aircraft, but almost all of it, could be just what you may need for almost any other project too!
 

jorogi

Well-Known Member
Honestly, I really figure that most of the guys here could do a lot worse than to download the free copy of the catalog, and have a browse through it to see what ideas and solutions pop up as you see what is out there! They stock tubing, pipe, raw materials of known alloy and provenance, sheet goods ranging from alloy aluminum, to galvanized tin, and just a PILE of really useful hardware that might be just what a fella needs to solve a problem.


They stock pretty much all the materials and hardware needed to build and repair aircraft, but almost all of it, could be just what you may need for almost any other project too!
Yup they're a good outfit to deal with, spent tens of thousands with them over the years. Of course there's a lot of stuff they have that makes that pretty easy to do.
 

DavidR8

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Scored a deal tonight. Saw an ad on FB Marketplace for three model engine kits. One was a Stuart 10V, partially completed, and two other engine castings kits and a box of aluminum off cuts. All for $75. Heck yeah!
Picked them up and the two engine castings are for a 15cc gas engine and a Centaur 60cc gas engine. A letter in the papers said the 60cc engine was suitable for a 12ft boat :O
This is a picture of the corner of the blueprints for the 15cc engine.
IMG_1192.jpeg
 
Scored a deal tonight. Saw an ad on FB Marketplace for three model engine kits. One was a Stuart 10V, partially completed, and two other engine castings kits and a box of aluminum off cuts. All for $75. Heck yeah!
Picked them up and the two engine castings are for a 15cc gas engine and a Centaur 60cc gas engine. A letter in the papers said the 60cc engine was suitable for a 12ft boat :O
This is a picture of the corner of the blueprints for the 15cc engine.
View attachment 47225
........ You do realize that we're going to need some build pictures, and being a rather impatient group, we expect to see the first one running by the end of next week. The other two should be completed by the end of May....... Eagerly awaiting your first installment. ;)
 

DavidR8

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Way to go. The Elmer Wall engines come up in build / casting discussion on the model engineering forums, he designed a few different models back in the day. I personally don't have any experience with them. Did you happen to get the plans?

I did get the full size blueprints for the 15cc engine but nothing for the Westerbury Centaur 60cc. Fortunately I can still get plans for it.
 

DavidR8

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Found a complete Centaur engine casting kit on eBay which had pics of all the castings. Used the pic to figure out how complete my kit is. Seems I'm missing a few items, the most significant is the crankshaft :)
The kit is still made and individual parts are available so that's not insurmountable.
IMG_1195.jpeg IMG_1194.jpeg
 

DavidR8

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Nice find.

If you got the drawings for the Centaur you could always machine a new crank, I think either Joe Pie or Blonde Hacks have a video on building a crank.
I looked on the Reeves website to see what was included in the kit and there is no crankshaft just counterweights. Drawings are on order as are the counterweights.
 

DavidR8

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I was building a rolling cart to house some drawers for flat stock and parts organizers. Assembled it on my tablesaw top to ensure it was flat.
Flip it upside down on the floor to attach the casters to the bottom. Flip it right side up onto the casters and it's rocking like a bloody hobby horse!
WTF? How can that possibly be?
Flip it over again and discover that the casters, while they all have the same diameter wheels, one is 1/2" taller than the other three. Frick.
 
I was building a rolling cart to house some drawers for flat stock and parts organizers. Assembled it on my tablesaw top to ensure it was flat.
Flip it upside down on the floor to attach the casters to the bottom. Flip it right side up onto the casters and it's rocking like a bloody hobby horse!
WTF? How can that possibly be?
Flip it over again and discover that the casters, while they all have the same diameter wheels, one is 1/2" taller than the other three. Frick.
Guess you need a little square of 1/2" plywood with one missing corner to park it on......:rolleyes:
I hate it when that happens.......
 
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