durabol
Well-Known Member
The two main methods for homebuilt construction would be casting vs. machining or some combination of both (probably the best option). Forging probably isn't appropriate for home construction (either the piston or connecting rod).
One method I have thought of is to produce a wax model of the engine with molds (to a fairly high tolerance to minimize machining) which is then cast using lost wax casting techniques. I planned to have an integral cylinder head/cylinder/half the crank case (this is for an opposed style engine). The only bolts would be to bolt the two halves together.
A completely machined engine would need a large block of aluminium to start with which I'm not sure how practical that would be. Perhaps lost foam casting could be used as a general model of the engine was made in foam and then cast and the resulting casting could be machined.
Brock
One method I have thought of is to produce a wax model of the engine with molds (to a fairly high tolerance to minimize machining) which is then cast using lost wax casting techniques. I planned to have an integral cylinder head/cylinder/half the crank case (this is for an opposed style engine). The only bolts would be to bolt the two halves together.
A completely machined engine would need a large block of aluminium to start with which I'm not sure how practical that would be. Perhaps lost foam casting could be used as a general model of the engine was made in foam and then cast and the resulting casting could be machined.
Brock