Milwaukee Midget

[Milwaukee Midget]

A hopefully productive day – I’ll know more if we can get the files open.

Fordboy braved the wind and snow this morning, we went over to C&S and were given carte blanche use of the Cam Pro.
I’ve been studying all week on it with the demo version that Audie permits you to upload.  That’s all fine and well, unless the actual system you’re using is a few versions old . . .

I’m not knocking on Mel and the boys – they have it set up on an older XP machine, and for what they do, they get the results they need.  But essentially, I learned the program on a version that wasn’t available when the software was sold to C&S, so we struggled for a few hours getting the data we were looking for.

Mark is infinitely more adept at “frankencomputer” work than I am, so he took the lead.  We were able to get files for my current cam, the SPVP5 cam I ran at Maxton, and a third Elgin grind that another customer of Marks was concerned about.  Rightfully so – it looked as though someone had used it to drive fence posts.

We were hoping to burn the files to a CD, but again, the computer we were using didn’t have a CD burner – it only read CDs.  Fortunately, Mel provided a diskette for us (wow, that’s been a while), and we were able to walk out with digital profiles.  We’ll see what’s up when Mark enters them into his coal fired unit.

Off to a gig tonight – we lost our female backup singer 8 years ago, and members of all the bands she’d been associated with will be getting together to play some tunes and raise some money for the American Cancer Society.  It’s also Kate’s Birthday, so I’m the designated driver.

Tomorrow, the WMSE Rockabilly Chili Cook-off –

http://www.wmse.org/membership-at-wmse/rockabilly-chili-fundraiser/

Usually by the first weekend in March, thoughts turn to less hearty food fare.  This year, I don’t know if they’ve got enough chili to knock the chill out of my aching joints.

I'll let Mark tell ya'll about the port plugs . . .

[fordboy628]

Making port core samples of a good cylinder head.



     What a mess!!   Sure hope the mold release works . . . . . . .                  Gee, what else would this be good for?
 
Foamyboy

Drat!





I hate it when things don't work out!     As you can see from the photos, the foam has shrunken severely after it expanded and began to cure.    Unfortunately, the shrunken size does not represent how the port is shaped, and so they are useless.

I have made port cores before, always using 2 part urethane rubber.    It keeps the port shape well, but it is a bear to remove as it is pretty dense material, even in the softest compound.    With the siamesed ports on the BMC, I figured I needed something much softer, so it could be removed from the ports intact.    I used the softest urethane flexible foam, it's soft enough, but doesn't hold the shape.    I'm going to have to do some experimenting by sealing the port cavity during hardening.    That should keep the foam from shrinking.    Not sure if I'll be able to remove it intact though.    There are other foams that expand less and therefore have a higher hardness.    Will post up the next experiment as it occurs.

Think I'll just experiment with beer for tonight . . . . .
 
Eyegoreflowmonkey

[jacksoni]

Have seen some folks recommend this stuff. Have you tried it? 
http://www.uscomposites.com/moldmaking.html

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Mark, are you sure those aren't leftovers from a freshman biology class experiment in dissection?  

[Milwaukee Midget]

Oh, dear . . .

Yeah, that's call for beer and a rethink.

They look like something Dr. Leakey might have unearthed in Ethiopia.

Of course, given the antiquated design of the engine, Lucy might well have driven an Austin A-30 . . .

[manta22]

"Lucy might well have driven an Austin A-30 . . ." 

A-30... is that "A" for anthropoid, Chris? 

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[jacksoni]

I think with her size Lucy would be a good fit for the various MG conveyances, and she did hail from Ethiopia. Drs. Louis and Mary Leakey were Kenyan and worked primarily in the  Olduvai gorge which is in northern Tanzania. Were just in the area last July but didn't get to Olduvai. On my list.  

A for Australopithecus.

[fordboy628]

Have seen some folks recommend this stuff. Have you tried it? 
http://www.uscomposites.com/moldmaking.html

Yes, I've used this product before.    NO WAY this could be removed intact from a siamesed port.    Which is why I experimented with the foam.

[fordboy628]

Mark, are you sure those aren't leftovers from a freshman biology class experiment in dissection?  

Yep.    They're from a more "personal" collection . . . . .

[fordboy628]

A for Australopithecus.

Australopithecus Spiff-a-reno?

[Milwaukee Midget]

I think with her size Lucy would be a good fit for the various MG conveyances, and she did hail from Ethiopia. Drs. Louis and Mary Leakey were Kenyan and worked primarily in the  Olduvai gorge which is in northern Tanzania. Were just in the area last July but didn't get to Olduvai. On my list. 

A for Australopithecus.

Now I need to go thumb through those National Geographic stacks in the attic.

A for Australopithecus.

Australopithecus Spiff-a-reno?

Austinopithecus ? 

Sincerely,

mowog man

[Andy Cooke]

I've never made a mould, but would like to make one for a 1932 Austin 7 sidevalve, so I'm watching with interest, and am happy for you to take the pain 

Anyway, I'm sure I've seen moulds where the latex(or whatever it was) was just painted over the surface in a suitable thickness rather than filled to make a solid mould.

Andy

[fordboy628]

A for Australopithecus.

Australopithecus Spiff-a-reno?

http://www.suslik.org/Humour/General/general4.html

The true story behind this, (I first became aware of this decades ago) is that this nutjob from New Jersey, keeps sending crap from his backyard to the Smithsonian Institution.

Keep this in mind, next time you have to handle someone in a diplomatic manner . . . . . . . .
 
Diplomacyboy

[fordboy628]

I've never made a mould, but would like to make one for a 1932 Austin 7 sidevalve, so I'm watching with interest, and am happy for you to take the pain 

Anyway, I'm sure I've seen moulds where the latex(or whatever it was) was just painted over the surface in a suitable thickness rather than filled to make a solid mould.

Andy

This method would probably work for you.    It is however, labor intensive, which is why I did not use it.

http://www.diyporting.com/molds.html

 
Lazyflowmonkey

[Milwaukee Midget]

A for Australopithecus.

Australopithecus Spiff-a-reno?

http://www.suslik.org/Humour/General/general4.html

The true story behind this, (I first became aware of this decades ago) is that this nutjob from New Jersey, keeps sending crap from his backyard to the Smithsonian Institution.

Keep this in mind, next time you have to handle someone in a diplomatic manner . . . . . . . .
 
Diplomacyboy

We have a winner.  That link is brilliant.

I've never made a mould, but would like to make one for a 1932 Austin 7 sidevalve, so I'm watching with interest, and am happy for you to take the pain 

Anyway, I'm sure I've seen moulds where the latex(or whatever it was) was just painted over the surface in a suitable thickness rather than filled to make a solid mould.

Andy

Andy, on a 7, I'm thinking the exhaust ports could be done with a full fill technique with the proper product.  I just walked over to a model T block we have at work, which is similar in design - 4 exhaust, two intakes.

Of course, the big problem is getting air into the engine, and the 7 has shared intakes very similar to the T.  Putting 10 pounds of mud in a 5 pound bag CAN be done - Dolly Parton comes to mind -  it's getting the contents out intact that seems to be the problem.