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Forgings/Castings for Leak Compound?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 4:14 pm
by malcolmd
It looks like I need to make a new crank for my Leak Compound, and I was wondering if anyone is aware of a supplier of blank forgings or castings for the crankshaft?

Re: Forgings/Castings for Leak Compound?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:38 am
by RGSP
Hard luck Malcolm, that's a real pain.

Phil Webster built his own Leak Compound for Banjo: I'll ask him what he did for the crankshaft. He has a Colchester Student lathe, so doing his own machining would have been just about possible given care and time. By the way, Banjo is back in action, having had heavy hull repairs over the winter, and her boiler re-tubed.

I did pick up that a longstanding local engine rebuilding company would grind cranks right down from the original forging if need be, but of course that doesn't help with getting the new forging (or SG casting).

Re: Forgings/Castings for Leak Compound?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:52 am
by malcolmd
RGSP wrote: Phil Webster built his own Leak Compound for Banjo: I'll ask him what he did for the crankshaft. .
Thanks that would be interesting. ..

Re: Forgings/Castings for Leak Compound?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 10:06 am
by RGSP
Just heard back from Phil.

Friday steaming in Banjo is resumed: all welcome (I know it's a long way, but beds here are available if you fancy a change, & I'd be happy to drive you up to Phil's, which is about 35 miles).

Phil made up a crankshaft pattern out of wood, & then had it cast, followed by commercial grinding. He says it's not perfect, but has steamed for 14 successive years without problems. I can no doubt find out where he had it cast if you need the info, but it may well have been at Thurton Foundry, which is now defunct.

Dick

Re: Forgings/Castings for Leak Compound?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 12:41 pm
by barts
Hi folks -

Is there any way to save the old crank, or is it cracked or bent beyond possible repair? Metal-spraying can save a crank that is simply worn.

- Bart

Re: Forgings/Castings for Leak Compound?

Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 9:45 pm
by malcolmd
I see that I should have replied earlier... Mr Webster was good enough to donate the aforementioned wooden pattern, and I had this cast in SGI by a fine foundry in Huddersfield (and later cast a 2nd for an SBA member in Holland). I machined this on my old Harrison L5 and Rambaudi turret mill and then Lancaster Engines ground it to size - and it has worked well (so far!).

You can read/see the results in the blog, here:
https://sy-befur.co.uk/2019/01/31/steam ... cture-pt1/

and here:

https://sy-befur.co.uk/2019/02/19/steam ... cture-pt2/

thank you Phill!