Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines
The Regular Stuff: Chat, Buy, Sell, Off Topic, etc. => General Discussion - Scale Model Gas Engines - Hit & Miss - Throttle Governed - Non-Compression – etc => Topic started by: ShadetreeMotorcycle on January 03, 2021, 06:54:36 pm
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Can anyone tell me Who cast or offered for sale the Callahan casting kit? Was it quite a complete kit?...so far I slightly prefure it to the Star.
Also any ideas on where to find an un-built Callahan casting kit would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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As the Star and Callahan are difficult to find...I have been looking in to the 1/3 scale Gallaway...I found this video I thought I would share. I believe this one is in a nice state of tune! Also I am speculating the builder did as Gil suggest of leaving the max possible on the flywheels for better stored energy...they look thicker around the perimeter to my eyes...but anyway I like how this engine runs!
PS: Gil, you are correct in thinking I prefure an open crankcase...my family loves John Deere but the model E is pretty modern as hit and miss engines go...its darn cute and clean looking but a shame to enclose all those moving parts. Also it is a very small model engine.
https://youtu.be/mOb9FDhKy0I
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I have built several of Bob Herders engines and 2 of his water cooled vertical domestics, but the internal ignition is tricky.
The horizontal air cooled domestic , side shaft engine is a beautiful engine with 2" bore and pretty massive flywheels and will run very slow with it,s adjustable speed control. I am not a machinist and have still managed to successfuy BUild these engines, so the skill level i would say is moderate.
Crazydoug
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Gill, I just watched your video on the Callahan....was that a Debolt kit as well? Would you say the Star is more desirable than the Callahan? I really like both...just curious about the difference between the 2....I noticed the Star has a oiler on the rod main bearing with clear site glass....I thought the Callahan was a bit quieter running as far as clicks and clanks of mechanical bits...would love to hear your thoughts one those 2 in comparison...just in cast I stumble upon a casting kit it may give me an idea On how hard to persue a kit.
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The Gade is a high quality kit. Just remember it is a smaller engine and will not perform like the larger engines regarding slow running and longer freewheeling time. The John Deere kit is also good quality. However if you want an open crank engine it is not for you.
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Well, the Debolt Star casting kit I am told was limited edition and all kits are gone....with no plans to cast more :-[
The Gade and John Deere E are currently available with cart kits to match.
Guess if I want a Star would have to go to some shows and find someone who has a kit they would part with...
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Wow!...that is a bunch of nice engines listed, thanks guys.
The Star and Callahan look like jewelry...perhaps a bit complex to start with? Also I am new and may have to visit shows to get someone to explain igniter system to me...
The Gade runs great and may be a more simple engine to start with...also on the website they list a John deere model e in 3/10th scale. I am not sure if currently available.
I also really like the look of this one...copper is my favorite color of metal.
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I have a 1/4 scale Gade that I built from the Martin Model and Pattern castings.
Very impressed with the castings and support.
Scott
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPt7cC8eeiU
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I am not a machinist but I am a good mechanic.
First tip is do not cut a flywheel casting outer face and sides all the way down to the blueprint spec.
Leave as much metal as you can. Take off just enough to show a nice bright metal finish. You can always cut off more later if you don't like it. You cannot easily add back what you shaved off. More rotating mass = longer freewheeling time.
The Debolt Star is a great runner. Call and ask for Paul or George.
www.deboltmachine.com
The 1/3 scale Galloway is a great runner. Ask for Doug.
https://www.ministeam.com/acatalog/MiniCasting-Hit-and-Miss-Engines.html
http://minicastings.com/acatalog/Hit-Miss-Engine-Kits.html
The Callahan is a great runner if you can find a set of castings, as is the Debolt Vaughn.
Bob Herder has castings for the vertical Domestic, hopper cooled and air cooled Domestic and the Stove Pipe Domestic.
His website is old but the phone number is good.
https://bobherder.tripod.com/
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I have machining experience and have built a "Poppin" flame licker engine that runs nicely...I really wanted to attend a N.A.M.E.S show or cabin fever to find a nice scale hit and miss engine that I really like how it runs....not sure when the shows will start up again so I thought I would ask here...is there a desirable casting kit currently available that is known to run really well?....I would like it to coast a long time between hits....my first thought was the larger scale the better? But I have seen some smaller engines on YouTube that coast well...I am sure a large part is the skill of the builder! Any thoughts?