E: Engine Comet Mongrel

Cyborg

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Well.... I ordered up a relatively cheap hand pump/water reservoir contraption complete with gauges for pressure testing plumbing. The pump part is basically the same as the hand pump on a hydraulic jack or press. It goes to 800 PSI, but easier to control than a pressure washer. I figured it was worth the investment, because...if it works (without any drama) it is an art form I would like to explore.
 

Cyborg

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Cast your vote.
A.. unusual back yard engineering.
B.. He has completely lost his last few remains marbles.

26088
 

vibrac

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
400 psi ! hells teeth, thats 100 times more than a Vincents oil pressure when cold :p
Whats next braided oil lines?
 

Robert Watson

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Where does 400 psi come from, that's a dial indicator (or perhaps more correctly a digital indicator) nIn suspect there just to watch the expansion!! likely at well less than 3 psi
 

Cyborg

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
The plan for the indicator was to get an idea of how much expansion one stroke of the pump would produce, but didn't end up using it. After priming the pump and getting most of the air out of the tank, I gave the pump a couple of strokes, but the gauge on the tank didn't show any pressure. Long story short, it took less pressure than the gauge would indicate to begin expanding the tank. Doubt if the gauge is very accurate. Anyway, it turned out ok. The aluminum was annealed prior to bending it over the buck, so that would have made it easier to form at lower pressure. When done, the whole mess was put in the oven at 200F or so for about an hour and the tank popped up just like the indicator in the turkey. The Cerrobend runs off the aluminum like water and any bits remaining were just wiped off with a rag. It did its job, the sides and rear of the tank didn't budge, so it still fits the bike.

26101
26102
 

Cyborg

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I love this kind of thinking

Thanks... me too, especially when it doesn't end in tears. The only catch is now I need to get the other side to match. Initially I was just going to use a side cover, but now that has morphed (if successful) into a tool/electrical box. I welded together a mirror image of the oil tank and installed a 1/4 NPT bung so it can be submerged into the cerrobend. If all goes well, I'll cut it apart afterwards and then use one of those Quik-Latches to hold the lid on. Hope that I can shrink down a lip on the box so the lid will seal over top. The threads in the bung can be drilled out to accommodate wiring to whatever ends up inside there.
 

Cyborg

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Submerged the toolbox into the molten Cerrobend.... the box was pre-filled with water, but given the density of the Cerrobend I had a couple of weights handy to hold it down until things solidified. Slightly miscalculated the difference in density so the weights weren't enough....had to hold it down by hand which added to the excitement. Just for the record, this time I used the telltale on the gauge and it registered considerably higher than what I previously thought. Probably suffered from target fixation while staring at the bulging oil tank. Cut the box apart and welded in a flange as I don't have any flanging tools that will handle the gauge of the alloy. Still far from finished, but slowly making headway. The reflection in the lid makes it look a little wonky, but it turned out ok. Not perfect, but I keep telling myself if its perfect, it'll look like it was stamped out by a robot as opposed to being hand made.
Hydroform pressure.jpg
Tool box.jpg
 
Top