Using Vanguard Generator Engines

[Nubs]

So over the yrs I've taken generator engines in on trades to use for parts and got to

I made up a fixture and bolted this 18hp onto my Ole lathe, filled er' with oil and pulled the spark plugs and hit the switch. it seemed to turn fine so i went ahead and re cut the taper to a M30, now i'm able to run the Polaris ATV drive clutches without strippin' the engine down to do the crank. the clutches are in great plenty on the Ole interweb.
Gonna try the next one with the flywheel on

[hydromike]

Now that's very cool. I think my old lathe is only about 30 years older. Do you have a jig to cut the 30mm taper? I'd love to hear more on that part.... I bet you take the spark plugs out, huh?


This also got me thinking if you could turn down the old generator taper to a straight 1", and then cut a keyway on it with a mill. I don't think there's enough head-clearance on my Bridgeport to cut a 1/4" keyway with the crank in the engine. How hard is the crank material?

[JoeMeg]

Nubs,great idea!

Mike,perhaps set-up the block on it's side or upside down to mill the keyway?

[phabib]

That is a really creative and well done setup. Would a broach in a press work to cut the keyway?

[hydromike]

Would a broach in a press work to cut the keyway?

Not really. A broach is really used for cutting a keyway in a bore, like in a sprocket, a gear, or a part that goes *over* the shaft, like in a clutch. And end-mill or a keyway cutter would need to be used to cut the slot in the shaft. You might be able to use something like a woodruff key cutter in the lathe if you put the cutter in the headstock, rotated the engine 90 degrees on the jig Nubs has set up and do it that way. It'd be tricky getting the Z-axis right; I don't know if his jig currently allows for that, or even if there'd be enough room with the crankshaft still in the engine. Pretty cool to think about, though.

[Nubs]

Now that's very cool. I think my old lathe is only about 30 years older. Do you have a jig to cut the 30mm taper? I'd love to hear more on that part.... I bet you take the spark plugs out, huh?


This also got me thinking if you could turn down the old generator taper to a straight 1", and then cut a keyway on it with a mill. I don't think there's enough head-clearance on my Bridgeport to cut a 1/4" keyway with the crank in the engine. How hard is the crank material?

I use an old m30 tapered crank and a dial indicator on the compound rest to setup for the cut. the cast steel cuts like butter, ya end up with a 2.125 long stub if goin' to 1". i have re cut a keyway with the crank in the block using a horizontal mill and a 2" cutter, you only can get about a 1.250 long cut. for the m30, just keep making lite passes t'il ya end up with 1.180 @ the shoulder. that number can change depending on the spacing you want from the clutch and block.