SEM Amanco restoration

If the engine is only going to be running off load, with the exhaust valve latched open most of the time, then I guess it'll be OK. I'd be less happy if I was working the engine to any appreciable extent. It's not the way I'd do it..........

Regards

Philip T-E

I must say, I've found this series a rather curious one. Firstly we were told how Whitworth were correct threads for an Amanco, then how the crankshaft was a casting and then treated to the fabricated conrod, when spares for this fairly common engine are available from the States.

This whole restoration has been done from the point of view of a model engineer rather than an engine restorer, and I think that a newcomer to the hobby could pick up some inaccurate ideas from it.

Nigel McBurney did correct the threads gaffe with a letter to the editor, but it could have been caught before publishing with a little more peer review, to steal a scientific term, than it has had. I wonder if the reprint in times to come will have Nigel's letter as an addendum.

Regards, Arthur G

told how Whitworth were correct threads for an

fabricated conrod, when spares for this fairly

engineer rather than an engine restorer, and I

but it could have been caught before

than it has had. I wonder if the reprint in

I think 'peer review', is something which has been largely lacking since the days when DWE was editor (though I know Eric Brain gets to cast an eye over some articles prior to publication). Difficult to know anyway whether or not to print, shall we say, potentially contentious articles (the Scott owners club once published an article advocating that big ends should be assembled tight with the last couple of rollers being driven in with a block of wood!) but I get the impression that there a fair number of people coming into the hobby now from a non-engineering background and there is indeed a risk of some believing that if it's in the magazine it must be right.

One other thought, the engine concerned is hit and miss governed so in terms of peak loads it makes little difference whether is it running idle or not, only the frequency with which those loads are applied changes. In that respect I guess a hit and miss engine is harder on it's reciprocating components than a throttle governed one.