Construction and Restoration of Model IC Engines
Last Update: August 26, 1999

Sometimes, it's good to have an obsession; others, not so. My long time obsession has been making models. Mostly airplanes, but over the years I've made just about everything but a live steam cho-cho and that time mat be drawing near! On these pages you'll find some stuff relating mostly to model engines and model engineering. You'll also find a list of stuff for sale (now includes pictures of all items), or trade, and stuff that's just plain wanted! Enjoy.

One item that's been on my list of things to try for a while has been anodizing. A recent (August, 98) visit from my long time partner in all manner of crimes, plus the unexpected arrival of a grotty old power supply moved the project to the top of the event queue and after a bit of experementing, we achieved spectacular success - even if we do say so ourselves.

This spurred a burst of old engine restoration activity. Regretably, only one of the engines involved was mine, but the owner of the others has been warned: if he runs them, he dies! So, here is a description of the process and here are some pictures of the results:

The "Weaver" 1cc diesel Construction Log (NEW!)
Taipan 1.5cc, an early model
Frog 1.5cc "Vibromatic"
ME Heron 1.0cc
Two Taipans
The EZE-1 design from Model Engine World
The Owen Mate
The Motor Boy's Nova-1 project
The Motor Boy's M&M reproduction project
Some heads done for Bert Striegler (USA)

..and just for fun, here is Tom Hammond of the Portland Model Engineers with a demonstration board of the ball handles for the Quorn tool and cutter grinder, made using the method I described in my Quorn Adventure article. Tom had actually found this piece on the web before I arrived in Portland and turned up unexpectedly at a group meeting. I don't know which of us was more surprised.

Many thanks to Metal Web News for preserving a copy of the text of my Quorn saga when my old web site went kaput. Saved me a lot of work!.