April 8th 2010, Meeting
This meeting will feature a demonstration of pouring white metal bearings by Graham Burgess. Meeting will be held at Goode Restorations, New Road Clare
David Kent and Graham Burgess from Burkent Vintage Engine Rebuilds, Port Pirie brought along their casting equipment to demonstrate the procedure.
members watch as metal is melted
After about 15 minutes of heating the white metal reached 700 degrees Fahrenheit and was ready to pour. However it is first necessary to tin the parts.
fluxing ready to tin
This is done by placing them in the molten metal to heat then spreading Allflux onto the desired surfaces and then placing back into the molten metal briefly. A nice clean tinned surface should result. This was then washed to remove all traces of flux.
preheating the casting jig
The tinned big end was placed onto the casting block which had been heated to allow the metal to flow to all surfaces.
puttied up
The big end was puttied into place using a mixture of fire clay and flour! This is to prevent leakages and to ensure the metal stays where needed. This mixture was heated to set it. The workshop now smelt like a bakery. The white metal was then poured.
pouring the white metal
Unfortunately they forgot to putty the oil hole in the con rod so only half a bearing resulted. Things always go wrong when you have a mob looking over your shoulder. The bearing cap is also done the same way.
the finished big end
They then showed us a video of how resultant bearings are then machined on a purpose made double ended lathe.
Many thanks to Graham and David for showing us their workshop secrets.
