Portable engine test stands

[Mike Griffin]

I am trying to come up with a practical and simple engine test stand that I can put in the car and take to the field with me.  Would like to see any pictures you all might have of what you have done.

Thanks

Mike

[Steve Helmick]

I've got a RIGID (Home Depot, etc.) "Flip Top Off Feed Table" with an old Tatone test stand mounted on it. Don McClave came up with this idea, which he used to haul around in his hotrod Audi, and break-in his various .35/.40 sized engines. I've used mine for a ST G.51 and an SSW ASP .53. I needed to hook a guy-wire to the back side, to keep it from falling forward with the engine running. I think the Rigid thing was about $35. I have replaced some of the hinge pins and such with bolts, flat washers for shims, with elastic lock nuts to lock it down better. The legs still fold, but the top no longer does. I'll try to remember to shoot you a picture of it tomorrow...but I'm going fishing tomorrow, so.....maybe!  Steve

[Guy B Jr]

I have a Tatone metal mount on a 1"x6"x9" board that is screwed to a 2x4 with 2" lag bolts. I use folding metal sawhorse legs to mount this contraption. If an engine is larger than a .15, I hang 1/2 of a concrete block on the back of the sawhorse. That keeps it planted. All this is easily knocked down and portable.

[Bill Johnson]

I've got a RIGID (Home Depot, etc.) "Flip Top Off Feed Table" with an old Tatone test stand mounted on it. Don McClave came up with this idea, which he used to haul around in his hotrod Audi, and break-in his various .35/.40 sized engines. I've used mine for a ST G.51 and an SSW ASP .53. I needed to hook a guy-wire to the back side, to keep it from falling forward with the engine running. I think the Rigid thing was about $35. I have replaced some of the hinge pins and such with bolts, flat washers for shims, with elastic lock nuts to lock it down better. The legs still fold, but the top no longer does. I'll try to remember to shoot you a picture of it tomorrow...but I'm going fishing tomorrow, so.....maybe!   Steve

I like that! I'm getting ready, today probably, to set up a test stand. When you figure in the cost of lumber, hardware and time, this may be the way to go. Thanks for the tip, Steve,

[Paul Smith]

Yes.  The Black & Decker Workmate is good.  The Chinese knockoff from Harbor Freight is adequate for about 20% of the price.

[dave siegler]

tatone test stand through bolted on a  chunk of 2x6 clamped to a harbor freight work mate knock off. 

The top on the workmate has been replaced once, and the legs are covered  with gooey castor and get cleaned once and a while.   

gets used and abused as a paint stand lawn mower repair stand tool box holder.

Flight box fits below on rails and serves as a counterweight,

http://www.harborfreight.com/folding-clamping-workbench-with-movable-pegs-47844.html

[Howard Rush]

For stunt engines, I used an Impact.  I use the same for electric motors.  It gives more useful data than the Tatone.

[john e. holliday]

I too mount engines on a plane and run a couple of tanks and then go fly.

[Jim Kraft]

I made the frame for this one and then bought the test stand part from the hobby shop. It has run hundreds of engines and holds my ignition goodies in the yellow Nestles Quick box for quick hook up. 

[Fred Cronenwett]

I built a wooden test stand that is made from scrap plywood, 4x4 skids and is tall enough to clear the props. It weighs about 15 lbs so I can put this on the ground (concrete or grass) run the motor and it won't move. Take old cans from the kitchen and carriage bolts and put it together.

I have even run .90 sized motors on this test stand

Fred

[Mike Griffin]

Fred do the carriage bolts run all the way through the tin cans and are secured with a nut on the bottom of the plywood?

Mike

[Fred Cronenwett]

Yes, the 1/4" carriage bolts run from the top plywood to the bottom plywood, makes it really easy to assemble. The washer and nut was put on the bottom. Make it as tall as you need, I used some cans that allowed me to test 16" props

Fred

[Mike Griffin]

Thank you Fred.  I like the simplicity of your design.

Mike

[RandySmith]

I have several types of test stands that you can  mount to a workmate or vise bench

Randy

[Phil Krankowski]

I have a small steel table that used to be the frame from a trash compactor that I clamp to.  A fuel tank support would be nice, and likely will be added next.  I will probably slot a piece of material and fasten it to the side, then use an angle bracket with some wing nuts to allow adjusting the height of the tank.  The aluminum bracket is a common commercial test stand.

Phil

[Mike Griffin]

I want to thank you all for taking the time to post in response to my question.  My main concern was design with portability so I can carry to the flying field.  Like Doc and Howard, I have run new engines on models but prefer a stand alone stand.  Thank you again for your posts.

Mike

[dave siegler]

Simple cheap folds down


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Chris Cox]

Here is the test stand Alan Resinger and I use. 

[frank williams]

Mike
Here is one that I had for awhile.  It was a commercial design, but I forget who make it.  Its made of aluminum angles and square tubing.  Works great.  Tent nails go into holes in legs for holding it to the ground.  The tank arrangement on the side is a quart can that can flow into the two ounce plastic tank.  The plumbing is set up such that the plastic tank is the chicken hopper for the can.  That way the fuel level in the two ounce tank remains at a constant level.  You don't have to worry about the engine going lean even for a quart breakin run.

[Bill Johnson]

I took the advice of some members here and bought the knock-off workmate from Harbor Freight. It was $19 on sale. Some scrap wood laying around and a test stand the Chief lent me and I'm running engines. 





It's so handy, there's no need to pinch lines or tweak needle valves to get it to 2 stroke. You just tilt it back to at least a 45 degree angle with one hand and you can adjust the NVA for correct mixture in the vertical! Back on 4 feet, the OS SS40 BB and 46LAs went right back to a wet 2 stroke/4 stroke cycle.



Unclamp the center board and the whole thing fits in the trunk of a car.

[Phil Krankowski]

Just plan on replacing the tops at some point.  The press board will swell and start falling apart eventually.

I might just have to get another one of those work tables.  My first one fell apart long ago.  I rebuilt it into a brake drum forge when I was playing at blacksmiting.

Phil

[Allan Perret]

Here is the test stand Alan Resinger and I use. 

Who makes / sells that stand ?

[Bill Johnson]

Who makes / sells that stand ?

It's a Harbor Freight product.

[Steve Hines]

This is my new stand. Still have to come up with a way to adj the pipe mount. Dick Imhoff did all the work of putting it together. When it is done it will mount on the hitch of my truck, if I amount to take with me.

Steve

[Chris Wilson]

The problem that I have with the "Work Mate'" stand setup is that a powerful engine will pull it over!
Perhaps a saw horse that is lower may be better.

[proparc]

The problem that I have with the "Work Mate'" stand setup is that a powerful engine will pull it over!
Perhaps a saw horse that is lower may be better.

Had that problem with my Saito 72. It wanted to take my Work Mate and go flying! I had to hang two concrete masonry bricks on it to get it to stay still.

[Chris Wilson]

Had a PAW 40 'walk' the stand across a smooth concrete floor - quite amusing to watch actually!

[Bill Johnson]

The problem that I have with the "Work Mate'" stand setup is that a powerful engine will pull it over!
Perhaps a saw horse that is lower may be better.

I was worried about that. I think a single concrete block will work but I'm also considering a lead weight of some sort or possibly an anchor point such as a tent stake if there's a non-paved area.
There's limits as to what you can do if you truly want a portable stand.

[Bill Mohrbacher]

Junked disc brake rotors work and don't take up a lot of space

[RogerGreene]

Not too portable but it is at a good height that you don't need to squat down to start your engine. A 50 pound bag of sand at the bottom platform to keep engine test stand from moving. Stand is made from a 2x4's and some scrap plywood. I keep it in the shed.

Roger

[Bill Mohrbacher]

The Harbor freight test stand is cheap and folds.  Like someone said, you'll need to replace the top boards after a while.  I put a plywood shelf under mine, not permanently attached, just 4 wood screws underneath screwed in part way.  The shelf can be placed on the bottom fame and the screws keep it from sliding off.  A photo shows my Pegasus 2.4 idling on the stand with a disc brake rotor on the shelf.  Yes, the Pegasus will tip and travel it  on full throttle!

MECA member Jim Hawk demos a lot of engines and has them premounted so he can quickly install or remove them from his Harbor freight stand.  I came up with another quick mount system.  One of the bases uses an Edson (available from MECOA) adjustable mount I've used for engines I break in or test, where I don't need a permanent mount. 

[Bill Mohrbacher]

A few more examples

[proparc]

The Harbor freight test stand is cheap and folds. 
MECA member Jim Hawk demos a lot of engines and has them premounted so he can quickly install or remove them from his Harbor freight stand. 

I'm liking this Harbor Freight Stand setup of yours more and more. Gonna roll with that.

[Bill Mohrbacher]

Its a good way to get a base; lots and lots of guys using it.

[john gunn]

Thanks for the ideas and the photos, been to harbor freight and threw away the stock boards, made my own.  Cut a 2 by 12 section of wood and now on the way to the park to run my motors. I do not know how to do photos on the net, but my setup will last the rest of my life.

[Chris Wilson]

Word of warning here gents, if you are contemplating using those combination portable work bench/vices, then they are usually built to a price.

The engineering is flimsy at best and the clamping action tends to fold and pucker up under stress leaving you with two edges instead of a face to grip with.

Couple that with the tendency to grip the engine mount only at the tip of vice jaws that causes them to V inwards at the free end you now end up with only two points as your true grip area.
And that is a recipe for a vibrating engine to get loose since you are now gripping with a very small area but not realizing it

Make sure that you have a second method of retaining that is independent of the primary vice jaws.

[Phil Krankowski]

Word of warning here gents, if you are contemplating using those combination portable work bench/vices, then they are usually built to a price.

The engineering is flimsy at best and the clamping action tends to fold and pucker up under stress leaving you with two edges instead of a face to grip with.

Couple that with the tendency to grip the engine mount only at the tip of vice jaws that causes them to V inwards at the free end you now end up with only two points as your true grip area.
And that is a recipe for a vibrating engine to get loose since you are now gripping with a very small area but not realizing it

Make sure that you have a second method of retaining that is independent of the primary vice jaws.

All the pictures show a commercial style engine mount fastened to something that can be fastened to the table.  Yes, the tables are somewhat flimsy.  I agree a safety device should be added to keep the block from coming free, maybe a tether.  It has been recommended before that a loop of cable over the cylinder of the engine is also a good idea since the engine coming out of the commercial style mount is possible, even if the lug pin is captured properly and the mount is appropriately tightened with proper tools.  Vibration CAN loosen bolts rather effectively.  (I admit I should add a cable.  I think the old leadouts from the ARF wing I re-laced might be ideal!)

[Bill Johnson]

Word of warning here gents, if you are contemplating using those combination portable work bench/vices, then they are usually built to a price.

The engineering is flimsy at best and the clamping action tends to fold and pucker up under stress leaving you with two edges instead of a face to grip with.

Couple that with the tendency to grip the engine mount only at the tip of vice jaws that causes them to V inwards at the free end you now end up with only two points as your true grip area.
And that is a recipe for a vibrating engine to get loose since you are now gripping with a very small area but not realizing it

Make sure that you have a second method of retaining that is independent of the primary vice jaws.

Good point, Chris. Even Bill Mohrbacher's set-up (the wood T-Bolt on the bottom) still leaves a potential single point of failure, although it's a much better design then the simple vertical board clamp-up I'm using. Particularly when you consider the larger engines being run, additional safety device(s) become much more important.

[Bill Mohrbacher]

Good point, Chris. Even Bill Mohrbacher's set-up (the wood T-Bolt on the bottom) still leaves a potential single point of failure, although it's a much better design then the simple vertical board clamp-up I'm using. Particularly when you consider the larger engines being run, additional safety device(s) become much more important.

There are 2 hardwood tee blocks; not just one.  You can see this in the one on its side.  A socket screw clamps the Harbor freight tops between the tees and the 5 ply motor mounts with 1/4" socket bolts.  The HF tops do clamp against the sides of the tees, but this is secondary.  And there is a safety chain across the front to prevent the blocks from sliding out.  Engines mounted on the sides use a tee block at the back and a thru bolt at the front.

Jim Hawk's stands have an aluminum plate across the front to stop sliding should it occur.

[john e. holliday]

I still used the big old C clamp to hold my engine test stands to a saw horse or table.

[Bill Johnson]

There are 2 hardwood tee blocks; not just one.  You can see this in the one on its side.  A socket screw clamps the Harbor freight tops between the tees and the 5 ply motor mounts with 1/4" socket bolts.  The HF tops do clamp against the sides of the tees, but this is secondary.  And there is a safety chain across the front to prevent the blocks from sliding out.  Engines mounted on the sides use a tee block at the back and a thru bolt at the front.

Jim Hawk's stands have an aluminum plate across the front to stop sliding should it occur.

Nice work, Bill. I'll by modifying mine based on your ideas. Thanks!

[proparc]

Figure I better show how I am rolling. This was as of last Sunday May 3,2015.

[Phil Krankowski]

Nice cutting board!
Phil