ward-O,
Tried to post a comment to your earlier of the two above, pretty late last night, but timed out, or something...
Richard's test stand is beautifully done!
Engine test stand details are so basic, and of such long common use, that there can't be anything patented about them. Some of the concerns mentioned could be dealt with by picking the brains of others who have produced test mounts.
Examples:
...The recent J'Tec cast aluminum mounts use countersunk flush-head bolts inserted DOWN though the clamp, pedestal and base, where they are held on with a washer and nut. This also prevents the damage from the previous sliding carriage bolt method. The one negative about this is I haven't found high quality flush-head 1/4-20 bolts, so they need occasional replacement, every few years or so. Nothing sticks above the clamp to get in the way of a muffler or whatever. (The base projects a bit forward from whatever it mounts on, to give access to the nut and washer underneath.)
... Every test mount I've used since the small, wooden E-Z-Just's of the 1950s had locating pins for the front holes in the engine lugs. I'd trust that better than any slick clamp... The pins were far enough forward on the pedestals that just about every engine gave clearance for NVA and needle operation (except for an occasional small diesel with the NVA raked back.)
... The pedestals also sat flush to the front edge of the base. The old wooden E-Z-Justs actually had a milled step on the base to align them that way!
... The (Fox 35/DS40/B40, etc. type) upper backplate-bolt 'ears' have always required tilting the clamps a bit away at the back, and there's usually enough clearance to allow for it, and still have the engine solidly secured.
... Every stand I've used had a permanent 'bump' or shoulder at the far side of the pedestal from the engine. Richard's stand appears to have adjustable screws there. Nice, a 'square-mounted' clamp should do better than the tilt from the 'fixed' shoulder types.
... Some engines, mostly older types with the 3 backplate bolts, reach too far below the pedestal tops to fit available test stands. Some of the sparkers, which often had their mount lugs seat about 1/4" above the shaft center line, AND that third backplate-bolt ear center bottom just don't fit. I've added an extension of 1/4" hardware store extruded aluminum strip to raise the pedestals on a J'Tec mount (J-B Weld slow works!) ...found I needed even more for a Forster "35," because the shape of the lower crankcase widens from the where the mounts join the 'case. Had to make up an additional riser: a 1/8" base to clamp into the stand, topped with a 1/4" sq aluminum strip shaped to clear the crankcase's bulge. Both drilled through for the engine's mounting bolts...
If Richard is interested in any of these ideas, he's welcome to them. As I mentioned above, common usage already exists on much of this. "Borrowing" an idea is actually a compliment to the guy borrowed from, no?
Topic: Engine test stand supreme (Read 2539 times)
