Fabrication Advice

[Omnomsan]

After pulling the engine from my Mini and getting it split for teardown, I’d like to get an adapter made up for mounting the block to the stand. The adapter shown below is considered by many in the Mini community to be the best at rotating around the geometric center of the block. I figure I can get the plates drawn up and exported for the dynatorch, but I’m not sure where to source plate that thick and in such small quantities, nor the thicker/shorter pipe section needed.

Where would I get the steel for this project? If I can get it cut, I’m sure it wouldn’t be too difficult to get it welded up.

[richmeyer]

There is a pallet of scrap aluminum and steel plate in the Warehouse that you are free to use. When you enter the 102 warehouse through the door, immediately to your right is a steel safe. Next to the safe is where the pallet is. Use what you need, leave some for others.

[HankCowdog]

Metal supermarkets (www.metalsupermarkets.com) will cut steel to length. I use the one in Plano (near Fry’s), but there is more than one locally and they also ship.

Typically you can call or email them for a quote and then pick it up in a couple of hours.

[Omnomsan]

Just drove up here to take a look and nothing on the pallet will work unfortunately. Also checked metal shop for suitable scraps with no luck. Time to search some out

[TBJK]

Metals4u, it’s down the road and they have drops so you don’t pay full price

[jast]

if you need more leads…
https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/Metal_Suppliers

[Omnomsan]

Thanks, I haven’t done much in the way of sourcing metal other than Home Depot or Lowes for my little projects. I should have known to check the wiki!

[Photomancer]

Seeing that engine mounted that way reminds me of my FIAT 850 Spider … 903cc … bored out 950cc!

I could pick the engine, assembled up and put on work engine. Fraternity brothers had motorcycles with bigger engines.

[Omnomsan]

You are not lying lol. I’m not a big guy, and my wife is even smaller, and we were able to kind of move it around. Lifting is a different story. 998cc

[jast]

The real problem with bores this small is that you can’t get your hand down them to clean them properly before assembly… Requires improvisation on my preferred technique.

[Photomancer]

Cleaned, bored, decked, and line bored at shop. They are too good at what they do for the price.

[jast]

And cleaned, inspected, and cleaned again before assembly unless you’re a L O T more trusting than I…

[Photomancer]

Maybe I had a better shop to rely on?

[TLAR]

This!

One would really want to know how the rings were installed or if they were all installed and in the correct orientation with wrist pin retainers…(okay maybe just two of us would postitively want to know that)

[ioport51]

will be having a SMAW class in the near future, it would serve you well.

[Omnomsan]

I should be receiving the engine mount adapter in kit form this week, ready to be welded up. I’m only signed off on MIG and while I think it’ll do the job (and I see it needs a ground repair), I’m not completely confident in my skills for structural welds just yet. Would anyone care to help me weld this up so it’ll stay in one piece with a block mounted to it?

Name a time this weekend and I’ll buy lunch or something in return. Almost ready to take things to the machine shop

[TLAR]

This is a good plan !

[Omnomsan]

If it gets delivered by this weekend, I’ll bring it to the committee meeting on Saturday to talk about welding and Vapor Hone.

[Omnomsan]

Went to the meeting and did some cleanup but had to take my wife to work. I’ll try to pop in tomorrow and maybe see about using the MIG to weld it together. I was able to mill some slots for the bolt holes to line up for my engine stand with some help.

[Omnomsan]

Also following up since it was asked of me today and I didn’t know, the guy that makes the engine stand adapter said the plates are HRPO mild steel plate.

The milling I did on the Bridgeport worked a treat and the plate mates perfectly with the stand.