SD restoration

[phil]

I've always wondered how it would work to machine back to a nice surface,polish, like owd jockey did, then use a zinc chloride flux and lay a coat of lead free solder on [tin], wipe smooth while still hot hot enough to be liquid. Then polish on lathe, tin polishes up quite nicely, as those who are old enough to have worked with tin plate at school, may remember. Would be much less expensive than chrome, redo in 10 years or never if its a "rack queen"

[Oyster 49]

I've just got my first price for chroming £35 plus VAT. Just over £40 all in. Ouch, but worth it. I suspect the bulk of the cost of chroming is the dressing and polishing rather than dipping into the relevent tanks.

[woodbutchergraham]

Seems quite reasonable considering the amount of work involved. I have taken to polishing up the di cast on the twin jet Amal. Not obviously to the chrome standard but keeps me interested. Thats until I can start to fit it all together again.
Keep up the posts

[charlesp]

Oyster, I'm sure you are right. I have had things chromed that I never expected to come back with no evidence of pitting, but they have done it.

Most platers would rather you took a load of stuff along rather than just one item, and many have a minimum order. My local outfit have £40 as their minimum.

I feel that polishing the steel yourself could be a problem unless you're particularly skillful. The professionals tend to leave a rather less rippled finish than first-timers. It's a bit like dressing out a shotgun barrel, a skilled worker can leave it looking new with virtually no rippling.

[Oyster 49]

Hello Charles,

I went to Derby platers for a chat on friday afternoon and showed them the part. Quote was £60 plus VAT Even though I explained that I was not looking for bling he was telling me that they always give everything a polish. Dipping in the tanks is the easy bit. He showed me an E-Type bumper overrider that was a concourse job. The sequence is as follows for that one: polish bare steel to mirror finish, dip in acid, copper plate, repolish, nickel plate, repolish, and finally chrome plating. The finish was supurb even though it was only at the copper plate stage. Mirror finish copper

£60 plus VAT is a bit steep, so I will use the platers in Hinckley @£35

I have a little more emery dressing to do! I also have a spare leg courtesy of Jan, so I might build up the SD using that in the short term.

A final order of a few bits from SOS and the engine can be rebuilt. A bit busy on other jobs at the moment though.

Graham, lets see some pics of your polished up carb?

[Oyster 49]

Can anyone advise the size of the thread for the gearbox oil filler plug? I believe a standard plumbing fitting fits and was the original brass plug?

Thanks.

[dandrews]

On my century and featherweight they seem to be 3/4 inch BSF.

[woodbutchergraham]

After another successful re-build I decided to see what affect polish has on di-cast. It’s not the best medium to get a good finish but this was after the first rough cut. With time I’m hoping for a slightly better finish [attachment=2]P6040141.JPG[/attachment]

[Oyster 49]

I've been a little quiet on this thread, as I have been busy putting the SD back together I finished it today and got it ready to go in the test tank. It started first pull, with the throttle fully open . However it ran very rough at lower revs and kept cutting out. Reason was that the float valve was sticking with fuel tricking out of the low speed jet even when the engine was stopped. Was ok at higer revs though. I checked the float bowl and needle, which seemed ok. Second try was much better and the engine ran and pumped water nicely Fuel leaking seemed to be stopped

I also realised that warnings in old posts about SD's jumping into gear are true - Had to refill the test tank as most of it went on the garage floor

Next job is to get the engine on the canal and give it a good shakedown run. So far it seems like this engine will be a corker and a sweet runner I also need to order an intake trumpet as this engine is not correctly dressed without one.

I also have an original steel tiller to refurbish and fit. I'm also going to improve the shape of the fuel tube.

Interestingly the bayonet fuel filler cap leaks like a sieve, so I will be able to report on how good the paint/laquer is very soon.

The engine is long shaft, and I've got a feeling that the chop may be applied, as this engine will only ever be used on smallish boats.

It was a real buzz to hear the seagull bark

[Charles uk]

On the exhaust tube bronze retaining clamp there should be a small projection this is for the end of the clutch rod to hook over to prevent it jumping into gear, place the projection in the right orientation & it wont jump into gear.

[Horsley-Anarak]

They look much better short.

When is the SD meet? I will need to dust off cobwebs.

H-A

P.S. Mine jumps into gear as does my ON.

Does make the Mother inlaw fall off her seat, so does have its plus points.

[Charles uk]

The end of your clutch rod is facing the wrong way H-A.

That's why the SD has the strange shaped hole in the clutch lever so it moves sideways & hooks over the bronze exhaust clamp projection.

[Horsley-Anarak]

I thought that was a later Patent version.

My SD gear lever does not move sideways enought, and there is no lug on the exhaust clamp.

H-A

[Charles uk]

Compare the holes in both levers the SD lever has the hole with the big chamfers at both ends so it moves sideways, & the right clamp has the notch.

If difficult to imagine the Ministry of Supply accepting an outboard that jumps into gear!

[Horsley-Anarak]

Mine must be a rare version with a plain un-chamfered hole.
There is no notch on the exhaust clamp.

My 2 ACs and my TC both have the elongated hole and the notch on the exhaust clamp.

H-A