8/4/2019 Radial Engine Instructions

1/8

Instructions for AssemblingThe Radial Engine MechaniCard

ThankyouverymuchforpurchasingTheRadialEngineMechaniCardkit!Thisistheveryfirstinmy

seriesofmailablekineticsculptures.ThepartsinthiskitareidenticaltothosewhichIputtogether,for

saleascompletedworks.Everythingyouneedisincluded,exceptglueandtools.Please,followthese

instructions,andstudytheaccompanyingdiagrams,carefully,tosuccessfullycompleteyourworking,

MechaniCardmodel.1.Gatherthetoolsandmaterialsyouwillneed:

HighViscosityTypeCyanoacrylateGlue(GapfillingSuperGlueforwood/paper)thequicksettingtype

isnotrecommended.WARNING!Cyanoacrylateglueaggressivelybondsskin.Exercisecautionwhen

applying,orwhenhandlingfreshlygluedassemblies.

SafetyGlasses

SmallForceps

Magnifier

Toothpicks

RazorBlade/HobbyKnife

SmallWireCutters

Scissors

Needlenosedpliers(orsimilar)

Waxedpaper

Finesandpaper(120150grit)

2.Familiarizeyourselfwithalloftheparts(diagramonnextpage):

1.Mailer/Box

2.TopPlate

3.BackPlate

4.Pistons(7)

5.StraightPins(7)

6.PistonSplines(7)

7.PistonBacks(7)

8.ConnectingRods(7)

9.ConRodRivets(7)

10.HubRivet

11.ConRodSpacers(8)*

12.CrankHub

13.Counterweight

14.CrankshaftDowel

15.PulleyFlanges(2)

16.InnerPulley

17.DriveBelt

18.CrankPulley

19.SmallDowel

20.CrankHandle

21.SquareShaft

22.HardwoodStrips(2)

23.SpacerStrips(8)

24.Foamtape

25.CardboardStrip

26.CrankStrip

*Note:Someeditionsofthiskitdonotrequirespacersfortheconnectingrods,andhavebeenomitted.

Oneisstillincludedforthecrankassembly.

8/4/2019 Radial Engine Instructions

2/8

25

17

1

2

4

7

15

16

18

13

11

5 8

9

10

12

6

24

24

3

23

19

20

21

22

15

11

The Radial Enginewww.MechaniCards.com

copyright 2010 Bradley N. Litwin

Drawing Not To Scale

26

8/4/2019 Radial Engine Instructions

3/8

3.PistonAssemblyPartI

Fromthewhitesideofthepart,insertStraightPin(part#5)throughthesmallerhole,intheendofConnectingRod(8),

andthenthegraphicsideofthePiston(4).Applyasparingamountofgluetothepinshaft,whereitemergesfromthe

backsideofthepiston.Pullthepinbackintothehole,slightly,inordertoworksomeglueinsideit.Avoidgettingglue

onthepin,whereitgoesthroughtheconnectingrod.Pullpinheadsnugagainsttheconnectingrod,andallowglueto

dry,thoroughly.Repeatprocedurewiththeotherpistons.

4.PistonAssemblyPartII

Afterthegluehasdried,clipoffthepinshaft,closetothebackofthepiston.!!!DANGERWARNING!!!Cuttingoff

thepin,willsenditflying!Holdontothepinwithpliersorsimilartool.Wearsafetyglasses.Aimthepin

awayfromyourselfandothers,preferablyintoawastebasket.Iftheremainingpincomesloosefromthepiston,

itshouldbereglued,beforemovingon.

Applyathincoatofgluetothefaceofpistonback(7),alignandaffixinpositiononthebacksideofthepiston.Thepin

stubshouldbewithintheslot.Whenthegluehasdried,cutofftheretainingearsfromthepistonback,flushwiththe

edgesofthepiston.

Vigorouslyrubthepistonbottomsonwaxedpaper.Thiswillinhibitgluefromunwantedstickinginsubsequentsteps,

andprovidesomelubrication.ApplygluetothenotchededgeofthePistonSpline(6)andinsertitintotheslotofthe

PistonBack,liningupthenotchoverthepinstub(shownonnextpage).Wipeawayexcessglue.Repeatforallpistons.

8/4/2019 Radial Engine Instructions

4/8

5.ConnectingRod&HubAssembly

InsertRivets(9)throughSpacers(11)*andthenthroughthelargerholeintheConnectingRods.

*Note:Someeditionsofthiskitdonotrequirethesespacers,andhavebeenomitted.

RubfrontandbackofCrankHub(12)onflattenedwaxedpaper.Withatoothpick,coattheinsideofasmall,outerhole

inthehubwithglue.Skiptheholeinthetabbedarea,reservedfortheMasterRod.PresstheendoftheRivetinto

thehole,untilitisbarelyflushwiththebacksideofthehub.InsurethatConnectingRodcontinuestorotate,bygently

exercisingthejoint,whilethegluesetsup.Holduntilset,andrepeatprocedurewithonly5morepistonassemblies.

TheremainingMasterRoddoesnotrotateonthehub.Applygluetothefaceofthetab.Alignandaffixitsconnecting

rod,whileusingitsrivetholeasaplacementguide.Therivetismerelydecorative,inthisinstance.But,ifyouomitit,

someonewillsurelypointoutthatsomethingismissing.Allowthegluetodrythoroughly,beforeproceeding.

8/4/2019 Radial Engine Instructions

5/8

6.Crankshaft/CounterweightAssembly

RubbothsidesofCounterweight(13)withwaxedpaper.Applyasmallamountofglueinthelargerholeandinsertthe

CrankshaftDowel(14).Tapthedoweldowntotheworksurface,insuringtheendisflushwiththefaceofthe

Counterweight.Thedowelmustbesquarewithrespecttothecounterweight.Wipeoffanyexcessglue.

InserttheHubRivet(10)throughthetopsideoftheCrankHub(shownabove).Applygluetotheinsideofthesmaller

Counterweighthole.PresstheHubRivetintotheCounterweightuntilitsendisbarelyflushwiththebacksideofthe

Counterweight.Wipeawayexcessglue,andgentlyexerciseCrankHubjointtoinsureitcontinuestorotate,astheglue

sets.Allowgluetodrythoroughly,beforeproceeding.

7.MainAssemblyI

TestalloftherotatingjointsintheCrankHubConnectingRodPistonassembly.Allshouldrotatefreely.Make

adjustmentsasnecessary,beforeproceeding.

Installthemechanismassembly,insertingthecrankshaftdowelthroughthecentralholeinBackPlate(3)untilthe

Counterweightrestsagainstit.AlignthenonrotatingMasterRodpistonatthe12Oclockposition,asshownabove,

andsetallthepistonswiththeirsplinesengagedintheirrespectiveslots.Besuretoorientallpistonskirtstowardthe

hub.Pistonsplinesmustrunfreelyintheirslots.Usefinesandpapertocleanoutslots,asnecessary.Rubwaxpaperon

onesideofPulleyFlange(15)andpushontotheCrankshaft(waxedsidedown)untilitissnugagainsttheundersideof

the

Back

Plate.

There

should

be

little

or

no

end

play

of

the

Crankshaft.

Apply

a

small

amount

of

glue

to

the

shaft

and

flange.Whendry,youcangentlyexercisethemechanism,byturningtheFlange.Ifanypartsarebinding,checkfor

frozenjoints,tightfits,ormisalignedpistons,andadjustasnecessary.

8/4/2019 Radial Engine Instructions

6/8

ApplygluetooneedgeofeachSpacerStrip(23)andaffixasshowninthediagram(above).Keepspacersclearofthe

pathsofthemovingpistons.Allowtodrythoroughly.

8.MainAssemblyII

InserttheCrankPulley(18)throughtheBackPlatehole,asshown.ApplygluetothetopsoftheSpacerStrips.Usingthe

CrankPulleyasanalignmentguide,assembletheTopPlate(2)ontothespacers,whilestandingbothTopandBack

Platesonaflatsurface.PressTopPlateintofullcontactwithSpacerStrips,squeezingeachjointlongenoughforthe

gluetograb.Theresultingassemblyshouldbeflat.Ifnecessary,weighdownassemblywhilegluedries,completely.

ApplygluetoonesideoftheInnerPulley(16)andpressdownoverCrankshaft,intouniformcontactwiththePulley

Flange.RepeatwithremainingPulleyFlange(15).Besuretowipeawayanyexcessglue.Allowtodrythoroughly.

InstallDriveBelt(17)overCrankPulleyandtheassembledenginepulley.Initially,thebeltmightnotseatfullydown,

insidethelargerpulleygroove.Thisisnormal,andwillworkitswayin,withuse.

9.FinalAssembly

CutCardboardStrip(25)intofour(13mm)squares,andsandwichwithFoamTape(24)onbothsidesofeach.Affix

sandwichedassembliestoundersideofBackPlate,asshown.Onesandwichwillhavetobecutoffatthecorner,to

accommodatethecrankpulley.

8/4/2019 Radial Engine Instructions

7/8

AssembletheBackPlatetotheinsideofMailerBox(1),asshown.

9.HandCrankAssembly

Checkandlightlysandforeaseoffit,insertingtheSquareDowelShaft(21)intoitsreceptacleinthecrankpulley.Apply

gluetoHardwoodStrips(22),sandwichingSmallDowel(19)andthesquareshaftintorightangleZconfiguration,as

shown.Allowtodrythoroughly.

InstallCrankHandle(20)onSmallDowel.PlaceremainingConRodSpacer(8)ontoDowel,snugupagainsttheendof

theCrankHandle,affixingwithasmalldropofglue.Whendry,trimdowel.CrankHandleshouldspinfreely.

PlacethesquareshaftoftheHandCrankAssemblyintothesquareholeoftheCrankPulley,tooperatesculpture.Crank

maybesafelystoredinthespacebetweentheBackPlateandMailerBox.PutthecrankhandlethroughtheCrankStrip

26,leavingthepinkendstickingout,foreasyretrieval.

8/4/2019 Radial Engine Instructions

8/8

Please,remember!Thoughthislittlesculptureisfairlyrobust,itisnonethelessmadeofpaper.Wearandtearisasure

tofollow,asyoupassitaround.So,enjoyitwhileitlasts.

FormoreMechaniCardandkineticsculpturefun,visitMechaniCards.comandBradLitwin.com