Just found this pic on the computer of some of the (many) different variations of clutch throw out lever.



The extra bump on the Aero lever is so it can be cut short and the same forging used for the Endeavour model.

-Doug

HELLO ALL,

I HAVE A FEW PARTS FROM A 1926 EW 350 LEFT OVER AFTER RESTORATION AS PER PHOTOGRAPHS ATTACHED. ALSO A CIRCA 1922 4 HP DOUGLAS OIL FILLER EXTENSION -- BRASS, NEWLY NICKEL PLATED IN PERFECT CONDITION.
THE EW350 SPROCKET WAS MADE A-NEW, CASE HARDENED AND THE ID GROUND TO SIZE. ALSO THE CRANKSHAFT TIMING PINION IS A NEW-MADE PART. THE BRACKET HAS BEEN NICKEL PLATED. CLUTCH PART HAS A SECTION MISSING ON ONE SIDE. THE TOOL WITH 6 PINS WAS MADE TO UNSCREW THE VALVE GUIDES. THE PISTONS ARE CAST IRON , WITH PINS, BUT NO RINGS.

THE PARTS HAVE BEEN SENT TO A UK FRIEND IN NORTH LONDON, THEYDON BOIS NEAR EPPING. IF SOMETHING WOULD BE OF INTEREST I CAN DELIVER TO THE INTERNATIONAL STAFFORD MOTORCYCLE SHOW IN APRIL. OTHERWISE CAN POST AT COST...
I AM OPEN TO OFFERS.

JURIS -- THE BALTIC PIONEER

(Apologies in advance for the convolute and long post)

I had not looked at this topic for quite a while but a conversation with a fellow Douglas and old bike enthusiast Harold D. on the weekend prompted me to do a little bit more searching - which has possibly unearthed another part of the jigsaw puzzle.

One thing I had a gut feeling about earlier, is that there was some link between the RAN works at Randwick (the ex. Father Shaw Wireless Works) and Star Engineering at Bondi Junction. The thread participants had established the names of the company owners (Douglas, Pulford  Court-Rice) , but I could not establish any links to the RAN works at Randwick.

Information of whom else worked for Star Engineering appeared to be non-existent at the time, but I found this reference to a Norman James Phillips from this website,

https://prodigyinstruments.com.au/news/supporting-local-excellence-prodigy-instruments-in-the-running-for-local-business-awards-2024/
https://prodigyinstruments.com.au/our-history/

which describes the history of the company N J Phillips (who are famous for their cattle and sheep drenching products) and later Prodigy Instruments.

In this site, it states that Norman did his apprentice in Engineering with Star Engineering at Bondi Junction. I wondered if Norman had a service record and looked that up and sure enough, he was in the RAN reserve from 1918 to 1928 as a E.R. Artificer (Engine Room Artificer – or skilled fitter/turner/machinist etc who could make / repair anything for a ships engine room).

Norman was born in 1904 which would have obviously made him too young to serve in WW1. He lived at 22 Alfred Street, Waverly, which happens to have been an address where Pulford also lived at some time (Norman lived there until at least 1940 with his wife Murial.

Norman ran his business (N J Phillips) from this address also. His recall from the RAAF in WW2 to allow his company to supply aircraft parts for de Havilland is interesting and information about this can be found in his service records – seems the manager left in charge when Norman enlisted was not quite up to scratch!?

Anyway, back to the link between Star Engineering and RAN works at Randwick.....Norman was in the RAN reserve and was doing an engineering apprenticeship with Star Engineering. He was an engine room artificer, and the RAN works at Randwick had a power generation plant running on producer gas (i.e. gas from coal). So, was Norman working at RAN works at Randwick as well as doing his apprenticeship?? (..still working on this one)

Also, for a while the Randwick works were used as a technical college to train returned servicemen and possibly, Norman did some of his technical studies there? – I am still trying to find more about this scheme and a student list / graduation etc but no luck so far. The Randwick works would have had the facilities for training people in a large variety of skills based on what we know of Father Shaw's endeavours there.

Warning – "long shot" idea following - I was wondering how Norman may have become involved in manufacturing aircraft parts. If we assume Norman was indeed working at the Randwick works in the capacity of Naval Reserve, then in 1924 the establishment was used by the RAAF as a research establishment under the auspices of Squadron Leader Lawrence Wackett (of the Wackett Warbler "fame" which has been mentioned in this Forum – the engine of which was a 2 cylinder opposed engine of his own design and not related to a Douglas) – so maybe Norman somehow got air industry contacts through this path – no idea! Norman was in the RAN reserve until 1928 so it may have been possible???

So - did Norman make the "Star" Douglas copy engine as part of his apprenticeship with Star Engineering (i.e. in order to demonstrate his skills in the art i.e. he did the castings, made the dies for the brand marks on the parts etc ) and this work was carried out at the RAN Works at Randwick where he worked as part of his RAN reserve activities?? I have no real proof, but it does seem plausible. I will keep looking for information and if we can find proof that Norm did actually work at the RAN works as a E.R. Artificer - then that could firm up the hypothesis.
 
-Hutch
 

Quote from: Doug on 24 Mar 2025 at 03:25 The post RA23 refers to can be found here: Illustrated tour of the pre-war Douglas o.h.v. crankshaft

-Doug

Thank you!

Quote from: RA23 on 24 Mar 2025 at 23:21 Ed,
Post war 50's 60's
R50  68 stroke
R60 73 stroke
68mm 600 barrels with R50 is a good match
Somewhere amongst my paperwork i have configurations of the two cranks with piston sizes and capacitys.
The R69S also is 73 mm.
I hope this helps.
Bob Barlow.

Thanks very much!

Quote from: Doug on 24 Mar 2025 at 03:25 The post RA23 refers to can be found here: Illustrated tour of the pre-war Douglas o.h.v. crankshaft

-Doug

Thank you Doug!

Thanks Eddie
It sounds like a very reasonable explanation to me.
Regards 
Hoejmark

Hello looking for 1 gear for my 1915 Douglas 2 3/4 hp . Anyone got one they can help me with . 

hello col . yes you had replied so it wasnt yourself but some geezer in america that keeps enquiring but never responds to the post or emails. what can you do? theres no accounting for folk.
any further interest in the bike for yourself?
care to make an offer?

Some Douglas kickstart quadrants had a spring loaded plunger in the hole that helped in getting the teeth aligned as you operated the kickstart (it prevented the teeth jamming tooth to tooth and overloading the shafts, etc).  It looks as if the lack of a plunger has already caused damage to the first couple of teeth!

  Regards,
                Eddie.