Author Topic: Barrel Fins  (Read 7345 times)

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Offline ste

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Barrel Fins
« on: 05 Jan 2014 at 18:09 »
What is the general advice on repairing barrel fins? I have at least 3 or 4 broken fins on the barrels of the motor I was going to use. Should I try and find better ones or repair what's on the complete motor? It's a TS. (Ignore the timing cover; it now has a conventional one.)
Stephen

Offline cardan

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #1 on: 05 Jan 2014 at 20:39 »

Hi Stephen,

The barrels look to be veteran - no fins around the inlet and exhaust ports, and threaded bosses on the top for priming/ungumming taps suggest 1913-1914 or so. They look pretty good, so if you're trying to build a vintage machine you might be able to swap them for a later set of barrels with better fins?

Also the flywheel looks to be a flywheel clutch without innards. Again a plain flywheel should be easy to find if you're building a TS.

Cheers

Leon

Offline graeme

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #2 on: 05 Jan 2014 at 21:47 »
The barrels certainly do look to be veteran - and in good order at that too. Do you have the engine number Stephen? It would be interesting to see if the whole engine is from the veteran era as well. As for the timing cover, that is for a dynamo drive - definitely not from the veteran era!
Cheers, Graeme

Offline ste

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #3 on: 05 Jan 2014 at 22:54 »
Sorry, I should have posted the up to date photos, which has the correct timing cover and flywheel.
The frame number is 74100 and motor 73591.which places them both in the 1924 era.
I was aware they were veteran barrels, but was going to use them anyway. Should I stay with the veteran ones or try the pair of correct ones which I have? They have less damage to the fins.
Finally, is there any value in the veteran barrels and the clutch flywheel if I decide to sell them? I'd gladly swap them for a better seat or front hub/wheel.
I've also included a seat photo. Do you think I could modify the springs to make it fit?

Offline cardan

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #4 on: 05 Jan 2014 at 23:17 »

Hi Stephen,

Brooks seats used compound springs: rather than having the wrong springs on your seat I think you are just missing the larger diameter outside ones. It shouldn't be too hard to find these.

Re barrels: rusted fins are a disaster, broken fins are easier to fix. If you're doing a 1924 bike I think it would be worth using correct vintage barrels as they look quite different. The later barrels will also run a bit cooler and breath a bit better. Someone will want you veteran barrels (hard to find these days), but part of a flywheel clutch is probably not a big ticket item! Someone will want it.

Leon

Offline ste

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #5 on: 05 Jan 2014 at 23:26 »
Thanks for that. Guess I'd better check out my vintage barrels.
Does the club sell the seat springs with the hook/eye to attach it to the frame?

Offline ste

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #6 on: 20 Jan 2014 at 02:22 »
Now I have a quandary: having removed the veteran barrels from the 1924 motor, my mechanic/engineer informs me that the barrels have been rebored, the valves all reset or reseated?, that basically it's a well overhauled motor with very little use, and would run very well the way it is.

Do I: 1. Use the motor the way it is and suffer the comments that it's incorrect? Cheaper option.
Or 2: Get new pistons, rebore the barrels to fit, redo the valves etc. A costly option.
Someone has spent time and money on this motor and I'm tempted to use it the way it is.

Comments please.

Offline oily bloke

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #7 on: 20 Jan 2014 at 06:17 »
Hi, My EW350 is a complete Bitsa. A mish mash of parts that represents an EW. So far as I am concerned it is a useable bike.
The vast majority do not really know what they are looking at, the minority think they do and a very small minority do know their stuff.
If you are concerned that people will be critical then pay the money and get the correct barrels, or assemble as is and get the thing on the road whilst looking out for the correct stuff to be fitted when time and money permit, or build as is and enjoy it. The choice is entirely yours. Good luck.
The seat springs are available from the LDMCC.

Offline ste

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #8 on: 20 Jan 2014 at 06:32 »
Thank you!!!
I like your advice. Cheers.

Offline oily bloke

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #9 on: 21 Jan 2014 at 07:50 »
Hi,
You're welcome, but I forgot to mention the main issue of the thread. The barrel fins. I have used 2 methods both of which were successful. First was cut out replacement pieces from a scrap cast iron barrel (any cast iron fin will do). I picked an old trashed triumph barrel for a fiver. I welded it up using an old iron piston ring as the filler. A bit of fettling and away you go. I have also used JB weld and glued pieces on where I could not get a torch in to weld. This, surprisingly, has lasted about 10 years on a side valve Raleigh with horizontal fins which do not have the benefit of gravity to hold them in place. I admit that it may be a bit risky on a sidevalve which gets much hotter than OHV but it is supposed to survive over 500 degrees C.
Hope that helps.
Andy

Offline ste

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #10 on: 21 Jan 2014 at 08:46 »
Thanks for the advice again. I'm spurred on now.

Offline cardan

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #11 on: 21 Jan 2014 at 09:58 »
Hi Stephen,

I'd use it with the veteran barrels. If someone wants them, the price is a reconditioned set of vintage barrels and pistons. If anyone comments, it will be on a rally where you are actually riding a bike you have restored, having so much fun you won't care what other people say! The only downside is the sparse finning on a veteran barrel and the conservative port and valve size. Just don't push too hard.

Don't weld the cylinder if it has been bored - the correct order is heat first, machine last. Welding risks distortion. Try JB weld if you're worried about cosmetics. After all, the worst that can happen is that the fins will fall off on the ground.

Have fun,

Leon

Offline ste

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Re: Barrel Fins
« Reply #12 on: 21 Jan 2014 at 18:52 »
Thank you, I appreciate your advice.