RC India

I have been away from active flying for number of years. All my glow engines have been lying and need to be cleaned and tuned before I can think of restarting flying my glow models. So decided to make a test bench for glow engines.

Since I have different size glow engines, the test bench should be able to accomodate all engine sizes, from. 15 to. 60 size. Further the bench should be stable to take engines of this capacity and should be transportable to an open space outside the house.

For the first requirement, I have used a variable size engine mount which I had purchased from the erstwhile India Hobby Centre. The mount was used for diesel engines years back. The second requirement was met by making the test bench mountable on my  glow engine caddy.

PICS! Pics! Where are the pics  :D

The build began by mounting the aluminum diesel engine mount on a 6in x 7 in 18mm ply board (scrap lying with me). The engine mount can also be replaced by two hard wood blocks and mounting plates.

Since the fuel tank should be in line with the engine carburator, an elevated fuel tank mount was made by taking a piece of ply wood and mounting 4 L shaped hooks on the sides. The fuel tank should be placed on top of this plank and held in place using rubber bands wrapped around these L hooks. I later found that the fuel tank was a bit low. So added a strip of ply below this plank before screwing it in place.

The throttle arm was made starting with a 3mm screw. Slipped an aileron horn on to this screw. Took another bolt and slipped in a (wheel) collet. The first screw was used for tightening the collet at one end of the second bolt.

Cut out a 2 inch piece of ply board and drilled a hole at one end to allow the second bolt to pass through. A spring was slid over the second bolt before tightening it to the wodden support. The spring keeps the throttle lever in place. The bolt should be tightened to provide sufficient friction to this lever. Now mount the throttle support so that it is in line with the position of the throttle on the engine.

Next step was to prepare a system for attaching the test bench on to my caddy (which is heavy enough to keep the test bench stable and has all the support equipment for starting the engine). On my caddy I have space for mounting variable width model support panel.  I used this feature for mounting the test bench.

Took a two inch wide ply board and drilled the attachment holes for fixing it on the caddy. Next I tightened the test bench on to this strip.

The last step was attaching the throttle wire to the throttle adjuster and the engine. Pictures showing the test bench mounted with a 25 and a 46 size engine attached here.

Remaining step is to fuel proof the test bench by giving it a coat of paint and a vist to the flying field for running my engines. ;D

Simple, and effective  {:)} {:)}

Suggest you use wing nuts for easy assembly/dissembly of the stand from the caddy box

Perhaps even a wind tunnel like cowl made of a plastic dustbin with the bottom cut off...
Held in place under the foot of the engine mount.
To protect the caddy from getting oily.

Thanks Sanjay ji and Iyer.

Sanjayji, I use wing nuts for the caddy mount. Maybe not visible in the pictures. Unfortunately, the engine mounting bolts are of a size for which I dont have suitable wing nuts. I have wing nuts for thinner and thicker bolts but not what are used in the IHC engine mount! Maybe an item to search for in the City Market when I go next time.

Well,  the fun of glow engine flying is the time spent in cleaning the model and caddy after each day of flying  ;D

I didn't mean the IHC mount, rather the entire test bench assembly. Unless you plan to leave it on the Caddy while flying :)

To clarify, the test bench is mounted using wing nuts. Clear picture attached. The picture after removing the test bench Plus the picture of the caddy after attaching the model mounts back Is also attached.

 :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Wonderful  :thumbsup:

nicely done  :) hope to add similar stuff once i'm free.

Thanks Vishal and Sahil

@sanjayrai55,
Next time he will add sliding rails and Spring balance to measure thrust, a tach, and an infrared thermometer for cylinder head temp with different proportions of nitro.
After that, a decibel meter...

@Iyer
 ;D  ;D   ;D

(Digital tach and thermometer available in the caddy)  >:D

No spring balance and decibel meter (any way I am alredy hard of hearing and doctors have advised a hearing aid). As of now the engines run really quite for me  ;D  ;D

Lies, Lies.
Last time he told me his Doctor said his ears are ok, it's his phone that is bad...
I can hear much better now that my son got me an I Padmini and I gave my iPad to RCAunt, who is now hard of hearing...

@Iyer - I miss half of the conversation unless I switch on the speaker even on my new mobile  :headscratch:  8-)  ;D  8) Silence when one is retired and spends 24 hours at home is God's gift   ;)

Its really Superb. Infact Simply Superb. Not just a Bench but a True Test Bench, includes everything, even some space for overflow or spilled fuel. I am really impressed with the Tool Inventory you ve got.

Thanks Miginstruments

Awesome design for a Engine test run bench Sir.  {:)} {:)} {:)}

wonder how did I miss this earlier.

I for one found runing the engine on a test bench in itself a good pastime apart from flying one.
Mostly been lucky that my neighboors were very tolerant till now. Wish you are too equally lucky.  ;D