24-09-2019, 01:33 AM
If you can get some other rods to play with it is a great learning curve.
If it doesn't really matter - old bent rods or whatever - I have opened them out with abrasive paper stuck to a suitably sized socket, then practiced my scraping to get to the traditional 80% contact and "just falling under its own weight" criteria.
If you get it wrong, silver paper shims for fine adjustment.
Or filing the caps and ditto.
Go and play a bit first, then decide.
Sorry to go on, but I find it fun.
And if it is only a "cooking" engine it will tolerate imbalances and inaccuracies and get you around the countryside.
If it doesn't really matter - old bent rods or whatever - I have opened them out with abrasive paper stuck to a suitably sized socket, then practiced my scraping to get to the traditional 80% contact and "just falling under its own weight" criteria.
If you get it wrong, silver paper shims for fine adjustment.
Or filing the caps and ditto.
Go and play a bit first, then decide.
Sorry to go on, but I find it fun.
And if it is only a "cooking" engine it will tolerate imbalances and inaccuracies and get you around the countryside.