Making a graphite piston

C

Chucketn

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I'm making a replacement piston for my non-running attempt at a Poppin Fire Eater Engine. First time I've worked with graphite, and boy is that stuff soft! That brought up a question. How do I attach the piston to the piston rod? Will this material take threading? Do I need to add a nut on the head end, or sandwich it between 2 nuts and washers? What do those of you that have made graphite pistons do?

Chuck

edited to correct spacing caused by OpenOffice
 
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chucketn said:
I'm making a replacement piston for mynon-running attempt at a Poppin Fire Eater Engine. First time I'veworked with graphite, and boy is that stuff soft! That brought up aquestion. How do I attach the piston to the piston rod? Will thismaterial take threading? Do I need to add a nut on the head end, orsandwich it between 2 nuts and washers? What do those of you thathave made graphite pistons do?
Chuck
Click to expand...

I haven't worked with graphite very much but I'm guessing that you would drill/bore a hole in the piston, maybe put some grooves inside the hole, use a round piston rod (also possibly with grooves in it) that will slide in to the piston hole and use some kind of epoxy to join them. I think the graphite would be be too soft and brittle to hold threads.

Hope that helps,

-Ron
 
I started turning the piston and am using a terry cloth to protect the ways. I will strip the cross slide and compound and clean the bed thoroughly when I finish.

Chuck
 
Yes you can drill and tap. I have done 1/4x20 and larger but nothing smaller. Depending on the density of the carbon, you may get some chipping/breakout but it is self lubricating and easy to work. High density stuff as in die grade, has a grain size of about .005" and under. The standard stuff is much coarser.

Any kind of normal glue will not work. There is a special adhesive that we use but I do not have the name at hand. It looks and smells a lot like a lacquer thinner, but it is not.

Carbon is messy but not as bad as smoking. Dust mask and fine filter for vacuum pickup or do it under water.
Pierre
 
I was wondering where a good place to get graphite would be?
My usual material source (onlinemetals.com) doesn't seem to carry any.
 
I inquired here as to sources, and on several other forums, about a year ago when looking for material for this project. I'll see if I can find the threads and compile a list. The graphite I have came from another forum member.

Chuck
 
Thank you very much.
It seems to be a very hard material to track down (and use apparently).

chucketn said:
I inquired here as to sources, and on several other forums, about a year ago when looking for material for this project. I'll see if I can find the threads and compile a list. The graphite I have came from another forum member.

Chuck
Click to expand...
 
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