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Running a mill or lathe on a generator
- Thread starter cathead
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
- Messages
- 2,489
Well, the plot thickens... I turned on the flywheel end of the crankshaft and felt and heard a grindy sound associated
with rotating the crankshaft. It had a "dry sound" not a sound one would hear from a bad rod or piston as much as I could
ascertain. Anyhow, after further checking, I found the far end bearing on the generator was worn out and in need of
replacement. The bearing is a common #6204RS but this bearing had a groove in it for some reason. I ordered a new
6204RS so hopefully will be reassembling the unit shortly. I could see no reason for the groove so hope that will fit and
be functional. I struggled with the grinding noise and disassembled half the machine till I found the problem. The part
is on order so hopefully in a few days that will be resolved and I can weld up a fuel tank and haul this thing to where
it will be used. I'm thinking I will weld up a steel tank at this point as my aluminum skills still need some work. I had thought of using some .050 5052 aluminum and trying some TIG but am still a little bit leery. I would appreciate
any input from you guys. It would be a 6 to 8 gallon aluminum tank I would fabricate.
with rotating the crankshaft. It had a "dry sound" not a sound one would hear from a bad rod or piston as much as I could
ascertain. Anyhow, after further checking, I found the far end bearing on the generator was worn out and in need of
replacement. The bearing is a common #6204RS but this bearing had a groove in it for some reason. I ordered a new
6204RS so hopefully will be reassembling the unit shortly. I could see no reason for the groove so hope that will fit and
be functional. I struggled with the grinding noise and disassembled half the machine till I found the problem. The part
is on order so hopefully in a few days that will be resolved and I can weld up a fuel tank and haul this thing to where
it will be used. I'm thinking I will weld up a steel tank at this point as my aluminum skills still need some work. I had thought of using some .050 5052 aluminum and trying some TIG but am still a little bit leery. I would appreciate
any input from you guys. It would be a 6 to 8 gallon aluminum tank I would fabricate.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2017
- Messages
- 2,138
As it happens, I also am in the market for a couple of steel outboard tanks. Gasoline is not to be messed with. A plastic tank is an explosion looking for a place to happen. A steel tank is the optimum solution. Aluminium can be welded up but there is a liquid compound that is swirled around inside before use. Find a supplier for home built airplanes, they will stock it. According to some home built pilots of my acquaintance, it is renewed on a regular basis.
For what it's worth, even a manufactured tank for diesel fuel cannot(?) be rated for gasoline. Some years back, "we" had a large tank built for a bucket truck. An older truck, the mileage wasn't that good. It was cheaper to use a larger tank than turbo-charge the diesel. The fairly small stock tank was to be used for a gasoline "pony" engine to run the boom so the engine and PTO wouldn't run un-necessarily. The gasoline leaked out. It would hold diesel, but wouldn't hold gasoline. Had to use a boat tank.
Modern "gasoline" is not true gasoline, it is called "motor fuel" for a reason. There are so many chemicals in it that it can only be called such. In the deep south, we are forced to use a mixture that is 15%(?) alcohol. It eats fuel hoses and does other undocumented damage to an engines. My personal experience has been very unsatisfactory with jury rigged and plastic tanks. Including Wife's favorite pick-up, which caught fire on the road. It only had 42K miles, but was 10 years old. Ten years of that funky "gasoline" literally dissolved the fuel system and it went up. She knows well how to handle an emergency and got out in time. But the truck was burned to the ground.
.
For what it's worth, even a manufactured tank for diesel fuel cannot(?) be rated for gasoline. Some years back, "we" had a large tank built for a bucket truck. An older truck, the mileage wasn't that good. It was cheaper to use a larger tank than turbo-charge the diesel. The fairly small stock tank was to be used for a gasoline "pony" engine to run the boom so the engine and PTO wouldn't run un-necessarily. The gasoline leaked out. It would hold diesel, but wouldn't hold gasoline. Had to use a boat tank.
Modern "gasoline" is not true gasoline, it is called "motor fuel" for a reason. There are so many chemicals in it that it can only be called such. In the deep south, we are forced to use a mixture that is 15%(?) alcohol. It eats fuel hoses and does other undocumented damage to an engines. My personal experience has been very unsatisfactory with jury rigged and plastic tanks. Including Wife's favorite pick-up, which caught fire on the road. It only had 42K miles, but was 10 years old. Ten years of that funky "gasoline" literally dissolved the fuel system and it went up. She knows well how to handle an emergency and got out in time. But the truck was burned to the ground.
.
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
- Messages
- 2,489
Thanks Bi11 Hudson for your post. I'm glad someone reads the details of my life in the shop. The clear and easy solution is an old Evinrude or Johnson 6 gallon boat tank. I think the Johnson tanks said"cruise a day" on them if I remember correctly.
I'm pretty sure I can find something at my local scrap yard. It's snowing heavily here right now and we are expecting about
ten inches this week. Winter is getting an early start up here I guess. Ten inches of snow in the lake will lead to early ice
so it will be a looooong winter in northern Minnesota. Here there are three grades of auto fuel, regular, somewhat better
still with 10% alcohol, and off road gasoline for boats, atv and lawn mowers with no alcohol added and 92 octane rating.
I get a kick out out of the labeling on the local gas pump. It says something like "enhanced with 10% alcohol" when in reality it should say "degraded with 10% alcohol".
Edit: Thanks to hman of Chandler, Arizona for following along and liking my posts as well as anyone else who participates.
Another thing: In Minneapolis they have the "I can't breathe" syndrome but up here it is the "I can't drive" condition.
With the new snow on the roads, some folks insist on driving like it is summertime. They tailgate
in long no passing zones and pass on the right and do not slow down when one is slowing down on the
highway for a turn. Defensive driving is quite helpful up here as anywhere I am sure. They
need a fender bender to make them wise up maybe.
I'm pretty sure I can find something at my local scrap yard. It's snowing heavily here right now and we are expecting about
ten inches this week. Winter is getting an early start up here I guess. Ten inches of snow in the lake will lead to early ice
so it will be a looooong winter in northern Minnesota. Here there are three grades of auto fuel, regular, somewhat better
still with 10% alcohol, and off road gasoline for boats, atv and lawn mowers with no alcohol added and 92 octane rating.
I get a kick out out of the labeling on the local gas pump. It says something like "enhanced with 10% alcohol" when in reality it should say "degraded with 10% alcohol".
Edit: Thanks to hman of Chandler, Arizona for following along and liking my posts as well as anyone else who participates.
Another thing: In Minneapolis they have the "I can't breathe" syndrome but up here it is the "I can't drive" condition.
With the new snow on the roads, some folks insist on driving like it is summertime. They tailgate
in long no passing zones and pass on the right and do not slow down when one is slowing down on the
highway for a turn. Defensive driving is quite helpful up here as anywhere I am sure. They
need a fender bender to make them wise up maybe.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
- Messages
- 2,489
Today I was able to get my hands on a crusty 6 gallon Johnson or maybe Evinrude 6 gallon boat tank. I did spend
several hours on cleaning it up as it was somewhat rusty inside. I had to make a gasket for the top feed assembly
too but that was sort of expected since this type of tank is likely 50 years old or better. I intend to use it on a fairly
large Honda generator and wondering if it will work siphoning fuel from the top fixture or if I would better off drilling
a hole in the bottom and using gravity only. My common sense tells me that gravity will cause less problems for me
since air leaks would shut down the generator if siphoning. I'm looking for some common sense ideas here so let me know
what you guys are thinking.
Yes, it has a couple dents but way easier than trying to make a 6 gallon fuel container out of flat stock.
As always thanks everyone for your comments.
several hours on cleaning it up as it was somewhat rusty inside. I had to make a gasket for the top feed assembly
too but that was sort of expected since this type of tank is likely 50 years old or better. I intend to use it on a fairly
large Honda generator and wondering if it will work siphoning fuel from the top fixture or if I would better off drilling
a hole in the bottom and using gravity only. My common sense tells me that gravity will cause less problems for me
since air leaks would shut down the generator if siphoning. I'm looking for some common sense ideas here so let me know
what you guys are thinking.
Yes, it has a couple dents but way easier than trying to make a 6 gallon fuel container out of flat stock.
As always thanks everyone for your comments.
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
- Messages
- 2,489
I have 10 dollars invested in the Evinrude tank so went ahead and made a 1/4 inch female outlet for
fuel on the bottom of the tank. The fitting was made of steel on the lathe and tapped for 1/4 NPT.
Then I silver soldered it on to the tank bottom. After a leak test, I drilled a small hole in the bottom of the
tank thru the silver soldered fitting. There is no screen on this set up so will add an in line screen
on the way to the carburetor. Now all that is left to get this outfit operating is to mount the tank securely
welding up a cradle to hold the tank and do the required plumbing.
The fitting is tucked up higher than the lower part of the tank rim so if I ever want to use it as a boat tank again,
I can unscrew the valve and install a flush plug.
fuel on the bottom of the tank. The fitting was made of steel on the lathe and tapped for 1/4 NPT.
Then I silver soldered it on to the tank bottom. After a leak test, I drilled a small hole in the bottom of the
tank thru the silver soldered fitting. There is no screen on this set up so will add an in line screen
on the way to the carburetor. Now all that is left to get this outfit operating is to mount the tank securely
welding up a cradle to hold the tank and do the required plumbing.
The fitting is tucked up higher than the lower part of the tank rim so if I ever want to use it as a boat tank again,
I can unscrew the valve and install a flush plug.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
- Messages
- 2,489
Thanks! It was a matter of necessity as the choice was to fabricate a tank or simply use an existing tank
of the same size needed. I have a TIG machine that I have not used much so later on I might experiment
with making one in aluminum. For the moment, it was the best way to finish up my generator project quickly and
shuffle it out the door and be able to make use of it. Tomorrow I will get some square tubing and finish up the
mounting of the tank and plumb the fuel line.