The Old Machinery Magazine Forum

Forum Categories => Driven Machinery => Topic started by: harrone on 04 October, 2018, 09:20:37 pm

Title: My fully restored Hamworthy compressor & Villiers WX11
Post by: harrone on 04 October, 2018, 09:20:37 pm
Hi All

I've finally finished the restoration of a starting set that was supplied with a 100 hp Crossley Sawmill engine.

The Villiers WX11 might be a common engine in the UK but was never sold in Australia. I suspect this particular engine/compressor set is very rare in both countries.

Cheers

Mark
Title: Re: My fully restored Hamworthy compressor & Villiers WX11
Post by: sunshine man on 05 October, 2018, 08:50:36 am
Nice work, now you need the crossley
Sunshineman
Title: Re: My fully restored Hamworthy compressor & Villiers WX11
Post by: cobbadog on 05 October, 2018, 02:44:26 pm
Very nice work and a job well done.
Title: Re: My fully restored Hamworthy compressor & Villiers WX11
Post by: Scott on 05 October, 2018, 06:57:58 pm
Hello Mark.
Very nice restoration indeed. What did you have to do to the unit to get it to where you've got it? It's great to see that Villiers. I can't wait to see it around the traps somewhere.
When you compare this unit to the Crossley built compressor unit for starting a bigger Crossley, you can see why people chose these units. It would have saved them a mint.
Any idea of build year?

Cheers Scott  :)
Title: Re: My fully restored Hamworthy compressor & Villiers WX11
Post by: Kim S on 05 October, 2018, 07:35:19 pm
When you compare this unit to the Crossley built compressor unit for starting a bigger Crossley, you can see why people chose these units.

It appears that Sunshine were the engine of choice for starting a large Crossley in Australia ? no doubt the best option when dependable reliable starting was needed, I will refer this idea to Sunshineman for further evaluation ......
Title: Re: My fully restored Hamworthy compressor & Villiers WX11
Post by: harrone on 05 October, 2018, 09:45:18 pm
Hello Mark.
Very nice restoration indeed. What did you have to do to the unit to get it to where you've got it? It's great to see that Villiers. I can't wait to see it around the traps somewhere.
When you compare this unit to the Crossley built compressor unit for starting a bigger Crossley, you can see why people chose these units. It would have saved them a mint.
Any idea of build year?

Cheers Scott  :)

Hi Scott,

Both the WX11 and the compressor were completely stripped down. All parts were cleaned by means of acid and alkaline parts washers or water sandblastered. The compressor brass conrod was flogged out so needed to have the big end re-centered and the small end sleeved, the crankshaft journal was also reground. The aluminium head was a basket case so we re-cast and machined a new one. We had to drill out the head bolts to separate the old head from the barrel. The engine main bearings were replaced as well as all seals and gaskets and the single welsh plug. The iconic fuel tank was missing so I had a sheetmetal worker create a new one based on photos of  restored ones in the UK. The engine aluminium hopper was rather corroded and required some painstaking welding to fix some hairline cracks and fissures. The cast iron piece which bolts to the side of the bottom baffle chamber and the silver exhaust pipe screws into was cracked on one of the fixing points and required welding. The Engine itself was in surprisingly good condition. The rings had little wear and the bore just needed to be honed. The 3 piece crankshaft was in excellent condition.

The spark plug was a problem as it was fitted with an incorrect one. It became obvious why it didn't have the correct plug when we found that only one supplier in the UK still makes 18mm long reach plugs. That problem was solved when it was decided to make a new head, so the spark plug hole was designed to fit a 14mm long reach plug which is a very common size today. The flywheel magneto was fully reconditioned with new coil and condenser.

The engine is a type WAH and serial number is 1361, 1.5HP and was made around 1931-32. it's 1.5HP.
The Hamworthy compressor has a 3.7 cubic foot displacement at 800 RPM, 350 Lbs per square inch and a serial number of 41955.

Both the engine and the compressor are hopper cooled. The compressor has two outlets, a high pressure low volume one on the side and a low pressure high volume one on top. These starting sets were probably an optional extra when ordering large Crossley engines. I bought this starting set from a fellow who lived inland from Jervis Bay. I was down there to pickup a Wolseley Style 1 that I had bought from the old gentleman. We got talking and he decided to show me his other engines which were apparently all available for sale.

He had just sold the 100 hp Crossley but decide to keep the starting set but relented when I offered to buy it.

I might take it to the TADOMS Rally in Oakey on 27th October.

Cheers

Mark