The Merlin Engine

[Nitrous]

I used to work in that exact same building as shown in the video about 3 1/2 years ago.
They have just completed the flattening of the whole of Rolls-Royce Main Works at Nightingale Road Derby, only leaving the Marble Hall, at the front as its listed.
In the new factory we still use the same old gear cutting machines as seen in the video, when manufacturing the engines that go on the Airbus aircraft that you all fly on holiday in.

Great Video.

All I can say is By By to the engineering manufacturing in this country thanks to Health & Safety and accident insurance claims.

[ElAurens]

Heads and cylinders cast in unit?

Kind of puts the engine DM of "blown cylinder head gasket" into question, doesn't it?

[kimosabi]

Originally Posted by ElAurens

Heads and cylinders cast in unit?

Kind of puts the engine DM of "blown cylinder head gasket" into question, doesn't it?

They are still two piece.

Very cool vid OP, just shows us that the methods are still used today, it's in the design department the real evolution has happened.

[Al Schlageter]

1/4 scale Merlin

http://dynamotive.netfirms.com/merlin/

Speaking of old machinery, the company I worked for back in the late '90s had a WW2 era lathe that was much used. Was used for drilling 3/4" dia holes in 6" dia aluminum round. Some of the holes went all the way through (up to 10" but the piece had to reversed) or tapping blind holes. No automatic reverse, so one had to be quick on the reverse lever. Can't remember it ever breaking down, though the newer lathe did.

[kimosabi]

I have a Czech lathe in my workshop, big ass chunk from the 50's, using it on everything from small bolts to 3.5m/2"+ propshafts and it's always smooth sailing. Old as heck but as I've been told, it has never never broke down in the 30+ years they've had it.

[choctaw111]

That really a really great video. Thanks for posting.

[617Squadron]

Originally Posted by Nitrous

I used to work in that exact same building as shown in the video about 3 1/2 years ago.
They have just completed the flattening of the whole of Rolls-Royce Main Works at Nightingale Road Derby, only leaving the Marble Hall, at the front as its listed.
In the new factory we still use the same old gear cutting machines as seen in the video, when manufacturing the engines that go on the Airbus aircraft that you all fly on holiday in.

Great Video.

All I can say is By By to the engineering manufacturing in this country thanks to Health & Safety and accident insurance claims.

The gear cutting machines; were they Sunderlands or David Browns? I couldn't quite tell from the video, but my guess is that they were Sunderlands.

The David Brown site at Lockwood, Huddersfield still had some Sunderland gear cutters when I used to visit it once a week back in 2002. They probably still have them now! David Brown could still probably make parts for them, as they still had the drawings.

[maxwellbest]

Yep, no cad back in those days. Rooms full of people drawing to standards of the day. I agree with the statement that CAD is just a tool. (Disclaimer, I am an engineering draftsman). Re those videos, reminds so much of one of my metalwork teachers. Ex RAF, would wear a dustcoat, shirt, tie, vest on underneath. Looked exactly like those guys in the video...Great stuff.