Old Marine Engine: bronze connecting rod

bronze connecting rod

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Steve Fox

Posted on Saturday, November 08, 2003 - 09:44 pm:

I am missing a bronze connecting rod for one of my engines, a six cylinder 1909 Rochester. I thought of having a rod simply cast out of bronze but I've been told that castings are too brittle for a high torque item such as a connecting rod and that the bronze has to be treated??? drawn???. Is casting really out of the question for such an item, considering that I would like to have a runnable engine one day? How would one go about making a con rod anyway?

keith

Posted on Sunday, November 09, 2003 - 09:47 am:

Steve: You should be able to have one cast from Silicon Bronze. This is a high strength bronze. Alot of the early marine engines had cast bronze rods. You should be able to use one of the existing rods for a loose pattern. If you can't find a foundry to do it, contact me. Cattail Foundry in my area does excellent work, and is capable of doing the rod. You are very fortunate to find such an engine. I do have a better idea though; SELL ME THE ENGINE. Good Luck.

Bruce

Posted on Sunday, November 09, 2003 - 09:17 pm:

Steve; Have you ever discovered the history of your 6cyl Rochester-Was this a Muskoka or Hamilton
area engine? Have I seen this engine in Wendel's column in Gas Engine magazine? Is it battery ignition or do you have a DU6 Bosch or some other mag? Would you take it to Clayton in August?There's a tunnel hull period racing launch being built in the Clayton Stone building worthy of your great Rochester. We'd all love to see some pictures??

Steve Fox

Posted on Sunday, November 30, 2003 - 10:16 pm:

Thanks for the info, Keith. I'll try to arrange for the casting here. The Rochester is in poor shape and needs a great deal or work and was not cheap on top of all that. Bruce: The engine is a 1908 or so racing engine built by the Rochester Gas Engine Company of -wait for it- Rochester, New York. The tunnel hull replica being built in the Clayton museum is based on their 1904 raceboat Katz, which was also built, coincidentally, by the said Rochester enterprise as an experimental one-off for a Rochester businessman who had a cottage on the St Lawrence. My six cyl weighs about 600 lbs and it would crush the little replica like an eggshell. I told them they instal the 3 cyl Gray donated by the Friends of John Clark. That would be a good match.

Tom Stranko

Posted on Monday, December 01, 2003 - 07:37 pm:

Is this a straight 6? Would LOVE some pictures

Tom Stranko

Posted on Monday, December 01, 2003 - 07:51 pm:

I have an original 1900 and 1905 Rochester catalog. Scans to follow or the 2 cyl (biggest)
for 1900 and the "big four" for 1905

Tom Stranko

Posted on Monday, December 01, 2003 - 07:51 pm: