Resources
Hemingway Kits
Perhaps better known for kits for making tooling, Hemingway Kits also provides kits for quite a number of IC engines designed by E T Westbury and others, and is introducing steam engines as well. I have found the proprietor, Kirk Burwell, a pleasure to deal with.
Loctite
I had a job finding a small bottle of Loctite 648 high temperature retainer, for the cylinder liners and valve guides. I eventually found a 5ml bottle, but it is no longer available from that supplier and it may take some searching.
Lapping Compound
A lapping compound that breaks down, called Timesaver is available in two hardness grades and 4 grits. I have previously been put off the price. The smallest available size was a 1lb tin at £36-90 plus carriage and VAT. I see that it is now available in small pots from Heritage Steam Supplies. I must try some when I next have a suitable job.
I got some fine garnet lapping compound from Brownells and I have some 600 grit silicon carbide paste. I have also used Brasso, and it seems pretty good for fine work like easing a slightly tight thread.
Jointing Compound
My engine is built, as Westbury advises, without gaskets. A jointing compound is therefore required. Westbury suggests 'varnish' in several places, and I think I read 'copal varnish' somewhere, but can't find the reference. Traditionally formulated artists' varnishes don't seem to be readily available any more, and in any case there is probably something better that is designed for the job. When I first assembled the engine I used Hylomar but was later told by someone on a web forum that Wellseal was the stuff to use. I had not even heard of it, but bought some and was converted. It is a thin brown liquid made from a natural resin in a volatile carrier. I have not put links to these products as a search by name will easily find them.
Fasteners
The big-ends and centre bearing cap are fitted with high-tensile cap-head screws, done up tight. There are some 10-BA brass screws inside the timing cover. Everywhere else I have used home-made studs, with home-made washers and bought nuts. The 8-BA studs for the coolant flanges are stainless steel. The rest are mild steel. The manifold is fitted with 6-BA nuts with 7-BA hexagons, and 'small hexagon' nuts are also used on the flexible drive coupling.
Internet Groups and Mailing Lists
The best forum I have found is Model Engine Maker. It is an active forum with lots of people posting descriptions and photos of their work, some of which is stunning, and answering questions with enthusiasm and (often) good advice. It also has a good user interface. Home Model Engine Machinist also has a good design and can have good content too, although at the time of updating this at the end of 2023, I find it tends to be dominated by a handful of prolix and discursive contributors.
Please email me (see below) with other links I should include.
Links to other Seagulls
Graham Meek built an air-cooled version with an electric fan, and wrote about it in Engineering in Miniature, October 2010 issue, also here. As well as some interesting ideas, there is some nice workmanship on this engine.
Ron Chernich (see below) acquired a part-built Seagull, with which the original builder had evidently run into problems. Ron never did anything much with it, but his wry notes highlight the need for great care with the head bolts and water passages.
There is some footage of a Seagull running at idle on YouTube.
Other web resources
The late Ron Chernich's long established monthly newsletter is a gold mine. My thanks to whoever is preserving it.
A most valuable little program is Duncan Munro's ML7 Gear Calculator which will produce a set of possible gear trains for any thread pitch. It will store any gears one may have beyond the standard set.
Books
Westbury, Edgar T (1936, 1992), Model Petrol Engines, TEE Publishing, ISBN 0 905100 34 4.
Mason, L C (1976), Model Four Stroke Petrol Engines, Argus Books, ISBN 0 85242 431 0.
Stride, Malcolm (2007), Miniature Internal Combustion Engines, Crowood Press, ISBN 978 1 86126 921 8.
Law, Ivan (1998), Gears and Gear Cutting (Workshop Practice Series), Special Interest Model Books, ISBN 978-0852429112.
You can email me about these pages at mail@charleslamont.me.uk