Yes, there is a great market waiting for a good, proven one-rotor.  It
would take a big bite out of the 100HP market.

Agreed!!!!!!

The major stumbling block is the e-shaft -- even with iron endplates it
would have a lighter all-up weight than the O-200.  With aluminum you
would be lighter than the Notax (er, ROTAX) 4-strokes.  I wonder what it
would cost to make them the right way?

Keith

You don't want to know !!
George ( down under)

George, Extreme Racing charges $3700 Aus for a three
rotor shaft. What is the US to Aus exchange dollar for dollar rate
right at the moment?  Surely they can knock out a one rotor shaft.

http://www.xtremerotaries.com/

Maybe we can get together and have a group buy on one rotor
shafts. If ten people order one rotor shafts from Extreme
I am sure they would whip out a batch. They got the billet
material in stock and the NC lathe program is more or less done.

Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.

It shouldn't cost anywhere near that much to make an e-shaft for a
one-rotor, even as short-run production.

You're talking about one piece of metal, programming a CRC machine then
standing back for a few minutes.  Is the e-shaft nitrided?  There's a
$100 - $150 job at any of the places doing reciprosaur crankshafts.

Bottom line, maybe $1000 for a one-rotor e-shaft, including a healthy
profit.

Keith

Keith do you have experience in this field i.e. CNC costing?
I do agree that some of the asking prices are way over the top.
I did buy some exotic steel, in round dollars about $100.
I did get a quote of $400 to turn it manually, cheapest so far, but I would
prefer CNC for accuracy of the eccentricity and repeatability.
Then there's the grinding - cost ?
and the Heat Treatment - cost ?
So your estimate of $1,000 is not far off the mark, however I would like to
get it done cheaper if I can - I'm still working on it.
George (down under)

It's been a while, but I've spec'd machining jobs.

There are advantages to manual machining, but the actual cost is lower
to CNC a complex part!  All you do is give the machining outfit your
print and they put it into their computer.  The resulting file goes
straight into the milling machine.  The operator mounts the raw stock
and the appropriate tool, but the machine goes faster and is more accurate.

If you hunt around for an independent shop which A), is being
underutilized and B), would be interested in repeat business, you can
get the price way down.

For that matter, take a look at the price on used CNC vertical mills on
ebay.

Keith


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