Good morning Paul
 I am sending you the propeller shaft design and i would like to
 know if Jeff can machine this shaft and how much. I specified
 sae 4130 but you can recommend a better choice for shafting and
treatment.
 I modified my housing design for a larger surface bearing at prop
 side and also a better ring gear attachment with back plate and
 rivets plus bolts. The ring gear back plate is already machined
 . With Alibre i can not convert for Rhino files but dwg can be
 open with Solid Works eDrawing

 Jean Prudhomme

 Looks good Jean. Is it an exact copy of a Lycoming or Continental
 shaft?

 If so that is good. Do you mean planet carrier back plate? If you
 want a 2.85:1 gear box you will need to drive the planet carrier
 and hold the ring gear stationary.

 You will have to contact Jeff directly and see if he will do it.
 If you are only making one or two you don't need an NC lathe.

 jeff doddridge <4starr@cox.net <mailto:4starr@cox.net
 <mailto:4starr@cox.net <mailto:4starr@cox.net

 Paul Lamar

 Yes Paul this is the exact Lycoming 10-540 big journal from the
 seal to the flange included, i did turn around 180 degree the
 planet outer ring and machined the back plate and fix with rivets
 a larger plate in dia so i can bolt it to the housing and the
 fact the planet stay forward i will need a thin oil impregnated
 flat washer between the outer ring and the back plate and panet housing.

 I did drive out the small gears shaft from the planet and i will
 make 6 longer shaft for the small gears to been driven by the
 propshaft and the planet embossed reset shaft will be press fit
 into the propeller shaft. I intend to built one unit for testing
 and built a second one may be more. I will request also a quote
 from a drive shaft manufacturer if they have the material available

 Jean Prudhomme

 Jean,IMHO the rear flange that the planetary attaches to needs a
 large radius fillet where it meets the shaft OD for the same
 reasons as the flange on the other end. Also the internal bulkhead
 might be easier to fabricate if the center had a conical 120
 degree depression the same shape as the largest drill bit you will
 use before changing to the boring bar A boring bar small enough to
 machine the center flat would be seriously overhung at that depth.
 The shallow end could be cut to constant thickness by setting the
 compound to 30 degrees.You might save on machining costs if you
 cut the billet down to .100 from all the surfaces and have the
 fine finish cuts done by someone like Jeff. The bearing journals
 will likely be done by a crankshaft repair shop who could chrome
 the journals as well.

 george grimes

 Good points George. The aft steel bulkhead could be replaced by an
 aluminum
 plug pressed in. That would make it much cheaper to build as a
 large drill can
 do most of the work. See the attached jpg.

 Paul Lamar

 Paul, As I understand it Jean has a support bearing for the input
 shaft located at the planetary end of the prop shaft and that is
 the reason the rear bulkhead is not flush. Also the whole purpose
 of this PSRU is to have a hydraulically controlled constant speed prop.
 I am a little leary about a pressed in welch plug holding the 120
 PSI prop oil pressure.If I had to change the bulkhead I would bore
 it with a step as shown in your JPEG above and fit a disk with an
 "O" ring in the rim and retain that with a snap ring. The bulkhead
 as designed is light and leak proof, just ugly to fabricate.

 george grimes

 The alloy plug would be ideal for that. The alloy plug could be
 two inches long. Hardly a welch plug. You could also add a set
 screw or two. I would still press it in as the alloy expands
 faster than the steel. A couple of tons will do the press job.

 The only think that holds the prop on in Tracy's box is a pressed
 on steel collar.

 A small hole drilled in the bulkhead could feed it with oil. Since
 the sun gear
 rotates in the same direction as the output shaft the speed
 difference would
 only be about 5K RPM.

 Making it easier to fab would also lower the cost.

 Paul Lamar

 Hi George
 When you talking on the planet rear flange and mention larger fillet
 are you talking as bigger end small gears shafts (6) i did make a sketch
 before to you and i see a real problem to machined the counterbore with
 a end mill the fact the space between the rear flange and the reverse
 trust holding flange is near by and it will be much costly to produce
 but as per Paul he mention on the past those 6 small shaft gears are
 strong enought to transfer load from the planet to the propshaft..

 Your idea with an aluminum plug with an oring and a snap ring
 retainer can be enough to hold the governor pressure???May be we
 need also a reverse oil seal to hold the pressure.

 All your recommendations are helpfull.

 The real estate slow down now so i will put more time in the project.
 Is easy to removed those little shaft from the planet just tap on it
 with same size punch and hammer and the rizpin cut very easy and for
 the remaining part on the planet just trace a line where the pin are
 located and a small corner grinding to reach the other end of the
 hole which is very near and punch it out.

 I was looking to buy 2 block of 4' by 8' by 12.5" aluminum at $155.00
 each and it will be more economic if i built a wood casting form and
 get it done by a foundry ,if one of you now a good and cheap place
 to get done let me know

 Jean Prudhomme

 Jean,

If I understand correctly, the shaft will be filled with oil from the
governor at 120PSI.  The plug looks like it should be 2.25" OD.  That is
3.97"sq.  This would be about 475 pounds force.  The snap rings in that size
will hold that no problem.  If pressed in, eventually the aluminum will
contract slightly from the heating and cooling and vibration.  An O-ring or
two in the plug will seal it no problem.  A lip seal is not necessary.  The
other way would be to machine a small step in the ID to match a Welch plug
OD with leaving a few thousandths for press fit.  A bit of sealant and bang
thee plug in.  For extra insurance I would machine a snap ring groove in to
retain the plug.  These are mild steel and fairly thin so weight is not a
problem.  There is also the style plug that is cupped without a lip.  You
install them against a step in the bore with the dished side out.  You give
them a tap with a hammer to set them and take the cup out.  They swage out
to seal and stick in.  A bit of gasket sealer keeps them from leaking.
Again, a snap ring for insurance.


 Dale Davies


Thank's Dale

Jean Prudhomme