Bens Dexta - 3 - -Engine Rebuild

[Tubal Cain]

You are a brave man Ben, after having spent all that money on having the engine rebuilt there is no way that I would have it grit blasted on completion. It only needs one particle of grit to get into the engine to destroy all the work that has been carried out on it. For this reason I will not use my angle grinder in my workshop as the sparks or particles which shoot off can cause so much damage.

Personally I would degrease and hot pressure wash all the components prior to refurbishing using a wire brush in the angle grinder to remove any loose paint or scale. Then once the engine is rebuilt give it a final degrease and hot wash prior to painting.

However congratulations on a nice looking engine I just hope that all your effort has not been in vain.

Gerald

[Bensdexta]

Gerald,
You're not the first to express concerns about blasting, which I also expressed to Cleaning Consultants before they did the work. They said they have cleaned many engines over the past 30 years and wouldn't do it if they thought it was unwise. Most of the cleaning is done using plastic beads with grit only used on areas of corrosion. Thorough masking is important.
Time will tell!
All the best,
Ben

[Jerry Coles]

Looks great, two questions for you please Ben.
1. Was the painting carried out with all that grit laying around or was that just where you took the picture as I wouldn't like the air from the spray gun raising dust to stick to the wet paint.
2. Can you give us a rough idea of the cost to rebuild and the cost to clean and paint please.
'm asking 'cos I have my old Dextan engine sitting in the shed as it had died from the previous owners ether abuse!

cheers
Jerry

[Bensdexta]

The engine was on a mobile engine crane and moved around during the painting process. I assume it was just 'parked' over the grit, I'll have to ask, I didn't take the pics! Also you have pm.
All the best,
Ben

[dexta4]

looking good be nice when the rest catches up!!!

[Bensdexta]

looking good be nice when the rest catches up!!!

Thanks for the encouragement. Back end is getting there at last - turned out to be worse than the engine if that is possible
I'll be starting a Bensdexta4 thread soon.
All the best,
Ben

[Mark]

Ben, she looks good. Although I was thinking the same things as Tubal Cain was. I hope it will last like they said it would. Did they give you a warranty? And why did they have to prime it 3 times before they painted it? I reckon that's enough questions for now. It does look good though, can't wait to see the rest of the story.

[Bensdexta]

Did they give you a warranty? And why did they have to prime it 3 times before they painted it? I reckon that's enough questions for now. It does look good though, can't wait to see the rest of the story.

No warrantee - that would be too much to expect given that Cleaning Consultants didn't rebuild my engine. However the company uses what is essentially aerospace technology and have cleaned many engines, including parts for a Spitfire's Merlin and the Director's own Dexta.
The three primers in order are:
On top of the bare cleaned surface - Zinc Phosphate;
Followed by - Yellow Etch Primer, 2 pack, with an acid content, often used on auminium, not essential, but 'belt and braces';
Followed by - New Holland Grey Primer;
Followed by - top coat New Holland Empire Blue.
I'll amend the pics to clarify this.
All the best,
Ben

[Ian]

Grani,

I had an interest in a small company that made dental alloy for filling teeth and I left the dealership to become a director in charge of the manufacture of the various alloys. I was involved in the smelting of the silver, copper, zinc, and tin, then cutting and grinding and afterwards roller milling and testing to a British Standard in the laboratory. We worked to microns as far as expansions in the material was concerned. Too little expansion and the filling would fall out, too great an expansion and the filling would shatter the remains of the tooth. Very interesting and rewarding work.

Wow you actually worked for an amalgam manufacturer ? One day people will look back at history and wonder what on earth we were doing fillings peoples mouthes with highly poisonous metals. Truely one of the worst and most insane things we have ever inflicted upon people. Far too many walking around today which chronic mercury poisoning and they have no idea.

As for the cracking of teeth with amalgam, even today it normally happens eventually because the metals expand and contract at a different rate to the dentin. This is also why dentist love them because after the amalgam filling has destroyed the top part of a tooth, they get to bill the patient with an expensive crown. Crowing often kills teeth, thus the cycle of making money continues. A simple composite filling would have put a stop to the money making madness and destruction of the tooth. Some countries have had the sense to make amalgams illegal, due to their obvious toxicity.

I know, very off topic.

[Ian]

Grani,

I had an interest in a small company that made dental alloy for filling teeth and I left the dealership to become a director in charge of the manufacture of the various alloys. I was involved in the smelting of the silver, copper, zinc, and tin, then cutting and grinding and afterwards roller milling and testing to a British Standard in the laboratory. We worked to microns as far as expansions in the material was concerned. Too little expansion and the filling would fall out, too great an expansion and the filling would shatter the remains of the tooth. Very interesting and rewarding work.

Wow you actually worked for an amalgam manufacturer ? One day people will look back at history and wonder what on earth we were doing fillings peoples mouthes with highly poisonous metals. Truely one of the worst and most insane things we have ever inflicted upon people. Far too many walking around today which chronic mercury poisoning and they have no idea.

As for the cracking of teeth with amalgam, even today it normally happens eventually because the metals expand and contract at a different rate to the dentin. This is also why dentist love them because after the amalgam filling has destroyed the top part of a tooth, they get to bill the patient with an expensive crown. Crowing often kills teeth, thus the cycle of making money continues. A simple composite filling would have put a stop to the money making madness and destruction of the tooth. Some countries have had the sense to make amalgams illegal, due to their obvious toxicity.

I know, very off topic.