Instructions for Assembling

The Radial Engine MechaniCard

ThankyouverymuchforpurchasingTheRadialEngineMechaniCardkit!Thisistheveryfirstinmy
seriesofmailablekineticsculptures.ThepartsinthiskitareidenticaltothosewhichIputtogether,for
saleascompletedworks.Everythingyouneedisincluded,exceptglueandtools.Please,followthese
instructions,andstudytheaccompanyingdiagrams,carefully,tosuccessfullycompleteyourworking,
MechaniCardmodel.
1.Gatherthetoolsandmaterialsyouwillneed:
HighViscosityTypeCyanoacrylateGlue(GapfillingSuperGlueforwood/paper)thequicksettingtype
isnotrecommended.WARNING!Cyanoacrylateglueaggressivelybondsskin.Exercisecautionwhen
applying,orwhenhandlingfreshlygluedassemblies.
SafetyGlasses
SmallForceps
Magnifier
Toothpicks
RazorBlade/HobbyKnife
SmallWireCutters
Scissors
Needlenosedpliers(orsimilar)
Waxedpaper
Finesandpaper(120150grit)

2.Familiarizeyourselfwithalloftheparts(diagramonnextpage):
15.PulleyFlanges(2)
1.Mailer/Box
16.InnerPulley
2.TopPlate
17.DriveBelt
3.BackPlate
18.CrankPulley
4.Pistons(7)
19.SmallDowel
5.StraightPins(7)
20.CrankHandle
6.PistonSplines(7)
21.SquareShaft
7.PistonBacks(7)
22.HardwoodStrips(2)
8.ConnectingRods(7)
23.SpacerStrips(8)
9.ConRodRivets(7)
24.Foamtape
10.HubRivet
25.CardboardStrip
11.ConRodSpacers(8)*
26.CrankStrip
12.CrankHub

13.Counterweight
14.CrankshaftDowel
*Note:Someeditionsofthiskitdonotrequirespacersfortheconnectingrods,andhavebeenomitted.
Oneisstillincludedforthecrankassembly.

11
20
26

19

17
23

22
21

15

15

16
3

18

24

6
13
7

24

12

4
8

25

10

11
1

The Radial Engine

www.MechaniCards.com
copyright 2010 Bradley N. Litwin
Drawing Not To Scale


3.PistonAssemblyPartI
Fromthewhitesideofthepart,insertStraightPin(part#5)throughthesmallerhole,intheendofConnectingRod(8),
andthenthegraphicsideofthePiston(4).Applyasparingamountofgluetothepinshaft,whereitemergesfromthe
backsideofthepiston.Pullthepinbackintothehole,slightly,inordertoworksomeglueinsideit.Avoidgettingglue
onthepin,whereitgoesthroughtheconnectingrod.Pullpinheadsnugagainsttheconnectingrod,andallowglueto
dry,thoroughly.Repeatprocedurewiththeotherpistons.

4.PistonAssemblyPartII
Afterthegluehasdried,clipoffthepinshaft,closetothebackofthepiston.!!!DANGERWARNING!!!Cuttingoff

thepin,willsenditflying!Holdontothepinwithpliersorsimilartool.Wearsafetyglasses.Aimthepin
awayfromyourselfandothers,preferablyintoawastebasket.Iftheremainingpincomesloosefromthepiston,
itshouldbereglued,beforemovingon.

Applyathincoatofgluetothefaceofpistonback(7),alignandaffixinpositiononthebacksideofthepiston.Thepin
stubshouldbewithintheslot.Whenthegluehasdried,cutofftheretainingearsfromthepistonback,flushwiththe
edgesofthepiston.

Vigorouslyrubthepistonbottomsonwaxedpaper.Thiswillinhibitgluefromunwantedstickinginsubsequentsteps,
andprovidesomelubrication.ApplygluetothenotchededgeofthePistonSpline(6)andinsertitintotheslotofthe
PistonBack,liningupthenotchoverthepinstub(shownonnextpage).Wipeawayexcessglue.Repeatforallpistons.

5.ConnectingRod&HubAssembly
InsertRivets(9)throughSpacers(11)*andthenthroughthelargerholeintheConnectingRods.
*Note:Someeditionsofthiskitdonotrequirethesespacers,andhavebeenomitted.

RubfrontandbackofCrankHub(12)onflattenedwaxedpaper.Withatoothpick,coattheinsideofasmall,outerhole
inthehubwithglue.Skiptheholeinthetabbedarea,reservedfortheMasterRod.PresstheendoftheRivetinto
thehole,untilitisbarelyflushwiththebacksideofthehub.InsurethatConnectingRodcontinuestorotate,bygently
exercisingthejoint,whilethegluesetsup.Holduntilset,andrepeatprocedurewithonly5morepistonassemblies.

TheremainingMasterRoddoesnotrotateonthehub.Applygluetothefaceofthetab.Alignandaffixitsconnecting
rod,whileusingitsrivetholeasaplacementguide.Therivetismerelydecorative,inthisinstance.But,ifyouomitit,
someonewillsurelypointoutthatsomethingismissing.Allowthegluetodrythoroughly,beforeproceeding.


6.Crankshaft/CounterweightAssembly
RubbothsidesofCounterweight(13)withwaxedpaper.Applyasmallamountofglueinthelargerholeandinsertthe
CrankshaftDowel(14).Tapthedoweldowntotheworksurface,insuringtheendisflushwiththefaceofthe
Counterweight.Thedowelmustbesquarewithrespecttothecounterweight.Wipeoffanyexcessglue.

InserttheHubRivet(10)throughthetopsideoftheCrankHub(shownabove).Applygluetotheinsideofthesmaller
Counterweighthole.PresstheHubRivetintotheCounterweightuntilitsendisbarelyflushwiththebacksideofthe
Counterweight.Wipeawayexcessglue,andgentlyexerciseCrankHubjointtoinsureitcontinuestorotate,astheglue
sets.Allowgluetodrythoroughly,beforeproceeding.

7.MainAssemblyI

TestalloftherotatingjointsintheCrankHubConnectingRodPistonassembly.Allshouldrotatefreely.Make
adjustmentsasnecessary,beforeproceeding.

Installthemechanismassembly,insertingthecrankshaftdowelthroughthecentralholeinBackPlate(3)untilthe
Counterweightrestsagainstit.AlignthenonrotatingMasterRodpistonatthe12Oclockposition,asshownabove,
andsetallthepistonswiththeirsplinesengagedintheirrespectiveslots.Besuretoorientallpistonskirtstowardthe
hub.Pistonsplinesmustrunfreelyintheirslots.Usefinesandpapertocleanoutslots,asnecessary.Rubwaxpaperon
onesideofPulleyFlange(15)andpushontotheCrankshaft(waxedsidedown)untilitissnugagainsttheundersideof
theBackPlate.ThereshouldbelittleornoendplayoftheCrankshaft.Applyasmallamountofgluetotheshaftand
flange.Whendry,youcangentlyexercisethemechanism,byturningtheFlange.Ifanypartsarebinding,checkfor
frozenjoints,tightfits,ormisalignedpistons,andadjustasnecessary.

ApplygluetooneedgeofeachSpacerStrip(23)andaffixasshowninthediagram(above).Keepspacersclearofthe
pathsofthemovingpistons.Allowtodrythoroughly.

8.MainAssemblyII
InserttheCrankPulley(18)throughtheBackPlatehole,asshown.ApplygluetothetopsoftheSpacerStrips.Usingthe
CrankPulleyasanalignmentguide,assembletheTopPlate(2)ontothespacers,whilestandingbothTopandBack
Platesonaflatsurface.PressTopPlateintofullcontactwithSpacerStrips,squeezingeachjointlongenoughforthe
gluetograb.Theresultingassemblyshouldbeflat.Ifnecessary,weighdownassemblywhilegluedries,completely.

ApplygluetoonesideoftheInnerPulley(16)andpressdownoverCrankshaft,intouniformcontactwiththePulley
Flange.RepeatwithremainingPulleyFlange(15).Besuretowipeawayanyexcessglue.Allowtodrythoroughly.
InstallDriveBelt(17)overCrankPulleyandtheassembledenginepulley.Initially,thebeltmightnotseatfullydown,
insidethelargerpulleygroove.Thisisnormal,andwillworkitswayin,withuse.

9.FinalAssembly
CutCardboardStrip(25)intofour(13mm)squares,andsandwichwithFoamTape(24)onbothsidesofeach.Affix
sandwichedassembliestoundersideofBackPlate,asshown.Onesandwichwillhavetobecutoffatthecorner,to
accommodatethecrankpulley.

AssembletheBackPlatetotheinsideofMailerBox(1),asshown.

9.HandCrankAssembly

Checkandlightlysandforeaseoffit,insertingtheSquareDowelShaft(21)intoitsreceptacleinthecrankpulley.Apply
gluetoHardwoodStrips(22),sandwichingSmallDowel(19)andthesquareshaftintorightangleZconfiguration,as
shown.Allowtodrythoroughly.

InstallCrankHandle(20)onSmallDowel.PlaceremainingConRodSpacer(8)ontoDowel,snugupagainsttheendof
theCrankHandle,affixingwithasmalldropofglue.Whendry,trimdowel.CrankHandleshouldspinfreely.

PlacethesquareshaftoftheHandCrankAssemblyintothesquareholeoftheCrankPulley,tooperatesculpture.Crank
maybesafelystoredinthespacebetweentheBackPlateandMailerBox.PutthecrankhandlethroughtheCrankStrip
26,leavingthepinkendstickingout,foreasyretrieval.

Please,remember!Thoughthislittlesculptureisfairlyrobust,itisnonethelessmadeofpaper.Wearandtearisasure
tofollow,asyoupassitaround.So,enjoyitwhileitlasts.

FormoreMechaniCardandkineticsculpturefun,visitMechaniCards.comandBradLitwin.com