The Little Ohlsson & Rice .049 Runs

smooth_bill wrote:Nice video Kim. Thanks for posting.

I've been watching for a nice O&R .049 (at the right price), but no one is giving them away these days.

Bill

Thanks Bill!

Yeah, I'd not known about them before stumbling across this one on Ebay. Seems there was a flurry of .049 brands through the 1950's & 60's, as listed in the old "America's Hobby Center" ads in my old magazines.

"Boys and their Old Toys"!

Seen to run pretty good Kim , i like the look of it / without the tank is even better Do you know what the weight is off hand ,, No big deal just asking .

getback wrote:Seen to run pretty good Kim , i like the look of it / without the tank is even better Do you know what the weight is off hand ,, No big deal just asking .

Eric!
Thank you...and you made me wonder about it's weight, so I threw it on my little scale: With no prop, it weighs 1.6 oz

Neat Kim,

I’ve always liked those little O&R’s. They look well made and that little brass badge on the cylinder is too cool!

Thanks for sharing.

Cribbs74 wrote:Neat Kim,

I’ve always liked those little O&R’s. They look well made and that little brass badge on the cylinder is too cool!

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Ron !!!!

I found pictures of mine for your comparison Kim. Looks the same.

I cleaned it up a bit but haven't ran it.

O&R and friend:






Love the emblem, looks like it should adorn a motorcycle.

I know it's off topic, but I have O&R .19, .23, .33 glow engines. No original boxes but the engines have little time on them. Unfortunately, they're not engines known for longevity so I just run them on the dedicated props and enjoy them. I just love the way they start. Every now and then, they offer a nice backfire but they run steady. A bit anemic for my style flying but they're just plain out neat old engines. I run them as rich as I can and they smoke like crazy and many wonder why I just stare at it on the stand. I just enjoy it.

Ken Cook wrote:            I know it's off topic, but I have  O&R .19, .23, .33 glow engines. No original boxes but the engines have little time on them. Unfortunately, they're not engines known for longevity so I just run them on the dedicated props and enjoy them. I just love the way they start. Every now and then, they offer a nice backfire but they run steady. A bit anemic for my style flying but they're just plain out neat old engines. I run them as rich as I can and they smoke like crazy and many wonder why I just stare at it on the stand. I just enjoy it.

I agree, I do just enjoy it (running engines) sorta like Been there, Done that, but it is Still here, Still Doing it! I think I may have caught it, as a youngster, from my late Uncle, who had a small collection of those “hit and miss” engines, and would fire one up just so we could watch it spin it’s flywheel, Boom,chika,chika,boomchicka,chicka...boom.

Coincidentally,
Yesterday,I got another nice low time O&R engine in a box of glow engines our local flying club didn't know what to do with.
The O&R is physically smaller than my mint O&R .29 but other than the O&R logo and a serial number no other displacement marking is visible and it's so clean you can tell nothing was ever ground off.
Without hijacking this thread, how can I tell if this engine is a .19 as I suspect or a .23 ?
It has been run recently ( meaning in the last 20 years ) and will run again soon when time allows.
Thanks in advance, Steve

Ain't no hijacking occurs here...just maybe the occasional copyright violation...

Don't know if this will help, but:

Wow Kim !!
Thanks for the info !!
The cadmium plated cap over the timer slot is the dead giveaway that this is a Standard .23 from 1949.
Many thanks, Steve

Many times the displacement is directly behind the venturi stack and almost impossible to determine without front case removal. I highly recommend removal if a engine hasn't been run due to the O&R using a thrust like flat plate bearing. These will get gummed up and if not freed up, the entire assembly will spin more than likely causing metal disintegration. Anytime I have a older engine with bearings, I insure they rotate freely by using heat followed by a solvent wash. The cylinder assemblies are not removable on the larger engines. They're spot welded on. In addition, the larger .19 on up use a spring like cage within the venturi stack which the spraybar passes through, this must be in place for proper fuel draw. I see them missing many times. The O&R spraybars are somewhat difficult to source due to their small diameter. The closest aftermarket assemblies I have found were the old Austin Craft assemblies.

          Kim did you have your .049 apart? I have never seen the complete internals of this particular engine. One of our members has one new in the box he offered to me at the same current exchange rate as a ounce of gold so I passed. I don't think anyone will be beating down his door for it.

Ken Cook wrote:
          Kim did you have your .049 apart? I have never seen the complete internals of this particular engine. One of our members has one new in the box he offered to me at the same current exchange rate as a ounce of gold so I passed. I don't think anyone will be beating down his door for it.

No, I didn't have the faith in myself to take it apart, though I DID want a look at it's reed.  I heated the engine up with a hairdryer, and was highly relieved when the reed broke loose and allowed the engine to run.  Sorta just hoping it'll hang in there for some flying.

If anyone has a break-down drawing of it, I'd sure like to have a scan!

It can’t be that hard to break down. It’s just a handful of parts!

Thanks Ken for the info !!
I see what you mean about the spot behind the venture that probably has the displacement markings.
Also, inside the venture, the small spring and 2 spacers are intact and all look mint and not discolored.
I thought about removing the front cover about 2 seconds and then I decided that I'll thoroughly solvent clean the engine inside and out and not disturb the front cover gasket that might be impossible to find.
It has some gum but the bearings turn very smoothly so I'll tell myself it is a .23 in extremely good condition after 70 years !
Thanks again , Steve...

Steve, I now what you mean about trying to replace old gaskets. One method I have used which works a good percentage of the time for is this. I use Marvel air tool oil, I go around the perimeter of the gasket and allow it to soak . I then leave it for a hour or two and then when I return, I put more onto it and begin heating it with a heat gun. I keep the gun moving and not concentrating on one spot I heat until the oil begins to smoke. At that point obviously with all screws removed, I twist rather than pull and usually the assembly comes right apart and that 70 yr old gasket is still intact enough for reuse.

The O&R .049 has to have been the most expensive ever to mass produce engine in the 1/2A class. It is a curious looking marvel of engineering and something on it surely has to be retightened after every run--sort of like an MG Midget. That said, I'm always on the prowl to add one to my collection.

Ken,
Another gem of knowledge about using the MMO Air Tool oil to make the gasket pliable by osmosis that I would have never thought of.
I think that I will treat the .23 with careful cleaning and then if I find an issue trying to run it I'll certainly use your idea.
Given the exhaust port size I'll have to time starting it because of the noise when the neighbors are away at work probably using some 10% fuel.
BTW, I try to learn as much as I can everyday, therefore I read and re-read your posts and I always gain a lot from your experiences.
All this, while many old friends of mine have moved on in life to concentrating on cheap beer and lottery tickets !!
Thank You...……….

I don't own any O&R engines but this thread has got me a darn good laugh this morning , and Ken talking about watching them run and the backfire popping and Rene with the Hit-Miss engines and there nosie LOL . We have get togethers and festivals for them old runners / around here they will havem hooked to cotton candy machines and they are something to watch / crank and running . I can relate to watching small engines run (since i repaired them for 30 or so years. ) It used to get me watching some engines that just should not bee running doing there thing one more time !

I'm just trying to contact Sooth_Bill as he mentioned he was interested in the little 049. I have one I'm going to sell.