On Mar 10, 1:45*am, durabol wrote:
...
One method I have thought of is to produce a wax model of the engine
with molds (to a fairly high tolerance to minimize machining) ...
Brock

What machine tools do you have?

Some WW1 engine cylinders were machined from SOLID steel forgings.
Casting can easily have internal voids unless well designed, because
the metal shrinks as it solidifies inwards. Aluminum is easy enough to
melt that you could cast a simple shape and then test it for strength
or cut it apart.

Or you could make a lawnmower engine and see how durable it is.

jsw