Steve,
I forgot to answer you before, sorry.
Not really, the piston valve engine, I made two 'on the run', designing and making as I went along, and they took about two months. Mostly made from scrap picked up from here and there, and cost me about £10 each, and most of that was on the fastenings. The forum build for it was turned into a 'book', which should be able to be downloaded from here. A fair few have been sucessfully made.

http://rapidshare.com/files/23781034...ngine_book.exe

Hi Alan,

I have still to purchase my machinery. I want to try to get some facts and figures and software under my belt before I take the plunge. Mainly because it will be a secondary machine in my shop, and I won't be able to spend all my time on it when it eventually arrives.
If I can get the basics learned first, it won't be such a struggle for me when I get my grubby hands on it.

John