Tiny Power Rope Engine

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steamin

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My father started a Tiny Power Rope engine many years ago. For whatever reason he lost interest in the project before he really got a good start. So he gave it to me. I had been working off and on the project myself for many years. I just did not like the rope tensioning device that was laid out in the original drawings. So I finally sat down with a sharp pencil and a brand new pad of paper and started to sketch out ideas until I came up with what you see in the pictures. I wanted to finish this model before I got back on the LaFrance project. The video has a lot of background noise. Sorry about that.
 

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The short answer is nope same result as SteveH above.
I like the still though.
John B
 
Excellent build! The finish is great!
 
Very pretty, and it actually works!
I am curious about the cross head slides. Are they oil filled bronze, or do I see oilers there?

Re: the compressor noise. Long time ago in a different shop I had a medium sized compressor. Every time my wife came in to say hello or to check that I was still alive, it seemed like the compressor kicked on and would startle the crap out of her. She swore I had some kind of secret remote to make it do that.
 
I had trouble with the video playback but assumed it was me or my computer, because it usually is. ;)

Here's what worked for me with windows 10:
Right click on the .MOV icon. Then click "save link as:", and save the file it offers. I could then play the movie from my download folder.
 
Very pretty, and it actually works!
I am curious about the cross head slides. Are they oil filled bronze, or do I see oilers there?

Re: the compressor noise. Long time ago in a different shop I had a medium sized compressor. Every time my wife came in to say hello or to check that I was still alive, it seemed like the compressor kicked on and would startle the crap out of her. She swore I had some kind of secret remote to make it do that.
The cross head bodies are bronze with oilers. I mounted them on aluminum pedestals to get my desired height. It is hard to tell because of the gloss black paint.
I love you story about your air compressor.
 
I tried what Lloyd-ss said but that did not work either. Apparently the video is in HEVC format which is becoming more popular but you may not have the codec for it. I didn't. Microsoft charges a dollar for it, but the VLC viewer can be downloaded for free.

What did you use to record it? Iphone?

Like the engine.
 
I tried what Lloyd-ss said but that did not work either. Apparently the video is in HEVC format which is becoming more popular but you may not have the codec for it. I didn't. Microsoft charges a dollar for it, but the VLC viewer can be downloaded for free.

What did you use to record it? Iphone?

Like the engine.
Yes, I used my I-phone 8 for the recording. So sorry that some of you are having trouble viewing the video. I will certainly look into correcting the situation.
 
The cross head bodies are bronze with oilers. I mounted them on aluminum pedestals to get my desired height. It is hard to tell because of the gloss black paint.
I love you story about your air compressor.

Hi Larry,
Thanks for that info about the cross heads. The cylinders look pretty huge and can put out quite a bit of power, yes????
Do you have any idea how that set-up would work without the oilers, if instead, a drop of oil was occasionally applied to the slide surfaces? I am not trying to cheat the devil, ha ha, just curious.
Thanks,
Lloyd
 
Actually I believe there should only be one oiler per side and mounted on the centerline of the slide travel. Red to make new ones one dayThis way the slide lets a drop of oil to drip each time the slide crosses the oiler hole. Are you confused yet, I know I am and I am trying to explain what is happening. I realized this after I made the rails and need to make new ones some day.
 
Yes, that which looks like a splice is a good old fashion square knot. The “rope” is some heavy twine. At first I thought I was being very smart by using rubber “O” ring material. But it had to much drag with it. So, the twine won out.
 
I hadn't noticed that until Helder pointed it out. I slowed the video down to 1/4 speed and still couldn't see the knot, but could see the blurred string. And Larry, at 1/4 speed audio, it sounds like your rope engine is making some crazy techno-pop synthesizer dance music (especially as it revs up), and like you have been partaking in some weird substances at the dance venue. That is quite some machine. :cool: Do you DJ at parties? ;)
 
No, I do not do any DJing. I bet the sound is very weird.
 

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