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You guys are a horrible influence :) After watching prallplatte's steam Audi creation a few times I have this strange urge to build something steam powered. I want to finish my Ridder's Stirling before I get too involved with a long term project, but I can draw up some plans for a new...

This is a build log for a horizontal Stirling engine designed by Jan Ridders. There are a number of these engines that show up when you do a search on this site. I don't think mine will be much different than the rest, but I'll try to capture the process as I go along. I got a start today...

This probably happens all the time around here given the relative obscurity of the things we post about and the high volume of viewers. However, I have to admit I was kind of proud when I googled "PM research #1" and my build log on this site was the top result. yet another silly thing...

Has anyone here ever built the "Beamer" Stirling engine from the plans offered by Jerry Howell? http://www.jerry-howell.com/Beamer.html The engine looks attractive, but I didn't find anything with a search here, and only got a few vague references with google. Does the governor do...

It is finally done! This is a PM research No. 1BI cast iron kit. I started this engine back In March, and it has consumed most of my free time since then. I lost track of the number of hours put into this engine, but it has to be over 250. This is the first build I have ever done on this...

I'm going to expose my ignorance about IC engines here, but why do most people go to cast iron for the cylinder material? Does it have a performance advantage over steel? I am planing an Upshur farm engine build next, and was thinking about using a steel cylinder and aluminum piston because...

Hi All! My daughters have taken an interest in my PMR#1 build, and one of them has come out to the shop a few times to see what I was up to. After letting her turn a few handles, I asked if she wanted to build an engine together, and of course she said yes. I let her pick an engine out of Rudy...

About 12 years ago, I came across a set of plans on the internet for a small bar stock steam engine. The engine used a twin scotch-yoke arrangement, and the designer called it the “Double Scotch”. I’d like to take a look at that design again, but I can’t find the plans I had. I am pretty sure...

This question will probably provoke as many different responses as there are readers, but I'd like some opinions of finishing methods for cast parts. I am getting close to starting the finishing steps on my PMR#1, and have been looking at a lot of the finished engines that you all have posted...

I was trying to cut some 5-40 threads on a rod the other night. The threaded section was about 0.5" long so I really needed to support the part with a live center. However the part diameter was so small I couldn't get a decent center hole. Is there an old machinists trick for doing this, or do...

I'm sure the answer is obvious, but I haven't been able to figure it out. Some of the posts have large pictures that are part of the text. How is this done? When I attach photos, they are thumbnails that have to be clicked on. Thanks!

For those of you who lap the bores of your cast iron cylinders, what grit sizes do you use? The boring has left me with a good surface finish, but I have about 1 thou of taper over the 2" length. I was hoping I might be able to use a lap to open up the tight end a bit, but have never done it...

A build log for a PM Research No.1 engine. Hi all, I thought I would start a thread to share my build of a PMR #1BI from a casting kit. I am actually about 10 hours into this build so it will take me a few posts to catch up. First, here is a shot of all the castings that come with the kit...

Hi All, I wanted to introduce myself. I’ve been lurking about for a few weeks and finally registered a little bit ago. I am an engineer by trade, but my passion has always been making things. I have been very fortunate in that for most of my career, I have had access to some great old tool and...