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I'm thinking of trying to build an alpha stirling, so I recalled your build thread, which I was following in June. Sorry to hear it's not running :( My 2 cents: try replacing the connecting pipe between the cylinders with a fatter one and stuff it with metal wool to make a regenerator. All the...

Thanks for that. Much appreciated.

I just upgraded my 'machine shop' (see new avatar picture ;D) to a power drill plus drill press attachment. The drill is an old Black and Decker 370W two speed (900/2400RPM), and I noticed straight away that the motor produces some blue flashes inside the drill when it runs - presumably the...

Nice video, and very clearly explained - now I know exactly what an epicyclic oscillator engine is ;D With the whole cylinder moving, is it true that oscillators aren't normally so good with high RPMs compared to valved engines (hence the utility in the gearing between it and the flywheel in...

You can make a piston that fits inside whatever cylinder you have using J B Weld (a high-temperature resistant epoxy), no lathe needed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbhTKQKcH1c I guess this would only be good enough for a compressed air or steam engine though, not an IC. I'm trying to make a...

Brian, wow, hitting your wife's car :o Those bottles are great little pressure vessels - I 'only' took mine up to 80psi. I pressure tested the bottle and launcher in my bedroom first - bad idea! I should have used the (much safer) method of filling it with water then adding a tiny bit of air to...

Here are photos of the (actually two different) robots. I think they're in a box somewhere at my parent's house in the UK right now, but were still working last time I checked. I built these at a two day course organised by my friend Bill Bigge from Sussex University, using his designs. The...

Thanks for such a warm welcome everyone. I will post pics of the tin can engine if it becomes a reality. Otherwise I will mostly be looking over the shoulders of the master craftsmen at work here!

Thm: thanks for your advice :)

Nice to see you will be able to seal the whole crankcase to allow pressurization. I read in James Senft's introductory book about Stirlings that a pressurised engine achieved a higher power density than a diesel :P

Hi all, Great forum! I don't have any workshop machines. I'm just starting to learn about this fascinating world, and maybe I will get myself set up with a mini-lathe and -mill one day :P This could easily become a lifetime hobby! So far I'm building a Stirling engine using tin cans and hand...

Hi everyone, a newbie question about working with aluminium. I'm building my first stirling engine with hand tools and am doing a lot of drilling, sawing and filing of aluminium. I'm wondering how important it is to avoid breathing the dust? I'm wearing a cheapo face mask most of the time, and...