Hi From New Zealand

[Goldflash]

Hi, My name is Ralph and I live in Auckland New Zealand.
last year had a minor heart attack and had some tubes bored out and sleeved to get the flow back .
took some time out to recover and designed and built a stirling engine on a old Myford Super 7 that belongs to my 99 year old dad.
The engine has a 30 mm stroke by 25mm od displacer piston made out of a Berocca aluminium vitamin tube . Power piston is cast iron and features a 22 mm bore and stroke.
Cross Head piston has carbon Teflon Rider Rings to reduce friction and does a good job of keeping the Displacer piston running true.
Crankshaft is built up using 4mm silver steel for the Crank Pins and 6mm for the Axles. The Crankshaft runs in Ball bearings on the Big ends pins and on the axles. Took about 6 months to make and I can state that it ran of the drawing board.
With a propane flame it runs at about 2000 rpm and with methylated spirits it runs at about 600 rpm. for the burner wick I use Exhaust Lagging of Header pipes cut into Strips and it lasts a very long time . This is my first build and I get a lot of satisfaction and I am now designing a stepped piston open crank 2 stroke .

Regards Ralph

 

[basement_guy]

Welcome.
I'm also new here.
My first built enginge looks like scrap next to yours.

 

[Goldflash]

Thanks for message. I have to admit that in another another life a long time ago I was an aircraft machinist. but had not touched tools for about 25 years.
Took a while to get back into it though and the scrap bin was overflowing with bits that either didn't work out as planned or jumped out of the lathe and tried to bite me.

 

[Sen]

Nice work.

 

[ProdEng]

Welcome Ralph. I find machining very relaxing, the ideal antidote to modern life and advancing years Love the finish on your engine, it has a used but loved look about it.

 

[Goldflash]

Hi Jan , Thanks for the welcome. It is as you say very relaxing to have a hobby such as this. I also enjoyed doing the research on what others had built and finding out a lot about Stirling Engines. There are no plans and i use the simple but well proven design formula T.L.A.R .
The next project will be using the same formula. Hope it works as now my spare time is limited as I am helping to build a submarine see the website.

www.q-subs.com

Ralph

 

[skyline1]

Hi Ralph and welcome to the forum

Nice little engine, I Thought you might be an ex aircraft guy as soon as I saw it.

Little radii on everything, no stress raisers, classic aircraft practice, you obviously haven't forgotten how to do it and do it well.

Regards Mark

 

[Goldflash]

thanks Mark . I like the old Style of curves etc and like having something to polish. Must be because I grew up with Triumphs, Nortons and BSA bike.

 

[lennardhme]

Welcome; not only a lovely looking engine, but a great looking 'planked' floor its sitting on.
Great work.
Leonard

 

[Goldflash]

Thanks. Planked floor is actually made from one piece of Pine. Just Scribed some lines in it and poked some holes as well and filled in the lines and holes with some black ink .
Then just stained it and gave it a coat of varnish. The hardest part was waiting for the varnish to dry as I did in the middle of winter and my shed gets very cold
Ralph