Little Blazer - Philip Duclos

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Jadecy

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Started this little project over the weekend. I machined the part out of cold rolloed mild steel. This is my little side project so it may go slow.
The plans are available from several places. I am working from the "Two Shop Masters" book. I have a couple operation left to do on this piece as you can tell from the finish.


146_4617.jpg


146_4618.jpg


 
Sorry I didn't show all the progress. Here is a link to the "FIRST RUN!!" Wooo Hoo! ;D ;D

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKkyqr2QH38]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKkyqr2QH38[/ame]

sorry about the sound. My flip video recorder doesn't seam to record sound too well. It has a bit of an echo.

Some things I learned:
====================

- Fire eaters are pretty particular (may be an understatement)
- Never use aluminum for a cylinder
- Aluminum works fine for the cylinder when I used brass tubing from the hobby store as a cylinder liner.
- 1-72 threads are difficult to single point cut on a 13x40 lathe but it is possible.
- Making a cutting tool out of 1018 steel and hardening with "Kasenit" works well.
- Kasenit is some really neat stuff!
- Making a flat bottom blind hole in the cast iron piston was pretty easy with an end mill.
- Cotton yarn from the craft section of WalMart works well as an alcohol burner wick.

I'm sure I am forgetting a few so if I remember I will add them later. ;)





 
Very nice! Great job!! :bow: You have a neat little flame licker there.
 
Nice work!
I like the burner, it looks to be made out of a reduction fitting for copper plumbing pipe.
It will look even better when its all polished up.
 
You are correct about the burner being a reducer from the local hardware store. I built the engine to the specs in the "Two Shop Masters" book published by village press. They specify the reducer for the alcohol burner.
 
I made that engine a lot of years ago, but as most projects, I didn't follow the plans exactly. I know I didn't have to single point any 1-72 threads and I remember not having the correct size of end mill to form the base. I made almost every piece out of aluminum. I would have to find it to see if I used brass for the piston but it is probably aluminum also.

On fire eaters with metal pistons, I squirt a little powered graphite into the cylinder for lubrication (a small tube of very fine graphite for locks lasts for years). As I pointed out on a previous thread, the size and position of the flame is critical. You can control the speed with small change in flame position.
 
Beautiful Jadecy! :bow:

Flame lickers are my favorite engines.
I've built 6 of them to date.
I've only been able to get ONE of them run...

Rick
 
Nice job Jadecy ! I understand those flame lickers are quite picky to get running :) Great to see yours going !

A buncha guys in one of my shop classes built 3 or 4 of those as their finals projects, each of them making a few of the parts. I don't them getting any of them running !

Philip Duclos's books/pictures/plans are very nice ! Lots of pictures and directions.

Mike
 
The valve rod is a finishing nail from Lowes home improvement store. I made a little collet out of a piece of 1018 steel to hold it and only left just enough sticking out to cut the threads. I cut the threads with a high speed steel bit with a 60 degree point ground on it.

I didn't "need" to stick to the plans but it is more about the journey for me and that is part of the journey I decided to take. I found a little 1-72 tap at the hobby store along with some 1-72 brass screws to use as set screws and nuts for the valve rod.

It may be hard to tell from the picture but this engine is about the size of the poppin or a little smaller. The bore is approx. .474" due to the sleeve.

I'm not saying you couldn't do it with aluminum it just is not as easy as using brass to get a nice, good wearing polished surface. If I decide to make another flame licker type engine I will probably try brass for the cylinder, graphite for the piston and a bearing for the cam follower instead of a steel wheel with a tiny brass bushing.

I think the most difficult part to make was the body. It was machined out of a block of steel. I know I could have used aluminum but I decided to go with steel. Every decision changes the journey just a little.

I will get it mounted for display and post a picture when it is all prettied up!
 

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