'Look Ma ...

[tel]

..... no brains'

It won't take a genius to work out just what suggestion was put forth at last weekend's show, and there's certainly no prize for guessing just which mug took it on. The abiding mystery is why I always fall for these things - it's not as if I don't have enough on the go already!

Any'ow, feel free to sit back and look in on this occasional build - it's not going to be needed until early next year, so I won't be rushing it.

 

[Blogwitch]

Mmmmm, not quite as long as mine Tel.

Been sitting there a couple of years and still in the raw state. One day maybe.

That's what comes of having stupid ideas.


Bogs

 

[tel]

You'll get to it Boggy. This idea has been festering in my head for years, but it the comment was made on the weekend that provided the final spur

 

[Tin Falcon]

I have three engines make of plexi . The standard 'Lucy' (single action oscillator), 'Seymour' (the double action oscillator patterned after the P.M.Research vertical oscillator), and 'Claire' (my see-through version of the McCabe Runner). Folks at the shows love them (that's an understatement!! - Mrs. Tin).

Tin

 

[tel]

Nice engines Tin, and at least I know I"m on the right track. My idea tho', is to have an external drive, rather than a running engine, geared down to 4 or 5 rpm, so people can see what's happening inside 'em.

 

[Tin Falcon]

I let the engines run. and expaint them to folks I often stop the engine and turn by hand expain each step intake exhaust valve action etc then let it run again. I think peole like the fact it is running engine that they can see through not just a see though demo model.
Tin

 

[tel]

Now that's a thought - I might just go that way!

 

[Swarf Rat]

yeah, I think there's something special about see through engines. I'm getting ready to start one myself.

 

[tel]

Get 'er underway Bruce - be glad to have some company along the way.

I'm thinking Delrin for the piston - any thoughts blokes?

 

[Noitoen]

I've been thinking about a transparent "steam" engine but moved by a coil under the base of the flywheel, acting on little magnets "hidden" on the rim of the flywheel.

 

[Tin Falcon]

Tel:

I'm thinking Delrin for the piston - any thoughts blokes?

Delrin should work fine . Lucy has a steel piston , just a plain piece of drill rod. the Seymour i used brass no rings and Claire Teflon. So you should be able to use just about whatever is on hand . Lucy and Claire are single actions. Seymour I used bonze for the bottom cap and IIRC polycarbonate for the top cap.
Have fun looking forward to the build one of these day I may actually build something again.
Noitoen:
IMHO forget the magic tricks either run it on compressed air or build it well and blow into the thing. you get eye popping results running an engine on breath power even if it is a simple tin can turbine. I have people look at me like it the first time they had seen fire or something. This stuff is mystical enough to some common folk with out doing something tricky and hidden . You would not believe how many folks have asked what makes it go just running engines on compressed air.
Tin

 

[Stan]

Bogs: I have some plexiglass sheet that sat around for a few years and it is now impossible to remove the protective sheet. I can soak the paper off but the glue appears to have migrated into the acrylic.

 

[mklotz]

Bogs: I have some plexiglass sheet that sat around for a few years and it is now impossible to remove the protective sheet. I can soak the paper off but the glue appears to have migrated into the acrylic.

In that situation, I've had some success using naphtha. Naphtha is available in small quantities as cigarette lighter fuel or buy it more cheaply by the quart in places like Home Depot.

Naphtha doesn't attack most plastics but, to be certain, try it on a scrap first. I thoroughly wet the dried glue with the solvent and let it sit for fifteen minutes or so, then scrape with soft plastic scraper.

 

[kustomkb]

Here is one I made from Paul's design;

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_MhMNwH0WI[/ame]

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=5601.0

I used some methylene chloride to chemically polish it.

 

[tel]

That's a mighty nice engine Kevin, but how on earth did I miss that build? Never mind, read it right through now.

 

[Blogwitch]

Stan,

There are no paper coverings on any of those sheets, it is all peelable plastic that seems to stick by some sort of magic. You can cut it and machine it, all with the protection in position, then it just peels off when you want to.

Bogs

 

[kustomkb]

Thanks Tel,

Paul's "PUG" drawings are in the uploads.

Like Bogs said, I try do all the machining and peel the plastic last.

Have fun!