Search found 2219 matches

by Ian S C
Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:46 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: my first ltd stirling engine help required
Replies: 7
Views: 6757

Re: my first ltd stirling engine help required

Hi, have you eliminated to the best of you ability all leaks, except just the very slightest around the gland for the displacer rod (even if you have to stick the thing in water). Eliminate as much friction as you can. Make sure that the timing is correct ie., the displacer leads the power piston by...
by Ian S C
Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:29 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: VERY old plans for large, high torque engine
Replies: 15
Views: 31747

Re: VERY old plans for large, high torque engine

I'v got an interesting artical from model Engineer 16 Feb 1977 by W. D. Urwick. He did some experiments, and found that the tube from the displacer cylinder to the power cylinder did'nt really matter how long it was, he tryed a rubber tube six foot long, and he thought that any reduction in power co...
by Ian S C
Mon Feb 07, 2011 2:31 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Hi!
Replies: 2
Views: 3454

Re: Hi!

Hi Ferraccio, welcome to the hot air department. If you haven't made any misstakes, you haven't made anything much, the idea is not to make the same ones too often! Ian S C
by Ian S C
Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:09 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: stirling chenapan
Replies: 18
Views: 11119

Re: stirling chenapan

.002" is a fairly large clearance om a small motor, the piston should just slide through under its own weight with the cylinder open, and if you close the end the piston should stop. If the clearance is too large, a leather cup seal ( like the piston in a bike pump), on the piston is a way of o...
by Ian S C
Sun Jan 30, 2011 4:10 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Where can I get 1hp to 2hp stirling engine?
Replies: 18
Views: 27684

Re: Where can I get 1hp to 2hp stirling engine?

Hi Carnot, the Solo engine looks interesting, available as solar, or diesel heating, although two or three years ago the firm was broke. tey had a 1Kw prototype, with a promise of a 9Kw one in 2008. The one from Germany that I like is the ST05 G CNC, the early ones were built of castings, but the de...
by Ian S C
Sat Jan 29, 2011 4:12 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: First Stirling Motor
Replies: 3
Views: 4370

Re: First Stirling Motor

Scott, Have a look at Andy Ross's motors, his Ross Yoke motors are very compact, I'v built one with a 35mm bore, and 20mm stroke, unpressurised it delivers 5watts, I intend to build one with 50mm bore and 30mm stroke. If you don't like the Ross Yoke, an Alpha motor in a V is a good compact type, the...
by Ian S C
Sat Jan 29, 2011 3:49 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: phillips stirling generator drawings
Replies: 5
Views: 7029

Re: phillips stirling generator drawings

The Canterbury (NZ) University has one of those motors,in the engineering lab, I think the generator on it is rated at 200watt, 230 volts. The unit is mounted in a tubular frame, the tubing forms a reserviour for compressed air, I seem to think the air in the tubes is used for starting.The air in th...
by Ian S C
Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:18 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: V-twin compressor pump...
Replies: 64
Views: 41313

Re: V-twin compressor pump...

Where I work from time to time we use cheap angle grinders, and wear them out fairly quickly, but the bearing at the comutator end is usually OK, the ones I get from there are 8mm bore, sealed race. The boss gets the grinders, then when they give up, I get the job of seeing if I can fix then to get ...
by Ian S C
Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:03 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Cheap carbon displacer piston?
Replies: 5
Views: 5006

Re: Cheap carbon displacer piston?

Thats great, the local glass works closed 20 years ago, but there are a number of foundies, and a factory that makes electric motor brushes, but I'll stick to cast iron for pistons for now. Ian S C
by Ian S C
Tue Jan 25, 2011 4:12 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Cheap carbon displacer piston?
Replies: 5
Views: 5006

Re: Cheap carbon displacer piston?

Had a look for graphite specs on the web, no prices, a fine grained one JC4, next; Poco Graphite grade2 or 3 or AF5. Then I found Graphtec GR060 from Aerocon Systems. Or go to a foundry and see if they have electrode ends of EDM grade graphite, I think thats where I'll look, I know one or two places...
by Ian S C
Tue Jan 25, 2011 4:00 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: V-twin compressor pump...
Replies: 64
Views: 41313

Re: V-twin compressor pump...

Hi Jim, my bearing supplier has 8mm bore bearings that he sells for replacement for skate boards etc., $ NZ5 each, at one time one of the chain stores had sets in the sports dept $nz 16 for 16 bearings, I did'nt get round to buying any, maybe they'll get more one day, they'd have to be pretty bad to...
by Ian S C
Mon Jan 24, 2011 4:45 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: V-twin compressor pump...
Replies: 64
Views: 41313

Re: V-twin compressor pump...

For smaller engines its a good idea to flush out the grease with petrol, or similar, and replace it with light oil. with sheilded bearings its possible to pop the shield out of one side that will be protected when installed, makes cleaning out the grease easy. If you get a sealed bearing, you can ta...
by Ian S C
Sun Jan 23, 2011 4:46 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: VERY old plans for large, high torque engine
Replies: 15
Views: 31747

Re: VERY old plans for large, high torque engine

For a one off engine, its proberbly best to fabricate the frame etc., rather than use castings. Some steel, and a welder is a heck of a lot easier than making patterns, and getting castings. I,v got a stainless handelless cup that cost $NZ4 that would be the right size for the displacer cylinder, it...
by Ian S C
Sat Jan 22, 2011 3:31 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: VERY old plans for large, high torque engine
Replies: 15
Views: 31747

Re: VERY old plans for large, high torque engine

With modern materials, Ball bearings, Aluminium in places where it is required for lightness, or to get rid of heat, stainless steelfor displacer cylinder and the displacer You could get the modern equivalent of a tinsmih to make these up with his TIG welder. Using this stuff should give a bit more ...
by Ian S C
Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:29 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Website Links Area and Magazine Articles..
Replies: 70
Views: 301041

Re: Website Links Area

Hi, some of my hot air stuff comes up in the albums, and other places on
http://www.model-engineer.co.uk. Look in the Beginers section, the Stirling engine thread is the biggest one on the whole web site. There are other threads also.
Ian S C