Search found 216 matches

by jimlarsen
Sun Nov 27, 2011 6:49 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Stirling Engine Construction Videos
Replies: 2
Views: 3621

Stirling Engine Construction Videos

Greetings! The Quick and Easy Stirling Engine is now being built in classrooms in Texas and in New York. I have recorded a few short videos for the students to show the key steps for constructing the engine. These are intended to supplement the information available in the book, so they are not comp...
by jimlarsen
Wed Nov 16, 2011 10:05 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: kickstarter project to build a $100 - 1kW stirling engine
Replies: 3
Views: 4123

Re: kickstarter project to build a $100 - 1kW stirling engin

That sounds ambitious. Can you buy the raw materials for $100? There are un-powered communities all around the world that would love a cheap motor.
by jimlarsen
Mon Nov 14, 2011 10:00 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: work on tin can engine
Replies: 19
Views: 11548

Re: work on tin can engine

These things can be hard to figure out all by yourself. It is always better to start with plans and instructions that have a proven track record for success. Have you tried building the Walking Beam engine from Boyd's website?
by jimlarsen
Mon Nov 07, 2011 9:32 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: cork as a displacer?
Replies: 4
Views: 4428

Re: cork as a displacer?

I have thought of the thin sheet balsa method, like we used to do with model airplane wings. But I wonder if it would flex under pressure, or perhaps be too porous and become dead space in the engine. I am going to try it sometime. Cork is worth a try. I agree with Ian that it depends on the tempera...
by jimlarsen
Sun Nov 06, 2011 7:08 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: If displacer in gamma is too small it needs more heat?
Replies: 1
Views: 2731

Re: If displacer in gamma is too small it needs more heat?

Trouble shooting needs to take many factors into account. I have listed some of them here: http://sites.google.com/site/stirlingbu ... oting-tips

You need to look at:
Engine Timing
Pressure Leaks
Temperature Differential
Friction
Thermal Shorting
Design Issues
by jimlarsen
Sat Nov 05, 2011 9:08 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: The rider water pump
Replies: 9
Views: 7115

Re: The rider water pump

Light gasses work better than heavy gasses. Hydrogen works very well, but is difficult to contain. Helium is the only alternate gas I have used in a Stirling engine. I like it because it is cheap, and it gives about a 10% boost in engine performance.
by jimlarsen
Sat Oct 29, 2011 7:04 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Soldering
Replies: 18
Views: 11609

Re: Soldering

The thing to remember about solder is that it has very little structural strength. When using it to join two metal surfaces you will have a strong joint if the flat surfaces are sitting flush against each other. Solder will not fill a large gap. So the best tip I can give you is to make sure your pa...
by jimlarsen
Sun Oct 23, 2011 10:31 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Building Grizzly Stirling Engine
Replies: 9
Views: 7612

Re: Building Grizzly Stirling Engine

Yes, that is a much better method. I wish I could have done it that way, but in the Grizzly kit all the shaft pieces are cut to length, and the holes already drilled. I found the best fit I could, and then I knurled the ends of the shaft so that it was a pressed fit into the arms.
by jimlarsen
Fri Oct 21, 2011 6:34 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Coffee Warmer as a Heat Source
Replies: 5
Views: 4518

Re: Coffee Warmer as a Heat Source

The one in the video is 120 V AC.
by jimlarsen
Fri Oct 21, 2011 5:34 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Coffee Warmer as a Heat Source
Replies: 5
Views: 4518

Re: Coffee Warmer as a Heat Source

These are intended to keep your coffee cup warm. I have two of them. One gets a surface temp of 200 degrees F., the other gets up to about 250 F. Either one will run this particular motor. I am not sure how well they work with coffee. I usually drink my coffee so fast I have never needed a warmer!
by jimlarsen
Thu Oct 20, 2011 6:07 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Coffee Warmer as a Heat Source
Replies: 5
Views: 4518

Coffee Warmer as a Heat Source

How about this for a heat source? http://www.youtube.com/16strings#p/u/6/MTFfZk7Bg90 This is a video of the Quick and Easy Stirling Engine running on the heat of a coffee cup warmer. It does not run real fast, but it works well. It makes a nice portable demonstration model. I think it would be an in...
by jimlarsen
Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:10 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Building Grizzly Stirling Engine
Replies: 9
Views: 7612

Re: Building Grizzly Stirling Engine

Yes, making a new crankshaft would have been better. But I don't have the tooling for that. I was building the pre-machined kit. I sent a note to Grizzly and asked for a price quote on the replacement parts to build another crankshaft and it was a bit over $70. That is about half the price of the wh...
by jimlarsen
Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:16 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Building Grizzly Stirling Engine
Replies: 9
Views: 7612

Re: Building Grizzly Stirling Engine

I have built one of these. Part of the problem is that Grizzly created their own unique terminology for the parts. The "cooling piston" is actually the drive piston. It needs to be a sealed fit. The "heating piston" is what we call the displacer piston. It must be a loose fit. Th...
by jimlarsen
Sun Oct 02, 2011 6:27 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Using glass beads as bearings.
Replies: 1
Views: 3038

Re: Using glass beads as bearings.

I use glass beads as bearings in my LTD engine designs. I found some research online from a French website that indicated there was no noticeable loss between glass beads and ball bearings under light load conditions.