Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Discussion on Stirling or "hot air" engines (all types)
thanh-cuibap
Posts: 174
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 8:09 am
Location: Việt Nam

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by thanh-cuibap »

Hi Ian !!
combining cylinder made of sus 304 and piston made of Brass : ok ?? It is hard to get cast iron and graphite in Việt Nam !
Ian S C
Posts: 2218
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:15 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by Ian S C »

thanh-cuibap, I don't know if you have car wrecking yards in Viet Nam, car engines are mainly cast iron, the fly wheel from a truck motor will often give a good supply. Only trouble is cutting it up, then machining needs a lathe. Brake cylinders and pistons are worth looking at.
Ian S C
thanh-cuibap
Posts: 174
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 8:09 am
Location: Việt Nam

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by thanh-cuibap »

Thank Ian !! but 95% motorcycles in viet nam , so I want combining cylinder made of sus 304 and piston made of Brass , Do you think it's better than both made of aluminum ???
Ian S C
Posts: 2218
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:15 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by Ian S C »

Yes, stay away from aluminium if possible, it's not good for cylinders and pistons. I thought that motor bikes were the main means of transport in Viet Nam. Ian S C
thanh-cuibap
Posts: 174
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 8:09 am
Location: Việt Nam

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by thanh-cuibap »

Thank Ian..you're right, aluminum cylinder and piston is not good , i made all of aluminum because it is easy to find and easy to do...because : first I want to learn and ...now i want to do better !!!
Thank you again !!!!
Ian S C
Posts: 2218
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:15 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by Ian S C »

A thing that will give you a good cylinder for a motor is the internal cylinder of a automotive shock absorber, these are about 400 mm long, with a bore of 25 mm to 40 mm, you might be better looking at motor cycle telescopic front forks.
Ian S C
thanh-cuibap
Posts: 174
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 8:09 am
Location: Việt Nam

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by thanh-cuibap »

A good idea.... A great idea !! you are a master of mechanical engineering !!
Thank Ian !!
Ian S C
Posts: 2218
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:15 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by Ian S C »

No, not a master of mechanical engineering, just a collector of mechanical junk.
Ian S C
Trevor
Posts: 228
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2016 4:07 am

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by Trevor »

Hey Thanh! I am now changing my Diaphragm Beta engine to a Gamma one and using the air diaphragm for the water pump so I can save some energy from friction of pulleys etc.
Ian, What a great idea of using old shock absorbers for the heating chamber - Thanks guys
Trev
Ian S C
Posts: 2218
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:15 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by Ian S C »

Hi Trev, with the old shockies you just have to be careful opening them up, at the telescoping end, just above the oil seal make a cut with a hacksaw until it starts leaking, drain out as much oil as you can (there is quite a bit), keep cutting around, you'll get a bit more oil, and eventually the end will come off, and the chrome plated steel strut, and a fitted steel cylinder will come out. Probably best done outside.
Another thing I got was a couple of drive shafts from trucks, one 4"/100 mm dia, and the other 3"/75 mm dia, these are tubes with about a 2 mm thick wall, and I think some get changed after a certain time to prevent breakage (that can be a bit messy).
Ian S C
Trevor
Posts: 228
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2016 4:07 am

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by Trevor »

Thanks Ian - I like your mechanical junk ideas, I would not have thought that you could even pull them apart, Good One.. It's great that we all share our info - Do you know of any other forum site that we should be on? There seems to be a few, but seem to do much.
Trev
thanh-cuibap
Posts: 174
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 8:09 am
Location: Việt Nam

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by thanh-cuibap »

Thank Ian !! combining cylinder made of sus 304 and piston made of Brass : it's better than both made of aluminum !!
[img]
Photo0091.jpg
Photo0091.jpg (296.1 KiB) Viewed 9764 times
Photo0086.jpg
Photo0086.jpg (284.91 KiB) Viewed 9764 times
Photo0092.jpg
Photo0092.jpg (265.6 KiB) Viewed 9766 times
[/img]
Ian S C
Posts: 2218
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:15 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by Ian S C »

A couple of other sites I frequent are: www.model-engineer.co.uk , And Model Engine Maker. I'd probably be on more but my dial up connection is too slow, and life is too short. The other one I go to is away from this sort of thing, and covers aviation/ Wings over New Zealand/RNZAF Pro Boards.
Good looking motor.
When choosing metals to work against each other, they should not be like metals, steel with bronze, brass, or cast iron are good combinations, it becomes a study in metalagy. The only metal that will work well against it's self is cast iron.
Ian S C
Trevor
Posts: 228
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2016 4:07 am

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by Trevor »

Thanks Ian,
Thanh - How do you find using the high temp red silicon in these little motors'
Trev
Trevor
Posts: 228
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2016 4:07 am

Re: Sterling Diaphragm Engine

Post by Trevor »

The model engineer, I actually stopped prescribing to. They had too much that was beyond my lathe work and kept the projects going over too long a time. That's life ...... Trev
Post Reply