Search found 79 matches

by Jerry
Fri Sep 14, 2012 12:04 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: LTD Power by Bagel
Replies: 62
Views: 35136

Re: LTD Power by Bagel

Finally assembled the crankshaft tonite. Had a bit of a setback, apparently when I was cleaning up the other day, I threw out the double thick crank webs I had made per Ian's suggestion. I still have the old crank webs, and frustration prevents me from making another set at the moment, so I went ahe...
by Jerry
Thu Sep 13, 2012 4:42 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Woodburning Stove-top Fan school project
Replies: 8
Views: 6658

Re: Woodburning Stove-top Fan school project

The displacer cylinder doesn't need to be perfectly machined, so any glass bottle of proper dimensions will do. It may take a few bottles to get the cutting process down, but it's pretty easy. A light score with a glass cutter, run the bottle over a candle flame for 90 seconds then ice, repeat the h...
by Jerry
Tue Sep 11, 2012 8:51 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: LTD Power by Bagel
Replies: 62
Views: 35136

Re: LTD Power by Bagel

Right on track Ian, I planned on insulating from the begining. Rather than foam, I went with more of the rubber boot and black rtv to fill in the gaps. I also added stripping to all edges (first pic shows before cutting corners and filling gap with rtv), and cut the doors to a close fit, close enoug...
by Jerry
Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:04 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: LTD Power by Bagel
Replies: 62
Views: 35136

Re: LTD Power by Bagel

Got the doors mostly finished today. Used rods cut from the oil & vinegar caddy I showed before for the doors' hinge pins. Cut bushings out of the UHMW with a snap to fit shape, and retaining pins are the leftover pins from the pop rivets, the groves the pop rivet tool leaves in them allows for ...
by Jerry
Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:14 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Blueprints
Replies: 6
Views: 6220

Re: Blueprints

Could you define useful a bit better? Are you looking to run a generator? Perhaps run a series of gears for mechanical motion? Different uses would require different designs. Generators generally need high rpm / low torque, while mechanical drives require greater torque (sometimes). There are also s...
by Jerry
Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:46 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: LTD Power by Bagel
Replies: 62
Views: 35136

Re: LTD Power by Bagel

Didn't have time to do much today, restaurant stayed busy till the end, and the little lady is having a sleep over. I attached the front acrylic piece with epoxy resin and pop rivets, still have to trim off the safety excess I left. Brought home an extra kitchen tile from the restaurant and cut it d...
by Jerry
Sat Sep 08, 2012 9:56 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: displacer material
Replies: 2
Views: 3070

Re: displacer material

Many use balsa wood, and the weight is rarely a problem, especially if counterbalanced on the flywheel. Adding holes in the displacer stuffed with steel wool (preferably stainless) will give you a built in regenerator as well. This will give you better performance, and put the weight somewhere betwe...
by Jerry
Fri Sep 07, 2012 11:09 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Radial Stirling
Replies: 12
Views: 9549

Re: Radial Stirling

You wave cam idea is a good description of what I was thinking of. Springs to keep the con-rods pushed against the cam, with the 90 degree offset achieved by placement of the con-rods on the wave cam. I think it's time to do a drawing to be sure we are thinking along the same lines.
by Jerry
Fri Sep 07, 2012 10:22 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: LTD Power by Bagel
Replies: 62
Views: 35136

Re: LTD Power by Bagel

Thanks Ian, I've got three cans of wood laquer in the garage, and yes there is always a can or two of hairspray around with the two ladies in the household. Only reason I'm not using the wood laquer is that my research indicates there are special tarnish inhibiting chemicals included in brass laquer...
by Jerry
Fri Sep 07, 2012 10:17 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Radial Stirling
Replies: 12
Views: 9549

Re: Radial Stirling

While the amount of linkage required concerns me, the concept is definitely interesting. I could see this type of design being used to recoup heat losses from various industries. Water pipes, smoke stacks, etc are all usually round and dissipating heat. Creating a design that could wrap around these...
by Jerry
Fri Sep 07, 2012 2:16 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: LTD Power by Bagel
Replies: 62
Views: 35136

Re: LTD Power by Bagel

Spent a couple of hours tonite taking the leftover parts from this project and making a slightly smaller version of it. I'll have the main one running of a fresh hot bagel, and this smaller one running off a cup of coffee. Used the leftover brass plate, one of the original crankstands I made with th...
by Jerry
Thu Sep 06, 2012 5:22 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: LTD Power by Bagel
Replies: 62
Views: 35136

Re: LTD Power by Bagel

Good idea about using paint, wrapping in foil proved to add too much thickness, and it worries me about thermal transfer anyway, thanks again Ian! The mixer is still in use, had to replace the UHMW stops at some point in the past couple of years, and I just found the old ones in one of the tool boxe...
by Jerry
Wed Sep 05, 2012 12:36 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: LTD Power by Bagel
Replies: 62
Views: 35136

Re: LTD Power by Bagel

Thanks theropod, the really good news is I can use the disc I cut out together with other leftover parts from this project to make another slightly smaller LTD. Got around to making the displacer gland from a UHMW piece from an old bracket on one of the big mixers in the bakery. Also cut the displac...
by Jerry
Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:49 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Is this a working design
Replies: 16
Views: 8614

Re: Is this a working design

With the balloon attached, and heat applied to the hot end, when you move the displacer back and forth you should get inflation/deflation of the balloon. If it's not, your most likely culprit is too much dead space, since the balloon is retaining it's inflated state.
by Jerry
Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:13 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: LTD Power by Bagel
Replies: 62
Views: 35136

Re: LTD Power by Bagel

Cut the circle out of the hotbox for the aluminum bottom pan tonite. First time cutting a circle with a grinder for me. Had a goof or two, but they will be covered by the gasket material between the hotbox and aluminum pan (to prevent galvanic corrosion over time). It holds the pan just barely, so i...