# Simple see through Oscilator



## Tin Falcon (Jul 23, 2007)

Here are the plans that really got this hobby moving forward for me.  I had started two engines before this one only to let them sit for a while. This one was started and finished in about a week of spare time. It is an Ed Warren Design. This engine is not only the first engine I completed and got running it has inspired me to design my own engines.  
It calls for Lucite but metal can be substituted. Of course it loses it's charm of being a see through engine when metal is used. 







This was downloaded from the now defunct Model Tec web site. Ed Waren If you are out there contact me. I want to share this on a not for profit basis with fellow model engineers. or just say so and this will disappear. 
Happy machining 
Tin


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## Alex (Jul 24, 2007)

How's the wear of plastic cylinders? How long will it last?


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## tattoomike68 (Jul 24, 2007)

I think Im going to start building that one. I like it.

I will take more time and make it real nice.


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## barnesrickw (Jul 12, 2013)

I work with acrylic frequently. By work I mean make parts and shavings while I slowly learn to use my taig properly. No completed projects yet. I'm making one of these and was thinking of using acrylic for the flywheel, but increasing the diameter and fit it to a piece of thick wall copper tubing for more mass.  I will complete this one.  There it's in writing so I have to complete it.


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## Tin Falcon (Jul 12, 2013)

> How's the wear of plastic cylinders? How long will it last?



I have had a steel piston in a plastic cylinder and have had and run the engine for ten years.
Tin


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## purpleknif (Jul 12, 2013)

Every time I try to work lucite it comes out cloudy. What's the trick to getting it clear ?


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## Tin Falcon (Jul 12, 2013)

wet sand 320, 400, 600 then auto compound and finish with plastic polish.
Tin


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## jwcnc1911 (Jul 12, 2013)

I have a huge piece of round acrylic I've been experimenting with and red compound on a buffing wheel does real nice too.  Pics when I get time.


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## Noitoen (Jul 13, 2013)

Fine sand paper and clear acrylic varnish will do the trick.


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## Tin Falcon (Jul 13, 2013)

the other option is flame polish .  you can srape the edges smooth then hit with a torch lightly. You tend to get some distortion as the corners heat faster than the middle of an edge. 
soo would not use this method on the  the cylinder .
Tin


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## barnesrickw (Jul 14, 2013)

Lubricating with a strong detergent water mix helps, but can rust your machine.  I've been thinking about trying a glycol ether or glycerine.  Petroleum product cause stress fractures at worked surfaces.  Green (CrO3) buffing compound works as a great final polish after using the sandpaper.


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## Tin Falcon (Jul 14, 2013)

A while back i made a cylinder from a piece acrylic that I salvaged fro a shower it was towel bar. I cleaned it with Iosopropyl Alcohol it developed crack faster than you can say crackled marbles.
Tin


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## barnesrickw (Jul 15, 2013)

Glycol ethers probably have the same effect.  I was never good at that long molecule chemistry stuff.


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