# Another Nutty Engine



## wareagle (Jan 6, 2008)

Well, after seeing the engine that Kactiguy built, I decided that I would build one myself. After a little bout with some self induced stupidity :, here is what I cobbled up. 

It is a pretty good runner. Unfortunately, I don't have a video of it, yet. When I get the base done, I will post additional pictures and a video as well.  

















I haven't finished the base for the little guy yet, but will mount it on a piece of stained oak. It certainly was a fun easy build.


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## Powder keg (Jan 6, 2008)

I like it!!! Good job there! Dang! Another project on my to do list:O)

Wes


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## Kactiguy (Jan 7, 2008)

Wahoo! That's a mighty fine Nutty! I like the bottom nut support. Nice touch. I also like your flywheel. I think that is closer to what I had in mind when I built mine, but I just went with what I had on hand. Can't wait to see it running. I'm kinda floored that somebody else is building one. It's kind of cool.


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## lathe nut (Jan 7, 2008)

Would it be possible to get the plans from you fellows, that little engine looks nuts to build, you fellows are good and have fun doing it, thanks, have a great day, Lathe Nut


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## 1Kenny (Jan 7, 2008)

That is a cool looking engine. Can't wait to see it run too.


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## wareagle (Jan 7, 2008)

Thanks for all of the kind comments!



			
				Kactiguy  said:
			
		

> Wahoo! That's a mighty fine Nutty! I like the bottom nut support. Nice touch. I also like your flywheel. I think that is closer to what I had in mind when I built mine, but I just went with what I had on hand. Can't wait to see it running. I'm kinda floored that somebody else is building one. It's kind of cool.



Kactiguy, thanks for sharing your example in the previous thread. Without it, this one would have never been built. I do not have the imagination to come up with a design this unique. I did take the liberty to do a couple of things different, but all in all it is based solely on yours. 

And beyond that, I don't understand why you would be surprised that others are building the "Nutty". IMHO, the engine has a very interesting appearance, it is a quick and easy build, and it uses inexpensive and readily available materials. All in all, it has everything going for it. I really like it!!



			
				lathe nut  said:
			
		

> Would it be possible to get the plans from you fellows, that little engine looks nuts to build, you fellows are good and have fun doing it, thanks, have a great day, Lathe Nut



lathe nut, unfortunately, there aren't any drawings that I am aware of. Kactiguy may have some, or may know of a source. Mine was built with items I had on hand using measurements made on the fly with "napkin" calculations. The two areas of tightest tolerance at the piston and cylider, the port locations, and in my design the press fits. Beyond that, it is a very forgiving design. Matter of fact, other than the press fits, my port locations were "eyeballed" and it runs fine.

And now to get the base done and some video posted! Stay tuned.....


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## Kactiguy (Jan 7, 2008)

Same here Lathe nut. I built mine using whatever I could find lying around. If I find some time I could do a few sketches and post them.


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## lathe nut (Jan 7, 2008)

Kactiguy, Wareagle, that is so neat, guess that is what is called down to the nuts and bolts, I got the stuff to make it in the shop but not sure on the distance between the passages, that has also something to do with the stroke also, I printed the pictures will do some looking to, thanks again, have a good one, Lathe Nut


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## wareagle (Jan 7, 2008)

*lathe nut*, the passages need to be at least the same distance apart as the diameter of the passage. If your passages are .125 in diameter, then you should have at least .125 between the inlet and outlet passage. They can be farther apart, depending on the stroke, but not by much. If the passages are too close together, then the pressure will bleed accross as the cylinder makes its swing. This most likely won't keep it from running, but it will affect the performance.

As far as figuring the swing on the crank, I measured the length of the cylinder and set the stroke to that length. Stating the obvious here, but if your stoke is 1.000", then your crank pin will be .500" from the centerline of the crankshaft. The stroke on my engine worked out to be .940".

The other way to get it to come together is to get a bolt head like Kactiguy did, and measure the stroke there, then figure your pivot point based on that. Same principle as above.

After that was done, I made the calculation to where the pivot point needed to be to make the combination work. My aim was to have the cylinder passage swing past the inlet/outlet passage by about a third of the passage diameter. It is a little backwoods engineering I know, but it worked great. Like I said before, this thing was made on the fly.


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## Kactiguy (Jan 8, 2008)

You want backwoods engineering? I just drilled my inlet and outlet holes, and the cylinder hole, close to where I thought they should be. Then I just adjusted the nut that the flywheel axle passes through in or out to the distance that the holes all lined up properly. Once the distance was correct, I soldered the nut in place and drilled the hole for the axle. I pretty much eyeballed the whole thing. Whatever I did, it worked great.


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## lathe nut (Jan 8, 2008)

Thanks fellows for the help, I printed the pictures and the notes that you sent on the board and will build one soon as I can in the shop to play, its bad when a man's job hours takes away from the shop play time, but got to do what I got to do, thanks again, sure love this group, you all sure are good, thanks, Lathe Nut


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## Kactiguy (Jan 8, 2008)

Here is a quick drawing I did of the engine. Not terribly helpful as far as dimensions go, but who knows, it might help a little. Good luck on your engine Lug.


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## Brass_Machine (Jan 8, 2008)

Cool! Thanks Guy!

Eric


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## Powder keg (Jan 8, 2008)

Great Job Guy! I really like your Art work.

I wonder if anyone would notice if I built one of those at work:O)?

Wes


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## Brass_Machine (Jan 8, 2008)

Yeah! I second the artwork! I would like to see you do some steampunk stuff... I think your talent would really blow that genre away.

Eric


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## lathe nut (Jan 9, 2008)

Kactiguy, thanks for the drawing, that really put a visual picture to what is going on, thanks so much for the time that is took to share with us, not counting the thinking in your mind and building time, thanks so much, Lahte Nut


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## Mr.Myford (Jan 10, 2008)

Very cool engine indeed! 
 ;D 


What did you end up using as material for the piston?


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## ChooChooMike (Jan 11, 2008)

WOW !! That is such a neat and unique and clever and creative and, and, and ..... _____ fill in the blank yourself  ;D

Just added that to my list of engines to build, which is starting to get pretty long  Sweet !!


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## wareagle (Jan 14, 2008)

Mr.Myford  said:
			
		

> Very cool engine indeed!
> ;D
> 
> 
> What did you end up using as material for the piston?



I wound up using brass for the piston. This arrangement has worked out fine so far. The steel on steel didn't work out too well. : Unfortunately Fortunately I haven't had time in the shop due to a vaction getting in the way, but I will finish the base this week and get a video of it running up here. 'till then.....


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## ChooChooMike (Feb 18, 2008)

Kactiguy/wareagle - do you have some basic dimensions for this engine ? Like what size bolts you used for the various parts ? Just some basics, bolt/nut size/lens. Is that a nut used for the flywheel or a "nut" you created for the effect ? Is the center disk inside that nut just press fit, or did you weld it in there ?

Think I'll build one in my shop class, it'll surely generate a lot of interest 

Thanks !
Mike


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## wareagle (Feb 19, 2008)

Choochoomike, the bolts I used are 5/8" diameter bolts, but I will have to get you the length tomorrow. The flywheel on my example is a nut that was cut in half and faced. The threads were machined out and an aluminum disk was press fit inside the fly"nut". The crankshaft was also a press fit on my unit. The crank shaft is made from 1/4" drill rod. The piston was made out of brass and the diameter is .475 IIRC, the connecting rod out of 8x32 all thread, and the crank pin is a tap (6x32) that was cut to length and pressed into the crank disk. The connecting rod end "crank side" just floats on the crank pin. As far as placement of the ports, pivot, and crank shaft, I played with the items I had on hand until I had a happy medium with the dimensions. 

No drawings for my example, but Kactiguy may have some drawn up. If not, I can whip you up a set fairly easily if you wish.

My engine is not balanced very well. In fact, not at all. It runs great, but as RPMs increase, it gets to vibrating a lot. This one I didn't build for balance, but just as a conversation piece. When I get a few more things caught up, i am going to finish the base for it and get a video put up here.


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## ChooChooMike (Feb 20, 2008)

wareagle  said:
			
		

> No drawings for my example, but Kactiguy may have some drawn up. If not, I can whip you up a set fairly easily if you wish.



Kactiguy did a nice hand drawn set of plans, but no dimensions. That'd be great if you could do a simple drawing set with basic dimensions. I'm sure others would love that too !! 

Mike


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## wareagle (Feb 21, 2008)

Choochoomike and Kactiguy, I sent you both a PM.


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## Kactiguy (Feb 22, 2008)

Wareagle, Mike, 
My little engine comes apart pretty easily so I thought I'd take a few photos of it in pieces. The mat that it is on has 1 inch squares. Maybe it'll help somebody who is trying to build their own.


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## Brass_Machine (Feb 22, 2008)

My nutty is about 80% done...











Getting there... haven't touched it in a few weeks tho. I am going to redo some things I am not happy with.


Eric


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