# Kids Wobbler Engine



## Gordo (Dec 14, 2012)

Hi guys, I have been on here before, but not for a long time.
I have been thinking about this for sometime and figure it is now or never.

This is what I am looking for, some sort of wobbler engine that a child male or female of the age of about 7 to 12 can assemble in about an hour and a half with very few tools and I want to keep the cost down. 
I would like it to be a metal engine as to have some weight to is so when the child leaves they have the sence of accomplishment.
I belong to a Old Time Threshing show and want to have a work shop for the kids, this has been done before at other shows and I would like to start one at our show.
The show is in August so I have time to produce some parts that are to complex for kids to make at the show.

I will have some small drill presses and taps, maybe a vise or two, some small hand tools for tapping, just general assembly stuff.
I want to go with a wobbler because of the ease and they work good when completed.
I will have to make fixtures for all the hole drilling and tapping so as to make it easy for the kids and save my tools.
I am looking for some simple plans and maybe a souce of materials so I can work on this over the winter.
Any thoughts or advice will be appreicated.
Gordo:wall:
P.S. If anybody wants to contact me directly, [email protected]


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## starnovice (Dec 14, 2012)

I sent you an email.  Hope we can help out.

Pat


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 14, 2012)

Sounds ambitious and generous of your time. I thought of doing somthing similar with a very simple turbine engine .
I have built a turbine from an altoids tin. One can blow into it and make it spin. IMHO much more doable than a wobbler. 
see here:
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/f12/easiest-engine-build-altoids-turbine-314/
Tin


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## Gordo (Dec 14, 2012)

Thanks Tin,
I will keep this in mind, looks doable but I was thinking about doing around 50 of these maybe  if the kids get interested.
I don't think that I can eat that many Altoids.
Gordo


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 15, 2012)

if you can have a lathe on hand to chuck up the tin and drill the center hole it only takes a second to drill the hole . I recommend a 3/8 bullet point drill. A regular bit can get ugly in sheet metal.  can you have the kids bring tins or have others help you collect them? it is a common Item I expect many get tossed or recycled. 
I have made a sketch of this I  can try to find and post if you like.
Tin


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## Gordo (Dec 15, 2012)

Tin,
I think that I understand the principle, but a sketch would be helpful.
Thanks 
Gordo


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 15, 2012)

Gordo :
I will get a sketch up. The other thing I have done that kids of all ages like is a see through Lucite oscillator, a Lucy. 






I also have a see through version of a PM research #2 and a see through McCabe runner. 
people love to be able to see through the block and see how the valving action works. It really helps folks understand how the wobblers operate. 
Tin


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## starnovice (Dec 15, 2012)

Gordo,
I have built the Lucy and found it really easy and inexpensive.  It might be a good project.

Pat


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 16, 2012)

Here is photo of a sketch I made of the candy tin turbine. 





It only took 6 tries to get it here with the new "improved photobucket" 

there does need to be hole through the nipple . not clear on the drawing. IIRC 1/8 or I probably use a #30.either will do. 
COC v1.1
Tin


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## Gordo (Dec 16, 2012)

Tin,
Thanks for the picture.
One question, what holds the tin on the nipple from being blown off with too much air pressure?


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 16, 2012)

> Tin,
> Thanks for the picture.
> One question, what holds the tin on the nipple from being blown off with too much air pressure?


Gravity!!!  Consider it a safety valve. I never had mine go flying. It will spin pretty fast if the air is turned up. 
Tin


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## idahoan (Dec 16, 2012)

Hi Gordo

There was a simple engine (IIRC the first Steam & Stirling book) that was made form hobby shop (K&S) square brass tubing. This may be worth looking into.

Dave


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## Gordo (Dec 16, 2012)

thanks, I have a copy of the book, I will look into that.
Gordo


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## Motormagican (Dec 18, 2012)

The little turbine looks like a nice little project for grandkids. Thanks for the photo.


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## tjoatmon (Feb 17, 2013)

Tin Falcon, do you have plans for the Lucite oscillator?


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## BrianS (Feb 17, 2013)

Hi,

This may not be what you want at all but I remember seeing an 'engine' that was made by kids at one of these type of shows.  I think they called it a 'thumb' engine as the power was generated by the kid pumping a treadle with their finger. (like old sewing machines).  I don't remember if it was here or some other forum where I saw it.  Haven't found it again...(yet)


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## Manorfarmer (Feb 18, 2013)

Gordo

There are plans for a small project engine on my website: http://www.manorfarmengineering.co.uk/model_documents.htm which you are very welcome to use. It requires some soldering of the cylinder and conrod assemblies which you would probably have to do beforehand. Otherwise I have used adhesive (epoxy or super glue) to hold the other bits together (apart from the grub screw!)

Cheers .. Kevin


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## Gordo (Feb 18, 2013)

Kevin,
Thanks for the plans, I copied them and will put them in to my file.
The only problem I see is that cost would be a bit high for my pocket and me doing alot of the work on the engine.
By that I mean I will proably be giving these away to the kids and I plan on about doing 50 or so the first year if they catch on.
But if I get some realy interested kids that want to do some intense building your engine would be a great project.

The thumb engine, I think was a Phil Ducos design. I thought of that one too but still alot of work on my part.

I have decided to go with the Tin Falcon Turbine and my first project for the show. I have been sorcing out the parts over the winter. I got some 4 oz. tins and brass tubing for the axle and air inlet pipe. I am going with a poly top hat bushing as I can get them for > .37 each verses 1.58 for brass. The only thing I have not got to yet if the base. I was thinking of poly sheeting or some form of plastic 1/2 thick in about the 2X2 inch range.
I want to get the price per engine under 3.00 each. 
I am open to suggestions for the base material if anyone has any.
Gordo


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## Tin Falcon (Feb 19, 2013)

gordo: did you see my ltest drawing of the small parts?

I put it in the download section 

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/downloads/files/altoids-parts.pdf

Corian works nice you may be able to get a local cabinet maker kitchen  supplier counter top shop to donate some sink cutouts. 
Tin


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## Gordo (Feb 19, 2013)

Tin,
Thanks for the drawings, I copied them. What do you use to cut and drill Corian, carbide or HSS?
Gordo


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## Tin Falcon (Feb 21, 2013)

Corian is very similar to Lucite , plexiglass perplex.....
either  carbide or HSS works fine keep it cool suck up the dust .
to polish wet sand 180,320.400 600 then auto compound and plastic polish. 
tin


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## ShopShoe (Feb 22, 2013)

This is interesting as one of my grandsons is just finishing an introductory CAD/CAM class at his school. The school has replaced the traditional wood shop with this new approach and has a 3-D printer. It would be interesting, although too late for him, if a project could be developed that would allow parts of an air-powered engine to be fabricated in plastic and made at the school. There would have to be some simplification involved as the students only have one semester to walk in cold and be exposed to both CAD and the shop work.

I am wondering if this approach to Industrial Tech will become more popular as it involves more current technology and also seems to remove the issues with letting kids loose with sharp tools and spinning machines.

I've got three more grandsons that will go to this school.

--ShopShoe


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