DIY Magneto Kit from MiniMag UK

[charlesfitton]

Hi John, Just went into Bob Shores site. Itching to buy the book. I am book mad. Had a free hand to buy industrial handbooks while working with Ingersoll-Rand,USA,Singapore Plant.

Can you please post a link to buy this book?

f

 

[Blogwitch]

As Bob Shores site has now closed down, this book can be obtained from here

http://www.model-engine-plans.com/books/

At 35 bucks, it is a steal, as they are going up in price all the time. Just have a look at how much they charge on Amazon or Ebay for one.

John

 

[gus]

Went around the South Thailand scrounging for Bicycle Dynamos. The modern age has caught up with most bicycle shops converted to selling motor bikes. :wall:
But bought 6 from ebay at $6.00 plus DHL to $35. New dynamos cost $15-------25. At $35 landed on on door step this is certainly very cost effective. Will have 6 magnet rotors to make Magnetos.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Gus--That is something I have often thought about--bicycle generators that ran off a friction wheel pressing against the front or rear tire to light a headlight on the bike. Everybody had one when I was a kid. I didn't even know if they were still made or not. I have thought about chasing one down and running it off one of my model i.c. engines, to light a bulb.---Brian

 

[gus]

Hi Brian,

Good Idea. Plan to do same. But modifications required. I thought of redoing housing and built like a magneto w/o the contact points.
Any plans to DIY Dynamo. If so will use your design and drawing.

I went into many bicycle shops and most owners have no idea what a dynamo is ??? :wall:
On Ebay you could buy brand new M.I.C. Dynamos. Bidded for a lot of 6 pcs. Its on the way.

 

[Cogsy]

It might just be my faded memory, but I seem to recall those bicycle dynamos took a heck of a lot of driving to produce a feeble little glow from a single bulb. Do our engines make enough power to run them?

 

[gus]

It might just be my faded memory, but I seem to recall those bicycle dynamos took a heck of a lot of driving to produce a feeble little glow from a single bulb. Do our engines make enough power to run them?

Hi Cogsy,

You are correct. This is one problem to work around.
The MiniMag design can be used to make our DIY genset.
The MiniMag is driven 1----2 ratio on the Webster Engine.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

A little quick math--Bicycle tire 28" o.d. Bicycle goes 10 miles an hour. wheel revolves {28x3.1416}/12=7.33 foot in one revolution. 10miles x 5280=52800 feet. 52800/7.33=7203 revolutions in 10 miles. Since we are going 10mph, that means 10 miles in 60 minutes, or 7203/60=120 revolutions per minute. Now, since the friction wheel is approximately 1" diameter, and the side of the wheel it bears against is about 26" diameter, that's a 26:1 ratio. So---The generator is turning at 120 x 26=3120 rpm. Let us assume out gas engine is running at 1200 rpm. 3120/1200=2.6:1 ratio. So---if we use a 2.6" pulley diameter on the engine, we only need a 1" diameter pulley on our generator. I don't know if they have enough power to do that or not. Now mind you, at 10 MPH you got a cone of pure white light that was pretty darn bright. I can remember turning my old J C Higgins upside down and shining the light over the lake, and pedaling it by hand and that light would be as bright as a search light . You wouldn't need that degree of light for a simple engine driven lighting plant.

 

[AussieJimG]

Good one Brian, move over Marv

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Good one Brian, move over Marv

I won't live long enough to be as smart as Marv!!!--That being said, it is good to have some idea of how fast the generator will have to spin.---Brian