Scrap box flame licker

[myrickman]

Always wanted one of these engines so I built one from my scrap box(es). The cylinder is an overrun from the foundry I frequent. The flywheels are bronze ~6” gears with tin rims cast onto them. The piston is a cast iron sleeve with a top silver soldered on. The intake valve is a piece of 12 mil shim stock with a 3/8 hole in it sliding in a 14 mil slot. The stack is a ball check to allow any pressure within the cylinder to be relieved and IMO, makes for an easier to run engine. I’ll show the finished product here and then show some of the build photos.

 

[myrickman]

Casting the tin rims on the gears.

 

[myrickman]

Connecting rod using thin brass tubing with ends silver soldered on.

 

[myrickman]

First run without all the pretty bits.

 

[ShopShoe]

Very Nice.

As the price of materials gets higher, the attractiveness of making things out of scrap-boxium goes up.

I will happily read more posts on projects like this.

Thank You for posting.

--ShopShoe

 

[Richard Hed]

Connecting rod using thin brass tubing with ends silver soldered on.

That is a very clever set-up. Must remember that if I need to silverrsolder something.

 

[a41capt]

This is poetry in motion pard!!!

I love the simplicity of the valve design, and it’s right up my alley as far as scrap box stuff goes. I love the tin “streamers” coming off your lathe turned flywheels too

Can you explain your ball check idea a bit? Seems like a great add-on for a future flame eater build.

Once again, great engine, thanks for sharing!

John W

 

[myrickman]

The ball check ensures all the pressure in the cylinder is relieved before it need to draw in the flame. When running, you can feel small puffs of hot gas coming from the stack. The ball is 5/16 on a quarter inch hole. A cotter pin limits the travel upward.

 

[a41capt]

The ball check ensures all the pressure in the cylinder is relieved before it need to draw in the flame. When running, you can feel small puffs of hot gas coming from the stack. The ball is 5/16 on a quarter inch hole. A cotter pin limits the travel upward.

I thought it might be something like that, I hadn’t seen one used before and it looked like a great improvement. Is this your original concept?

Thanks again
John W

 

[myrickman]

No, not my idea. This was an optional item on the prints of my friends engine. When I installed it on his it started much easier so I included it on mine.

 

[myrickman]

Finished result with base and better alcohol lamp

 

[Steamchick]

Just to clarify - English and "American English" are NOT the same:
A cotter is a pin or wedge with a flat bearing surface passing through a hole to fix parts tightly together. In British usage cotter pin has the same meaning,[1] but in the U.S. it means a split pin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotte...ng_rod_end,_strapped_(Heat_Engines,_1913).jpg
We say "pot A tow" and Toe MAR tow, not "Pod ate her" and To-Mate-Her. But it all tastes the same...

I guess you use a spilt-pin as the ball retention back-stop? A tapered cotter pin would jam the ball.
Cheers!
K2

 

[Richard Hed]

Just to clarify - English and "American English" are NOT the same:
A cotter is a pin or wedge with a flat bearing surface passing through a hole to fix parts tightly together. In British usage cotter pin has the same meaning,[1] but in the U.S. it means a split pin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotte...ng_rod_end,_strapped_(Heat_Engines,_1913).jpg
We say "pot A tow" and Toe MAR tow, not "Pod ate her" and To-Mate-Her. But it all tastes the same...

I guess you use a spilt-pin as the ball retention back-stop? A tapered cotter pin would jam the ball.
Cheers!
K2

You baited me, I just can't resist a reply. It's really too bad you Brits don't know how to speak English (LOL). And Am not sure about the origins of the tomahtoe, but the potahtoe came from the new world so how ever we pronounce that is correct. Do you believe Ither or Nither? HOwever, thanx for that info on the cotters.