Working Engines?

[b.lindsey]

I am adding this as a separate thread so as not to extend the friendly debate in the "two-cylinder mill engine" thread on engines doing productive work. Actually one of mine...a Tiny Power i built maybe 12-13 years ago does in fact get its annual exercise from just after Thanksgiving until Christmas break...60-70 rpm's all day long turning a little dorm sized Christmas tree resting on a cabinet type turntable. The belt and pulley arrangement isn't fancy but it gets the job done. It sits atop a riser on my desk and faces out into the hallway where all the engineering technology labs are located. The fun for me is not just looking up to see the engine running smoothly and almost silently, or seeing the tree turning, but rather seeing the reactions of the students as they walk by or stop and come in. Amazing how many actually ask what it is or what makes it work!!

Anyway enjoy, along with an early wish for a Happy Holiday Season!

Bill

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Wlindiii---I really like that.---Brian

 

[baldrocker]

Nice one
Is that a small genny I see in the background? Led tree lights me thinks.
BR

 

[dsquire]

Bill

Very nice. I'll bet when Santa see that he will dig deep in his bag to find something extra nice for you.

Thanks for showing it to us. :bow:

Cheers

Don

 

[Brass_Machine]

That's pretty darn cool Bill!

Eric

 

[Philjoe5]

Very cool Bill :bow: :bow: Could you describe what you are using for a belt drive. It looks like one of those link belts?

Cheers,
Phil

 

[b.lindsey]

Phil, It is 3mm dia. polyurethane belting which has been heat spliced together.

Bill

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Philjoe---I have been using 1/8" o-rings as drive belts with good success. One of the places I used to work had an o-ring kit. This consisted of a roll of o-ring material, a razor blade, and a bottle of crazy glue. It was very simple to cut the material to length with the razor blade, put a drop of crazy glue on the cut end, and hold the two ends together for about 30 seconds. I don't see any reason that you couldn't do the same thing for "made to length" drive belts. They are some kind of rubbery material,---neoprene maybe, I'm not sure, and so have a good coefficient of friction to drive things, and they are not very demanding to make pulleys for.---Brian