How to Make A Steam Engine DIY Steam Engine
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Add more Q-Tip washers on the piston side to provide proper spacing so the face of the wooden crankshaft part will be under the center of this piston. This also helps prevent the wooden crankshaft part from accidentally getting glued to the body. Cut the wire for the "Cylinder Pivot" part and make a 90° bend 5mm from one end. The most valuable characteristic of steam is that it occupies 1,700 times more volume in its boiled gaseous state than in its liquid water form . Machines dating back to the time of the Greeks have used the qualities of steam to create motion.
As Dave says you should be fine with ali/brass, I have quite a few ali pistons running in bronze cylinders so similar situation and no problems with them. The plans go on about soldering a tube etc, I'd rather just insert a threaded fitting to accept a small airline. I decided to omit mounting holes for the cylinder at this point as I'm not yet certain how I'll go about it but will probably deviate from the plan. The plans are in imperial but I've decided to work in metric so whilst I am working to the basic design the measurements are flexible and I'll modify / embellish it as I go along. If you must handle the engine while it is in use, do not point the ends of the tubing toward anyone, as hot steam or water could cause scalding.
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Inch (1.3 cm) through the cable clamp connector so that the tubing protrudes a few centimeters below the hole in the junction box. Insert this end of the pipe into the hole in the lid of the smaller can. Place the smaller can above the larger can with the corked tubing facing away from the larger can's ventilation holes.
I did think about air supply and initially considered an aquarium pump but having since looked around I've seen paint spraying kits with a compressor for just over £60. We hope our shares will help you finding the perfect product you are looking for. "I liked to do science experiments, make machines, and learn how they work, so this was fun." Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 528,504 times. Fill the space around and inside the coil with charcoal briquettes.
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Then, slide the copper tubing through 2 holes in the can, place it in a bowl of water, and bend the ends so they are submerged. Next, light the candle, suck water through the tube, and allow it to heat up until jets form. I have used 1/8-inch copper tubing as the union nuts and fittings are readily available from engineering supply specialists. There is no need to make these, as the skill level is extremely high and after all “Why reinvent the wheel? Hold it in a pair of pliers and heat it to dull red and then plunge in cold water.
However a recent stint at Rangitoto College as a technology teacher threw me in at the deep end. My predecessor had embarked on a unit of work that involved a group of Year 13 boys constructing steam engines in order that they could achieve NCEA grades in Brazing and Welding. I will confess that I am an amateur lathe operator and still have a huge way to travel on the learning curve.
Step 1: Materials, Tools, and Plans
You can try posting any questions in the comments, I'll see what I can do but I'm no expert on the subject. To ensure that the piston rod stays at 90° you may want to push it through a piece of ~0.7mm foam first and glue that in along with the piston rod . First cut the wire for the piston rod , then make a 90 ° bend 3mm from one end.
It is also able to pull a grown man easily and only takes about a hundred hours for you to finish building. The great part is that it is not that expensive to build and the process of creating it is very simple and all you need to do is to drill and lathe all day. You can always check out WoodiesTrainShop.com about a more detailed account on how you can start making your own model steam engine.
When the charcoal has caught fire, allow the briquettes to burn for about minutes. As they heat the water in the coil, steam should begin to build up in the upper can. When this steam reaches sufficient pressure, it will push the dowel and skewer piston upwards. Over all I am very pleased with how this little motor came out. It runs very smoothly, looks good and was really easy and cheap to build. You might also try making the air input/output holes a little bigger and upping the PSI for more speed.
You could also use aluminum, brass, Teflon, plastic or Plexiglas instead of wood. Just make sure whatever you use it has a nice smooth finish in-between the moving parts. You will find the plans for the wood parts back on the Materials Page. Alternatively you could try hanging the piston rod from something so that it is just 1mm or so above the table, this will ensure it stays perfectly vertical while the epoxy hardens. Mix some epoxy and fill the inside of the piston tube with it.
The point of this project was really to see how cheaply and easily a miniature steam engine could be built. I built this engine in one day and for under $10 in materials so I think it's safe to call it a success. Small steam engines and budding engineers certainly go together. A small steam engine piqued the interest of 15-year-old Kristin School student Jonathan Feist who is showing all the signs of heading for an outstanding career in engineering. In 2007 he was a successful applicant for the school’s Bobby Stafford-Bush Memorial Scholarship to buy a lathe and mill to support his work in technology. The $4000 prize was created by the Stafford-Bush family in memory of their son who had been a keen technology student at the school.
The former can be made from either metal or hardwood and the copper is shaped over it. The movement of the piston is constrained by the con rod being connected to a crank wheel. The momentum of the flywheel causes the crank wheel to carry on turning and this pushes the piston back into the cylinder thus expelling the spent steam.
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