Home-built Hero of Alexandria steam engine, work in progress.

I've been working on this for a couple weeks. Ultimately, it will turn a small electric motor and generate [some amount] of electricity. It's an adaptation of Hero's (c. 10--70 AD) Aeolipile.
Sorry about the noise. It's sitting on a metal table.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• steam engine
• Flux Capacitor
• Seattle
• S.N.A.G.
• Steampunk
• Heron
• Hero
• Aeolipile

[peanutmaster1231]

I'm thinking of building one of these soon, but don't know where I'd get a brass or copper ball like this one. Where did you get yours? Awesome engine!

[stuartonemillion]

@peanutmaster1231 Thanks. They're doorknobs.

[peanutmaster1231]

@stuartonemillion Oh okay, thanks! And how did you get it to spin so smoothly and well?

[stuartonemillion]

@peanutmaster1231 I just made a bearing using a tube inside a tube with a little oil. you can get the tubing at a hobby store. it's made by K&S Engineering. Ace hardware has it too. Later I used an actual set of 2 wheel bearings for a remote control car, also from hobby store:

/watch?v=Jt4PkJzw-24&list=UU36­8KP3b0EB1KigXMUD0yFA&index=7&f­eature=plcp

[stuartonemillion]

@allrightsreserved88 Yes I did all the fabrication. I am a jeweler by trade, so it's all silver soldered with an oxy-propane torch or cold-connected (little nuts and bolts.) It's mostly copper and brass. The axle is just a tube inside a tube with a little oil, but check out my other videos where I actually used remote-control racing car bearings inside the axle. Where to find the ball? I can't really say, but you might see a handful if you stand in your hallway.

[allrightsreserved88]

@stuartonemillion nice job on this! im assuming you fabricated most all the parts moving and stationary? I have a question, i am a newb when it comes to brass and copper parts or how to properly judge how to go about building the basic assembly for a project such as this one. Any advice or knowledge on where to find a ball like the one you use and also how did you make the bearing for the axis on the Y. I really like this machine! great work sir!

[PINK1dude]

@stuartonemillion k thanks, cuz where i live any steam vessel that has contents under 10 or more psi has to be inspected by a licensed inspector and u need a license to use it too

[stuartonemillion]

@PINK1dude Hmm, I don't know how to measure that. If I had to take a guess, I'd say 10-20 psi.. ?

[PINK1dude]

@stuartonemillion Hey im trying to build one of these for my science fair project, would u be able to tell me a rough estimate of the psi thats generated inside the ball??

[stuartonemillion]

@raulnati03 The sphere is about 1.8 inches in diameter. for the vent holes I crimped copper tube around a guitar string, so the vents are about 9 thousandths of an inch. (Basically a tiny pinhole.) The copper tube itself is too large (.038" i.d.) and doesn't allow enough pressure to build up.