Mini Stirling- JB weld piston

I made this engine using a JB weld piston in a 1/4" brass tube cylinder. All bushings are 1/16" brass tubing glued with JB weld onto the wires. The wires are all .032" music wire, except the displacer rod. It was taken from a Otona no kagaku engine, as well as the displacer gland. The regenerator is just some foam from a watch case. The bearing for the prop is very small short pieces of 1/16" tubing. This was a fun project and is probably my favorite LTD engine. The video is cut short because the engine unceremoniously toppled off of the jar after shaking itself too much...but nothing broke(thankfully). I plan on making a stand out of a computer heat sink that the cold side will sit on upside down, and then a dome over the hot side to run on solar energy. The dome will act like a small greenhouse/insulation, so it will get hotter than just sitting in the sun alone. I'll post it if I ever get it done.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Stirling
• engine
• model

[tahboobi]

exuse me sir, can this engine produce enough power to move a small toy car by connecting the wheel to a shaft?

[IronGoober]

@tahboobi I doubt it, unless you geared it down A LOT. Then it could work.

[IronGoober]

@tahboobi If you geared it down enough, then yes, you could move a small toy car. It would be a slow car though ;)

[flowerman2705]

Hey,

Nice video and a sweet stirling engine but i have a question. When you casted the power piston with jb weld, when you got the piston running freely inside the cylinder could you see tiny air gaps around the piston inside the cylinder? Thats what I got and im wondering in my stirling engine will still work?

Thanks

[IronGoober]

@flowerman2705 I never actually checked, I should of only had a few thousands clearance. If you put the piston in the cylinder and plug the other end (like with your finger or hand), the piston should slide slowly down into the cylinder, not fall, if it does, then you should be fine.

[bleachworthy]

How did you make the piston? pour it in the cylinder let it dry then force it out?

[1972FordF150]

cool!

[tahboobi]

@IronGoober alright ,, thanks very much

[tahboobi]

@IronGoober thank you, ill consider that

[IronGoober]

@bassonmyolmonster I bought it at a hobby store, I'm not sure what it was intended for.

[SlingingIronGoober]

@technology49 Yes, the displacer piston needs enough clearance for the air to be displaced from the hot side to the cold side and vice versa.

[technology49]

The big piston mustnt be tight,right?

[asdfkjaskldalsdfa]

it's incredible, if I don't see, I don't believe,,,, it's so small !!!! congratulations.

[flowerman2705]

Become a member of INSTRUCTABLES and put this project on to it would be very helpful!

Thanks :-)