Home Built Steam engine

[Wallfish 698]

I built this little steam engine from copper pipe, brass rod and a caster wheel. It runs from compressed air.Fun little project

The attachment pic wasn't that clear so here's a photobucket pic

 

[nylyon 171]

Very cool!  Have you thought of building a steam boiler for that too?

[Wallfish 698]

I did build a boiler out of a soup can but it turned out to be a little more dangerous than expected. Even though I had a pressure relief valve in it, it still blew up. Luckily no injury occurred but the potential was definitely present. SCARED the you know what out me when it went off! It's just not worth it to me for the liability and it runs much better from air anyway .

[nylyon 171]

I guess I can't blame you on that one.  A portable pressure cooker can be a hazard!

[CasualObserver 4]

No kidding.  Shrapnel from a soup can.... try explaining that one at the ER so they don't call the cops on you for making pipe bombs!

[Wallfish 698]

I did think of building one out of heavy pipe too but thankfully came to my senses!

[stevasaurus 11]

That is a cool project John...I can stand and watch the hit and miss engines all day long.

[Wallfish 698]

There's a guy on Ebay that sells this build manual. I corresponded with him to resell authorized paper manuals at the local shows but so far, not one sold. I even made the pistons and drilled them plus cut the length of brass for the rod so you don't have to buy the whole lengths of brass rods. Let me know if anyone is interested in building one.

[Terry M 7]

There's a lot of energy stored in superheated water,or just any hot water.   I work in a place that has steam presssures  up to 1800psi and higher.   Its that energy that does the work to keep your lights on at home.

(I work in a 600 MW power plant)