lubricating engines that run on air?

[kev]

lubricating engines that run on air?

A lot of people run steam engines on air or design engines just for air, is there a way to provide a steady continuous lubrication at the engine ie not relying on some form of atomiser at the compressor end?

[Dan Rowe]

The simple way is to buy an air line lubricator. These often come with a filter and a regulator made for air operated tools in the shop.

Dan

[kev]

yes Im aware of those but I was thinking about something small to go with the engine along the lines of a displacement lubricator fitted to a steam engine

[b.lindsey]

Kev, what I usually do is put a few drops of light oil directly in the air line before connecting it to the engine and applying pressure. Then once the line is connected and pressure applied the oil will be pushed into the valve/cylinder, etc. and lubricate things for as long as a typical run takes. Continuous running would best be done with an inline lubricator as suggested however.

Bill

[kev]

Yes I also normall pop a drop into the inline before running but what im after is a reasonable easy way to machine some form of inline oiler as in one per engine or cyinder. A mechanical lubricator is a good solution but expensive. I would think it needs to atomise the oil into the air stream, any idea how the inline oilers for tools work

[Dan Rowe]

Kev, Here is the link to a miniature one that shows the principals of operation.
http://www.spiraxsarco.com/Documents/ML3M_Monnier_Miniature_Compressed_Air_Lubricators-Technical_Information.pdf

Dan

[kev]

Thanks Dan, thats a very interesting but complicated design. Im currently thinking a little wild and thinking about bubbling up air through oil, so imagining a cylinder of oil, inlet at the bottom (maybe with a non return valve) and the outlet at the top. Air bubbles up through the oil and becomes "oily" on its way to the engine. maybe not efficient but very easy to make.

[kev]

how about this

[b.lindsey]

Simple yes kev, but with even minimal pressure I think the oil will be churned up enough that a lot will exit to the engine. You can give it a try, maybe with a much lower oil level you might have a chance.

Bill

[10KPete]

I can see that working, but I'm with b.lindsey on keeping the oil in the pot. Baffles???

Pete

[sshire]

I like the baffle idea. Maybe a stack of "washers" with spacers between each.
An aside, and I'm being serious here. Love the Crap-o-cad. Bogs used to put them up regularly.  Rough ideas don't need Solidworks or Inventor.
I have a feeling that this is going to turn out to be a useful thread.

[10KPete]

An aside, and I'm being serious here. Love the Crap-o-cad. Bogs used to put them up regularly.  Rough ideas don't need Solidworks or Inventor.

I'm with you on pencil sketches. I've used AutoCAD for decades (before Windows!!) but I don't use it much anymore.
90% of the 'hobby machinist' stuff like engines and parts don't, for me at least, require CAD. I find pencil sketching much
more free. When I design, I don't worry so much about what size the part is, which with CAD you have to know to even
create the part! Too constraining. Quad paper and a pencil; that's the ticket for me.

Oops, sorry about the hijack!

Back to the original idea. I think something sorta tall with baffles just might work. Certainly wouldn't take much to bodge
one together for trial.

Pete

[derekwarner]

Those sketches from Mr Moore [bogs] were actually transcribed   onto the inside surfaces of empty [ ] fag packets .......... Derek

[kev]

sorry I have no fag packets and here is an even simpler crap-o-cad

re baffles maybe something simple machined on the end of the outlet?

[kev]

and this I guess needs a look at

http://www.screwfix.com/p/air-tool-mini-in-line-oiler-/4389H?kpid=4389H&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping%20-%20Power%20Tools-_-Shopping%20-%20Power%20Tools&gclid=CPu-muv72cgCFSgFwwod1PYIRQ#product_additional_details_container