Author Topic: Brian does Ridders flame eater  (Read 17889 times)

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Brian does Ridders flame eater
« on: February 14, 2018, 07:47:22 PM »
I ordered up the newest Jan Ridder flame-eater design, and have modeled it all this morning. I have changed metric plate and shaft sizes to the nearest imperial (inch") size that is available and commonly used. This involved juggling a few parts around to compensate for minor differences in dimensions. This is the new design using a stainless cylinder and graphite piston and internal valve. These flame eater engines are notoriously dirty due to soot in the flame being sucked into the cylinder and resulting condensation. I am not in any great hurry to make this engine, but I know how that has worked out in the past. The amount of time I spend in my machine shop is in direct proportion to how much "real" work I have in any given week. ---Brian



Offline crueby

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2018, 08:10:47 PM »
Interesting looking design, this should be fun!

 :popcorn:

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2018, 08:45:43 PM »
I knew it wouldn't be long before you off on a new project Brian :)  Should be a good one too.

Bill

Offline Ian S C

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2018, 11:49:04 AM »
I'll be watching this one closely, I built one a while back, not long after it was published in Model Engineer, and it has not run,Grrrrr.     
Ian S C

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2018, 03:09:51 PM »
One surprising thing about this engine is how few parts it actually has. I have never worked with machineable graphite, in fact right at the moment I don't even know where to get it, but like everything else, I will find out as I go along.

Offline PJPickard

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2018, 05:38:43 PM »
McMaster sells the graphite.  Oddly enough right now I am building Senft's Poppin and made my piston from graphite. It machines very easily(as you might guess) but the black gets EVERYWHERE. If you can rig up a vacuum to collect the dust as it is being made I would highly recc it. I made my cylinder bore and lapped it to a very smooth surface first, then machined the piston to fit. I got a very nice fit.  The piston JUST fit in the bore, then I polished it with some 1000 grit paper I had, then buffed with regular notebook paper. IT was still a tightish fit in the bore at that point, but after assembling it and running it by hand by just turning the crank it wore in. Now the surface of the piston is a bit scratched up(very fine scratches) but the fit is really nice. But boy that powder is still all over the lathe even after cleaning up a couple of times!

Offline bent

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2018, 06:00:06 PM »
I used the graphite rods from McMaster, they were fine enough grain to make good pistons.  I built Jan's glass-cylinder version of that engine, and it worked ok for me.  There is a problem with a metal cylinder, in that it will expand a bit (maybe .0001" or so) as it warms up, whereas the graphite won't expand hardly at all.  I read carefully Jan's page on troubleshooting these engines, and found it helpful:

http://ridders.nu/Webpaginas/pagina_ervaringen_tips_happers/ervaringenhappers_frameset.htm

If I were to build the stainless cylinder design, I would over-bore the hole for the valve push rod, and fit graphite bushings on each end, to help avoid any binding/friction issues there.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2018, 06:04:22 PM »
Thank you for the advice and for the link---Brian

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2018, 06:20:16 PM »
I have enough brass left over from the power cylinder on the Stirling engine to make a flywheel for the flame eater engine. I picked up 6" of 1 1/2" 316 s.s. for $14 this morning. I also picked up some "real" work today, so now I get to do the great balancing act.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2018, 01:36:55 AM »
I called my bearing supplier today to check and make sure that the metric bearings were available.  They were, so I ordered them--there is about a 5 day delivery because of heading into the long weekend here. I also changed the exterior shape of the cylinder. The way Jan had it shown would require a form tool to make the V shaped cooling fins, so I changed them to conventional cooling fins that can be made with a parting off tool. I have my lump of flywheel brass up in the lathe, and will probably finish the flywheel tomorrow.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2018, 04:30:50 PM »
This mornings work yields a pretty little brass flywheel. The best thing about it was that the material was "left over" from the Stirling engine. I try and salvage every little short left over piece of material that I can.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #11 on: February 17, 2018, 06:58:48 PM »
And to wind up the day--A couple of "in process" shots of the 316 stainless cylinder.


Offline crueby

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2018, 07:38:10 PM »
Wow - that was fast!

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #13 on: February 17, 2018, 11:02:24 PM »
Definitely a productive day Brian. Nice looking parts too!!

Bill

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Brian does Ridders flame eater
« Reply #14 on: February 17, 2018, 11:39:43 PM »
One thing I've learned about machining stainless---You can't be shy with it. if you don't take reasonably aggressive cuts, then it work hardens and becomes really difficult to cut.

 

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