Elmer's Geared (Hypocycloidal) Steam Engine

[Inky Engines]

Just completed this one, being the eleventh of Elmer's Engines built by Inky Engines.  This is a nice engine to build, and not particularly difficult if care is taken in alignment of the gears - its also interesting to watch running, particularly at slow speed.  The downside as previously noted by other contributors (and Elmer himself) is the cost of the gears.  My build aims for the engine were that it should be capable of being breath powered (as demonstrated by my grandson Luke - although I acknowledge that he is a non-smoker!), and that it should be outside the comfort zone of one already built and documented by arnoldb, who inspired my previous build of Elmer's Comber Rotary Engine.

Here are the pictures and You Tube video - as with my other engines there is no build log other than the video, but I'm always more than happy to discuss further.







<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiuyH4lC3qg" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiuyH4lC3qg</a>

As for the next engine build I'm still undecided, but needless to say it will be another of Elmer's designs.  I presently have in mind three possibilities:  the #49 Vauxhall Donkey Pump; the #38 VR75 engine, possibly as part of a steam plant with boiler, etc; or the #17 Pumping Engine - any suggestions?

Kind regards

Geoff at Inky Engines

[b.lindsey]

That's a beauty Geoff....and obviously well made to run on breath power too. I love the videos you have done on these as well!!

Bill

[smfr]

That's a lovely runner, with none of the grinding noises that I often hear on these geared engines!

Simon

[Don1966]

Geoff your engines a awesome and the vidoes are top notch. Great job and a great runner.

Don

[Stilldrillin]

That's another beauty, you've produced there Geoff!      

Lovely video, crackin' runner.......

David D

[zeeprogrammer]

Beautiful engine Geoff.
Great video and I enjoyed the music too.
Nicely done.

[jonesie]

  nice looking build geoff and also a nice video,thanks for sharing. jonesie

[steamer]

That is a beauty!

Dave

[Maryak]

That is a beauty!

Dave

Yep, it sure is. 

Best Regards
Bob

[Jo]

  Brilliant.

Jo

[arnoldb]

  Very well done Geoff - it looks and runs GREAT - and I really like the wood cladding 

Kind regards, Arnold

[Inky Engines]

Thank you all for your kind comments.

Arnold .. I'm pleased you like the mahogany cylinder cladding, I've now 'retrofitted' all my relevant Elmer's builds - the potential pitfall of course is that if used on live steam the cyanoacrylate glue used would inevitably fail - sometime I'll get around to fitting brass retaining bands, but they will need to be very small.

I'm 'almost' decided that the next build is to be Elmer's VR75 with a view to scratch building a 3" vertical boiler and running it as part of a live steam plant.

Kind regards

Geoff at Inky Engines

[mzt]

I'm coming late here, and in haste too...

Great work!!!   

The VR75 is on my todo list, too! Ain't sure it will be my next.
Marcello

[Alan Haisley]

Geoff,
Where did you source the gears? I'd love to build one of these and really wish I had a small shaper to make that internal gear.
Alan

[gbritnell]

Excellent job on your engine. I know what you mean about the price of internal gears. I had to buy one for my radial aircraft engine and I had almost as much in the gear as the engine itself.
Elmer has a very nice selection of engines to build. They should keep you busy for quite some time.
gbritnell