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How to Almost Build an Engine With Only Parts From the Hardware Store [video]

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Re: How to Almost Build an Engine With Only Parts From the Hardware Store [video]

#51

Post by mikeash »

bradleyland wrote: post #50
mikeash wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And let's not forget compressed air, which is still a very popular way to run power tools. Electric vastly outnumbers it, of course, but compressed air is still used in a significant portion of tools.

Compressed air is not an energy source, it's a short term energy storage medium. The same static/non-static correlation between electric and gasoline exists. Most compressors in static installations are electric. Compressors that must be used in the field are frequently powered by a small internal combustion engine. Compressed air is used because the powerhead is much smaller and lighter than an electric motor (at av…

Technically, nothing is an energy source. It's all just storage and conversion.

In any case, compressed air is directly analogous to electricity here. It's a way to transmit energy generated elsewhere.

Re: How to Almost Build an Engine With Only Parts From the Hardware Store [video]

#52

Post by jessaustin »

ricardobeat wrote: post #46
jessaustin wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Meh. You folks should have misspent more of your youth burning shit down. Gasoline is highly flammable, but it doesn't light without a spark. Also, the small amount of gasoline he's got in his carb will only produce so much flame. I'm glad he appears to be running this outside. I probably would have worn safety glasses, but then I only have one eye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TCe9NKtP90

Awesome! I only watched the first two episodes. The kid at the beginning is doing it right. The old man with the giant brushpile should be using diesel fuel, with perhaps a couple of old tires and a very tiny amount of gasoline since diesel fuel can be difficult to light. (But it burns much steadier, rather than exploding all at once.)

Re: How to Almost Build an Engine With Only Parts From the Hardware Store [video]

#53

Post by jessaustin »

noonespecial wrote: post #41
mikeash wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And let's not forget compressed air, which is still a very popular way to run power tools. Electric vastly outnumbers it, of course, but compressed air is still used in a significant portion of tools.

Compressed CO2 and nitrogen are gaining favor in the tool space as well.

Yeah I'm sure Airgas and Praxair love this idea.

Re: How to Almost Build an Engine With Only Parts From the Hardware Store [video]

#54

Post by jessaustin »

nhebb wrote: post #47
mikeash wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And let's not forget compressed air, which is still a very popular way to run power tools. Electric vastly outnumbers it, of course, but compressed air is still used in a significant portion of tools.

In shop operations most compressors, in turn, run off electricity.

Which, in turn, runs off coal or nuclear or whatever.

Re: How to Almost Build an Engine With Only Parts From the Hardware Store [video]

#55

Post by bradleyland »

mikeash wrote: post #51
bradleyland wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Compressed air is not an energy source, it's a short term energy storage medium. The same static/non-static correlation between electric and gasoline exists. Most compressors in static installations are electric. Compressors that must be used in the field are frequently powered by a small internal combustion engine. Compressed air is used because the powerhead is much smaller and lighter than an electric motor (at av…

Technically, nothing is an energy source. It's all just storage and conversion. In any case, compressed air is directly analogous to electricity here. It's a way to transmit energy generated elsewhere.

It's a matter of context. In the broadest sense, nuclear reactions are an energy source. In general, I agree with you, but it's easy to see the difference between electricity and compressed air. Compressed air is an intermediary in the sense that wire-transmitted electricity is, but it's used in very limited contexts.

Re: How to Almost Build an Engine With Only Parts From the Hardware Store [video]

#56

Post by mikeash »

bradleyland wrote: post #55
mikeash wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Technically, nothing is an energy source. It's all just storage and conversion. In any case, compressed air is directly analogous to electricity here. It's a way to transmit energy generated elsewhere.

It's a matter of context. In the broadest sense, nuclear reactions are an energy source. In general, I agree with you, but it's easy to see the difference between electricity and compressed air. Compressed air is an intermediary in the sense that wire-transmitted electricity is, but it's used in very limited contexts.

I don't understand the distinction you're drawing between electricity and compressed air. Aside from the fact that compressed air is much less efficient and much more difficult to run over long distances, they look pretty much identical to me: they are both ways of transmitting energy.

Re: How to Almost Build an Engine With Only Parts From the Hardware Store [video]

#57

Post by [deleted] »

bradleyland wrote: post #55
mikeash wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Technically, nothing is an energy source. It's all just storage and conversion. In any case, compressed air is directly analogous to electricity here. It's a way to transmit energy generated elsewhere.

It's a matter of context. In the broadest sense, nuclear reactions are an energy source. In general, I agree with you, but it's easy to see the difference between electricity and compressed air. Compressed air is an intermediary in the sense that wire-transmitted electricity is, but it's used in very limited contexts.

[deleted]

Re: How to Almost Build an Engine With Only Parts From the Hardware Store [video]

#58

Post by [deleted] »

bradleyland wrote: post #55
mikeash wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Technically, nothing is an energy source. It's all just storage and conversion. In any case, compressed air is directly analogous to electricity here. It's a way to transmit energy generated elsewhere.

It's a matter of context. In the broadest sense, nuclear reactions are an energy source. In general, I agree with you, but it's easy to see the difference between electricity and compressed air. Compressed air is an intermediary in the sense that wire-transmitted electricity is, but it's used in very limited contexts.

[deleted]

Re: How to Almost Build an Engine With Only Parts From the Hardware Store [video]

#59

Post by numbsafari »

msisk6 wrote: post #34

I don't know -- while I admire what he's trying to do here, it's just a little too cargo cultish. There's a lot of engineering in internal combustions engines and all that info is readily available. Things like compression ratios, spark timing, and fuel-air mixture ratios; all very important but it seems he didn't give any thought at all to this before jumping in. A little thinking ahead of time could have saved him…

I agree that he should have done more research before jumping in. A quick Google search for animations of simple two-stroke engines would probably help him get that working in fairly short order.

I disagree, though, about needing to go crazy with the craftsmanship. I mean, if the purpose of this is to build something experimental, or something that could be used to illustrate to kids how an engine works, having it NOT be craftsman-like might help demystify the whole thing.

I really like that he has built it onto a piece of plywood. It reminds me of those old electronics builder kits you could buy at radioshack. Would you want to actually use one of those as a real radio? No. But building a simple radio that actually functions where you can see all the pieces really helps to make it real.

So, from an educational perspective, I think the simplicity of it is helpful.

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