Has anybody built the flame eater "Nick"?

I am planning my next project (when I get my tailstock in working order). I was thinking of building another Stirling engine but I do not think ''John'' has English instructions.

**LINK**

This may not be too much of a problem as the ''Laura'' Stirling engine had very good plans/diagrams and the English instructions were very limited in that they do not tell you how to make the parts. It is assumed that the builder already knows how to do that.

The flame eater ''Nick'' looks interesting and it has English instructions. The base is also pre-milled which is useful because I do not have a router. Has anybody built this engine before ? Do you have any hints about the build ? Are flame eater engines any more difficult to get going than Stirling engines ?

**LINK**

Edited By Brian John on 23/03/2016 13:13:23

I can't help but have you seen this site, lots of nice engines and the drawings/instructions are very good.

**LINK**

Have not built Nick but years ago built one called "Poppin" serialised in a US magazine.

I did get it to run but I made 3 different cylinders and 8 different pistons before it would run. Also had ongoing problems with the shim steel valve losing its' temper due to exposure to the burner, and also shifting poition on the valve rod. I had about 15 years experience in metal model making when I built that engine, and many years more than that fixing / rebuilding car and motorcycle engines for road and track use. I was no novice, and had a hell of a time with it.

As piston/ cylinder fit are absolutely critical with vacuum / flame lickers and the valve issues just about drove me crazy I can not recommend these as a beginner engine. However maybe being a Bengs kit some of these issues may have been ironed out, especially if piston and cylinder come pre-fitted. If not, you may have grave difficulties.

Why not try a gauge 1 loco or a small steam tractor for next project? probably a lot less heartache for you getting a steam device built and running rather than Stirling or vacuum engines. There is one simple loco I have seen plans for called "cracker" that many beginners have made successfully. Rudy Kouhoupt's 3/4" scale steam tractor is not too complex either. JD

Hmm, that cheers me up... being half way through a Poppin...

Neil

"As piston/ cylinder fit are absolutely critical with vacuum / flame lickers."

Well that must make me an absolutely jammy sod then, because my scratch built flame licker runs like a treat and I cannot say that it is built with any great precision.

Vic : thank you for that link. I have not seen that site before. I will have a close look at their machines and prices before I order anything else.

Brian, they probably are harder to get going than Stirling Engines, my score is 2 out of 3 going, the one that doesn't go is the one designed by Jan Ridders, the first one was an indistinct drawing in an old Model Engineer, and the other one is the same, scaled up.

I built it to the drawing, but last year I made a new cylinder head with a central slot 1/4" high x 3/8" wide.

Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 25/03/2016 09:13:07

Jan Ridders doesn't sell kits but he will let you have a set of plans if you email him. Lots of folks have built his designs.

Ian : that was my gut feeling on the matter too ie. a flame licker is more difficult to get running. Although they are interesting and unusual. At this stage I am leaning towards the ''John'' Stirling engine even though it has no English instructions.

You should be able to translate it online like the LeGrande one you made before.

I bought the Nick flame eater kit. It arrived on Friday and I have been looking through the instructions before starting anything. They say that the most difficult part is the cylinder (part #20) : ''the cylinder bore should be drilled first and reamed or turned to size.....then turn the cooling fins''

I would have turned the cooling fins first as then the work piece can be supported between centres. Any thoughts on that ?

''Then turn the cooling fins, but do not yet overwind lengthwise''

What does that mean ?

Edited By Brian John on 14/05/2016 17:35:14

I built a Poppin many years ago to run on lighter gas. It worked very well and still does. My 10 year old son also built one (must admit with a bit of help) and that also worked.

I've no idea what overwinding means, but I'd stay clear of reaming the bore, I'd bore it and then lap it to fit the piston using a lead lap

I have cleaned up the cast iron flywheels with the angle grinder today (lots of casting flash) and I am trying to work out how to attach them to the face plate prior to being machined. I have never used the face plate before, having machined all my previous flywheels using a steel mandrel. I cannot work out how to bolt the flywheels to the face plate ; the flywheels do not seem quite big enough to get the bolts through any of the provided slots and holes.

I may have to use the face plate to get the centre holes drilled and then switch over to a mandrel to finish machining the edges and outer surfaces. I am hoping not to have to do that : I have found cast iron  to be more difficult to machine with a mandrel then brass or aluminium as it vibrates a lot more causing chatter.

Edited By Brian John on 16/05/2016 12:11:27

One way of holding the flywheel would be to screw a piece of MDF which is larger than the flywheel diameter to the faceplate. Make a central hole to clear the boss if it protrudes beyond the height of the rim. Use 3 bridge clamps over pairs of spokes screwed into the MDF. Before the clamps are tight, juggle the casting so that the inside of the rim runs as true as possible then tighten up for machining.

Now you will be able to machine the edge and one side of the rim, and clean up the boss and make the central hole. After that, you can hold the wheel on your mandrel or in the 4 jaw chuck to clean up the other side of the rim and finish off the boss.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

Another option would be to drill and tap some additional holes in the faceplate to suit your clamp threads. Then just span across two spokes with a clamping plate.

1. Okay, I will drill and tap for M5 (tap drill = 4.2mm). What is the face plate likely to be made of and how difficult will it be to drill and tap ?

2. How thick should the timber or MDF board be on which the face plate rests ie. how far from the face plate should the closest edge of the flywheel be ?

Edited By Brian John on 17/05/2016 13:46:22

1. probaly cast iron so shoud drill & tap OK, mine did.

2. does not need to be much just something to let the tool run out into, 6mm would do.

Be careful that you don't overtighten the clamps as to much will break the spokes.

Frank