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Thanks for all the help and comments. It seemed to me that if I believed that diagram, then as soon as one parameter is defined ie diameter of power piston, then the rest must follow from the volume calculations and relationships in the above equations. I see from the various comments above that the...

Thanks Ian,

I have sent Chriske an email - the photos and the explanation no longer exist in that thread.

I have got some diamond saw blades for my Dremel and will try them next.

Bill

Bumpkin, Yep agreed - the pis cancelled out and dont really matter - square pistons ? I could understand a square displacer but somehow I just intuitively don't like a square power piston. However am happy to be wrong about that. Do many people use them ? What do you mean by relative displacement ? ...

Hey Planitech,

Have another look at the diagram.

Cylinder length = 3x cylinder diameter and the cooling end is 1/3 of the overall length

Therefore the length of the cooling end is D and this is the same as 2R

So the volume is pi x R x R x 2R

Bill

Hey,

This is a glass cutter by Jan Ridder who is probably known to most of you. Clever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfYj-sq78DU

I have persevered with the glass cutter and soldering iron and now have wine bottles under control and moving on to thinner glass now.

Hello, Could somebody please look over this calculation and tell me where I have gone wrong ? The answer doesnt look right and am sure I've made a mistake somewhere. See attached jpeg. Sketch is from book by Roy Darlington and Kieth Strong "Stirling and Hot AIr Engines" 2005 Seems like a g...

Hello, Any good websites or pre existing threads or tips for cutting thin and thick glass cylinders for use in stirling engines ? Have got some wine bottles to practice on and have also got some ornamental vases and knick knacks from op shop made of very thin glass - I completely destroyed the first...

Ian S C Bill, it is important for the cylinder wall to be a bit rigid since you need to hold the plates down AIR TIGHT. Even though it's a low temperature engine. If the pressure differential is 0.1 lb/in^2, the pulling and compression forces of the plates might be significant. Would be up to a lb ...

Ian, Thanks for the reply. The way I visualise it as long as there are some sturdy screws holding the top and bottom plates then the cylinder wall need not be too rigid all it has to do is enclose the space that the displacer occupies whilst it is moving up and down. Why does it need to be rigid ? I...

Hello, I got some clear acrylic sheets approx 1/4" thick at a closing down auction. Have been googling for ways to bend it and make a cylinder. Have found that aquarium hobbyists discuss this a lot and that you can put it in the oven and when it gets a bit softish it can be bent and moulded. An...

Hello, Am trying to understand some basic stuff. Would it be more appropriate to use very thin light materials to build the 8" diameter main cylinder for a low delta T engine such as aluminium plate 0.060" for top and base and thin plastic soft drink bottle plastic for the cylinder walls 0...

Ian,

Thanks for your comments I saw your response in the welcome thread as well. I have the Andy Ross book and wil look out for anything by Rizzo.

Bill

Helo, I've been browsing and seen a few comments like this "this is what i have learned from ian s c, the piston length should be 3 times as long as the diameter." If your motor is an ALPHA it must have two fitted pistons, and both cylinders have the same volume. If it is a BETA motor, the...

Hello, Bill-W retired 4 years ago and recently bought a metal lathe and interested in small projects to learn with Stirling Engines seem perfect and they can become big projects too. Currently googling and trawling the internet for any and all info available - that is how I found this forum Was thin...