Tesla's "Ambient Heat Engine" Experiment

[Tom Booth]

The specs on the sellers page say the spacing is 0.6 mm

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I wouldn't be too surprised if I found a glob of glue rolling around inside binding up the rotor. That's kind of what it feels like and how it sounds, a kind of thump thump thump... Similar to a stepper motor.

Bad bearing? Ball of dirt and glue?

[Jack]

Fair enough. The spacing is not too bad.
Sounds like it needs a bit of work still.

[Tom Booth]

Fair enough. The spacing is not too bad.
Sounds like it needs a bit of work still.

The dull "thump thump thump" when turning it is a little irregular or intermittent at times.

Judging from the outside, could be a bit of rubbery glue binding things up inside.

The CNC machining of the parts generally looks ok as far as I can tell. Might just need cleaning. With such close tolerances if there is any globs of glue on the inside like in the outside that could do it I suppose.

Looks like I'll need to pick up a security type torx but to get it apart.

[Tom Booth]

I sent for a couple extra of these replacement dentist drill turbines.

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I don't"t suppose they are much use as turbines without the housing, but if nothing else, each one should have two very small, good quality high speed bearings, which I can probably always use.

Typically the bearings supplied with most imported model Stirling engines are complete garbage. (Excluding Kontax engines which seem to be of good quality all around).

But possibly a custom turbine housing for these could be made from three layers of plexiglass.