Stirlingengineforum.com

Howdy! New stirling engine enthusiast here.

I'm very interested in tips for someone just starting out. I'm finishing college, but I don't know engineering or machining.

When my brother showed me a stirling engine running on solar power in someone's backyard I fell in love. Prices to buy these things seem steep and I'd love to find a way to produce electricity so I've been devouring reading materials on stirling engines online like wikipedia.

I'm looking for pointers of where to start when it comes to building.
I tried to build this one <here> but I found it difficult to make without a woodshop. If anyone wants to see my end product for the sake of levity, let me know! (it doesn't work)

But really, can anyone make a recommendation? I have access to basic power tools but nothing too complex. Please tell me how some of you got started. Thanks

Hi
Seems like you are looking for something simple to start with.
I started with the walking beam,then went on to try something simpler.
My goal:Make a easy made and working engine from scratch.
Okay heres the ingredience;
2 emty cans of tuna fish for displacer cyl.(Those with rip-off lid is perfect)
Bicycle spokes for connection rods
Bicycle valve rubber and/or spring from ballpens as connections to crank and piston.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk18 ... CT0050.jpg
1 cd/dvd for the flywheel
1 small coint for balancing the flywheel and displacer.
2 ball bearings from discharted CPU coolers.
polish steel rod from discharted cd-drive;3mm to fit the bearings

Some of the parts you have to buy.(Unless lucky)
Copper or Alu tube;inner diameter 10-15mm
Copper or Alu tube;inner diameter to fit ballbearings.
Brass tube for the dislacer bearing,fitting the spokes.
A block of "OASIS".
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk18 ... CT0041.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk18 ... 0042-1.jpg
Heat resistence epoxy.(Chemical metal or similar,up to 160C) to glue it all together and cast the piston.
The crank could be made very simple from one steel rod.
I had trouble with bending this right and made the crank from pieces of brass and steel rod.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk18 ... CT0045.jpg


Any questions or comment are welcome.
Getting started is allway difficult!

No.2:
Specs:
Displacer cyl.:2 cans.Ø85x43mm
Displacer piston:"OASIS".Ø83x24mm
PWR.cyl.:alu tube Ø16/Ø14mm.
PWR.piston:"chemical-metal" mixed with "anti scuffing paste"
( grease with graphite or molybdenum) moulded in tube;Ø14x15mm
Main bearing:ball bearings Ø5/Ø3
Crank:Brass bar 12x3mmx35 with 3mm steel axels
Bicycle valve rubber and/or spring from ballpens as connections.
Brass tube and alu tube for con-rods.
Everything is glued together with "chemical-metal"
Running 400+ rpm with methanol burner.
Up to 700 rpm with ice !
tunavid:
http://s280.photobucket.com/albums/kk18 ... CT0035.flv
tuna pics:
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk18 ... CT0040.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk18 ... CT0037.jpg

Jan
PS:http://boydhouse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=267