Finally time for a Good Model Engine? The Flickering Fires of the Flame Licker!

[@tr673]

Attach a fan and a small pump and get the engine to drive a cooling circuit for its own fuel tank!

[@lmm]

That's a good idea actually

[@HJPorschen]

I don't know what I like more: the engine or your enthusiasm.

[@IronHorseRailways]

I was TODAY years old when I discovered this type of engine!😮 Took me a minute to realise how it works, was looking for the boiler at first......😂 I like how it sets itself on fire too... That adds a certain layer of excitement doesn't it? And to be fair you DID say you wanted excitement so....? Anyway! Jolly good show mate, thanks for sharing!

[@Stirlingkit]

find more steam engine kits, i think you will love it.

[@fritz46]

Nothing beats trying out a toy using open flames under a Christmas tree surrounded by wrapping paper!

[@fishw]

Bless you being so excited about it, Though do admit quite tempting too

[@turkeytrac1]

Wicked bit of fun!! Thanks!!

[@lmm]

It really is!

[@trevorhaddox6884]

When you run model generators to test engine power, make sure to use a small incandescent bulb NOT an LED. It takes so little power to light an LED you'd probably be loosing more just to friction.

[@MisterTalkingMachine]

This an atmospheric engine not too different from a Newcomen pump, the vacuum is created by the air contracting as it cools rather than steam condensation, I think I'll start thinking of building one myself, I think it would be a fun power supply for an old transistor radio as those do something quite practical with little power

[@Dhira108]

I want one 😊 Just love the pleasure such a simple engine brings

[@lmm]

I'd recommend getting one!

[@Dhira108]

​@@lmmSadly they appear to have all been sold, will look out for one though

[@fenman1954]

I want to get one and balance the crank and make the cam follower better also a heat shield on the tank, just to see how good it can be made to run.

[@JeffBilkins]

Fun flame powered table shaker

[@VictoryWorks]

I don't know how I feel about this video. Seeing you excited about a good quality engine has a special feeling to it, but there's also a lot of entertainment in you trying out an engine that fulfils zero safety regulations and looks like it might blow your eyebrows off any moment 🤔

[@hughbrown9398]

What a genuinely lovely little engine. Great as it stands, it also offers scope for improvement by those so inclined. Playing with small balance weights on the flywheels might smooth it out a bit (allowing that it's impossible to 100% balance a single cylinder engine). It wouldn't be too hard to polish up that cam a bit. More advanced players may be able to devise a governor mechanism to rock the burner back and forth automatically to maintain a set speed. If I wasn't about to skint myself by importing a rather stupid motorcycle I'd be seriously considering ordering one.

[@QALibrary]

That does look good - it will be interesting what you can run from it - maybe a threshing machine

[@notsoaveragerailwayguy]

I think that looks like great fun lawrie

[@lmm]

It's really amusing

[@notsoaveragerailwayguy]

@@lmm when you were at LOWMEX i was that kid who vibed with you the whole day lol

[@lmm]

@@notsoaveragerailwayguy was a good day wasn't it

[@notsoaveragerailwayguy]

@lmm ye, was great meeting you there too

[@mediocrefunkybeat]

Always great to see you this happy, Lawrie!

[@guidor.4161]

I might have to get one! I have a tiny brass steam engine which i assembled from a kit, that actually works. A few years back I bought a Stirling engine which I couldn't get to run.

[@bentullett6068]

That does look like a excellent little engine.

[@lmm]

Best thing I've had a go with so far

[@Jelfs]

I've always wanted one of the Böhm sterling engines, but they are quite expensive so maybe this is an option instead. And a nice cameo of sir William on the Alec Steele video the other day

[@RG-Models86]

Looks like an amazing little engine 👍

[@andrewirobinson]

Intergalactic levels of flame licking have been achieved

[@Trainsaregreat365]

It's amazing lawrie

[@siraff4461]

There has to be some practical use for this. As a stand alone its very wasteful but if it were running from what would otherwise be waste heat it could be quite useful. It looks like it can run on a relatively low temperature difference so I imagine it could work (for instance) between a steam engine and its firebox. Or even attached to a small stove so you could use this to power a light or charge your phone while cooking. Come to think of it I can think of a lot of use for this including to some extent automotive. As it is thats a great toy.

[@18robsmith]

If everything were in balance I don't think it would give that pleasant "chuffy" sound. Looks to be a really great man-toy 🙂 [edit to add] Use the waste heat to cook bacon over - perfection achieved!

[@lmm]

Absolutely perfection!

[@althejazzman]

very small pieces of bacon in a very small frying pan?

[@robine5280]

Maybe I misunderstood but I think the explanation was wrong. The working principle relies on the air trapped in the cylinder cooling down and creating a vacuum. Hence - as you mentioned - it's called a vacuum engine.

[@Novel_Poe]

I wonder if someone made one with a butane style burner like the other engine you reviewed

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

great vid thanks lee

[@solarusthelonghaulerrailfa3226]

Looks like a power plant for a certain Time Machine 😁👍

[@Mrdoctile]

@12:48 an Lawriegasm... so funny

[@RalphFreeman-ok5of]

Maybe removing the flywheel and rotating 90 180 or 270 degrees and re installing might help? Worth a try ?

[@lmm]

Might be a good idea

[@BuggleskellyStation]

What might be cool would be to incorporate it into a small diorama with little figures running the machine. Fire risk, but worth it...

[@Taliesin6]

would it run with a regular candle or just a lighter ?

[@lmm]

A tea light maybe. Lighter I suspect not

[@profpetrof]

Very nice engine, and like your video, however the principle of the engine was explained incorrectly. The engine sucks in hot air from the flame, and the valve closes, sealing the chamber. As the cylinder has cooling fins and is generally much much colder than the air being sucked in, the air cools down and contracts, this creates a vacuum which sucks the piston back toward the valve and completes the cycle for the valve to open and suck in new hot air. Hence the name, "Vacuum Engine". No expansion of air happens inside the cylinder as there is no source of heat on or in the cylinder. A very nice video, thank you!

[@2760ade]

It is a lovely little engine, but as you said it is such a shame that they didn't spend more time on the finish and balanced the flywheels properly! Attention to detail. Would have been perfect then!

[@jbhtrams]

If it had a screw fitting and a seal, and a slightly bigger air gap in the tank, then it wouldn't go on fire as easily!

[@Captain_Char]

I wonder if these could be run off a small butane burner

[@lmm]

Quite happily I would think

[@trainswithnickyt]

This would be epic, running a Faller fairground carousel or something

[@lmm]

Yeah! That would be great

[@jappedut9009]

Do you think it can be scaled up ❓️

[@anythingoldmechanical]

Bent Crankshaft, No power take off pulley, Meths expands if left running too long .. 😅

[@jimbarchuk]

Crankshaft 9:51 Roll on a flat surface to find the bend. This will cut down on vibration and improve operation.

[@paulhorn2665]

Running.

[@MorseB]

Some day someone will make a belt drive phone charger to run off these and similar engines.

[@lmm]

I don't think they produce enough power. Powering up an led might work

[@maartenbrinker]

Wilesco has the best model engines in my pov

[@lmm]

They're great, but significantly more money

[@maartenbrinker]

@@lmm Second hand is the way to go with them. If the boiler is ok the engine will run 95 percent of the time. Doesn't matter how old it is.

[@lmm]

@@maartenbrinker I love my traction engine. Cracking machine

[@emil.honganmaki5461]

She remembers advertising mamod steam engines in every video, even though their traction engines with their vibrating cylinders are nothing special.

[@lmm]

Mamod are a decent standard that pretty much everyone who has an interest of model engineering knows of to compare against. Not a huge amount of people will have heard of Retrol

[@stevebettany8778]

This is the one I’ve been looking for. Maybe a heat shield around the tank would work and it’s always fun to mess with things.

[@lmm]

That might help!

[@AtreiusLux]

I came here out of concern for the thumbnail.

[@theKEB42]

Oh whatever you do don't tell him about the thermal acoustic engine he may just have a stroke

[@lmm]

We covered that in the Lowmex video. What a bonkers thing

[@keithtanner2806]

“Efficient”“Not efficient.” So, which is it? I know which - it’s inefficient.

[@lmm]

In terms of using energy, hot air engines are more efficient than a steam engine. The issue with this one is obviously from the energy provided from the burner, this only takes a tiny amount of it. I hope that clears up the contraindication.

[@hello-m8v]

first comment!

[@lmm]

Good show!

[@hello-m8v]

@@lmm thanks

[@robine5280]

I wanted to look at the thing but the website is a huge pain... 👎🏼