Two Home Made Steam Engines and a Manual Air Compressor.....One Blows Up

[@juanhunose1]

I love stumbling on stuff like this on You Tube. They, and your skills are really something! Thanks for sharing!

[@UncleDoug]

+Paul Austin You're welcome, Paul, and thanks for the very kind comments. I have over 120 other videos on my channel.....mostly related to vintage amplifiers, jukeboxes, and electromechanical devices.....but you may find some (or hopefully all) interesting.

[@juanhunose1]

+Uncle Doug Yeah...I've subscribed! I LOVE tube amps and I've been meaning to put a champ clone together for a while now.

[@irusman62]

wow those all are very cool! even though youre pissed and broken darn auto correct.

[@rustypanels1917]

Hello from down under. These models you have built are fantastic, without plans and learning to use your new machines, you've done an excellant job. I have just purchased a medium size lathe, and I enjoy just practising on it. I get encouragement from peapole like you to make small engines like you have. Thanks for sharing, and you have 1 more subscriber.

[@UncleDoug]

+Rusty Panels You're welcome, Rusty, and thanks for your very nice comments. Best of luck with your new lathe and all the projects you will build with it.

[@Bbendfender]

These are very nice. My dad is almost 91 and his older brother built a steam powered tractor probably 70 or 80 years ago. I have it now but I've never tried to fire it up.

[@UncleDoug]

+Bbendfender Thanks, Bb. What a great heirloom. Hopefully some day it could be resurrected.

[@phishertube]

Fantastic work and all from scratch, no plans, and your own brainstorming to boot! Very impressive,

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, PT. I am currently working on a similar project that I think you might get a kick out of, and will be posting a video in the next day or two.....so stay tuned :)))

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Inflivia. I really appreciate your kind assessment.

[@ScottyPilot]

A work in progress, but for no plans, wow.... really good looking work mate..

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, Scott. I often find that time spent drawing elaborate plans is better spent on actual construction.....a hold-over I guess from my hyper-active youth :)

[@liberty5565]

So cool. I live close to a museum of old steam engine tractors; which are identical to old trains. Very slow, but a ton of torque. They also have massive engines and smaller hit and miss engines. Early technology was sometimes scary and really interesting. The hit and miss are my favorite. Your builds are very well made and look great. Great work.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, John. I wish we had a museum like that in my area.

[@UncleDoug]

Both suggestions are very interesting. Thanks for the input !!

[@stevenstewart5980]

Beautiful work, Uncle Doug! It is especially impressive that they are of your own design and you made all of the major parts by hand! No doubt that your experience with restoring cars, understanding heat engines and pressure dynamics all came into play. Each of these is an heirloom that you should burst with pride for having made. You continue to amaze!

[@UncleDoug]

Wow, thanks so much, Steven. I really appreciate your very nice comments.

[@ElPasoTubeAmps]

These instruments are beautiful... Interesting you keep your plans in your head as I often do too building realtime and only writing down what I have to to do calculations. Love these videos -

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Works of art in my eyes buddy, good job.

[@UncleDoug]

+fredintheshed1 Thanks, Fred. I appreciate it :)

[@carmelpule6954]

Sir, heartiest congratulations. The design seems to be quite original and though they are over engineered, they still look very elegant, Congratulations once again.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Carmel :)

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much. I really appreciate your kind appraisal.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Gary. I am blushing as I read your kind words. I always wanted to learn how to operate a lathe and a mill, so I bought one of each and then just "jumped into the deep end" by starting some challenging projects. I think it's really the best way to learn any skill......except maybe sword swallowing and parachute packing :)))

[@toxicgraphix]

These are true works of art.....not merely machines....

[@MultiAddy]

talks of lot of passion of yours.. pushed quite some blood to my brain :).. great work.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, MA. I'm glad you liked them :)

[@inflivia]

really nice looking work. great finishing

[@gwheyduke]

Good video! Enjoyed the engines. You could drive the air compressor with the two cylinder, and then use the air to power your single cylinder. ! !👍

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, GW. Good suggestion :)

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, David. Yes, I find it easier to simply start building, solving problems as I go. In all three cases, it seemed to work out fine. I can't imagine the stress necessary to tear the swaged heads off of stainless steel motorcycle spokes, but it must have been considerable. What was left of the spoke heads was still in the pistons, battered beyond recognition. The two-cylinder engine has been rebuilt with new rods and is fine. I'll have to be more careful with the air pressure in the future.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, BT.

[@zacsiauchan201]

Yay! I didn't know that you are also pro at mechanics... Very nice models.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Zac :)

[@zacsiauchan201]

A pleasure to watch all your videos and studies.

[@ezralord4901]

Thank you for the video and thank you even more for posting it with the mistake! You could have edited it out, or even just shown the compressor and the first steam engine. It makes me feel better about the mistakes I have made :) We are all human.

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome, Ezra. I thought the mechanical failure added a "human touch" to the video. It was my fault for using excessive air pressure and may keep others from repeating my mistake.

[@SirCumferencelel]

Aw man. No follow up video? This was so cool!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, P.

[@RustyInventions-wz6ir]

Very nice work. Good looking engine

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Rusty :)

[@paullogsdon8107]

beautiful work

[@UncleDoug]

Thank you very much, Paul.

[@terrafirma91]

Wow, and another Wow. Craftsman extraordinaire.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, TF. I'm glad you liked them :)

[@stephenquail3168]

I can tell you saw those in your mind from beginning to end.If the world grinds to an end your the guy I want in my camp.Innovative imaginative beautiful etc...

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Stephen :) I am reminded of a "boat kit" I received many years ago. It consisted of a block of wood and some simple instructions: "Carve away everything that doesn't look like a boat". I have used this technique many times since :)

[@eddgong]

Again you surprise me with your skills and after going thru your videos I wonder where you find the time to eat or sleep ,you have a lot of cool interesting stuff I will be busy for an entire year just trying to watch them all ..Steam , metal and lathe work is another shared interest ,Im mostly a weld , fab and fit guy but have done some CNC work milling rough from the foundry , cast aluminum smart bomb directional fins to the mil . contractors specs .My only real claim to serious mill work .. But did build a homemade lathe a few years back but was too big for my needs and hard as heck to get everything trued up and turning . and staying true . Back in 2003-4 ?? music and trucking had hit a slump and I needed to pay bills and took on the apprentise job in a 3-4 man small machine shop with two big CNC machines doing the fin work . With the war in Afghanistan in full swing I guess there was a pretty high demand for them because we were busy as the dickens getting them out to the contractor ..I could not tell you one dog gone thing about programming a machine today and they were basically a put in the piece , program and forget set up .and remove repeat and mic each piece . Nothing artistic like working with a turning lathe . And your work here is just that ART,. Really clean , functional pieces worthy of sitting on a coffee table ...IMO.....I have a 10x 20 small welding shop adjoined to my small always too cluttered shop I do the not so nasty tinkering in and would be lost without either . But curious about your pistons in the 2 cyl . engine . are you using any type of compression rings for making pressure or just machined close enough to do with the slugs themselves . I love the cam , timing adjustment for the two and the set screw for the timing , simple and effective . Sorry to see the Rod breakage and no doubt you already have that one fixed or figured out . Thanks for the vid it was fun to watch

[@UncleDoug]

+Eddie Joe Gongre Glad you like the steam engines, EJ. The pistons were simply machined for a tight fit with sufficient clearance for an oil film. I have repaired the rod to piston junctions and now am more careful about the air pressure I use and limit the max RPM's to a less destructive level. Thanks for watching and commenting :)

[@rayfirth2513]

Uncle Doug into steam engines too wish i could show my home made engines, no confidence i guess. now tell me your into model planes too lol. I particularly like making beam engines seem to be my favourites.

[@UncleDoug]

I've never made a beam engine, Ray. If you do make a video, which I suggest, let me know so I can watch it.

[@jeffb6161]

nice design and machine skills, you siese to amaze me Doug. merry christmas to you and rusty + jack

[@UncleDoug]

+jeff b Thanks, Jeff. Merry Christmas from all of us to you.

[@jeffb6161]

thank you

[@gary.solexa]

Beautiful elegant work.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Gary

[@paulkerr2298]

another great video Doug,, can i come and live in your yard? and learn from the master... i make a good coffee.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much, Paul. We now have several feral cats and a fat raccoon living in our backyard, so the more the merrier :)

[@dlwatib]

Nice machining work, considering they were just practice pieces to get familiar with your equipment. The single cylinder double action design is especially nice with its eccentric-driven valve action.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, DL. I appreciate your kind appraisal :)

[@AdeSwash]

Nice set of engines!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Ade :)

[@dale1956ties]

Wow, Uncle Doug! I am really impressed man. You just built those models off the top of your noggin eh? They look great. Very professional and nicely mounted for display. That's some VERY nice work. Gee, I'm sorry you broke that one though. I see that this video in several years old now so I imagine you've repaired that 2-cylinder one by now. A follow-up video would be kind of nice. That is if you happened to have documented any repairs you might have done since this video was posted.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, DE. Yes, I repaired it the same day it broke.

[@VincesEngines]

Really nice ,well done

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Vince.

[@randallgoguen3463]

Those are all awesome!

[@UncleDoug]

+Randall Goguen Thanks :)

[@iancraig1951]

Well done Doug--made on the fly,its really good--one criticism and you probably own up to it--bent connecting rods,they look awful but for first try really good..I own up, my camera skills are rubbish so I will never have stuff up so you can be critical of my efforts,but well done just the same..

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Ian. I understand your esthetic complaint about the bent connecting rods, but couldn't think of any other way, 'on the fly' as you said, to transition between two very different widths. Added to that was the difficulty of bending aluminum without getting stress cracks, and the fact that I consulted no outside sources for design assistance. I guess "real" engines are designed with only straight connecting rods? It would make sense, to eliminate any angular (vector) forces in what should be a purely linear driving motion.

[@SirCumferencelel]

This is awesome! I've been doing research on old and modern steam engines. I'm looking for a sustainable way to energize my house in the event we run out of propane and gasoline. 10k generator head from harbor freight. It will be huge lol. But hopefully worth it.

[@UncleDoug]

Glad you enjoyed the video , P.

[@TucsonBillD]

Hi Doug, Now this is a surprise for me... something I actually know about. Your workmanship is excellent, and I'm impressed that you actually made these work. However, I wouldn't recommend that you actually try these on steam... the heat of the steam will cause the aluminum to expand and you would lose your seal in the cylinder(s). Not to mention what the high temperature of the steam would do to the oil... By the way, the definition of a piston is a plunger that has piston rings (like your jeep). Not that it's all that important for these models, but I just thought I'd pass that on. Again, my congratulations on such a nice job.

[@UncleDoug]

+Bill Daniels Thanks, Bill. I wasn't aware that true pistons had to have rings, but it does make sense. I don't have a steam boiler and always run them simply on compressed air. Glad you liked them.

[@shazizz]

Very nice work.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Shaz :)

[@philo426]

I wonder if you put oil in the chamber to prevent breakage

[@AdmiralQuality]

Very impressive! Particularly that you do these off the top of your head with no plans! Ever thought about trying a Stirling engine?

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, AQ. I think I'm just so anxious to start building (like a hyperactive kid) that I can't force myself to spend time drawing up plans :) I've never built a Sterling engine, but it would definitely be an interesting project.

[@AdmiralQuality]

Uncle Doug I grew up with LEGO so I know the design-as-you-go process well. (The '70s LEGO that actually required imagination, I mean. I also had some serious LEGO... www.technicopedia.com/853.html ) I'm a software developer these days, and still work like that. Though the editability and non-linearity of writing software means there's no mistake you can't undo. (Still, us programmers are often guilty of continually "refactoring" the solution -- tearing up the design on the macro scale and essentially starting again from scratch -- as we tend to grasp the problem better as we work on it over a few iterations.)

[@UncleDoug]

We had Erector sets in my day, all-steel girders and fittings held together with machine screws. You could make Ferris wheels, the Eiffel Tower, etc.....and a stout electric motor with a transmission to power them at different speeds. Those were the days :)

[@AdmiralQuality]

Uncle Doug Yep, we still had those in the early '70s as well. Can you imagine them marketing that today? Sharp edged sheet metal pieces for kids to poke their eyes out with. Not recommended for kids under 25 years of age. Helmet use is mandatory. Not allowed in your carry on luggage. ;)

[@Enigma758]

Nice work, do you mind if I ask what lathe and mill you used?

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, E. They are the basic, inexpensive ones sold by Harbor Freight under different brand names......both Asian-made.

[@mchagnon7]

the engines shown here are called the "walschaerts" engine and it is the basis for a steam locomotive.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks for the info, Marcel. That's the first I've heard of that term. I'll do some Google searches and find out more about it :)

[@mursleenpurkait196]

I had never see this type of engine I my life bro please carry on and teach us how you can make it please make a video and love you bro

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, MP. I may, in the future :)

[@BTUvsCAL]

They look %100 perfect. What kind of lathe did you use?

[@UncleDoug]

+Emery Board Thanks, EB. It was one of those inexpensive 14" lathes from Harbor Freight.

[@chrismosley409]

very nice work. what about lubricant?

[@UncleDoug]

+Chris Mosley Thanks, Chris. I use synthetic motor oil, like Mobil 1, on all the articulating surfaces.

[@lazolasojada9648]

owesome job sir

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, IS :)

[@UncleDoug]

They are well lubricated. The breakage occurred because I ran the engine way too fast and the pistons separated from the rods. In the future, I need to be more careful with the air pressure I use.

[@PlutoProtogen]

nice, i wanna make a steam engine that can actually drive a small ride-able cart haha

[@trainzillamodelrailroading9905]

You mean a traction engine? -_-

[@PlutoProtogen]

Dr. Jak G. Cogsworth no...not at all...the engine its self is a steam engine, now take one of those and mount it on a cart that cansupport it and boom, a simplified version of the stanley steamer

[@UncleDoug]

Austin Wright There are all sorts of steam-driven cars, trucks, and boats currently available (check the Internet), Austin. As far as a steam-driven cart large and powerful enough to transport you......I'm not so sure :)

[@PlutoProtogen]

Uncle Doug well, steam engines have alot of torque so im not worried also gotta have the right size pistons and all that and blah blah blah...if i pull it off ill ride it around the place haha

[@trainzillamodelrailroading9905]

A box with pistons on the sides that run a 0-4-0 wheel arrangement?

[@philo426]

I bet you can make a scale live steam loco or African Queen style boat if you wanted to!

[@serpentstudios7768]

Is it home made that's great! ;)

[@UncleDoug]

Yes, I made them all in my home workshop with a lathe and mill. Thanks.

[@UncleDoug]

I'm afraid I'd have to crank the little compressor like a wild man to get enough air flow and pressure to drive one of the steam engines. However, at least I wouldn't blow one of them up (like I did with the big, electric compressor).

[@aydin2288]

great , good job

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks :)

[@thenexus4407]

РC Tiрs ТHIS ТООL FOR FRЕEЕ SТЕАM МONЕY IS ТHЕ BЕST ОN ТHЕ ЕNTIRЕ WЕBSТORЕ!!!>> Тwо Hоmе Мade Stеam Еngines аnd а Маnuаl Аir Comprеssоr Оnе Blows Uр

[@Relicsun]

What a genius! You could work for NASA

[@UncleDoug]

Wow....what a nice compliment !! Thanks so much. Just think how neat it would have been if the Lunar Rover had been steam powered......sort of like the devices that Artemis Gordon used to create in Wild Wild West :)

[@The1whiteman]

love the video ..but my real question is a different subject .....WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL MOUNTED REVERB TANKS ?

[@UncleDoug]

The tanks are constructed differently and must be mounted in the proper configuration or they won't work well. Part of the identification number of the tank specifies how it must be mounted. Do a Google search for Accutronics reverb tanks to see all the details.

[@UncleDoug]

As far as the actual physical differences between them, I believe it involves the way the transducers connected to the ends of the springs are constructed. They must be able to maintain their centered position, regardless of the direction that gravity pulls upon the springs.

[@The1whiteman]

Thanx for the info

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome :)

[@donleonerto]

ever tried running the two on steam?

[@UncleDoug]

+donleonerto No, I haven't. I don't have a boiler.

[@joetowell9211]

what milling machine did you buy ?

[@UncleDoug]

Joe Towell It's a Central Machinery (Harbor Freight) Mini Vertical Milling Machine SKU #44991, Joe. As it always goes with items like this, the accessories ended up costing more than the mill itself :) It's turned out to be a very useful tool.

[@THUNDERWORX]

Great work!!! I was thinking about the exhaust, and if you were using actual steam, and how it might make sense to recapture the spent steam. It seems like I saw a steam car video once that recaptured the steam so the driver didn't have to add water all the time, but I'll bet that was simply going into a condenser to turn the exhaust back into water. I guess that trying to capture the steam under pressure would steal the engines use of the steam. So, I was pondering how you could get the water back, plus make use of some of the heat the exhaust was putting out. My thought was a double boiler. Something to chew on if you ever decide to take your project a step further and build the boiler. Great video and great work. I usually watch your amp videos, but love all sorts of tech and creativity.

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks so much for your excellent observations and suggestions, TW. I will keep them in mind for the future.

[@jimw83296]

well, you DO have a bit of a problem.....try arc welding the piston slugs to your pushrods.....(the slugs need to be same alloy stainless also). ypu start by using a counter sink bit to bevel the hole in one end of each slug, then insert your pushrod from the other end of the slug, then arc weld. that should fix your problem. please let me know how it turns out.

[@UncleDoug]

jim walker It was repaired almost immediately after the damage occurred, Jim, and has functioned well ever since....at much lower air pressure :) Thanks so much for your input.

[@jimw83296]

no prob....i hope it continues to do so. safe journeys.

[@bhattvivek8525]

Sir Please give a drowing with all dai mention so its help me for make mini steam engine

[@UncleDoug]

Sorry, BV, but (as I said in the video) there are no diagrams......the steam engines were simply built spontaneously.

[@Foxuniverso]

I recently acquired an interest for steam power, now I'm just searching every to any video about engines, i have a Fun idea for a steam powered bike/car thing, with that said... Got any links to steam engines? XD

[@Foxuniverso]

Also, amazing work loved the first engine you showed, liked the look and how it moved was very fluent

[@UncleDoug]

***** I'm sorry but I have no such links. The engines I built were conceived without any references or plans. I'm sure a Google search would yield all sorts of links. Good luck.

[@UncleDoug]

***** Thanks, I'm glad you liked the steam engines :)

[@Foxuniverso]

Uncle Doug wow, from the few ive seen the ones youve made have been the cleanest (in youtube at least) either way thank you

[@UncleDoug]

You're welcome :)

[@randomrcprojects3754]

you need to make the steam engines run on the aircopmpressor

[@UncleDoug]

To be honest, the little air compressor can't put out nearly enough air to power the engines......but it's a good idea :)

[@Rj-tz5kb]

interesting and usefull

[@UncleDoug]

Rj D Thanks, RJ. Glad you liked it.

[@serpentstudios7768]

Cool if I learned in science!

[@UncleDoug]

Hey, Sam, it's good to hear from you. Thanks for watching !!!

[@cwdor]

if you want something to build how about a 3000psi compresor to fill a dive tank. then you dont kneed a boiller just run the engine on comprested air. also your car.

[@UncleDoug]

This reminds me of a story I read about a dive shop in Mexico that used a gasoline-powered compressor to fill dive tanks. Unfortunately, the air intake of the compressor was too close to the exhaust of the engine, and the tanks contained high doses of carbon monoxide. I assume they had very little repeat business.

[@rkshireygames]

Load one of these with 3k psi and see what happens.....

[@UncleDoug]

Connecting it to about 100 psi was damaging enough.....I shudder to think what 3K psi would do.

[@serpentstudios7768]

1 of them is supposed to be a v engine like a v-1 motor cool!!!!

[@UncleDoug]

Thanks, Sam. I'm glad you liked the video :))

[@serpentstudios7768]

Hi uncledoug Long time no see!

[@serpentstudios7768]

It take's much tough work isn't? :D

[@UncleDoug]

Yes, Sam, it was a lot of work.....but I enjoyed it :)

[@thenexus4407]

Спасибо

[@UncleDoug]

добро пожаловать

[@stephenquail3168]

Ohhh .Like Michelangelo.

[@UncleDoug]

Yes, except with much less skill :)

[@lmbsparky]

genius

[@UncleDoug]

+larry benben You're too kind, Larry, but thanks :)

[@randallgoguen3463]

Build a Morris Code key

[@UncleDoug]

+Randall Goguen I'll keep it in mind, Randall.

[@serpentstudios7768]

Hey how was your weekend? d:D

[@UncleDoug]

It was quite nice. Hopefully, yours was too.

[@KryptLynx]

Video stabilization is terrible: it makes me sick Anyway, nice work

[@serpentstudios7768]

I give 1090,m like :)

[@jodyreeder4820]

What a tragety.

[@SangGenerasiMuda]

like this🙈🙈🙈

[@UncleDoug]

We're glad, Sang :)

[@aaahandy]

In true definition this is actually a pneumatic engine. It makes you think why they don't develop one for cars and pickups. There is a lot of possibilities from storing air in tanks and refilling as needed. Using a electric compressor utilizing a solar panel. As well I've watched a lot of your videos, and what surprises me is you have not shown any interest in Arduino components. You may very will know that Arduino is an open source based in C/C+. One example is you could of set up a motor to operate your air compressor you reviewed here. I know you really from the old school and may not have much interest in present day electronics. But in reality, you already obtain the knowledge. But while I'm on the subject I would also like to see you work more with the oscilloscope. Example of this, on one video you explained how the cap was able to square up wave by charging on the up swing and discharging on the way down.

[@UncleDoug]

+Ron Hutchins I believe there are prototype vehicles that use compressed air for propulsion. It would be an ideal energy source, since it is plentiful and the "waste products" simply replenish the atmosphere. By coincidence, I am involved in the design and fabrication of radio-controlled quadcopters, primarily for photographic purposes, and Arduino devices are widely used as flight controllers, telemetry systems, GPS units, etc. I have considered starting a separate YT channel to post videos related to this other obsession/hobby. I use the oscilloscope sparingly in videos, primarily to demonstrate phase inversion, tremolo effect, etc. As the subject matter of the technical videos increases in complexity, I will probably use the instrument more frequently.

[@aaahandy]

+Uncle Doug Let me ask you what do you think of LCR meters. I've heard you can check caps with out pulling them out of service. Usually I use my meter to check caps, but I'm not sure about LCR's.

[@UncleDoug]

+Ron Hutchins I don't personally own an LCR meter, Ron. I have a capacitance feature on my digital multi-meter, a separate ESR meter, and a DC power supply that allows me to measure leakage at full operating voltage. Of the three, the only one that can measure caps in circuit is the ESR meter.

[@bigmow1927]

This dude is a liar he did not make this motor I have seen this exact motor on two other videos from different people doing reviews he is a scam you can tell he did not make that in his own house

[@UncleDoug]

Sorry to disagree with your silly assertions, BM (appropriate initials, by the way), but I did indeed build all three devices from scratch in my workshop. Please provide links for the "two other videos from different people" when you get a chance.