Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

The Regular Stuff: Chat, Buy, Sell, Off Topic, etc. => General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals => Topic started by: Brad on April 16, 2022, 03:59:40 pm

Title: Re: Grasshopper Engine Model
Post by: txlabman on April 18, 2022, 12:48:10 pm

Nice one Brad.

Time for a Steam Up!  ???

Title: Re: Grasshopper Engine Model
Post by: Brad on April 17, 2022, 01:31:03 pm

I have not used rings on the plastic pistons, just machined them to a tight tolerance. O-rings could be used and I might, keeping them a loose fit.

Title: Re: Grasshopper Engine Model
Post by: Brad on April 17, 2022, 01:28:08 pm

I'm sure it was made from plans somewhere. It lacks parallel motion, but I don't know if every grasshopper engine had parallel motion. The lettering reads: GRASSHOPPER ENGINE NO. 5, TO PASUL OTTENHEIMER, FRED FOX 1991.

Title: Re: Grasshopper Engine Model
Post by: tenniV11 on April 17, 2022, 11:16:20 am

Nice looking - maybe scratch build (freelance)?
Congrats, Arnold

Title: Re: Grasshopper Engine Model
Post by: crazydoug on April 17, 2022, 11:05:51 am

Quote from: Brad on April 16, 2022, 05:10:59 pm

Yes, the cylinder is aluminum. On other steam engines with aluminum cylinders, I make a new piston from "MDS-Filled, wear resistant easy to machine nylon" rod lthat I get from McMaster Carr. It will withstand steam without growing. I have had good luck with this.  Brad

Interesting- i,ll have to try that.Do you use rings of any kind?

Title: Re: Grasshopper Engine Model
Post by: St Paul Steam on April 16, 2022, 09:27:21 pm

Looks nice to me Brad , look forward to seeing it run. 😊

Title: Re: Grasshopper Engine Model
Post by: RedRyder on April 16, 2022, 07:50:20 pm

Congrats, Brad..!!!

A very nice buy and a great addition to your collection.

What does the engraving say?

Gil

Title: Re: Grasshopper Engine Model
Post by: Brad on April 16, 2022, 05:10:59 pm

Yes, the cylinder is aluminum. On other steam engines with aluminum cylinders, I make a new piston from "MDS-Filled, wear resistant easy to machine nylon" rod lthat I get from McMaster Carr. It will withstand steam without growing. I have had good luck with this.  Brad

Title: Re: Grasshopper Engine Model
Post by: crazydoug on April 16, 2022, 04:21:36 pm

I was next high bidder!
Glad another forum member got it. Is the cylinder aluminum- that was my only concern. Beautiful engine. Congrats.
Crazydoug

Title: Re: Grasshopper Engine Model
Post by: Nick on April 16, 2022, 04:03:21 pm

I don’t recognize it but sure had thoughts of bidding on it, nice buy 👍

Title: Grasshopper Engine Model
Post by: Brad on April 16, 2022, 03:59:40 pm

I received the grasshopper engine that I recently won on eBay. It was machined very well and runs very well. I thought the flywheel was going to be too light, but it is not. Does anybody recognize the design and where the plans came from?