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Engine air supply -> point me in the right direction?
Lew_Merrick_PE:
--- Quote from: sparky961 on December 06, 2011, 09:21:24 PM ---For now though, I'm looking at the tiny engine with it's base clamped in the bench vice and trying to visualize a better setup for playing with this little engine. I have an air compressor set to 100 psi or so, and the instructions recommend running this engine on 5-10 psi. Right now I have a piece of rubber tubing running to the engine and I'm using a blow gun in the other end to run the engine. I have to use 3 hands to hold everything together and spin over the engine to get it going. I was thinking some people must have like a heavy base or something they can hook up to shop air, then have a smaller line or two that can have the pressure finely set to run the engine.
--- End quote ---
I don't know how the guys who build engines handle it, but around my shop where I have air outputs set for everything from driving high-volume pneumatics to dusting off parts, I use manifolds. I have several varieties.
The most common (and not what you really need) is a piece of ø2.00 inch aluminum round bar turned such that I can have one 1/2 NPT input and four 1/4 NPT outputs. I basically have one of these at each machine so I can have flow/pressure for a mister, pneumatic clamps, and still have a blow-off tool.
More to your application, I took a piece of 1.00 inch thick X 6 inch wide HRS bar and drilled/cross-drilled it twice from each edge making a tick-tack-toe (naughts-and-crosses for you on the other side of the pond) pattern. I plugged five of the holes and tapped the last 3/8 NPT for the air inlet. I drilled "down" into the remaining passages (usually five places) and tapped to accept a small pressure regulator. The manifold is heavy enough to (usually) stay where I put it and I have have several different pressure output right there at hand.
When I need particularly stable output flow at some regulated pressure, I use a (about 6 inches long) piece of 4 IPS Schedule 160 pipe that has (L 8X8X.75) angle iron welded to each end. I have an "inlet regulator" (usually set to 150% of my desired outlet pressure) and then an (a ±2%) "outlet regulator" feeding my work. The volume of the pipe acts as an accumulator to minimize pressure fluctuations as I draw air.
Does this help?
JD:
Sparky, why don't you try looking at the air brush equipment.
JD
sparky961:
Excellent suggestions, gentlemen. Just enough to jump start my brain plus a bit.
I especially like the ideas of using a heavy bar as a manifold with weight to keep it in place on the bench, as well as having a pressure gauge right there at the output. I don't know if I've caught the bug and I'll be making more engines, but I certainly didn't hate it. It definitely challenged and improved my abilities!
[/quote]....I drilled "down" into the remaining passages (usually five places) and tapped to accept a small pressure regulator..... [/quote]
Can you give me more detail on the small pressure regulators you mention?
I'll have a look at some air brush stuff too.
Thanks again!
-Sparky
Scuba1:
I was thinking of something along these lines
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?client=safari&rls=en&q=air+pressure+regulator&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=6440698827027683365&sa=X&ei=zr_kTrbGAc2n8gPNlbWhBg&ved=0CJABEPMCMAY#ps-sellers
A few feet of 4mm plastic hose with push in connectors and a in line flow regulator and you are sorted.
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