The engineering (and how stuff works) thread

[Thombleached 2,319]

There's lots of techie types on here, what's your favourite bit of engineering? Or any tales of glorious eccentric Heath Robinson contraptions?

I'm not an engineer but I'm always amazed by how things work

 

For those that missed the video on Stirling engine, it's a thing of beauty:

and also how a LSD works has always amazes me for some reason:

I used to have a great video on LSD's in a see-through wooden block but I can't find it 😥

[XswampyX 8,551]

Ram pump. Amazing! 

 

[The XYY Man 16,780]

1 minute ago, Sgt Hartman said:

The radial engine. 

Engineering fappery.

Sexy.

Make me want to have a wankel...

 

XYY

[Rare Bear 1,211]

6 minutes ago, Sgt Hartman said:

The radial engine. 

Engineering fappery.

Beautiful.

[Chewing Grass 16,138]

33 minutes ago, XswampyX said:

Ram pump. Amazing! 

The victorians were masters of making solid reliable stuff do work out of very little and very basic materials which suits modern day DIY experimenters.

Here's a picture of a nameplate off the real thing, a massive 12" Hydraulic Ram pump that was too big to remove in the boot of my car.

I could bore you all day about this sort of shit.

[XswampyX 8,551]

 

[Rare Bear 1,211]

35 minutes ago, XswampyX said:

Ram pump. Amazing! 

 

Same principle still in use today.

https://bogertaviation.com/products/15x-strut-pump

[MrPin 15,123]

More water gets out than is pumped! It's using the falling weight of a large weight of water to pump a small bit. Still, that's just what is wanted in some cases. Few moving parts.

[Chewing Grass 16,138]

Heres one for SpyGirl and XYY from their home turf.

[XswampyX 8,551]

4 minutes ago, Chewing Grass said:

Heres one for SpyGirl and XYY from their home turf.

Victorian chastity belt?

 

[MrPin 15,123]

Are you stealing the nameplates from Victorian machinery?

Quote

?

 

[Rare Bear 1,211]

Was visiting an old mill in Ireland about 35 years ago. It had originally been water powered.I noticed that a governor had been made by Woodward, better known these days for governors and fuel control units for aircraft engines.

[Chewing Grass 16,138]

2 minutes ago, MrPin said:

Are you stealing the nameplates from Victorian machinery?

 

Saving them from scrap, If you come across any in shit-hole-on-thames save them for me.

I'm a frustrated hoarder.

Here's one from a 1950s battery locomotive from if I remember correctly Southampton GasWorks.

[Chewing Grass 16,138]

All these are/were British companies and made really good stuff.

Here is a plate off a WW2 R.N. salvage pump for raising sunk stuff.

[Chewing Grass 16,138]

Last one to hand is from a marine steam turbine from the scrapping of HMS Pinafore.

[dgul 13,732]

2 hours ago, Rare Bear said:

Beautiful.

I prefer the rotary engine, where the prop is bolted to the engine and the whole thing rotates...

[Chewing Grass 16,138]

27 minutes ago, dgul said:

I prefer the rotary engine, where the prop is bolted to the engine and the whole thing rotates...

Always wondered how the fuel gets into the cylinders without it pissing everywhere.

[Chewing Grass 16,138]

2 hours ago, Rare Bear said:

Same principle still in use today.

 

3 hours ago, XswampyX said:

Ram pump. Amazing! 

Still make them, still in Accrington, http://www.allspeeds.co.uk/products-services/blake-hydram/

 

[Thombleached 2,319]

Woke up early and have been wasting spending my time reading about Concorde. Fascinating. 

 

http://www.concordesst.com/powerplant.html

[Turned Out Nice Again 2,599]

Worth a re-post and watching all 4 parts. This guy has A-team engineering skills:

 

[Thombleached 2,319]

7 minutes ago, Turned Out Nice Again said:

Worth a re-post and watching all 4 parts. This guy has A-team engineering skills:

 

Part 2 please

[spygirl 25,369]

On 08/04/2017 at 16:12, Chewing Grass said:

Heres one for SpyGirl and XYY from their home turf.

Ah yes, the famous MozzazSlowGirlFiddleromatic machine.

Each one of yhese were replace by 100 Mipuris.

[Turned Out Nice Again 2,599]

2 hours ago, Thombleached said:

Part 2 please

 

[Imp 11]

On 08/04/2017 at 16:35, Chewing Grass said:

All these are/were British companies and made really good stuff.

Here is a plate off a WW2 R.N. salvage pump for raising sunk stuff.

The Worthington Simpson factory still exists in Newark. It was built to build massive beam engine pumps, which became obsolete when centrifugal pumps were invented. The old boys who work there talk of the days when pig iron came in and pumps went out. They made everything down to the nuts and bolts, and had a massive apprentice college on site. Now there are a few hundred people working there and they assemble parts which are generally cast overseas.

I personally think the most damage done to our industrial base was the environmental legislation which made it too expensive to operate a foundry in this country. 

[The XYY Man 16,780]

On 08/04/2017 at 16:12, Chewing Grass said:

Heres one for SpyGirl and XYY from their home turf.

Home turf...?

Rotherham...?

Fucking bastard fucking Rother-fucking-ham..?

Geography clearly isn't your strong point Chewy...

 

XYY