Odds and ends

[Mark]

The typical Trevelyan Rocker has perpendicular contact between the two parts, I think so not too much of the heat from the above rocker doesn't destroy or dampen the heat gradient. One physics lab says they keep the lead base in the freezer which is said to make it work better. If too much heat is pancaked right above the base the temperatures will more quickly equalize and the rocker slow.
I wonder though if once the heat is transmitted to the base and the rocker points "cool" if on the return rock they could re-uptake a tiny bit of heat they gave to the base before giving back a greater amount or net positive. Sort of a ping pong volley or resonance if you will?
One thing that's funny with my roller bar that rides on two fine edge ridges is ii's pretty much quiet unlike the typical buzzing rocker. So it's somewhat mysterious to watch something move without seeing or hearing what force is involved.You can't see the expansion or contraction.

[Mark]

I was able to get a 175 gram object or over 6 ounce lead sinker equivalent (for the fisherman out there), to run Trevelyan Rocker style for over 30 minutes after a single initial heating. Then just when it stopped, it was cool enough to hold in my hand. Spiffy.

[Mark]

"Whenever the hot rocker comes into contact with its lead carrier, a nipple
suddenly juts from the latter, being produced by the heat
communicated to the lead at the point of contact."
"The rocker is tilted up, and some other point of it comes into
contact with the lead, a fresh nipple is produced, and the
rocker is again tilted."
Page 114-115

With illustrations here and above too ...
"I may add, that by properly laying either the poker or the fire-shovel upon
a block of lead, supporting the handle so as to avoid fric¬
tion, you may obtain notes as sweet and musical as any
which you have heard to-day. A heated hoop placed
upon a plate of lead may be caused to vibrate and sing;
and a hot penny-piece or half crown may be caused to
do the same.*"
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED622633.pdf

[Mark]

Well it worked somewhat but takes a lot of heat. It ran for about 15 minutes with intermittent heating. With heating it slowly speeds up but the large mass and surface area doesn't help.
Trevelyan Rocking Horse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7VjfTOmJ4I

[Mark]

"Rock-salt.—The rocker used in the foregoing experiment was laid aside and a
piece of rock-salt was prepared for trial. The mass was cloven so as to exhibit the
surfaces of the primitive cube; and was so placed that the straight line formed by
the intersection of two of the surfaces of the cube was horizontal. Previous to
heating the rocker, I laid it, according to practice, upon the mass, merely to ascertain
whether the arrangement was likely to answer. To my astonishment a deep musical
sound commenced immediately. The temperature of the rocker was at this time far
below that of boiling water, and when it had ended its song it was scarcely above a
blood heat."
"The heated rocker was laid upon a large boulder-shaped mass of the salt; it
commenced to sing immediately. I scarcely know a substance, metallic or non-metallic,
with which vibrations can be obtained with greater ease and certainty than with
this mineral. To the remarkable properties which the researches of Melloni have
shown to belong to rock-salt a new one may now be added."
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED622633.pdf

[Mark]

Abstract
"In November 1830, the Edinburgh chemist David Boswell Reid received a visit from a local workman named Arthur Trevelyan. Cold bars of lead, bell-metal, tin-solder and pale solder, when placed on heated iron or brass, produced vibration and tone. The cold lead block, placed on the heated polished bar of a fire-grate, sounds loudly, and vibrates rapidly. The heated bar vibrated on a piece of thin sheet lead, either placed loosely or soldered on brass, and on a lead block burnished with gold-leaf. The bars vibrate best when placed on blocks of lead with the surface somewhat rough: both metals also should be kept clean, and free from oxidation, which impairs the vibration. The oscillations of the cup thus resting upon a small surface continue long after it has become solid, indeed until the cup and its contents have fallen to a temperature not much above that of the metal upon which they rest."
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/ ... -trevelyan

Some recent experiments - a study in materials science.

Cabinet Handle on Condiment Container Demonstration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KalJomGtmhw

Aluminum Cabinet Handle Trevelyan Rocker Effect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSjEV-4Ncu0

Curtain Rod Holders as Trevelyan Rockers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4p-aRQiz4U

Candle Carousel with Trevelyan Rocker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue4bCL1Jj-A

Brass Bird Trevelyan Rocker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EReIseWt0_E

[Mark]

it might be interesting to spruce this effect up.

Dental Mirror and Watchband Repair Hammer Rocker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij6MkXeXVjE

Creating something like this visual movement.
https://twitter.com/RealPreCinema/statu ... 2049321986

Wheatstone-type kaleidophone
http://waywiser.fas.harvard.edu/objects/14607/trees

"The kaleidophone was invented by British inventor/scientist Charles Wheatstone in 1827 as a “philosophical toy” offering a visible display of complex vibratory motion. Fixed to a solid wooden base, a thin steel rod with a glass bead attached to the top is illuminated by a light source and photographed at varying shutter speeds as it is struck or bowed closer to the base."
https://www.halrammel.com/views-through-a-kaleidophone

[Mark]

A spare Dyna-jet valve retainer repurposed ...
Brass Bird Rocker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUXSz9J8hjs

[Mark]

Tyndall's Heat Considered as a Mode of Motion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u6yTjKzGpM

[Mark]

Slow Acceleration of the Trevelyan Rocker Effect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C31kqFgWjjk

[Mark]

Something to razzle the viewer. I have to wonder how many might think it fake?
Little Wheel Motor or Trevelyan Rocker Roulette
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jKUXVG8duE

[Mike Everman]

Mark, that one is magical!

[Mike Everman]

The continuous rotation, is that all you? The rockers were one thing, but this is amazing. I feel like it is convective action, but works in a vacuum, no?

[Mark]

Well another thought, as brass is heated it expands quite a bit as Tyndall way back in 1800's used a rod of it to when heated, made an electrical connection. Anyway as the wheel rotates perhaps giving up some heat it contracts in the contact spot helping the wheel roll. Or a typical explanation the heat causes the metal tray to expand giving the wheel a cumulative push. It is haunting though, I have several times left the kitchen and come back to see it still running by some "invisible" force.
That serving tray the wheel rotates on had these fondue holders which I repurposed here as well. The Euler's Disk and the ball bearing motor are always in the back of my mind as well as the Leidenfrost Effect for all of these involve some of the same analogies.
Fondue Rocker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls6gS3qAZBY

An interesting side view of the fondue lazy Susan.
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MzMAAOSw ... -l1600.jpg

I don't see why it wouldn't work in a vacuum, other than you wouldn't get a cooling effect from the air over time being plus or minus to sustaining the expansion/contraction heat transfer effect.

This ride/motion came to mind too.
Octopus ride at Valleyfair!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L64eOvQoXpg
"Six to eight arms attached to a central axis of rotation and move up and down in a wavelike motion via a counter rotating eccentric, while cars at the end of the arms, either attached directly to the arm or fixed on spinning crosses, spin freely or stay in place, depending on the exact type of ride." Wiki

Lecture IV of Tydall's Heat Considered as a Mode of Motion states this where I got the idea to try rolling, along with the annoying mystery/debate of the ball bearing motor.
"Mr. Gore has also obtained the rotation of light balls, by placing them on circular rails of hot copper, the rolling force in this case
being the same as the rocking force in the Trevelyan instrument."
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED622633.pdf

John Tyndall
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tyndall

[Mike Everman]

This is very distracting, Mark!