Hello, & thanks!

[El-Kablooey]

Hello all, just registered on this site and wanted to introduce myself, although I must admit I have been reading the posts in all forums on this site for a few weeks now and feel like I know you guys already. I really must say that you guys are brilliant, and my kind of people. I also want to thank you all for the vast amounts of knowledge I have gathered (vast as compared to nothing, not compared to any of you) in such a short time. I feel like I'm almost ready to get to work on my first
pjet now.. (hopefully my shoddy metalworking skills will see me through). I have a fairly well equipped (with mostly cheap imports ;) shop... including : 52" bandsaw, 2 drillpress' (1 mini, 1 larger), unimat, homespun arc welder, an "EVIL" belt sander/grinder that gives me chills when i start it up, Oxy/acetylene rig, a "Hinote Jet Roller" ;), a homespun sand casting outfit suitable for Aluminum, Brass and such, basically every hand tool you can imagine, and i'm working on setting up my little homemade arc welder for dc and (hopefully) adapting it to accept a mig spoolgun and a tig torch as attatchments so i"ll have an all-in-one unit. i'd really also like to build myself a plasma cutter if any of you guys have ever attempted such, HELP.. oh yeah my homebuilt spot welder should be done in a day or so.. with all this junk (and the help of you guy's, of course) surely I can pull this off..

I have one question, I'm leaning heavily in favor of a valveless jet for my first project, and cannot decide which design to attempt first, some useable thrust would sure be nice out of a first project, although I'd settle for a running space heater to gain some experience with.. but I'm really wondering which of the valveless jobs does produce the most thrust for its size??? the lockwoods seem popular, as do the chinese, which is better??? I haven't seen this addressed anwhere yet? (not that that means it hasn't been, just that I haven't read it) .

oh yeah, I also have (I hesitate to use the term lathe) something that I believe used to be a screw making machine,
i've been for sometime now (years) slowly converting it into an engine lathe but need to break down and just buy some #*@%# parts instead of fabricating my own which has proven to be much more time consuming (but one heck of a learning experience) than I had percieved..

one more thing, I live in north Georgia, just a few miles south of Chattanooga Tennesee, in case any of you are closeby, there is nothing like getting a tip or two in person from an experienced colleage..

Anyway, I'll stop rambling on now and let you guys get back to your business.. Thanks again for a great site!!!

[El-Kablooey]

You nailed it when you sais it takes forever, having to build tools to build tools to build tools ect.. and fire away at the southern jokes ;) I'm probably the most likely here to "roast" a redneck.. I'm southern for sure, but not your stereotypical "Jerry Springer" variety by any means (although the stereotype is not too far from being true in many areas around here)..
Oh yeah, I meant to tell you guys that I work in electronics repair and such and would gladly give any pointers I can in that area if needed by anyone.....

[Bulletman]

Welcome; sounds you subscribe to the Gingery library. I am like you, If I can build it to suite my needs instead of buying it, I will. On the other hand I spend a lot of time on the Harbor Freight web site looking for equipment. For me fabricating stuff gives me a great since of accomplishment. Most of my friends and neighbors are amazed at some of my creations others are annoyed at the noise. I have pondered the same question you have concerning what engine design develops the most thrust. I was leaning towards the Lockwood just because of it's popularity, but due to it’s unusual shape and the application I am exploring the lockwood is not desirable. I am building a Escopette model. Keep us posted on your adventures also if you look at the thread labeled New Guy observations on lockwood engine, you might find a lot of your questions answered.

[El-Kablooey]

You guessed it! Dave Gingery is an absolute genius!!! I have the entire series entitled "Build Your Own Machine Shop From Scrap" they are the best books on fabrication of anything that i have ever seen, well layed out and easy for anyone to understand, even if you have never turned a screw before, and the finished products rival anything you can buy. If you follow his directions you will really end up with a showpiece of a machine.. I would reccomend any of his books to any of you guys who are not familiar with them! You will be glad you bought them, they are some of my most prized possesions.
Too bad he doesn't have a pulsejet book!

He also has a book "How to Run Your Car On Water When Gas Hits $2 A Gallon"!! I don't have this one (YET) but electrolosys of water to produce H2 & O is something I have played with in the past, if you ask me it is the answer to all the worlds energy problems, and most of our pollution problems to boot! The only products from burning H2 are heat energy & the same amount of water you started with.. why do we burn fossil fuels??? People are retarded.. In case any of you havent seen this, do a search for "The Watertorch" A Hydrogen/Oxygen unit to replace acetylene, and you never have to fill a tank, just add distilled water from time to time, and at a reasonable price, too! I'm thinking it was about $2,000 not bad if you think of all the $ saved in refilling bills!!