Calculating top speed on ice...

[milisavljevic]

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No need to "block quote" me when my post is right above yours, mate.


I hope to learn that Thunderlite is self-sustaining within the next 24 hours; fingers crossed.
Once this milestone is nailed, or even if not, a direct to combustor injection test is next up.

Cheers,
M.

[Johansson]

I hope your new engine runs like it is supposed to, what is the thrust estimation?

We did a couple of hours of work this evening but I´ll keep the few pics until after the next session, I cut out the ejectors and the intake divider so the next time I will finish them and fit them to the engine. I would have done more but I have been away at work for a couple of days so I almost fell asleep while I was TIG-welding...

[milisavljevic]

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Thunderlite is not a new design, but what can happen when the plans are printed out at less than 1:1.

Think of it as an enlightened salvage operation...that is yielding unexpected but welcome information.
Serendipity is the word for it; I will see how deep this new vein of acoustic data runs. So far, so good.

Thrust is estimated at 80% of Thunderchine, at 200 N (20 kg).

Cheers,
M.

PS: Cap'n M. says: Avast! Get down to ye bunk an' sleep, matey!

[Johansson]

M, could you explain in text or with a picture exactly how the splitter should be positioned on the engine and how the ejectors are fitted to it? I cannot get my head around the explanation in the PDF...

[milisavljevic]

Hejsan Anders!

Well, if the plans are of no help to you, then you are well and truly f----d, my friend.

That said, I will of course try and help you out. First of all, please answer this basic
ejector question: can you (with reasonable accuracy) locate, then weld the three (3)
mounting stubs described on page 3 of the plans? The smart builder would have put
marks (eg., with a metal punch) onto the sheet metal before rolling the super cone.

If the answser is "yes", or "I have already welded the stubs to the correct positions",
then what follows will be easy. If the answer is "no", or "I forgot to follow the plans",
then Cap'n M. will see you keel-hauled (or worse). "Yes" or "no", we will find a way...

Please post your answer, matey!

Cheers,
M.

[Johansson]

Yes.

[milisavljevic]

.

If the answser is "yes" ... then what follows will be easy.

Cool. . Step 1: weld the three (3) mounting stubs to the correct positions on the super cone.

Cheers,
M.

PS: Yes, I will be back with the rest.

[Johansson]

It starts to make sense now, I fitted the mounting stubs and roughly bent the two ejectors to shape and the reason why it seemed so strange earlier was because I had fitted the splitter upside down on the entry cone...

Anyway, you´ve written that the rear edges on the splitter should be alinged to the join between the entry and super cones. Does this suggest that the splitter rear end should be pointing slightly upwards? This might be perfectly clear to a person with english as his first language, but I admit that I am a bit uncertain even after reading the explanation several times.

We also did some more work on Eriks first engine, a pair of rollers would be really nice since it takes a fair bit of work to hand-roll the larger cones.

[milisavljevic]

.
Hejsan Anders!

Thank you for the progress photos! I hope you are not "advertising" with your "Johansson" there. LOL.

Cheers,
M.

[Johansson]

Ha ha, just had a little fun with the angle grinder that´s all...

[milisavljevic]

As promised...

I had fitted the splitter upside down on the entry cone...

Oops! No worries...at least you discovered your mistake well before you welded the splitter to the tailpipe.

Does this suggest that the splitter rear end should be pointing slightly upwards?

This should be no problem. Use your "calibrated eyeballs" to visually align the ejectors to each intake axis.

The ejector mounts must allow for thermal expansion in the super cone, so we cannot weld them in place.
Stubs and slots in back, and the splitter teeth up front provide a convenient way to accomodate expansion
and keep the ejectors aligned to the intakes in three-space (this alignment does not have to be "perfect").

Here's an image of the splitter, as an aid to discussion:

(click to enlarge)

splitter.png

Hope this helps! If not, you know where to find me...

Cheers,
M.

PS: Anders, your "ESL" (English as a Second Language) is much better than most native speakers here!

[Johansson]

Then I was on the right track after all, thanks for the detailed "Splitter Fitting for Dummies"-picture.

[milisavljevic]

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Then I was on the right track after all.

You're smarter than your "self-portrait" made you out to be!

Evil M.

[Johansson]

The ejectors are finally in place, I have to give them a bit more love before their roundness is acceptable but at least they fit fine.

This engine is turning out to be quite impressive in size, but I don´t think that it will be too large to fit on the kick. The distance between the runners will be set a bit wider than "original" for stability so there will be plenty of room for both legs and burning pieces of clothing...

[milisavljevic]

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The ejectors are finally in place.

Looking good, mate! I especially like this shot:



Now give 'em some love... "It's Hammer Time!" Yeah, baby!

Cheers!
M.