55lb lockwood roars to life

[Dang911]

Well, after a prolonged build, and an even longer prolonged wait to get some video of it, I have decided its time to unveil my 55lb lockwood. After only minor fueling problems, (I totally underestimated how much fuel it would take, silly me), the engine will now start right up at the first the fuel hits the air and spark.... Thinking now about making some augmenters, or to save myself money, maybe trying to run it on liquid fuel, after starting it on propane. Even if it still needs some propane vapor along with liquid fuel, propane is getting expensive.

The engine will not run on propane vapor, and has to run on liquid with the tank upside down.

Before everyone tells me this, looking at the video, I know I do not have my fuel injector far enough into the intake. What I'm asking is, aside from a power gain, will the engine use less fuel once I move the injector inward more?

Also (I DONT WANT TO START A CONTROVERSY) what's the easiest way to get a good estimate for thrust figures?

[Dang911]

Video

[jack_h]

do u have the dimentions for that beast.

[Mike Everman]

That's a sweet build, Dang. If you put skateboard wheels on that frame of yours, it's pretty quick to rig up a bathroom scale to read the thrust.

[Dang911]

So do you run the engine horrizontally into a bathroom scale? Or connect it to a fish scale? Or run it verticle sitting on top of a scale, and subtract the engine weight from its running weight?

Jack H, its the dimmentions for the basic 55lb lockwood.

[tufty]

So do you run the engine horrizontally into a bathroom scale? Or connect it to a fish scale? Or run it verticle sitting on top of a scale, and subtract the engine weight from its running weight?

Jack H, its the dimmentions for the basic 55lb lockwood.

Put wheels on the stand, run it horizontally into the scales. Should give you a decent guess as to thrust.

If you have a second set of scales that you can put under the tank, you should be able to get some basic SFC figures, too, which would help with evaluating how feed positioning affects consumption and thrust.

Simon

[Bruno Ogorelec]

Great-looking engine! I love it!

[kid jansen]

How did you make that vaporizing coil? Did you make before making the engine, or after?
I really have no idea of how to make those windings, since there is only about 11" (28cm) between the two pipes

By the way, very nice looking engine, great welds. How did you make that halve donut shape? Is it out of one piece? It looks like the part from the end of the CC to the exhaust pipe is al out of one piece.

[larry cottrill]

Dang911 -

Greg, congratulations! That is a nice-looking and nice-running Lockwood example.

L Cottrill

[Dang911]

To make the vapo coil took me all of 5 min, i swear. Start with copper tubeing, it is maliable. You say you only have 5" before you hit the next cone, so start bending the metal BY HAND leaving 4" sticking out . Then just keep turing the coil you make. Turn it 1/4 turn, then bend more material over the pipe. Eventually you will have the coil size you need.

Yes my U shaped pipe is all out of a nice seamless piece of SS pipe. MANDRIL BENT. Thats the secret, you can only mandril bend a pipe for a U shape like that

[pezman]

For those of you unfamiliar with the process -- a photo:

[Mike Everman]

LOL, Pez!

[Dang911]

NO JACKASS hehe

[pezman]

Silly me

[Mike Everman]

I'm the only jackass bending tube in my neighborhood, I think. I want one of those, and an NC tube spinner, too.