Try a stirling engine.

[argonaut]

Any of you guys ever build a stirling engine?
Not actual combustion, but still neat, and the things, while not having much torque, can haul ass! Plus there are lots of different ways to configure it and modify it.

We build these as part of the mechanical engineering cirriculum at MIT:

http://web.mit.edu/2.670/www/spotlight_2003/index.html

Check it out. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/cool.gif"%20alt="[/img]

-Jason

[WSHBaker]

There are all kinds of Stirling engines to be found on the web. Just run a search for them and find everyting from the sublime to the riciculus.Some are works of art and others are essentialy tin cans, scrap materials, and ingenuity combined.
This would have been a good post to the machine forum.

[John]

For years I looked at a stirling and couldn't figure out what made it go. I found some plans in a book and built a small one just to see what makes it go. Had some great fun and now I can explane to others how it works.

[Grue]

Thanks Jason,

Great pic. Plans? What parts are supplied?

Glenn