The Whippet

[cobrafreak]

Nice brass work. It fits well. You need some nice "2 hp Whippet" turn of the century graphics on the tank.

I am serious about the steam Harry. For about $250 you can get a 40 lb steam engine kit. All you would need to do if fabricate a boiler, holding tank, and furnace and run it on charcoal. It would be awesome.

Watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqBKRo8q3rQ

 

[harry76]

I plan to get a Whippet decal made up, but putting 2hp isnt a good thing. I live in Australia and motorized bikes are illegal, only electric bikes under certain capacity, so i plan on saying its something like a little 1 hp motor..... i also plan on getting a "13" on the engine cover to break up the motor, it needs something.

I had seen that video before but it was nice to watch again. That would be very very cool. Where do you get these motors for $250?

I wonder if you could run them on coal? And would that be harmful or toxic to the rider? We have a coal furnace at work with big piles of coal. Id be able to ride it to work, fill it up with coal for the ride home.... sweet.

Id say the extra weight of the engine and furnace would require stronger wheels.... but i did just get a similar bike for free..... mmmmm :wink:

 

[cobrafreak]

I plan to get a Whippet decal made up, but putting 2hp isnt a good thing. I live in Australia and motorized bikes are illegal, only electric bikes under certain capacity, so i plan on saying its something like a little 1 hp motor..... i also plan on getting a "13" on the engine cover to break up the motor, it needs something.

I had seen that video before but it was nice to watch again. That would be very very cool. Where do you get these motors for $250?

I wonder if you could run them on coal? And would that be harmful or toxic to the rider? We have a coal furnace at work with big piles of coal. Id be able to ride it to work, fill it up with coal for the ride home.... sweet.

Id say the extra weight of the engine and furnace would require stronger wheels.... but i did just get a similar bike for free..... mmmmm :wink:

You build these engines. These produce between 4 and 10 hp. You could make it mechanical or steam/electric to an electric motor propelled bike. You could boil the water with coal, oil, wax, propane. Look around this website link. It shows the possibilities. http://www.greensteamengine.com/products.htm

 

[AKB]

You could always fuel the fire with the wood that is used for smoking meat on a BBQ.. That would smell fantastic

 

[harry76]

Haha then i would have to put a grill above the burner. That smell would make me hungry then i could just pull up and have a barbeque.

 

[harry76]

I plan to get a Whippet decal made up, but putting 2hp isnt a good thing. I live in Australia and motorized bikes are illegal, only electric bikes under certain capacity, so i plan on saying its something like a little 1 hp motor..... i also plan on getting a "13" on the engine cover to break up the motor, it needs something.

I had seen that video before but it was nice to watch again. That would be very very cool. Where do you get these motors for $250?

I wonder if you could run them on coal? And would that be harmful or toxic to the rider? We have a coal furnace at work with big piles of coal. Id be able to ride it to work, fill it up with coal for the ride home.... sweet.

Id say the extra weight of the engine and furnace would require stronger wheels.... but i did just get a similar bike for free..... mmmmm :wink:

You build these engines. These produce between 4 and 10 hp. You could make it mechanical or steam/electric to an electric motor propelled bike. You could boil the water with coal, oil, wax, propane. Look around this website link. It shows the possibilities. http://www.greensteamengine.com/products.htm

Cobrafreak, is this something you have looked into? I must say the idea intrigues and excites me. Have you done any research on this product? Good reviews? Is the engine a size that would be compatible with a bicycle?

I dont know that much about steam engines, but i didnt know that much about internal combustion and it didnt stop me buiding a MB. There would be so much to learn building a steam powered bike but it would be a very cool process. And how many people can say they have built their very own steam powered bicycle...... im sold.

If this is a legitimate product i may buy the plans and begin my education on building a steam engine. That would be pretty cool. It would be a slow project but theres no hurry. And i think the fitter at work would be interested to do any machining i needed on this project, just cos its a steam engine and i figure hed be interested in something like that

 

[harry76]

Cant remember if it was on here or motorbicycling.com but someone is building a steam powered MB atm. I may have to have a look for it.....

 

[cobrafreak]

I've been doing some research and it may be simpler to just convert an air compressor pump to work as a steam engine. There are youtube videos on working compressors running on steam so check them out. Technically you could convert a 2 stroke engine to run on steam but there are serious drawbacks. Gas engines are engineered to eliminate heat as fast as possible. Steam is the opposite. You want the engine kept as hot to the temperature of steam as possible. A gas engine converted to steam for this reason would be very inefficient.I The compressor pump has the advantage of having it's own dip oil bath system in the lower end. With a two stroke you would need to add lube to the water. Large air compressors have oil sumps in the bottom end with a glass window to show oil level. This would be a good starting point. I guess the steam guys test their engines with compressed air. If you could make a mock up of a compressor running on compressed air that would be the first step. Second step would be testing theory with live steam on a bench. An advantage of steam power to you Harry is the Government wouldn't be able to prevent you from operating it. It's not a gas engine

 

[harry76]

Haha i could get around the laws with a steam engine.... i like your way of thinking. Ill look into this but im thinking it may be more then im capable of, but who knows. I noticed in a Youtube video where he said they dont use coal anymore because its getting hard to get. Not for me, like i said, my job is driving a front end loader and part of my job is keeping coal up to the powerhouse, so coal would be free for me. They have massive piles of it. Id ride to work, shovel some coal in for the ride home.

 

[sdJOE86]

awesome :shock: :shock:

 

[harry76]

I got some stickers for the bike, but im not sure i like them. I might just give it a week and if they dont grow on me or then i might redo them. Different lettering (older style) and maybe a little smaller.

What do you guys think?

 

[harry76]

I wasnt happy with the stickers, so i thought id try and improve them. If i stuffed up id just start again. So i added some gold shading. I think its an improvement. Im certainly not going to put pinstripers out of a job anytime soon :lol:

 

[cobrafreak]

I think you should use the same script as on the 1900 Sears Catalog for your tank sticker:

 

[harry76]

Yeah you are probably right. Ill see if these grow on me otherwise ill get another set made up

 

[AKB]

I like the idea of the Whippet sticker, but I'm not sure I like the number..

 

[deorman]

What's missing is "the Apostrophy"! :wink: