displacer cylinder with connections crankshaftparts

The parts of a Tin Can Stirling engine




  • Technical details:


  • Displacer cylinder capacity: 345cm 3


  • Measurements displacer cylinder:
    Ø 69 x 58 mm


  • Stroke: 20 mm


  • Power piston capacity:
    25 cm3


  • Stroke: 20 mm


  • Unloaded revolution:
    n= 250-300/min.












  • Material choice

    Current available materials are used to build this engine. Alternative available materials may be chosen for many of the in the part list mentioned materials.

  • Measurements

    The measurements of most of the components are not critical. Of course tuning is then necessary.


  • Tip

    In old computer parts you can find several suitable mini-bearings.


  • Tip

    The displacer also can be made of flower foam (dry).
    Because the flower foam is so vulnerable, you must treat the outside several times with thinned wood glue after testing the engine.


  • Heat source

    The homemade spirit burner is very simple device.
    Always use a little bit spirits at a time (fire- risk!!)




piecenum. number description material measurement

A. Frame

1. 1 base plywood 180x 120x 18
2. 1 bearing-support plywood 270x 70x 18
3. 1 support plywood 105 x 70 x 12
4. 1 clip aluminium 260 x 30 x 1
5. 2 screws zinc plated steel 3,5 x 35
6. 4 screws idem 3,0 x 12

B. Displacer piston

7. 1 tin can 30cl. pewter steel Ø 72 x 88
8. 1 cilinder lid aluminium Ø 74 x 1,5
9. 1 tube mount acrylic, brass, aluminium Ø 15 x 12
10. 1 displacer gland brass tube Ø 3 x 2 x 30
11. 1 tube mount acrylic,brass, aluminium, Ø15 x12
12. 1 tube connectionpiece brass tube Ø 6 x 5 x 25
13a. 1 displacer connecting rod-bottom silver- or weldingsteel Ø 2 x 120
13b. 1 displacer connecting rod-top silver- or weldingsteel Ø 2 x 120
14. 1 hing connection smooth cablemantle Ø 3 x 1,5 x 20
15. 1 tube pvc Ø 8 x 6 x 200
16. 1 isolationtape elastic 250 x 20
17. 6 displacer piston
Ø 69 x 58
balsawood 80 x 80 x 10

C. Powerpiston-Diaphragm

18. 1 powerpiston pvc-endcap-40 Ø 44x 40x 20
19. 1 bolt zinc plated steel M3 x 20
20. 1 flat washer idem M3
21. 1 cap nut idem M3
23. 1 connectionpiece tube brass tube Ø 6 x 5 x 15
24. 1 diaphragm balloon, theraband 80 x 80
25. 1 rubber band or
o-ring
rubber 30 mm
26. 2 disk acrylic Ø 20 x 3 x 2
27. 1 bolt zinc plated steel M3 x 20
28. 1 flat washer idem M3
29. 1 rod screw connection brass M3 x 4 x 15
30. 1 connecting rod zinc plated steel M3 x 100

D. Crankshaft-Flywheel

31. 2 bearing steel 13 x 5 x 4
32. 1 crankshaft bearing tube brass tube Ø 5 x 4 x 30
33. 1 crankshaft threaded rod M4 M4 x 90
34. 7 nut zinc plate steel M4
35. 4 flat washer idem M4
36. 2 flat washer idem M4 x 20
37. 2 crank disk beech Ø 30 x 8
38. 2 crankshaft bearing silver- or weldingsteel Ø 2 x 15
39. 2 bearing bloc acrylic 8 x 8 x 16
40. 1 flywheel plywood Ø 170 x 12

E. Heat source

41. 1 tin can box pewter steel Ø100 x 25
42. 1 shoelace cotton Ø3 x 100
43. - fuel spirit some cm3
44. 2 wax-light candles paraffin -

F. Glue

- - woodglue - -
- - epoxyglue - -
power piston with diaphragm spirit burner
  • current available materials
  • adaption is possible
  • non critical measurements
structure index at work!