The Contraption 2.0

MozyBonz · Post by **MozyBonz** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:34 am

Good plan Le chat. I think I know where you are going with this.

Goes back to his recipe book

Roast Finch

Like all birds, roast finch have succulent juices that should not go to waste. In this recipe, every drop is captured in rice that has been cooked in chicken broth, then tossed with diced fresh mango and chopped cilantro.

4 whole finch, about 1/2 pound each, neck and wing tips removed
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup hot red pepper jelly
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Lime wedges

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Adjust the rack to the middle of the oven.

Remove necks and wing tips and pat the birds dry inside and out with paper towels. Discard any excess fat. Rub the flesh and cavities with salt and pepper. Put the birds in a roasting pan breast side up.

Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue roasting for another 18 to 20 minutes, or until the juices run a rosy color when the meat is poked with a fork.

While the birds are roasting, soften the red pepper jelly in a small pan over medium heat. Stir in the ginger and lime juice. Generously brush the glaze on the birds during the last 2 or 3 minutes of roasting time.

Serve the birds on a mound of rice. Serves 4.

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 3:44 pm

I think I know where you are going with this.

Heh Heh Heh...

But of course. Seemed a shame not to let those eggshell-bound morsels grow up and live a full life getting fat and tasty.

Dusza Beben · Post by **Dusza Beben** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:19 pm

Just remember,
Meat is murder..

Tasty,
Tasty,
Murder.

Can't wait to see the "egg crate" on the playa!

DB

Oldguy · Post by **Oldguy** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:26 pm

BTW, mariners used to have a chicken tattooed on one foot and a pig tattooed on the other foot, for good luck. They did this because the crates containing said animals were often the only things floating after a wreak. Symbols for survivability are always goodluck...a rooster's claw and a pig's tail to you...

Oldguy · Post by **Oldguy** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:45 pm

Now when I eat bacon and eggs in the morning, I'll remember those at sea...oh, a finch or bluebird tattooed on each shoulder was thought to carry you home since they are landbirds and only seen close to shore. I seem to remember they were one of several types received after crossing the Equator. Very good luck to see them, it means you are nearing home. Welcome home!

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:04 pm

That's a great story LeChatNoir! Well done and A++++

You're a good friend to have, those critters around your place are lucky. Perhaps the finches like the playa dust???

p.s. been welding on my playa fireplace project, will post something on it soon.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:48 pm

I've been working on my boat, amping up the alternator/battery/inverter system to cut the time I have to run the Honda genny. I added a second alternator (and battery and inverter) where the A/C compressor originally was, but I really need to speed the alts up, since the boat pretty much just idles everywhere. I can't go smaller with the alternator pulleys, they're already tiny. The balancer/drive pulley is about 6" diameter, and there's room to go up to about 10". I can't machine a part 'cuz my lathe only handles 7".
There are the three fine-thread bolt holes (used for pulling the balancer) that I can use to bolt something over the existing balancer/drive pulley.
So I gotta figure out a slick way to make a bigger drive pulley, for a flat, wide, grooved serpentine style belt.
What would you do?

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:18 am

Can you convert to a V belt?
How about a 2 stage belt system?

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:30 am

I can go v-belt but I kinda' like the stock spring-loaded belt tensioner and I think a v-belt might have issues staying on it.
I guess I could leave one alternator free to swivel on it's lower mount and put a big spring on the top pulling it against the belt instead of a bolt at the top. Then maybe the big v-belt pulley at the rear of an old Sears riding lawn mower could be cut out to fit around my balancer/drive pulley... hmmm...

fciron · Post by **fciron** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:16 am

Unless you are philosophically wedded to salvage parts you might look at pulleys and sheaves on http://www.Grainger.com and http://www.mcmaster.com/.

I have found the prices on these items surprisingly reasonable and the selections quite good.

MozyBonz · Post by **MozyBonz** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:17 am

Captain Goddammit wrote:I've been working on my boat, amping up the alternator/battery/inverter system to cut the time I have to run the Honda genny. I added a second alternator (and battery and inverter) where the A/C compressor originally was, but I really need to speed the alts up, since the boat pretty much just idles everywhere. I can't go smaller with the alternator pulleys, they're already tiny. The balancer/drive pulley is about 6" diameter, and there's room to go up to about 10". I can't machine a part 'cuz my lathe only handles 7".
There are the three fine-thread bolt holes (used for pulling the balancer) that I can use to bolt something over the existing balancer/drive pulley.
So I gotta figure out a slick way to make a bigger drive pulley, for a flat, wide, grooved serpentine style belt.
What would you do?

Buy one off the shelf. I'm sure you can find one new.

http://www.diamondprecision.com/ps.htm

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 11:43 am

Yep Yep...

Grainger or MSC is a good place to find sheaves for affordable prices. Should be able to just match up diameter you want with the correct bore diameter. You may find bushed sheaves cheaper sometimes. Buy one the size you need and the corresponding bushing to fit your shaft.

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:16 pm

Manâ€¦ I just went back and spent the time to read all the posts better.

Great looking fireplace frame, Tiahaar. Wow! Heavy duty, indeed.

And thanks for chiming in with the stories and tidbits, old guy.

Oh, and I think I was mistaken in my bird identification. As birders go, Iâ€™m a good blacksmith, so my attempts to identify anything non-metalic should be questioned. And come to think of it, you might want to question the metal as well just to be safe.

Anywaysâ€¦ I got a better look at Mama Bird, and I think she is not a finch, but instead is a House Wren.

Dang... so much for that recipe.

MozyBonz · Post by **MozyBonz** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:29 pm

LeChatNoir wrote:Manâ€¦ I just went back and spent the time to read all the posts better.

Great looking fireplace frame, Tiahaar. Wow! Heavy duty, indeed.

And thanks for chiming in with the stories and tidbits, old guy.

Oh, and I think I was mistaken in my bird identification. As birders go, Iâ€™m a good blacksmith, so my attempts to identify anything non-metalic should be questioned. And come to think of it, you might want to question the metal as well just to be safe.

Anywaysâ€¦ I got a better look at Mama Bird, and I think she is not a finch, but instead is a House Wren.

Dang... so much for that recipe.

Turns page in cook book~

House Wren Country Style
Ingredients
Â· 1 cup flour
Â· 6 House Wren
Â· 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Â· 6 slices bacon
Â· 2 tablespoons salt (divided)
Â· 2 tablespoons pepper (divided)
Â· 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
Directions
1.
Flour the birds lightly.
2.
Fry out the Bacon in a large skillet, then Remove and keep it warm.
3.
Saute the birds in the Bacon Fat, browning them well on all sides. reduce the heat and continue cooking until they are just tender, about 12 minutes.
4.
Season to taste.
5.
Remove the Birds to a hot platter and garnish with he Bacon.
6.
Spoon out all but 3 tablespoons of fat.
7.
Add 4 tablespoons of flour and blend well.
8.
Cook for 3 minutes.
9.
Gradually stir in the cream and cook, stirring until smooth and thickened.
10.
Season with Salt and Pepper and add the chopped parsley.
11.
Give this sauce quite a high seasoning.
12.
Serve in a sauce boat.

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:08 pm

I've been out of the loop -- must have deleted the wrong cookie or something. Jon alerted me to the steam problem when I saw him at the Corvallis Kinetic race last weekend.

I'm all for the hit-n-miss to get ready for this year. I always have to drop back to a simpler solution on something before a Kinetic Race.

Then when you return to the steam project...

But when I hooked the engine up to the boiler, it wonâ€™t even budge. Iâ€™m totally puzzled by this and have not been able figure out why it will run on 20 lbs of air, but not 100 lbs of steam.

I'm thinking... could you duplicate the steam failure with air? That might provide a clue. Say, replace the air compressor's storage tank with a tiny one. If the engine then fails to run on air.... Just thinking out loud. If you can deliberately duplicate the problem, you are bound to learn something.

Nice job with the birds!

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:48 pm

Hmmm... good idea. maybe I could charge up one of those portable air tanks and see what happens?

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:09 pm

That wouldn't take long to try.

Zorch · Post by **Zorch** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:34 am

Nicely done LeChat. I'm sure that not disturbing the Wrens nest will build up all sorts of good Karma that shall be rewarded ;)

But I have to admit Mozys plan sounds tastier

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:32 am

La Cat,

Could you run the steam engine half on air, then feed steam to the other half for a study??

Dusza Beben · Post by **Dusza Beben** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:23 pm

Thought you might like this one.
Prize winning home built horseless carriage circa 1912.
Note the fine engine!

DB

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:27 pm

Dusza Beben wrote:Thought you might like this one.
Prize winning home built horseless carriage circa 1912.
Note the fine engine!

DB

Can trap shoon ear ring dee luck s

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:40 am

OK here's what I'm gonna do. NO off-the-shelf pulley is going to work, and a commercially custom made one will be way too expensive.
I dunno if I made it clear enough, but the existing pulley is also the engine's harmonic balancer and must stay. I want something to go AROUND it, to increase the diameter. Preferably with the correct little grooves in it that I can't machine into it 'cuz my lathe isn't big enough.
Since the fancy five-grooved drive pulley is pressed on around the balancer, separated by a rubber ring, I'm gonna separate two spares. Then I'll cut the pulleys into a larger half and a smaller half, heat them with a torch, un-bend them slightly, and trim the two larger halves to fit together as one new, larger fancy five-grooved pulley. Then I can bolt a flat, circular plate to the front of the balancer, using the threaded holes used for attaching a puller, and weld it to that.

If that doesn't work out, screw it, I'll just run the alternators at stock idle speed and take whatever wattage I can get.

What do you metal-mashing inventors, like LeChat or unjohn, think? Got easier or better idea, think I'm nuts, think it'll work, ???

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:15 am

Idea, Could you find a semi hard rubber doughnut type ring and valcanise it to the pulley with heat or glue.. Attach/bolt side plates to form a pulley

But for the lack of room..An idler w/small pulley intake and large pulley output run off the harmonic Some math required..

Can we make sure my camp mate has a tour on your boat this year? I'm sure this will be his last Burning Man.. I don't hold much hope of him living much longer

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:20 am

Wish him a good burn for me, Unjon.

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:49 am

Capt'n: How about you go to the nearest Tractor Supply Co. store and look at their selection of agricultural V-belt pulleys and idlers. They have pulleys up to 12 inches or so, and a variety of idlers -- some of which may be adaptable to your original spring loaded one. Also study all their little "mix-and-match" hubs that normally go in the center of such pulleys -- you may be able to adapt one or more of those with your lathe.

I just made two montrous roller chain guides out of such pulleys -- it's all plain cheap Chinese mild steel, I think. Prices are on the order of ten bucks for most of these items.

fciron · Post by **fciron** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 11:10 am

Do you really need the grooves?

You might be surprised at how cooperative flat belts are. I have flat belts on my power hammer and lathe and they want to track to the center of crowned pulleys. I am using toothed transmission belting on the lathe and running it on regular flat pulleys. The lack of corresponding teeth does not seem to be a problem. I am also using v-to-flat in a couple of places and the v-belts don't seem to mind running on a flat surface.

If you have spare pulleys try wrapping them with flat stock to build them up. This should be a lot easier to keep balanced than a homebuilt pulley.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 2:02 pm

fciron wrote: This should be a lot easier to keep balanced than a homebuilt pulley.

That's my biggest concern.
Thanks, guys, lots of good fuel for thought here!
I figured I probably didn't need the grooves... but I wasn't sure.

Unjon, got any idea where I can find you this year? Amy is even putting together more of that same swing/big band music you liked last year to play, cuz we planned on coming to get you.
I'm also making some modifications to make the interior roomier, we'll be able to carry your chair/scooter thingie easier.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 3:42 pm

Captain Goddammit wrote:
fciron wrote: This should be a lot easier to keep balanced than a homebuilt pulley.
That's my biggest concern.
Thanks, guys, lots of good fuel for thought here!
I figured I probably didn't need the grooves... but I wasn't sure.

Unjon, got any idea where I can find you this year? Amy is even putting together more of that same swing/big band music you liked last year to play, cuz we planned on coming to get you.
I'm also making some modifications to make the interior roomier, we'll be able to carry your chair/scooter thingie easier.

WE alway plan to be along the 8:30 line.. They changed the street configure this year.. So don't know how far out we will be, but near the potties as possible.. Our camp is always fenced with an 18 inch trash fence (orange)..

Project this year is a model of a T Bucket.. The upper body and cowling will be raw wood.. The bucket is red and a rail type silver front brass color radiator.. Got the Zappys up and running fine..

MozyBonz · Post by **MozyBonz** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 4:40 pm

Captain Goddammit wrote:OK here's what I'm gonna do. NO off-the-shelf pulley is going to work, and a commercially custom made one will be way too expensive.
I dunno if I made it clear enough, but the existing pulley is also the engine's harmonic balancer and must stay. I want something to go AROUND it, to increase the diameter. Preferably with the correct little grooves in it that I can't machine into it 'cuz my lathe isn't big enough.
Since the fancy five-grooved drive pulley is pressed on around the balancer, separated by a rubber ring, I'm gonna separate two spares. Then I'll cut the pulleys into a larger half and a smaller half, heat them with a torch, un-bend them slightly, and trim the two larger halves to fit together as one new, larger fancy five-grooved pulley. Then I can bolt a flat, circular plate to the front of the balancer, using the threaded holes used for attaching a puller, and weld it to that.

If that doesn't work out, screw it, I'll just run the alternators at stock idle speed and take whatever wattage I can get.

What do you metal-mashing inventors, like LeChat or unjohn, think? Got easier or better idea, think I'm nuts, think it'll work, ???

OK ...what is the harmonic balancer on? What is the year make and model of the motor?

And what are you turning the motor at 2000 max 3000 rpm?
mostly at 2000 2500?

How much is to much when it comes to price?

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 6:54 pm

Dusza Beben wrote:Thought you might like this one.
Prize winning home built horseless carriage circa 1912.
Note the fine engine!

DB

My God, I think maybe I was alive at some time before and now I'm back to try it again!!!

That's terriffic, DB.

Captain...

What is the OD and thickness of the existing pulley and the OD of the pulley you wish to press over it?