https://hackaday.com/2024/08/05/a-two-stroke-engine-made-from-scratch-using-basic-hardware-store-parts/ Skip to content Logo Hackaday Primary Menu * Home * Blog * Hackaday.io * Tindie * Hackaday Prize * Submit * About * Search for: [ ] [Search] August 7, 2024 A Two-Stroke Engine Made From Scratch Using Basic Hardware Store Parts 13 Comments * by: Maya Posch August 5, 2024 * * * * * Title: [A Two-Stroke Engine ] Copy Short Link: [https://hackaday.com] Copy [two-stroke] A working DIY two-stroke in all of its glory, with the flywheel removed. (Credit: Camden Bowen)A working DIY two-stroke in all of its glory, with the flywheel removed. (Credit: Camden Bowen) How hard could it to be to build a two-stroke internal combustion engine (ICE) from scratch? This is a challenge that [Camden Bowen] gladly set for himself, while foregoing such obvious wastes of time like first doing an in-depth literature study on the topic. That said, he did do some research and made the design in OnShape CAD before making his way over to the hardware store to make some purchases. As it turns out, you can indeed build a two-stroke engine from scratch, using little more than some metal piping and other parts from the hardware store. You also need a welder and a lathe, with [Camden] using a Vevor mini-lathe that totally puts the 'precision' in 'chatter'. As building an ICE requires a number of relatively basic parts that have to move with very little friction and with tight tolerances, this posed some challenges, but nothing that some DIY spirit can't fix. In the case of the very flexible boring bar on the lathe, improvising with some sturdy metal stock welded to a short boring bar resolved that, and precision was achieved. Together with an angle grinder, [Camden] was then able to manufacture the crank case, the cylinder and crank shaft and all the other pieces that make up an ICE. For the carburetor he used a unit off Amazon, which turned out to have the wrong throat size at 19 mm, but a 13 mm version worked. Ultimately, the first ICE constructed this way got destroyed mostly by running it dry and having the starter fluid acting as a solvent, but a full rebuild fixed all the issues. This second attempt actually ran just fine the first time around, with oil in the crank case so that the poor engine wasn't running dry any more. With a 40:1 fuel/oil mixture the little engine idles and runs as well as a two-stroke can, belching blue smoke and making a ruckus. This answers the question of whether you can build a two-stroke ICE with basic machining skills and tools, but of course the question that's now on everyone's lips is whether a four-stroke one would be nearly as 'easy'. We wait with bated breath. * [share_face] * [share_twit] * [share_in] * [share_mail] Posted in Engine HacksTagged internal combustion engine, machining Post navigation - Asteroids: Kessler Syndrome Edition Cisco Ball Is The Tumbleweed Opposite Of A Disco Ball - 13 thoughts on "A Two-Stroke Engine Made From Scratch Using Basic Hardware Store Parts" 1. PEBKAC says: August 6, 2024 at 6:37 am That's so cool! Very well done! I can't help but wonder if one could get by without the power tools - after all, the goal here is "working" not "optimized". Would be fascinating to just like, hand-finish some off-the-shelf pipe with sand paper, etc. The carb isn't exactly the most complicated machine either, maybe manufacturing that with hand tools might be harder, but it didn't need to be a COTS part. Either way, I find this impressive - using tools and off the shelf parts isn't cheating - for a first round... Report comment Reply 1. M says: August 6, 2024 at 1:25 pm You'll never get parts smooth or round enough with only hand tools. Machining preceded steam engines for a reason. Report comment Reply 1. Miroslav says: August 7, 2024 at 7:27 am Newcomen steam engine had such poor tolerances that rope with tallow, and similar contrivances, were used as piston rings. Precise machining was in the future. Report comment Reply 2. hugh crawford says: August 6, 2024 at 10:37 am Well, it would certainly be more impressive without the use of a lathe as implied by the headline. Report comment Reply 1. M says: August 6, 2024 at 1:23 pm Making an engine without a lathe is literally impossible. there is absolutely no other way to form a smooth enough piston bore without one. found another way? congratulations, you've invented a lathe from first principles. I'd find it more questionable that he's using off-the-shelf pistons, but maybe one day he can swap that out too. Report comment Reply 1. Uncle Luke says: August 6, 2024 at 7:47 pm I think Henry fords sink engine would like a word. Plenty of engines exist using some rudimentary piston that wasn't made by a lathe at all. Just had reasonable tolerances. Seems to me the title insinuating that they used hardware store parts is the issue, considering machine shop tooling is used. Report comment Reply 1. alnwlsn says: August 7, 2024 at 1:14 pm Not so sure about that - Ford was working for Edison at the time (as chief engineer) and probably would have had access to a lathe. Here's a fairly thorough examination of the engine in question: https://sites.google.com/site/lagadoacademy/ machining--lathes-mills-etc/review--ford-s-first-engine Report comment Reply 2. Chris Stratford says: August 6, 2024 at 9:31 pm There are very low power low temperature rocking Stirling engines, but they are very very low power. But they are engines (solar powered) Report comment Reply 3. Klh says: August 6, 2024 at 3:03 pm Nothing against the maker, they didn't claim that, but the article seems to be yet another clickbait - if you buy the piston, you didn't make the engine from scratch. I don't know what kind of hardware stores stock pistons, but that also wasn't in the video and seems invented for clickbait. Report comment Reply 1. The Commenter Formerly Known As Ren says: August 6, 2024 at 4:24 pm A hardware store that services the lawnmowers, chainsaws, weedeaters, and etc. that they sell? B^) Report comment Reply 4. Ben Phoenix says: August 7, 2024 at 6:07 am He bought the piston, the carb and the spark plug. I'd say that was quite a long way from 'from scratch'. Report comment Reply Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. 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