Wood Wheel Steamer----

 This air powered "steam engine" uses a humorously wobbling  wooden flywheel and is built from hardware store parts. The air supply hose also flops back and forth in an amusing manner. Cylinder is a piece of brass pipe that is pressed into the "sweat" side of a brass elbow. The threaded end of the elbow contains a pipe plug that is cut off flush and filed smooth (with a 1/16" intake/exhaust hole drilled in it). Crankshaft and con-rod are built up from 1/8" gas welding rod. Main bearing, base and cylinder mount are scrap wood. Air control lever pivots on 8-32 screw (screwed into tapped hole on top lip of elbow) and is moved by pushrod connected to crank (~90 degrees out of phase to rod journal). A piece of 8-32 thread stock (or a small screw with the head removed) has a .050 hole drilled through it and is screwed into a tapped hole in the air control lever. Air supply hose is slipped over this 8-32 piece. Piston is a piece of steel turned to fit in pipe. "Thrust washer" retainers are made from 1/8" ID plastic tube. Crank is slipped through main bearing and then bent at right angle to a length of ~ 4". This bent end is sandwiched between two round pieces of plywood (~5" diameter). Runs ~ 250 RPM at 20 psi. Ruler appears in picture for scaling purpose.