How to Build a Stirling Engine

If you can build a Stirling engine you’ll be able to use it on a variety of applications. Although the task can be complex, you can do it by yourself in a few hours.

Required Tools and Materials

Wood boards (different sizes including 11 x 3 1/2)
Rubber stopper
Screws
Candle
Glass syringe (3 ml)
Test tube
Rubber mat (1/2 in sq)
Tape (2 sided)
Aluminum tube
Surgical tubing
Screwdrivers
Saw
Marbles
Rubber band
Tape measure

Step 1

Take the wood board measuring 11 x 3 ½. Put it on the table. Get two wood boards measuring 6 ¾ x 1 ¼. Set it on both sides of the 11 x 3 ½. Screw it so that the bottom parts of the woods align. Join the smaller pieces so that it links up with the foundation.

Step 2

Continue to build a Stirling engine by getting a 3 ½ x 1 ¼ piece. Set it between the frames you just created. Screw it a couple of inches up from the foundation. Make sure that it’s secure.

Step 3

Get the test tube. Insert five marbles into it. Take the aluminum tube and put a rubber stopper on it. Now connect this with the test tube. Get the surgical tubing and set the aluminum tube on it. Get the syringe and set it on the end.

Step 4

Expand the rubber band so it extends to the wood frame you made earlier. To build a Stirling engine, you should get the candle and put it on the base. On the other end attach the 2 sided tape. Attach a rubber mat to it. The mat should be half an inch square. Place it on the center end opposite the candle.

Step 5

Attach the syringe on the rubber mat. Grab the rubber band so that it crosses one another. There should be an opening in the rubber band. Put the test tube there. Set the rest of the band around the tube.

Step 6

Use a match to ignite the candle. This is the final step to build a Stirling engine. Look at the marbles. When the objects heat up they gravitate towards the colder portion of the container. The syringe also tightens. When the marbles get cold, they move to the hot spot. The syringe will expand.

Tips and Warnings

Be careful when you light the candle. Make sure that there aren’t flammable materials nearby.

You can use other heat sources too. Some prefer to use an alcohol lamp. Whatever type you choose, be careful when lighting it.

Try to be as accurate as you can be about the measurements. If your measurements are off, the experiment might not work. Also check that the materials you use are in good shape. You don’t want that rubber band to snap or the tape to unstick at the crucial moment.

Whether you use it or it’s just as a science project, learning to build a Stirling engine is quite easy. This is just one method. Once you make one, you can try the other procedures with more confidence.