What about Butane for Pneumatic Engines?

[landoandrews]

how and where do you get dry ice :P?

do you think it's possible having a small "fuel tank" on a vehicle filled with dry ice?

Here in the US you can get it at almost any grocery store, however I don't know how it would be in other countries. You could probably put a small tank on a vehichle, however it gets pretty sketchy trying to get the pressure just right. (you don't want your tank to turn into a bomb) I actually thought of making some sort of valve that automatically regulated the pressure.

I've just never gotten to building something complicated that runs off of dry ice because it's just to much of a hassle. It can get pricey if you are using a lot, and dry ice only lasts +-24 hours. But there are definitely some awesome possibilities out there.

[Rockbrick]

wow dry ice seems the way to go.... though what about helium?

squeaky voice fire breathing lego robots here we come.....

[piterx]

Here in the US you can get it at almost any grocery store, however I don't know how it would be in other countries. You could probably put a small tank on a vehichle, however it gets pretty sketchy trying to get the pressure just right. (you don't want your tank to turn into a bomb) I actually thought of making some sort of valve that automatically regulated the pressure.

I've just never gotten to building something complicated that runs off of dry ice because it's just to much of a hassle. It can get pricey if you are using a lot, and dry ice only lasts +-24 hours. But there are definitely some awesome possibilities out there.

how much does it weigh?

[JM1971]

I can see piter making a dry ice fighting robot in the future.

I just rememberd the sodastream fizzy drinks maker, the empty co2 canisters you can take to supermarkets and swap for a full one for a small fee, I think you can make dry ice with these.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SodaStream-Spare-Litre-Gas-Cylinder/dp/B005ERICB8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395831493&sr=8-1&keywords=soda+stream+canister

[piterx]

ahah no no i wanna make a car! :D

4 small pistons and a gas tank with a servo operating the valve as it's the throttle is my dream!

im so tired of electric motors lol

[JM1971]

Thats a good idea, I've seen these salt water cars around on amazon but I think they make hydrogen, lol.

Attach a valve from a bicycle inner tube to a pop bottle top, pump it up, connect the bike pump attachment to the lego pipes and then onto the valve, similar to a bottle rocket but with no water... http://www.bbc.co.uk...lerockets.shtml

Edited March 26, 2014 by JM1971

[EyesOnly]

Lego vehicles with possible turbo mode. Now we're talking.

[Bob De Quatre]

Butane+legos+torch=.....fire breathing lego killer robots on the loose.

sorry could not contain myself.

You might want to look at that

Anyway as others already said, it's safer for both you and your Lego to use non inflammable gaz.

[piterx]

ahuahau that's wicked

[Doc_Brown]

That is freaking cool, but so dangerous! Happy that he made it from 100% lego products, ahah.

[Balrog]

After reading the thread just today, I cannot hold back posting my opinion on this. I probably need to mention I am a voluntary firefighter, thus this could get a bit harsh.

1. Using flammable gas or liquid. Using any of these indoors is potentially super-dangerous, but you already know that. Apart from the increased chance of unwanted fires in your home, these gases or liquid could probably react with your Lego pieces and you would not want that. Also, those butane gas refillers for lighters should hold a note, that they are only to be used outside or in well-ventilated rooms (at least in Germany they have such a note).

A little story about using flammable gas indoors. You probably all know these camping cooking stoves that work with gas. This (or similar):

In the gas cartridge is a mixture of butane and propane. Fine devices for camping. A few years back, we got an alarm about an explosion in a home. When we got there, the fire was burning in the living room. The flat had a balcony, the windows there had burst and the wall was displaced by a good 30 cm (1 foot). So what happened? The family tried to use such a camping stove to roast a chicken (stupid, I know). When assembling the device, the cartridge was somewhat not properly fixed or enclosed. Some of the dripping fat of the chicken started burning and ran down on the sides of the stove ultimately flaming up a leak on the cartridge and the cartridge exploded. These people had a lot of luck, because none suffered serious injuries, but I guess this little story shows how dangerous all this stuff is.

2. CO2 as in some fire extinguishers should not be used as well. It won't burn and also it won't react, so you and your bricks are safe for now. But know this: CO2 is mainly used to extinguish fires in electrics or electronics as it displaces oxygen and thus extinguishing a fire. Using it in closed rooms is also dangerous, because the CO2 will as well displace the oxygen that you need for breathing. At best nothing (serious) happens. If you are out of luck, you are dead or suffer serious braindamage. So please don't use CO2 indoors, not even in "small" amounts. Using CO2 outdoors, is fine.

3. Compressed air as used in Lego pneumatics already is totally safe. So please use that.

edit:

Every day, people do stupid things. All of you, please try to not be stupid.

Edited April 2, 2014 by Balrog

[piterx]

eheh yeah man! no one told it was safe doing it :P

if i ever tried to make an engine i would have treated it like it was a real engine, so i wouldn't turn it on inside the domestic walls :D

[JM1971]

What about liquid from cpu coolers to power the piston engine, something like an XL motor powering the pump to the cylinders.

Balrog knows his stuff, one little static spark is all it takes, this happens at gas stations, people start the pump and get back into their cars to get something and the static builds up because of the friction of them getting in and out the car then they reach for the pump and the spark ignites escaping vapours.

[skppo]

What about liquid from cpu coolers to power the piston engine, something like an XL motor powering the pump to the cylinders.

You would get terrible performance. Worse than just drivig with the XL straight. Needlessly complicated.

One gas that you can get compressed and is safe (fire/plastic reactions) would be helium. Don't know about cost though.

[Boxerlego]

Get a real engine then you can play with gas.

[piterx]

You would get terrible performance. Worse than just drivig with the XL straight. Needlessly complicated.

One gas that you can get compressed and is safe (fire/plastic reactions) would be helium. Don't know about cost though.

and you can have lot of fun inhaling it as well XD

[skppo]

and you can have lot of fun inhaling it as well XD

Well thats about the only way to make it dangerous. It's not toxic and won't absorb into your blood but will asphyxiate you if there isn't enough oxygen for you to breathe.

[Hrafn]

Does anyone know the maximum pressure(s) various Technic pneumatic elements (tanks, hoses, switches, pistons) can take before they fail? Hopefully they fail 'gracefully' by leaking, rather than bursting suddenly. Even compressed air can be dangerous if high pressure is released suddenly.

[Blakbird]

Does anyone know the maximum pressure(s) various Technic pneumatic elements (tanks, hoses, switches, pistons) can take before they fail? Hopefully they fail 'gracefully' by leaking, rather than bursting suddenly. Even compressed air can be dangerous if high pressure is released suddenly.

About 40 psi. Failure mode is just leaking seals or disconnected hoses.