Exciting projects - less well documented

Rocket Bike:

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I put a small paraffin wax and gaseous Oxygen hybrid rocket motor on my commute bike! It has electrical ignition and a throttle lever commanded from the handlebars.

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Internal Combustion Engine:

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I designed and manufactured a 140cc four-stroke dual cylinder internal combustion engine. I took on this project to ‘break in my lathe’ – the entire device was made on it. This project was a serious manufacturing challenge that inculcated a great many machining skills in me. Ultimately, poor sealing within the valve mechanism and around the pistons meant that it couldn’t reach suitably high compressions to self-sustain. Five years on, I am certain I could have another crack at a project like this.

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Steam-Powered Bike:

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I built a boiler from an old 16L fire extinguisher, a water injection system and an entire single piston steam engine with two power strokes per revolution. It was a little impractical, taking about 45 minutes to reach operating temperature when fueled with charcoal, but it screeched and hissed and was one of the most exciting experiences of my life when I first rode it. Built in late 2012, I had very primitive capabilities at the time of its conception.

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Pulsejet Engines:

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I built a variety of propane fueled valve-less pulsejet engines in 2012. The largest of which spanned 1.6m in length.

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HHO Generator:

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I built a device for electrolytically dissociating water into hydrogen and oxygen gas, then capturing it. The initial goal was to use the stuff as the explosive in a golf ball cannon, but its fantastical explosive power convinced me that would have been unwise.

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Woodworking projects:

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I have made things as simple as rounders bats, to a hardwood custom air-rifle stock.

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Active Tool-Post:

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I designed and machined an active tool-post for my lathe. It can take any type of Dremel tooling, since it uses the same collet. I have put it to great use numerous times