How to build your own Jet Engine

You don't have to be Jay Leno to own a jet powered motorcycle, and we will show you how to make your own jet enigne right here to power your wacky vehicles. This is an ongoing project, and plenty of additional info will be available on our website soon. See the full build at http://www.badbros.net

This information is brought to you by Bad Brothers Racing and Gary's Jet Journal
http://www.badbros.net
http://www.garysjetjournal.com

Warning! Building your own jet engine can be dangerous. We highly suggest that you take all appropriate safety precautions when dealing with machinery, and use extreme care while operating jet engines. Serious injury or death can occur while operating a jet turbine engine in close proximity, due to explosive fuels and moving parts. Extreme amounts of potential and kinetic energy are stored in operating engines. Always use caution and good judgment while operating engines and machinery, and wear appropriate eye and hearing protection. Neither Bad Brothers Racing or Gary's Jet Journal accept any liability for your use or misuse of the information contained herein.

Step 1: Come up with a basic design for your engine

I started the build process of my engine with a design in Solid Works. I find it much easier to work this way, and creating parts using CNC machining processes turns out a much nicer end result. The main thing I like about using the 3D process is the ability to see how the parts will fit together before fabrication, so that I can make changes before spending hours on a part. This step is really not neccesary, as anyone with decent drawing skills can sketch out the design on the back of an envelope rather quickly. When trying to fit the entire engine into the final project, the jet bike, it will certainly help a lot.

I would also suggest that to get the best answer to questions if you are attempting to build a jet engine or turbine based project, subcribing to a user group is the way to go. The years of combined experience from various users proves invaluable, and I am a regular on the Yahoo Groups DIY Gas Turbines forum.

Comments

[mustafahood]

i just wanna now if there is more application for that jet engine wich could be useful for daily life ?? plz give an answer

[BoltZ]

If you use LPG/BBQ gas a fuel; place the gas tank in a container/tank large enough to support the tank and enough beers for you and your mates. Fill the tank with water, and add the beers. Run the jet engine at full blast for approximately 5-10mins. The gas bottle while operating the jet will absorb the heat energy from the beers and surrounding water in the tank, leaving you with nice frosty beers. Enjoy.

[kevineleven]

I am trying to build this, but right now I am having trouble find an ST-50 or a similar sized turbocharger, can you list any others that would be similar in size? Also, what is the inducer is 3 inches and the visible blade diameter is about 2.18 inches, will that give me enough power to move something light like a bicycle? And why can't you have a divided exhaust, I've read that the split helps improve power?

[BoltZ]

You can use a divided exhaust turbo; I completed an engine from these instructions last weekend using a turbocharger from a Caterpillar 3406 engine; the turbo has a divided exhaust and worked a treat.

[ShikenNuggets]

How big would this be? Also how much thrust would you get? I was thinking about turning this into a jet pack or something?

[nuclearweapon]

oh my god...

[chriswillb]

Also can it be made out of aluminium

[122699]

Aluminum is the best idea for a metal flying machine becaus it is so light and that is what they use on the big jets at airports so you don't have to worry about it melting of heat

[kretzlord]

I know this is old, but most aircraft engine parts that are part of the combustion/exhaust system are usually made of titanium for it's weight/strength ratio. Aluminum is used mainly in the structure, where high temps aren't an issue

[Colonel.Castle]

I'm not sure if you guys have any experience working with metal or a whole lot of knowledge about metallurgy but steel would be preferable. I work with both a lot in my welding class, and though I like aluminum, it's not really all that strong and its melting point is about 1200 F, (which believe it or not isn't a whole lot for a jet engine) whereas steel's melting point is somewhere closer to 6000 F. It may be a little heavier but I think that since it's a stouter metal and more resistant to becoming liquid while you're trying to ride it makes it a better choice.

[Silkwyrm]

And if you get the bright Idea to use aluminum for some parts and steel for others bear in mind that anywhere aluminum and steel are touching will tend to cause both to corrode very quickly.

[acolombe]

turbochargers have a steel turbine shaft that then has the aluminum compressor wheel attached to it with an aluminum nut. i have never seen one of these parts corrode like you have mentioned.

[aryanchopda]

can there are any formulas for exactly calculating the combustion chamber and flame tube dimentions?? And the dimentions and number of the primary,secondary and tertiary holes ??? And also send the info of which kind of fuel injector and igniter has to use, from where they can be bought? my id: [e-mail]

[aryanchopda]

hey, can anyone tell me what kind of fuel injector have to use in it?, and what kind of igniter have to use? And how we can buy or make them??? And also can there is any formulas to exactly calculate the size of combustion chamber containing flame tube. If anyone has info please send me.

[neivadan]

i dont know about you but like to make non earthy machines like flying saucers and mecha even though am human lol !!!!

[dciocoiu]

where on earth did you get your hands on an turbocharger?

[dmoses1]

how are you able to type?

[122699]

you have about a hundred u can choose from on google

[DaPaulness332]

any aftermarket car shop, ebay

[330]

is there a video of it working (:

[Moswar]

NASA now has a rival =)

[mhickl]

I am trying to use the jet spec program for our senior design project. We need to do some calculations with the mass flow. do you know the units that the mass flo rate is given in the jetspec program?

[szulli-randall]

Could you fly with one?

[chriswillb]

When you say bolt holes; what size should they be and how far apart should they be?

[kkaran]

the bolt size and numbers are depend on power produced by your engine

[deamond666123]

could any one help i have made a gas turbine with 3 turbos
it works fine but it takes a long time for the shafts to spin up when i am reving

[Nander21a]

Has Anybody gotten enough thurst out of one of these to get some lift for an aircraft?

[jj.inc]

You could easily get enough for an aircraft if the engine is not on it, the only semi-practical use for one of these is a direct drive for a land vehicle, otherwise it is too heavy and fuel hungry.

[vanadium chrome]

it looks realistic.

[razor7177]

does the turbo charger comes with a single unit...or a double unit....?

[stuffman366]

Would Ethanol work as a fuel source?
Not E-85 but straight Ethanol, it seems to have similar power output to AVGAS, but wanted other opinions before I tried it.

[ZaPo]

It works fine, You just have to atomise it before ignition (fine spray). Modern gas turbine run on diesel as a emergency fuel

[duct tape apprentice]

Jet engines can use any combustible liquids as fuel, including Ethanol. I've even heard of people using whiskey to run them.

[stuffman366]

Ok thanks, I will try it out.

[ZaPo]

What is your exit velocity from the turbine? You could try to add a nossle to increase the exit velocity but just as long as it's close to the velocity of sound. The equation that discripe the force is F=m(ci-ca), Where F is the Forec, m=mass flow, Ci=exit velocity, Ca=speed that the engine is traveling in (stationary=>Ca=0, On a cart Ca will then be the speed of the cart)

[deamond666123]

would the program provided be ok to use if i was going to build a 3 way gas turbine (3 turbos) thanks

[mech_manic717]

i am a little confused, is the flame tube supposed to touch both of the end caps? or is there a gap at one end?

[scarabdrowner]

I believe that if you were to shake the combustion chamber, the flame tube should rattle around slightly. You want extra space all around for the flame tube to expand into when it gets hot.

[bakermonitor]

If you could harness the power of the spindle you would be able to use the majority of the power in this thing.

I also would suggest an after burner.
This is one on a b12 gen jet that a friend of mine stuck on the back of a chair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xil_WPvNdB8

Burns up a gallon of unleaded in this clip but its so fun to watch.

[jj.inc]

Does anyone know how to attach a direct drive, so you can gear it down and turn some wheels, this doesn't run like an engine on a jet plane, it is more like a modern tank that uses a turbine to spin a pump to spin a motor ext. Except this lacks the connection shaft and I am not sure how to do it.