cyclopticgaze

Jet Engine in a Jar

Mar 11, 2006

     I'm a big fan of MAKE Magazine, and in their latest issue is a short piece on how to make a Methanol-fueled jet engine in a jam jar.  Well now, what self-respecting, red-blooded person who dares claim themselves an American could resist making such a thing?  Especially with a step-by-step how-to right there in front of you.  Parts list, pictures, everything.

     I won't go into the construction because the magazine does all that, and my design doesn't stray from theirs in any meaningful way.  Suffice it to say that in less than an hour and with less than $20 in parts, I have a fully assembled and highly flammable "jam jar jet" of my very own.  Here are some pictures of this marvel.

A quick plume signals fun to come.  (Clickable images pop.)

Now we're talkin'!

And a beautiful blue Methanol plume.

     Not pictured is the wonderful BBBBRRRRAAAAAPP that it makes as it alternately ignites fuel and sucks air in through the top hole.  It's a low frequency reverberation that you can also see in the plume that encircles the bottom of the jar.  I can only get it to fire for 3 or 4 seconds at a time right now.  I have some ideas for improvement, and I'll take some more pictures and post them here if I can get the jet to work more reliably.  Apparently, adding some common chemicals can radically change the color of the flames, so that'll be fun to try also.

     Lessons learned:  rocket scientists probable are as smart as the adage tells us;  mason jars are not easy to come by 'round here, and aren't sold individually;  purchasing highly-flammable chemicals is trivial;  anything Copper is expensive.  Ok, so save the mason jar one, I knew all of those things beforehand.  But this little exercise really drove those ideas home.