You know - there is an idea - I wonder what an engine would cost - put it up on an engine stand, and do it with my son and daughter. I've done it myself, but not in 20 years.

I've also made a single cylinder 2 stroke engine from scratch - as in starting with bocks of metal, and doing all the machining. That is a lot of fun

One of the guys at the local club built the worlds smallest working multi cylinder, 4 cycle motor. I've seen it run - amazing

http://www.minimodelengines.com/index2.htm

Gunther Von Hagen
 

Anatomy for Beginners is currently showing on free-to-air television here in Melbourne, Australia. It's a series by Gunther Von Hagen (the Plastination anatomist that created the Body Worlds exhibit) in which he dissects fresh cadavers in front of a small, non-scientific studio audience. It's incredible! In the first episode he unravelled the spinal cord - beginning by flaying the 55 year old dead man. The sound as the skin came off was obscene. The second episode dealt with the respiratory and circulatory systems, he shoved a pipe into the trachea and inflated the lungs. They rose out of the corpse from the chest cavity from which he had removed ribs and muscular fascia. And then descended as he simulated breathing. Then he filled the artery with simulated blood and we watched as all the blood vessels in the digestive system became red and plump. This week was the digestive system itself, he removed the whole tube from tongue to anus, washing away remaining feces with a spray hose. And unravelled the intestines and laid it out to show the 7 metres in it's entirety. Next week is the reproductive system, and the rumour is he is dissecting a pregnant woman - baby still in place. I find it extraordinary to be able to visualise exactly what's happening in my body and where everything is.
A longer posting than I intended, but it is my first. Hello out there... or should I say in there?

You know...while we both enjoyed the experience immensely...if we had it to do all over again? We'd buy a GM crate engine ready to go out of the box and with a warranty.
hh

ps...hello kitty!

Most people learn that eventually. :lol:
It's fun and instructive, but always way more expensive and time consuming than you plan on. After the first few it gets to be work.


Welcome to the Cellar, incommunicadocat. :D
They don't show that program around meal time, do they?
So it's legal for just anyone to dissect bodies, for fun and profit?

Oh, husband would instigate my muttering and dirty looks with the sentence; "I need to buy another tool."

Good point, I didn't even think about the tools involved.:smack:
No matter how many engines you do, you always need another tool(S).

That sounds dirty.

Over the years, I've found that doing an engine, for a car that you have to drive - pay someone else to do it.

BUT if you have all the time you want, don't really CARE, it can be fun to rip down and engine, and put it together. That's what I'm taling about - get something like an old, 1970s era Datsun 1.3L engine (something pre "smog"), put it up on the stand, take it apart, showing the kids HOW it comes apart, and goes together - never intending to ever put it in a car again

Heck - if I find an old lawn mower, that's a start too

Another fun one is a manual transmission - ditto a rear diferential

Excellent, CharlieG. :thumbsup:
The kids will be so much richer for(from?) the experience.
Not only the basic mechanical knowledge but a project with Dad.

It seems to be catching on...:rolleyes: