Homebrewed jet engines....

[Dr Mordrid]

http://www.aardvark.co.nz/pjet/

[KRSESQ]

I've always wanted to try this but never had the nerve.

Kevin

[Brian Ellis]

When I was about 15, I made a flutterjet (you know, the kind used to propel the V1 "flying bomb"). They are very easy to make. I fixed it on the back of my bicycle. It provided just enough thrust to get me to the top of the hill where we lived at about 10 mph and 5 mpg, but it made an infernal noise. Someone must have complained, because, one day, I was met with a reception committee of the local fuzz. Mr Plod asked me for my driving licence and I told him I was too young to have one. His face beamed with delight at the thought of an easy case. I then said I didn't need one, as I was riding a push bike. Ah! but you have an engine on it, therefore it is a motorbike. I replied, yes, it has power assistance but it was not an engine according to the Motor Vehicles Registration Act 1927, as it had no cylinders, pistons or swept cubic capacity, therefore it could not be registered (the Act was based entirely on traditional internal compustion engines and external combustion engines). Visibly nonplussed, he pushed his helmet back and scratched his forehead. We then went into a detailed discussion of how the beast worked, on a much more amicable tone. He finally said, after a demo starting it up with a bicycle pump, that it made too much noise and was consequently a breach of the peace and he admonished me to desist, with a big smile on his face.

[Dr Mordrid]

Brian;

we call them a 'valved pulsejet', Pulsejet tech is still used as a cheap jet engines for model planes and in high efficiency pulse combustion heating units (Lennox, Fulton etc.) & fog generators.

For those who are a bit more serious;

http://digitalvideo.8m.net/jet.wmv

13 lb thrust @ 165,000 rpm

[TransformX]

When I was about 15, I made a flutterjet (you know, the kind used to propel the V1 "flying bomb"). They are very easy to make. I fixed it on the back of my bicycle. It provided just enough thrust to get me to the top of the hill where we lived at about 10 mph and 5 mpg, but it made an infernal noise. Someone must have complained, because, one day, I was met with a reception committee of the local fuzz. Mr Plod asked me for my driving licence and I told him I was too young to have one. His face beamed with delight at the thought of an easy case. I then said I didn't need one, as I was riding a push bike. Ah! but you have an engine on it, therefore it is a motorbike. I replied, yes, it has power assistance but it was not an engine according to the Motor Vehicles Registration Act 1927, as it had no cylinders, pistons or swept cubic capacity, therefore it could not be registered (the Act was based entirely on traditional internal compustion engines and external combustion engines). Visibly nonplussed, he pushed his helmet back and scratched his forehead. We then went into a detailed discussion of how the beast worked, on a much more amicable tone. He finally said, after a demo starting it up with a bicycle pump, that it made too much noise and was consequently a breach of the peace and he admonished me to desist, with a big smile on his face.

Wow, you were only 15 years old and already a smartass

[Dr Mordrid]

We call kids like that 'Philadelphia Lawyers' & send them packing to their room, after it's been cleared of anything remotely close to 'fun'.