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Build Your Own Jet Engine

Posted by michael on from the burning-down-the-house dept.

jgarland79 writes "Have you ever wanted your very own jet engine? Build one at home in your own garage. The guys over at www.garagejet.com have done just that. Their jet engine is made from an automotive turbo, spark plugs, and some scrap metal. I have made a mirror site here." We've had a couple of previous stories about a guy building pulsejet engines - the type of engine described above is a turbojet.

10 of 148 comments (clear)

  1. Another one... by simcop2387 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Another site that shows you some of the steps in building a gas turbine engine (also known as a jet engine) this one uses a turbo charge, probably not quite as good though

    http://asciimation.co.nz/turbine/

    he also uses it to cool beer.

    http://asciimation.co.nz/beer/

  2. turbojet and turboprop homebuilt engines by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If you like small engines, take a look at 5bears.com -- he's made a turbojet (centrifugal compressor and turbine) and a turboprop, complete with microcontroller-based starter/fuel system, in addition to a couple of radial engines, a CNC mill, and a homebuilt spotwelder.

    1. Re:turbojet and turboprop homebuilt engines by Temple+23 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      If you want to see some really tiny engines, check out this site: http://cpl.usc.edu/eschuste/ Speciffically, http://cpl.usc.edu/eschuste/turbine.htm I worked with this guy while doing research at USC in combustion physics. Taking models out into the engineering quad and taxing them around was entertaining (despite the small size, these things are quite loud).

  3. Inexpensive by acceber · · Score: 3, Interesting
    A real jet engine, say the one used on a F-16, runs around the figure of $350,000 USD...Finding used parts at the junk yard will yield much less cost. A complete engine can typically be built for less than $300 USD.
    It's interesting how price isn't an obstacle when it comes to building your own jet engine. The average person may think that it's impossible but these guys have proven that you don't need high tech equipment, just a couple of basic tools to be able to build something so out of the ordinary.
    This would definitely be a source of inspiration for those budding innovators and inventors.
  4. mis-engineering? by grepistan · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I like the drill being used as an oil pump, but what happens if some bright spark hits the reverse direction button?

    I hope those chaps have good home & contents insurance!

    --
    Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
    -- Terry Pratchett, Hogfather
  5. NZ government killed his Cruise Missile project... by Recoil_42 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Just a side note, the New Zealand government recently shot down bruce's $5,000 cruise missle project. read about it here.

    Very sad, i was looking forward to its completion.

    --


    Newsie, Moderator, www.tauniverse.com
  6. Re:Mental note to self..... by pipingguy · · Score: 2, Interesting


    When building an engine that will potentially operate at over 1000 degrees Celsius, be sure to build frame out of wood.

    The hottest stuff comes out the business end, not the support points.

    Not the best setup, I admit, but I presume this is not long-term durability testing. All they need is a good insulator between contact points. Or maybe a liquid helium cooling system with lots of piping design engineering hours.

  7. A co-worker built one by Boyceterous · · Score: 4, Interesting

    back in the mid 1980's. He was a mech engineer and used the company machine shop to fab the parts. He said it got up to about 200 lbs of thrust - until the turbine blades flew out the back end ( he used aluminum instead of titanium) - luckily he only got slightly injured.

  8. Actual Use for this....sorta by black_umbrella · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Actually we used a turbojet made from a car turbo in my undergraduate mechanical engineering energy conversion lab.. Needless to say these thing get efficiency values around 10% to 12% or much less( I thin I remember a value 3% in my lab report). If I can recall my gas turbine design class, normal aircraft turbojets are closer to 60% or even 80%...

  9. I think I.... by zogger · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ...actually remember that ad, back classified pages of popular mechanics.

    As an aside, those ads were the coolest place to browse far out inventions/gadgets evah. They ruled the garage inventor space. I'd like to see a website were all of them are reproduced, going back to day one of that magazine. Like build your own pedal kayak, send off here for plans for your electric bulldozer, etc. Carbide cannons give big boom (heh), and etc. Neat stuff.