Hello Andy,


Micro Needle Bearings:

I don’t doubt you skills to be able to create a needle bearing, but I think you’ll find that it is much nicer to buy this product.

There are many sources for these bearing and I have attached a PDF showing a listing of micro needle bearings.

Micro Needle Bearing PDF: http://www.impactbearing.com/brochurepg30.pdf

Store Front: http://www.impactbearing.com/needlebearings.html

Note the smallest on this PDF is for a 0.118 shaft and the outer dimension is 0.256. It would be extremely unlikely that you could make such a precision bearing without complex grinding equipment to create these various components. This bearing is rated a 46,000 RPM.


You can look here for more Micro Bearing store locations: http://www.thomasnet.com/nsearch.htm...sec=prodsearch

I completely agree with you on the need for a needle bearing on the piston end of the rod. This will allow for the use of low cost fuels and much reduced oil content.


Various fuels:

I have run a mixture of 20 methanol and 80 Coleman Lantern fuel mixed with Cool Power oil. I found that the Cool Power oil is low cost at $7.50 per quart in the USA.

I purchase the oil from Horizon Hobbies at this location:
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...?ProdID=COO500

I had difficulty finding a cost effective synthetic oil that would hold methanol and Gas/Lantern fuel together. To my great delight Cool Power Oil does a wonderful job and it leaves my engine and airframe clean after extended runs.

I have run this mixture in both my gas conversion engines and my glow engines. It does run much hotter than plain methanol. The fuel has a very high energy content, burns clean and has a very pleasant odor that reminds me of nice evenings reading by a Coleman powered lantern.

I also use the Wal-Mart brand of lantern fuel called Ozark Camping fuel and it cost about $3.80 per gal USD.


Have fun,

Kelly