The "Everyman" smoke system

[Adam H]

I've been working on this idea for the last few weeks and finally got a chance to test it out today. I ordered a smoke system from Scott Essex last year and never got around to installing it on my bee for really only 1 reason. I don't have a voltage rectifier/regulator hooked up, and you need 12v DC to power the fuel pump necessary to pump the smoke oil in the Essex system. So of course instead of buying a rectifier/regulator and installing it, I designed my own system. It uses a regular 2 liter pop bottle, some 1/4" hard plastic tubing, a short length of 1/4" aluminum tubing, a ball valve, a needle valve, a check valve and a few fittings. I fill the pop bottle 3/4 of the way up with oil then pressurize it to about 50 psi with a bike pump. I use the ball valve to turn the smoke on and off and the needle valve for flow/smoke fine adjustment. There is a fitting on the elbow leading into the muffler that has the aluminum tubing coming out of it to the check valve. Everything else is connected with compression fittings and the hard plastic tubing. The beauty of it is that it requires no power, weighs almost nothing and you can get almost everything you need from any hardware store for about $20. You can get the check valve from McMaster-Carr for about $8. Here are a couple pics of it smoking over Lansing, IL.

[david holmes]

for sale -- my Essex smoke system still in the box --$125 plus shipping.

[scottessex]

You can also use the Essex smoke system with a small sealed battery, the same ones that you use in a home security system, 3Ah for about $25. a rotax tympanium reg cost $37, you guys are just cheap like all the other gyrobee guys.:D

[RICK MARTIN]

Hey.....................................

[cgmg]

Scott,

You have to give Adam credit for being resourceful, and for doing it at minimal cost. Adam showed me his system at Mentone, and it's downright simple the way he's laid it out. They both have come up with some unique equipment on their machines. It also helps that Nick is a tool and die guy, which he has taken full advantage of for his newest hobby.

I've known Adam and Nick since they were infants in our little gyro world. My first exposure to them was when they were doing taxi/crowhop practice at our Shelbyville fly-in. They were sharing a machine, as neither one of them had the money for an individual machine. It was posted not too long after that that Adam had soloed, and I believed Nick wasn't far behind.

They now have their own machines, and are now traversing the skies together, instead of watching the other guy fly. It was fun watching them cut up the skies together at Mentone, and seeing Adam blow smoke across the sky.

Our sport needs more excited young guys like this. On even less than a shoestring budget, they managed to put together a decent, safe machine to fly. As time went on, it turned into two machines. Who knows what's next for them?

Adam and Nick, just waiting for the next surprise from you two.;)

[scottessex]

I think that it is great that you can see something and it sparks an idea.
I was just joking about the gyrobee guys. Maybe you could install an onboard pump, like one of those super soaker squirt guns!

Yes those guys are really doing well for the sport, I met Adam at Bensen days, we need more creative young folks.

Ya'll keep it up!

[gyropilot]

I designed my own system.Outstanding job Adam... very creative. Keep up the great work!

John L.

[Adam H]

Thanks for all the kind words guys...you're making me blush.:D I have received a few questions about my installation, so here goes.

I inject the oil into the exhaust at the inside of the first bend of the muffler. I was told that the outside of the first bend gets the hottest so I set it up so the oil would be hitting that part as it gets injected.

As for the fitting in the exhaust, Nick welded a home-made steel female 1/8" pipe fitting to the pipe. Into that goes a regular male compression fitting. There is no special nozzle, just a hole.

As for the type of oil, I'm using straight concrete form release oil. It doesn't mess up my tail at all and the stuff I bought is even lemon scented.:rolleyes:
Now I just need to make a nice 2 liter bottle holder, I'm getting tired of the duct tape!