While Pondering rather seriously to acquire a turbine engine for myself, I have been doing some deep study on this topic for many months now.

Though I may or may not end up buying a ready made Turbine Jet from Companies like Kingtech K-80G or K-100G which is now being sourced through RCD or may be just buy online in view of the free shipping and heavy discount being offered by Kingtech, I have set myself a formidable target to fabricate a DIY Turbine Engine in some time to come.

I can  neither visualize the time deadline for this ambitious Project for now nor I can confirm whether I can be successful for now. I can only say this has been done many times over by enthusiast before me and if you put your mind to it then it is not impossible and that is confirmed.

With the advent of latest tech in the field of CNC laser cutting, Lathes and Routers and developments in India I am sure I can do this in the present times in India.

For this surely I would be bugging Gusty who is more educated than me theoretically in the field of Turbine engines to pitch in with theoretical aspects of the various ratios and proportions of the Design of each component  to arrive at a practical model (I dare not say efficient for now).

I am starting this thread as an repository to document all the available data, details and knowledge which I have come across for my own reference and for others and to document my own progress.

Having said that I would list out the various basic parts required for fabricating a Turbine Engines which are :-

1.  Compressor Wheel
2.  Turbine Wheel.
3.  Combustion Chamber.
4.  Axle Shaft.
5.  Bearings
6.  Axle Sleave.
7.  Compressor Diffuser.
8.  Air intake (compressor body).
9.  Fuel diffuser
10.  Turbine Static Guide vanes.
11.  Outer Shell.
12.  Exhaust Pipe.

In the process while searching around online I came across many companies which were making parts for making a Turbine Engine. I asked for the quotations from few to order and make it fast but I was disappointed to see that the total cost of parts were proving to be same (if not more) as that of an assembled and tested Engine from reputed buyers.

So I thought may be I just fabricate one for myself and buy a new assembled one for the cost if and when required as well.

The most complicated Critical part for the turbine Engine are the Well balanced efficient Compressor wheel and the Turbine wheels. Since I noticed that the design of the compressor wheel of Turbocharger is no different from a compressor wheel of the turbine Engine. To begin with I have just ordered one Compressor wheel of equivalent size of a Turbo charger. Which has already reached me.

Apart from the well balanced Compressor & Turbine Wheel other crucial aspects are the the metallurgy involved in components subjected to such high temperature and  stress such as bearings, turbine wheel, static guide vanes, shaft sleave and combustion chamber. While searching for alloys involved in the fabrication I find that almost all alloys are being used by Indian Manufacturers for various other products and the tech required to fabricate the parts are already being used in India for fabricating various other products.

One of the most crucial youtube videos which initiated this bug in me were these.  

Before proceeding further let me add the disclaimer first.

By doing this I am in no way claiming making and operating a Turbine Engine is a child's play.

Model Jet Turbine Engines of reputed companies are incorporated with various safety features to Monitor, control and stop the turbine and the flow of fuel in the event any eventuality of seizure, flash-out. Which is done by connected accessories with the help of ECU which is not going to be available for this case. lets see how far such safety features can be incorporated as we progress while testing.

Model Jet Engines are required to be operated in a controlled and safe environment always with adequate safety features and fire prevention assets. Further while flying a model equipped with turbine engine requires strict self discipline and safe flying habits.    

One of the series of video which gave me confidence this can be done are as follows. However I seriously doubt the author of the series has been successful in his effort or I have yet to come across his test run video.

HOME MADE JET ENGINE SERIES

One more video by another author which gave me confidence was this one where he fabricating a micro turbine.

Though casting the Turbine wheel is the proven process to fabricate one, some videos which gives you insight into how to fabricate a Practical Turbine wheels are





Another method.

Way to go.... Sundaram sir. What would be the advantage of turbine RCs apart from more speed and agility? Does it increase the flight time, there by range? I had this question when I started out due to limited flight time.

In terms of flight time Turbines are Guzzlers buddy. They are only favoured for the limitless speed and real sound.

Some of the other video's which give you insight into fabrication of other crucial and complicated parts such as

Compressor Diffuser for a KJ - 66



Compressor Intake Nozzle for KJ - 66

Do they offer better weight to power ratio compared to edfs?

Forget about the benefits.
I am sure he's taken this up for its own sake as a challenge to himself.
 
@sundaram sir,
Perhaps a ramjet as a warm-up exercise... (Won't be needing any parts - at least not any moving ones!)

Iyer sir Thank you.

I have also picked up a HK Pulse jet (Red head dyna jet clone) will be exploring that too simultaneously. 

Computerised Balancing of the Compressor and turbine wheel combo is an important aspect for ensuring efficiency and long life of the turbine and the same is a proprietary tech. The same is also ensured for every turbocharger spindle before assembly.

One of very interesting DIY manual technique which I came across for the same was this

gr8 vids, motivated to make one

Sir,
One good source for a complete design and detail of a DIY turbine is available from Wren. It has all the drawings and details of the 54mm turbine wheel design. It has an older design similar to KJ66 however it is still very much a good workable design.

They have shared the details in their website and is for free.

All the best.
Asutosh

Thanks Asutosh

http://www.wrenturbines.co.uk/plans/part_2_mw54_mk1_plans_turbo_jet.pdf

http://www.wrenturbines.co.uk/plans/part_1_mw54_mk1_plans_turbo_jet.pdf

Wren MW54 are tested and proven plans. I had gone through them. Gives you great insight into what is involved in fabrication of each part as per their plan. Copyright issue has to be kept in mind all the while.



A=52.5mm
B=36.5mm
C=4.5mm

The Compressor wheel which I have got is outer dia 52.5mm and inducer dia 36.5mm which is slightly smaller than the MW54 compressor wheel at 54mm and inducer 38.2mm.

I will have to draw out parts as per the requirement of the compressor wheel which I am having.

Sir,
I have MW54 MK2 with me. With the turbine I got a lot of spare parts as part of an auction held by them in their factory during one of the open days that they have each year. If you require anything from Wren design then I can help you and send you the spares so that you can have a first hand feel of the dimensions of a wren mw54 internals.
Asutosh

Thanks Asutos for the offer 

have you got your wren assembled and running?

Nice videos, very informative.
It amazing to know someone would even think of building a model jet engine, considering the patience, precision, amount of work and money it demands.

I'm sure you've done more research than me, if you haven't already thought of it, unless you're keen on building a turbine engine, you can just go and pick up one off-the-shelf. Prototyping with rented 6-axis mills and paying pretty penny of materials like Inconel, just to name a couple, can buy you a few jet engines at the store. 
Although, I'll be more happy to see you try and build one.

Last time I set out to make a jet engine, I went looking for beer cans and ended up making a worthless afterburner.

Yes sir,
Have got them all running. I have got a test bench where i fit them and start before it goes to the plane.

Asutosh

@Asutosh firstly apologies for the misspelling of the name earlier.  So you have already flown the wren on a model Thats really great. I will be bugging you as well for any advice or help.  Thanks

@Anjan Yes I had thought about that too. but only the Turbine wheel, Compressor wheel and Diffuser are the parts which may require complexities of a 6-Axis CNC router. So I have purchased compressor wheel outright. Diffuser and Turbine wheel can be managed with some ingenuity. Remaining Parts are mostly spot welded and turned in 4 axis simple lathe. I am planning RPM close to about a 1 Lakhs to begin with not more

This video below is something you can consider...u can approach it with a turbine and compressor from a turbocharger(none of the rotating parts need to be built)..only  building the flanges and shrouds are bestowed upon you,even the need for the diffuser is excluded with the shown compressor shroud...however this plan  may or maynot be favourable to your convenience, so best of luck!





here is the link to some of the pictures of this build


http://photobucket.com/coldrider_f4