{
 "version": "2026-10-20",
 "license": "Dimension sheets are written by Xem Studio from the cited sources and are free to use (CC BY 4.0, attribute 'Xem Studio'). Linked files belong to their publishers under the license shown; Xem Studio does not host them. 'license_verified: false' means the license shown is from memory or the publisher's page as last read and should be confirmed at the link before commercial use.",
 "slug": "can-engine-frame",
 "name": "Can-engine frame: base, can stand, crank bearings and syringe pad in one part",
 "kind": "hardware",
 "category": "Stirling engines",
 "group": "Stirling & thermoacoustic",
 "year": null,
 "question": "What holds a soda-can Stirling engine together: can over the tea light, crank above, syringe beside it?",
 "tags": [
  "can engine",
  "frame",
  "stand",
  "stirling",
  "gamma",
  "long earth society"
 ],
 "aliases": [
  "soda can stirling engine frame",
  "can stirling stand",
  "can engine base",
  "stirling engine frame stl"
 ],
 "overall_mm": {
  "length": 115,
  "width": 91,
  "height": 324.5
 },
 "official_cad": false,
 "xem_status": "free-files",
 "les": true,
 "free_files": 1,
 "url": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/can-engine-frame/",
 "sheet_txt": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/can-engine-frame/sheet.txt",
 "sheet": {
  "basis": "Placed from the assembled can engine on this site (tools/asm_can-engine.py): 12 oz can cut to 110, tea light 38 × 16 with its cup top 17.5 below the can rim, 623 bearings, syringe-cradle-10ml, 10 mL barrel 111 below the crank axis",
  "overall_mm": {
   "length": 115,
   "width": 91,
   "height": 324.5
  },
  "notes": [
   "One part: a 115 × 91 × 5 base; on it a Ø76 / Ø58 ring the can's standing rim sits on, 38.5 above the table (the tea light stands on the base inside the ring; three 22 × 20 air windows); a 6 mm back board at y 40–46 up to z 270; two posts rising from it to two bearing arms 8 thick along the shaft, each with a Ø10 pocket through it for a 623 on the crank axis at z 312.5; a pad whose face sits 11.95 from the syringe axis, where syringe-cradle-10ml bolts on with 4 × M3 × 16 into tapped holes.",
   "The cranks are overhung, one at each end of the Ø3 shaft, so no shaft crosses a con-rod: the power con-rod at x −49.8 over the syringe, the displacer con-rod at x 0 over the cap's rod guide; the bearing arms and the Ø100 flywheel sit between the two crank discs.",
   "The syringe stands tip-down; its Luer tip is joined to the cap's transfer barb by three 20 mm lengths of 4 × 6 tube and two transfer elbows (up from the barb, across, up into the tip).",
   "The pockets and tapped holes are listed under Mating features."
  ],
  "table": {
   "columns": [
    "feature",
    "position_mm",
    "mates with"
   ],
   "rows": [
    [
     "can ring top",
     38.5,
     "12 oz can standing rim"
    ],
    [
     "crank axis",
     "z 312.5, y 0",
     "two 623 bearings (Ø10 pockets)"
    ],
    [
     "bearing arms (x)",
     "−40.3..−32.3 / −18.5..−10.5",
     "flywheel between them"
    ],
    [
     "cradle pad face",
     "y 11.95",
     "syringe-cradle-10ml base (4 × M3 × 16)"
    ],
    [
     "syringe axis",
     "x −49.8, y 0",
     "10 mL barrel, tip down"
    ]
   ]
  }
 },
 "sheet_text": "Can-engine frame: base, can stand, crank bearings and syringe pad in one part — dimension sheet\nSource: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/can-engine-frame/  (CC BY 4.0)\nBasis: Placed from the assembled can engine on this site (tools/asm_can-engine.py): 12 oz can cut to 110, tea light 38 × 16 with its cup top 17.5 below the can rim, 623 bearings, syringe-cradle-10ml, 10 mL barrel 111 below the crank axis\nCatalog version: 2026-10-20\n\nOverall (mm): length 115.0, width 91.0, height 324.5\n- One part: a 115 × 91 × 5 base; on it a Ø76 / Ø58 ring the can's standing rim sits on, 38.5 above the table (the tea light stands on the base inside the ring; three 22 × 20 air windows); a 6 mm back board at y 40–46 up to z 270; two posts rising from it to two bearing arms 8 thick along the shaft, each with a Ø10 pocket through it for a 623 on the crank axis at z 312.5; a pad whose face sits 11.95 from the syringe axis, where syringe-cradle-10ml bolts on with 4 × M3 × 16 into tapped holes.\n- The cranks are overhung, one at each end of the Ø3 shaft, so no shaft crosses a con-rod: the power con-rod at x −49.8 over the syringe, the displacer con-rod at x 0 over the cap's rod guide; the bearing arms and the Ø100 flywheel sit between the two crank discs.\n- The syringe stands tip-down; its Luer tip is joined to the cap's transfer barb by three 20 mm lengths of 4 × 6 tube and two transfer elbows (up from the barb, across, up into the tip).\n- The pockets and tapped holes are listed under Mating features.\n\nfeature  position_mm  mates with\ncan ring top  38.5  12 oz can standing rim\ncrank axis  z 312.5, y 0  two 623 bearings (Ø10 pockets)\nbearing arms (x)  −40.3..−32.3 / −18.5..−10.5  flywheel between them\ncradle pad face  y 11.95  syringe-cradle-10ml base (4 × M3 × 16)\nsyringe axis  x −49.8, y 0  10 mL barrel, tip down\n\nFiles elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher):\n- Long Earth Society: Can engine build — web, video — LES site — https://longearthsociety.com/engineering/\n\nFree files (CC BY 4.0, Xem Studio; STEP + STL, 1 parts): https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/can-engine-frame/index.json\nAPI: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=can-engine-frame\n",
 "sources": [
  {
   "publisher": "Long Earth Society",
   "title": "Can engine build",
   "url": "https://longearthsociety.com/engineering/",
   "formats": [
    "web",
    "video"
   ],
   "license": "LES site",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  }
 ],
 "xem": {
  "status": "free-files",
  "sheet_free": true,
  "mesh_price_usd": null,
  "step_price_usd": null,
  "tolerance_mm": null
 },
 "related": [
  "list-can-engine",
  "beverage-cans",
  "can-engine-cap",
  "tea-light-candles",
  "plastic-syringes",
  "socket-head-cap-screws-metric",
  "transfer-elbow-4mm"
 ],
 "fits": [],
 "dimensions": "exact (nominal, no printing tolerance)",
 "dimension_rule": "All geometry on Xem Studio is exact (nominal, true size) with no printing tolerance. Where a part meets another part, the object lists its mating features (feature, exact size, what it mates with, fit class: press, slide, run, socket, clamp or designed). Apply your process's allowance to those features only; 'designed' gaps are part of the design and stay as drawn.",
 "mating": [
  {
   "feature": "can ring seat",
   "exact": "Ø76 / Ø58 ring top at z 38.5",
   "mates": "12 oz can's standing rim (rests on it)",
   "fit": "designed",
   "files": "can-engine-frame-"
  },
  {
   "feature": "bearing pockets",
   "exact": "Ø10",
   "mates": "623 bearing",
   "fit": "press",
   "files": "can-engine-frame-"
  },
  {
   "feature": "cradle pad holes",
   "exact": "Ø2.5 × 12",
   "mates": "M3 tap drill",
   "fit": "designed",
   "files": "can-engine-frame-"
  }
 ],
 "fit_classes": {
  "press": "stays put: pin, tube, bearing or magnet held by interference. Typical FDM: hole +0.0 to +0.1 mm on diameter.",
  "slide": "assembles by hand and is held by a grub, pinch or clamp: shaft in a hub, rod in a socket, spigot in a bore. Typical FDM: +0.2 mm.",
  "run": "turns or slides in use: pin in a link, rod through a guide. Typical FDM: +0.3 mm.",
  "socket": "large sliding fit: syringe barrel, sleeve, bobbin in a bore. Typical FDM: +0.3 mm.",
  "clamp": "split part that closes on the mating part with screws: make it at size.",
  "designed": "a gap that is part of the design (piston fit option, displacer gap, air gap): do not change."
 },
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "How high should the can sit over the tea light?",
   "a": "The frame's ring puts the can's rim 38.5 above the table: a 16 mm tea light on the base leaves 17.5 mm from the cup top to the can."
  },
  {
   "q": "Why are the cranks at the ends of the shaft on the can engine?",
   "a": "A shaft running through a con-rod's plane is swept by the con-rod at top dead centre. With a crank disc at each end and the con-rods outboard, the shaft never meets a con-rod; the bearings and the flywheel sit between the discs."
  }
 ],
 "files_license": null,
 "offers": [
  {
   "file": "can-engine-frame-12oz",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio)",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/can-engine-frame/can-engine-frame-12oz.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/can-engine-frame/can-engine-frame-12oz.stl",
   "note": "frame for the 12 oz can engine: 115 × 91 × 5 base, Ø76 / Ø58 can ring (can rim at z 38.5, three air windows), back board, two bearing arms with Ø10 pockets for 623s on the crank axis (z 312.5), syringe-cradle pad (4 × M3 tapped, face 11.95 from the barrel axis)"
  }
 ],
 "markdown": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/can-engine-frame/index.md"
}