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Dear Mr. Hornbaker & others,

I am attempting to build a power producing Stirling of the beta
type, single cylinder. I have built 3 models in the past, 2 of wich
were successful.

I need advice in a few areas, as follows:

The design I am working on will have a 5" stroke and 5.5" bore. The
displacer length will be 2X the bore, = 11". Does this sond
workable to you?

Is it reasonable to have the same bore and stroke for both the
displacer and the power piston?

What is your thought on the actual diameter of the displacer running
in a 5.5" bore, in order to provide for air flow around the
displacer?

I am planning to use a portion of the 11" long displacer as a
regenerator, by wrapping metal mesh around the displacer rod. I
thought I would devote 8" of the length of the displacer to the
regenerator and 3" would be a "can" to form the hot end of the
displacer. What are your thoughts on this arrangement?

I am also considering sealing the crankcase. Would the pressure
buildup in the crankcase on the backside of the power piston provide
some amount of "flywheel effect"?

Do you feel it would be significantly beneficial to groove
or "thread" the inside and outside of the displacer cylinder in
order to create more surface area?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Jon James