1,200 Hours Of Work Results In The Smallest V12 Engine

[José Manuel Hermo Barreiro] has spent many many hours crafting these tiny engines from hand. Every single piece is custom made specifically for the engine it is going onto. He has created aircraft engines, car engines, and marine engines that all actually run and are the smallest of their kind in the world.

At one point in this video he stands in a room with several engines lined up, all running smoothly and considers that there are possibly over 15,000 hours of work right there in front of him.

Here’s a video specifically about the 12 cylinder construction.

[Thanks Staskazz]

 

41 thoughts on “1,200 Hours Of Work Results In The Smallest V12 Engine

      1. I agree with your point that it is very nice. I love looking at these. The favorite part of my trip to the Science Museum in London was looking at the Steam Engines created by James Watt. They even spent decades disassembling his work shed and putting it back together in the condition he left it in. It was pretty amazing.

  1. “my biggest thrill would’ve been to make an engine room for a transatlantic ship; […] …but it’s too late now.” – sorry, but this statement got my eyes wet…

  2. Sure, one guy spends 15,000 hours and achieves mastery that only comes from sustained and focused effort, and some casual observer spends a minute or two only to disparage the work for what it does NOT do. And the structure of this web page gives them equal voice. And all the rest of us have to be subjected to this trivialization of excellence. Please redesign your page so that I don’t have be subjected to this banality if I don’t want “Everyman’s” opinion.

      1. While no Auraelius I do agree with his/her comment. My suggestion would be to delete all such comments, also on the original hack a day sites. All the “first post” or “this is not a hack” trash. Hopefully the people who get off on posting those will find a new toy.

      2. A Karma system like Slashdot except no true ACs allowed. Maybe allow AC posts but still require the users to log in and still apply the Karma hit. Or just use the Google login and no ACs at all but people would wine about that.

    1. I totally agree with you. I’m full of awe for this man’s capability to micromachine the parts and put together such a marvel… But somehow I cannot help being a tiny bit disappointed that it isn’t a combustion engine… I hereto call everyone to post any web-findings on the smallest self-sustaining combustion engine/ jet engine!

      1. Can do. There’s another site that I think is a by a different person, but it MIGHT be Conley and it’s just a new website. At any rate:
        http://www.conleyprecision.com/products.htm
        http://www.nvbackflow.com/engines/index.html
        http://www.weberprecision.com/ (this is the one I was originally after, so Conley is a bonus)
        http://www.moyermade.com/chevyV8.html

        While I appreciate all of the mini/micro motors, I find the supercharged models (roots, of course) to be the coolest :P

        Since this one is CO2 ‘driven’, I’ll just consider it a bonus link :P
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2cCYrqq6fU

  3. Well, it is one of the coolest things i’ve ever seen. Perhaps that other guy means a comment voting system ‘if [he doesn’t] want “Everyman’s” opinion.’ or maybe a way to disable comments, who knows to be honest.

  4. It’d be great if he made himself an RC car using that as the engine (with a few more parts for ignition and fuel delivery), and a real automatic transmission. But either way, damn nice.

  5. Per’s not criticizing [José Manuel Hermo Barreiro]; he’s criticizing Caleb Kraft.

    That’s fair, I think. And, based on his response, it seems Caleb thinks so too.

  6. Wow, just…wow. :D

    Just making something like that is crazy enough, but the idea that he did all the design work by hand, too…

    I need to level up my lathe/mill skills so I can one day start working on model engines as a hobby. That would be so cool.

    For a while now, I’ve wanted to have a small radial engine model as a desk display, with the internals partially visible. ‘Functional’, but manually-powered, i.e. the internals move by me turning a crank. Neat display piece, but also something to hold in my hands and fiddle about with while I’m thinking.

    Here’s one of my favorite videos of someone machining a model engine:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acHAGNUbOxs

  7. it doesn’t have an active lubrication system so trying to run it on any sort of fuel would destroy it. It is a beautiful piece of work. As a hobby machinist I am in awe.

  8. I Think anything that someone takes the time to craft with soul is cool. Even if it’s not my gig, I can always appreciate a persons dedication to their passions.

    The links and vids were awesome. Thanks.

    I had also intended to offer an opinion concerning the validity of comments made on this thread suggesting that a rating or even content based system of censure should be implemented to, what was it? To save all of us from the banality of Everyone’s (Pardon, Every man’s) thoughts and opinions.
    This was to extend to dissenters, critics or visitors/new members joining the conversation for first time. Because only by protecting popular views (as calculated scientifically by counting the up or down key strokes of the first few people to read them) could ensure the “quality” of the free interchange of ideas on this open forum that is so sorely needed.

    But I realized that I was going say that

    MY WAY OF DEALING WITH PUBLICLY MADE COMMENTS THAT I PERSONALLY CONSIDERED “HOPRED”* or “AtSFSTIHEH”** WAS TO IGNORE THEM.

    So I decided not to.

    Ursus.

    .

    *(Hopelessly Retarded)
    **(Among the Stupidest Fucking Suggestions That I Have Ever Heard)

  9. Beautifully made video, I enjoyed it very much. Thank you.

    A man with a quiet sense of whats trully important.
    Sometimes watching the dedication of a human being to create and craft something unique and wonderful and who’s words reflect upon some of our society’s thoughtlessness is as powerful as any politicians.

    I hope he goes on to build lots more for a long time.

    Robby.

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