You may be familiar with the battery-powered, pager motor-driven, toothbrush head bristle bot. This project turns that modern classic into a retro-fantastic, Steampunk delight by replacing the battery with a fire stoked steam boiler, the pager motor with a single-action, oscillating piston steam engine, and the toothbrush head with a pair of wire brushes!
Place the wire brushes upright on their bristles. Space them approximately 3" apart, being careful to align them and keep them parallel.
Set the boiler on top of the brushes, with the boiler window port facing (relative to the bent bristle angle).
Carefully mark the wood through each of the four holes you drilled into the steam engine base. Drill small pilot holes in the wood at each of the four marks.
Using small bits of hardware, such as a pair of brackets and a few screws, washers, and nuts, attach an offset weight to one spoke of the steam engine's flywheel.
It does not need to be very heavy, just enough to create additional vibration when the engine runs.
