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- Hacker News
- Objects like this make me think of grimdark (steam|diesel)punk works like the video games Dishonored or BioShock. It feels like there's a touch of occultism or corruption whenever one creates a device that exploits analog side effects to create machines in a closed, black-box package.by moron4hire
- The expansion of paraffin wax is substantial. I have experience wax potting guitar pickups as well as bicycle chains. I use a skinny, tall tin can for this, placed in boiling water. When the liquid wax solidifies, it not only pulls away from the sides of the can so that the resulting ingot slides out freely, but a void forms in the center. The top surface has a depression and a deep hole in the center.by kazinator
- I love alternative types of actuators. Electromagnetic motors are great but they're pretty complex to make, require rare earth metals for best efficiency, and require gearing in most applications. I think in the far future most of our devices will be using other types of actuators, probably made mostly of organic materials. There are many concepts for alternative actuators that just need some breakthrough materials to work.by modeless
- I have this in the greenhouse that came with my house. Seeing its roof closed in fall after it had been open all summer made me question my sanity.by curtisblaine
- I'm surprised this page doesn't mention the automotive thermostat which uses the same principle to control the flow of coolant between the engine block and radiator in an ICE vehicle.by cbdumas
- Big Clive took one to bits some years back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPuvhnIoz2gby bonkabonka
- If you want to see one in action, I found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sApyrDEXGAIby palmotea
- Wikipedia page has a small error. It shows an actuator (i.e. wax motor) described as thermostatic radiator valve https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wax_motor#/media/File:Thermisc...
These are two separate things: thermostat will close and open based on surrounding temp., the actuator on the other hand opens and closes based on energizing a heating element that is driven by a separate thermostat.
Wax motors are pretty cool things. They rarely fail and do their job even in damp environments. I take care of my better half's hotel with approx 100 of these installed and we replace one of these once every couple of years.