Look at that Cub! It is ELECTRIC!

[Eugene]

Here is a true electric conversion, not a hybrid, of an Allis G.

This conversion was also featured in Mother Earth News. I have no problems with this article or tractor. It's well done. Appears to be a practical solution to a portion of the owners agricultural uses for a tractor.

Next topic: Energy independence. The technology to utilize sources other than crude oil to fuel the internal combustion engine has been around for quite some time. Sasol (SOL) a South African firm, has been profitably converting coal to liquid (gas substitute) for years. The break even point is $60 dollars per barrel of oil. China and Qatar are building coal to liquid (CTL) plants - Royal Dutch Shell and China Shenhua. There are curently several proposed efforts in the US to build CTL or CFG (coal to gas) plants. Rentech (RTK) is converting a fertilizer plant in Illinois to CTL and has proposed CTL plants in West Virginia, and Lousiana(?). MDU Utilities (MDU) has proposed a CTG plant in North Dakota to generate electricity.

The biggest problem for US independence from foreign oil is the environmental lobby taking and keeping every proposed project in litigation for years. Secondly, the lack of any meaningful action on part of the Federal government.

[scotlem]

I, for one, have a slightly different outlook about this cub. Sure there may be those who criticize and laugh, but I give the guy credit for at least trying. Now we have some idea of what the project results are. I still remember a couple items I built that had all kinds of negitive feedback, the backhoe for one. There were those who said the finals would break in short order, and those who said the cub engine wouldn't have enough power to do squat. I have another project in the works that many will have negitive comments about, again, and that's ok. At least we'll know if it works or not and I have fun in the process

I applaud John Howe for making it

Rick

I'm with you rick, If I knew how to fly I would put wings on one and try to fly it. Scot

[Donny M]

I stumbled across this http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/museum/unwork.htm#neverwork site today and this thread came to mind, nothing tractor related but a cool site, just the same

[George Willer]

Next topic: Energy independence. The technology to utilize sources other than crude oil to fuel the internal combustion engine has been around for quite some time. Sasol (SOL) a South African firm, has been profitably converting coal to liquid (gas substitute) for years. The break even point is $60 dollars per barrel of oil. China and Qatar are building coal to liquid (CTL) plants - Royal Dutch Shell and China Shenhua. There are curently several proposed efforts in the US to build CTL or CFG (coal to gas) plants.

Early in WWII Hitler was dealt a severe blow with the destruction of the Ploesti oil fields and refineries in August 1943 which deprived him of his largest supply of oil to fight the war with. To make up for it he built the coil to oil plants which provided much of the fuel used by the Germans. This technology has been with us for a long time.

http://www.energybulletin.net/16660.html

[beaconlight]

If I remember right they used mostly B24 on those raids.

[Donny M]

I'm wondering how this picture:


just slipped into this thread

[Rick Prentice]

You trying to tell us something, Donny

[Donny M]

You trying to tell us something, Donny

Not at all, Mr. GW poste the link in his last post. Something about WWII , I think

[George Willer]

I'm wondering how this picture:


just slipped into this thread

Somebody screwed up! I meant to link to this site:

http://www.energybulletin.net/16660.html

[Rudi]

George:
You constantly amaze me with your intuitiveness and knowledge about many things. Early on in this thread, especially thinking about alternative energy and the increasingly exploitive (speculators and idiots who do not realize North America does not rely on mid-east oil) rising costs of fossil fuels, I started thinking about 2 of my favourite fuel resource topics.

1. Would be nuclear. I guess because being a prospector, and being Canadian, I realize just how useful uranium can be. Used Reactor rods could be peletized and shielded to be used quite effectively in powering automobiles. I remember Popular Mechanics and Popular Science postulating on these as futuristic possibilites at the dawn of the new millenium. Sadly it has not come to pass.

Everyone is always complaining about disposal of nuclear waste. It isn't as difficult or complicated as the tree huggers would wish us to believe. This is really a political powederkey. As we all know, we have huge mines that Uranium actually comes from as well as other metals and precious stones. These shafts and stopes are usually left/abandoned after their useful lives have ended. Sometimes as in the case of back home in Timmins, these shafts and stopes collapse usually causing grave injuries or death.

I never understood why our governments would not advocate building Nuclear Waste Storage Facilities underground in these old shafts and stopes. They all would have to be strengthened and built to suit, but it would be cheaper and better than building storage facilities above ground, or using the Marianas Trench to dispose of our used Uranium, as the US Navy currently does, or just sinking the subs in 1,000 meters of water as the USSR/Russia now does. It would make sense. Also, by using much of the spent fuel rods that can no longer provide enough energy to power a Nuclear Plant, there would be enough left in them to pelletize and power private vehicles for decades. Be much like having the Ever-ready Energizer Bunny in your Engine Compartment.

2. This would be of course my history/culture/heritage. The Germans have always been inventive and industrious. It seems to be part of our makeup. During both great wars when Oil became very difficult to get, German Industry came up with many interesting forms of alternative fuel solutions. I never understood why these were always abandoned by the Allies after the hostilities ended. The scientists were valuable enough to risk many lives to be brought to North America, but their inventions were not.

IF we actually looked at much of what has been designed already and actually put these into practice we would probably already have weaned ourselves off of much of the fossil fuel needs we have today.

Just a couple of random thoughts.. this has turned into an interesting thread...

I also have a feeling that if a number of our Cubaholics were tossed into a design centre, say the likes of Rick P, George W, Eugene and a few others, economically viable alternatives would have viable end useful technologies pretty darn quick.

The one good thing about this solar powered Cub is the concept of creative thinking. I admire anyone who can think out of the box and make something work. These are the people who generally make technology so exciting.

[PageRob]

The nuclear waste problem has been solved long ago.

How's that? Are you referring to Yucca Mountain? Or something else entirely?

[George Willer]

The nuclear waste problem has been solved long ago.

How's that? Are you referring to Yucca Mountain? Or something else entirely?

Yucca Mountain would be one good solution and we've already settled on it, except for the politicians. Another solution would be to simply put it back under the mountain where it was dug up. It isn't really a big deal except for those who don't want to solve the "problem".

[PageRob]

Yucca Mountain would be one good solution and we've already settled on it, except for the politicians.

As a former geologist, I think Yucca Mountain has several deep geological problems, but...

Another solution would be to simply put it back under the mountain where it was dug up.

That's not a bad idea, as long as its away from the water table/faults/etc., and one I haven't heard bandied about before. I've always liked the expensive but very effective option of launching it at the sun. After all, the sun is just a giant nuclear reaction - spent fuel isn't going to hurt it, and we've got lots of experience launching radioactive items into space.

I think this whole discussion is pretty interesting, and I'm getting a lot of opinions I don't usually get from the group I work with.

I like the flipped final on that pic - stealth project Cub, is it?

[Donny M]

Just to stir the pot a bit; http://w3.pppl.gov/

[Lurker Carl]

Getting back to the electric Cub, converting a gasoline vehicle to electric isn't actually much of a change away from fossil fuel. Many utilities use coal, oil or natural gas to produce electricity. Can't be electric without recharging those batteries.