Nauticalia

Fill up the gas tank, open the valve, give the flywheel a spin, and she'll roar into life. This can be indoors, even on your desk, if you like, as the butane fuel and tiny displacement (1.5cc per cylinder) make it virtually fume-free in operation. The balanced reciprocating pistons mean it can run much slower than a single cylinder model, between 200 and 1200 rpm, enabling you to see the individual movements and interactions of the external parts such as the valve rods, crosshead and crankshaft. The extended and curved (not to mention highly polished) exhaust pipes give a wonderful noise; think of it as quarter of a tiny V8, and you're not far off.

It is beautifully engineered in brass, aluminium and stainless steel, with piezo-crystal ignition (no battery required). Base measures 7 x 4", maximum height 9.5", flywheel diameter 5". Weight 5-lb. Each filling of the tank (butane/propane gas mix, see below) will run the engine for about ten minutes.

KIT FORM - supplied in machined component form, ready for you to build at home (this typically takes around 4-6 hours), requiring basic tools such as Allen keys and small spanners.