Anyone interested in live steam?

scottie2212 · 28-04-2004

I have just (nearly) completed my first scratch built model boat. I wanted to do something with live steam and chose a plan of an Australian Minesweeper "Bathurst". I'll post a picture of it if I can. Feel free to comment, praise or criticism is always helpful.

Happy sailing,

Bernie.

28-04-2004

Scottie, I'd love to know more about live steam. I've built a few scale boats over the years for electric power but always fancied live steam. If you could give us a bit of an intro to it at a basic level ( i.e. do you have to build the engine yourself or can you buy them ready built? What do you use for heat? Gas, meths, or what? That sort of thing.), that'd be great.

adzam · 28-04-2004

ooh now live steam,

has always seemed a bit of a `black art` to me. i`m a mechanic to trade but have nevered ventured into the realms of real steam, any info or pics would be great .

scottie2212 · 28-04-2004

Hi Wowbagger,
I've put more pics up, a couple of other views of the ship and pics of the 'works'. 05a shows the gas fired boiler, the red part to the right is the holder for the gas tank, the copper tube on the right is the exhaust from a 'home brew' condenser. The chrome pipe coming out of the top is the steam supply to the engine. 06a shows the engine mounted in a 'home brew' copper tray. Since steam power tends to gerate water and no engine is guaranteed to be leak-proof I decided to make the tray to collect any drips, the condenser also links to this tray. The gubbins to the right is a bilge control circuit (courtesy of my brother-in-law) which pumps the water out of the tray. 07a shows the servos with the receiver hidden under the deck to the right. Sharp eyes might just spot some lead ballast hiding under the servos.
The engine is manufactured by Wilesco, a german company, and was purchased through Forest Classics. It comes complete with boiler, gas tank piping etc. Other companies can supply marine steam plants but, since I was on a tight budget, I had to choose the cheapest option. Check out Cheddar Models for some really nice looking engines and boilers (and prices).

If there's anything else you'd like to know feel free to ask.

Bernie

duncan · 28-04-2004

Nice engineering, what colour scheme, camo ? Hope pics to come on cool day for maximum steam out uptake, Steam whistle?

scottie2212 · 28-04-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan

Nice engineering, what colour scheme, camo ? Hope pics to come on cool day for maximum steam out uptake, Steam whistle?

I'm planning to take it for its maiden voyage this weekend (weather permitting). I've steamed it 'on the bench' and het a nice cloud of steam from the funnel even indoors. There's no steam whistle and no plans to add one (too much like hard work)

Bernie

scottie2212 · 29-04-2004

For those who may be interested here's some details about the building of HMAS Bathurst.

senex · 01-05-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottie2212

For those who may be interested here's some details about the building of HMAS Bathurst.

I started my sea going career on steam trawlers. A bit of forward planing made the building of a model steam trawler attractive, till I looked at the price. Thats a lie I looked at my wife's face,that did it.

Ach well, I opted for modelling another fishing boat, the Scottish drifter the "Reaper". Still adding details to the plans of her but enjoying it.
rgds.
John

scottie2212 · 02-05-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by senex

I started my sea going career on steam trawlers. A bit of forward planing made the building of a model steam trawler attractive, till I looked at the price. Thats a lie I looked at my wife's face,that did it.

Very true, the cost of steam plants almost put me off but I found the Wilesco unit and thought 'What the hell.'

Parky · 08-05-2004

Hi Scottie,
You have got me thinking with the idea of live steam. I still live in the 60's, with diesel powered service launches etc. lovely fast, noisy, smelly things - thankfully the r/c has got better and cheaper. I could never venture into the electic power world. But a steam powered Corvette or similar? - Now then (or nethen, as they say in certain parts of Daubhill - probably now now!!) this is something to contemplate. I've looked at the cheese related site for running gear, but they don't give any power output figures for the different units. I dont particularly like to build big models, they talk of powering 6 foot boats for the larger engines, what would you suggest for a 40-45" Corvette type hull.

I realise I might have to sell my car to pay for the unit, but what the hell, the wife would only spend it if I didn't!

Regards,

Dave Parky