A friend's 'contraption engine' project

[Allen]

A good buddy of mine (he's not online) decided a bit over year ago that he wanted a steam butt buggy. He has a 2HP Lookout vertical boiler,

and has purchased a Tiny Power M that he goes to pick up tomorrow. He also got himself a bunch of McCormick-Deering manure spreader parts and stray bits of junk.
Here's what he's put together so far

 

[jwcnc1911]

That's freakin awesome! And I'd like to know more about that traction engine in the background of the third picture!

 

[Allen]

I'd like to know more about that traction engine in the background of the third picture!

It's a 1907 8x10 (16hp) Frick... It came from the factory with an interesting, non-standard paint job (wheels burgundy, engine red, flywheel & frame green, only part that was that pumpkin was the gear covers) The owner preferred it simpler

 

[Allen]

He's made some progress since August... He wants to mount a barrel on the front for feedwater. I suggested a square tank between the frame rails then put his little donkey winch on the nose just for giggles (or to help him get out of mud holes)

 

[jwcnc1911]

Now you gotta paint the whole "car"!

I'm particularly excited to see this run. I know nothing about sizing steam engines... that looks a little small. What kind of power will it make?

 

[Thivoth]

Looking great so far, and yes, you should add a donkey haha. Keep us updated!

 

[Allen]

The boiler is (conservatively) rated a 2hp... tiny power rates the M at 5hp... at something like 500 rpm. Since he's planning to set the governor at half that, he should be ok.

The basic HP calc for a double acting steam engine is 2plan/33,000 (yes I know there are a lot more variables and this number is... optimistic, but this will get you in the ballpark)
2(number of power stokes per revolution) x P (average cylinder pressure, I use 75% boiler operating pressure as "close enough") x L (length of stroke in FEET so divide your inch measurement by 12!) x A (area of the piston in square inches) x N (number of revolutions per minute) all divided by 33,000

The M is a 3"bore 4" stroke, figure 200rpm, and 100psi boiler for the sake of discussion.
(2 x 75 x .33 x 7.06 x 200) = 2.12HP

Nominal boiler horsepower is based on heating surface and fuel type. This also can be wildly inaccurate (and the old manufacturer's ratings were purposely stated low so that they delivered more than promised), but works well enough as a rule of thumb I don't have the exact numbers in front of me, but IIRC it's something like 11 sq feet/HP for solid fuel and 7sq ft/HP for gas fired.

here endeth the lesson for today, lol

 

[Allen]

Ben brought it (still unfinished) to the Portersville fall show. He even steamed it Friday night for the folks there cooking apple butter.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151709050688730&set=vb.144288548936562&type=2&theater
It still has a few teething pains. He brazed the final drive sprocket to the wheel hub. Predictably, it broke the first time he tried to get it to move. I told him I'd weld it for him as soon as he got some cast rod. The governor also hunts... badly. We think the spring was swapped out at some point, and it's pretty worn. So if anyone knows someone who rebuilds Pickerings, he'd really like the contact info.