Cedge's Victorian gets an Update

[Cedge]

My original "plans" were to eventually convert the little Duclos Victorian engine to a Vapor Foam system, but time caught up with me and I added an aspiration carb to get it running in time for a local show. Once again the engine is scheduled for the same show and this time I managed to get into the shop to try and get it running a bit better.

I began with the basic "bubbler" design from John Ridder and saw a significant increase in performance, but it had a tendency to blow fuel out of the tank if the engine missed a beat. Luckily, Chuck Fellows had recently developed his design which removed the need to submerge the air intake. Chuck's idea increased performance by an even greater degree.

The photo below shows my take on the system as I adapted / integrated it to my existing engine. It's such a simple system that one could easily get he idea it doesn't perform as advertised. Trust me.... this would be a rather major mistake.

Once the fuel problems were solved, a new problem arose. The engine performed so much better that centripetal forces were great enough to break the hinges on the 2 ball governor I'd originally installed. I'd been thinking about trying to redesign it to make it more adjustable, but had been procrastinating until it gave up the ghost.

When Brian Rupnow mentioned a 3 ball design project, I clicked to the idea of using a 3 ball governor on my engine as well. I've intentionally not posted a build thread on my version to keep from stepping on Brian's excellent thread. Mine was built by adding a few modifications to my original setup. It now allows me to make finer adjustments to the setting and allows the engine to run in H/M mode much easier. Here is the final results.

At one of the shows I attended, a young lad tried to adjust the air needle on the aspiration carb and bunged the seat up enough that the engine wouldn't run properly. I should have been more vigilant but I can't really blame the kid, since I have to resist the same temptation to turn touch things myself.

Since I'd promised to attend a fairly large show over labor day, I used this project to ease back into the shop after my recent bout of medical problems. I was having trouble getting the current steam engine project back in my head, so taking on something a bit more "familiar" suited me just fine. When the governor self destructed, the project became even more interesting and proved to be quite a lot of fun. Success seems to have that effect...(grin).

This little engine underwent a total personality change and now runs more like it should. As things are settling back in, the engine continues to perform better and better. I've had to learn all of its new little quirks all over again, but I'm told every model IC motor has it's very own traits and no two identical engines will operate the same. Thats what keeps it interesting, at least for me.

Steve

 

[SAM in LA]

Steve,

What a classy engine you have built.

Very graceful and sophisticated looking.

Truly a work of art.

Regards,

SAM

 

[gbritnell]

Steve,
It's good to see your engine again. I'm still fascinated by the look you have built into it. I'm happy that the bubbler tank/carb is working so well and your governor work matches the quality of the rest of your engine.
George

 

[GordTopps]

Steve
Indeed very beautiful model :bow:

Regards
Gordy

 

[kjk]

Just Gorgeous, and very very Victorian. For scale - is that a 2x4 railing it is sitting on on the first picture?

 

[Cedge]

Pat
Coming from your family background, the compliment means a lot, here. There isn't any plating on the engine. The body and base are aluminum and the rest is brass and copper. The aluminum was hand polished to the finish you see. It's confused quite a few people who've asked "what metal" I used.

George....
Again.... your comments are much appreciated. I've been a fan of your work for a long time.

Sam, Pat and Gordy....
Thank you for your kind words. That little engine has been a hit everywhere it's been show. I have to thank Philp Duclos for offering such an adaptable design while offering a rare level of eye appeal. I only wish he were still with us to accept my most profound homage. It was an extremely challenging build, but one that also gave lots of personal satisfaction.

WoodGuy...
It's sitting a 2x6 railing... the setting I use for almost every engine displayed on my web site.

Steve

 

[cfellows]

Steve, I said it before and I'll say it again, what a gorgeous engine. I'm really surprised more people don't use the vapor fuel tank since it is very simple and works surprisingly well, especially on hit n miss engines.

In fairness, I should mention that Jan Ridder, not me, originally discovered that the inlet pipe does not have to extend down into the fuel.

Chuck

 

[Blogwitch]

I was wondering what you were up to Steve, it is not like you to be quiet for so long.

But I will forgive you, because, yet again you have come up with even more stunning creations for your engine.


John

 

[Cedge]

Bogs...
Truthfully I've been feeling like hell up until about 2 weeks back. Finally told the sawbones he could prescribe whatever he wanted, but he wasn't going to be there to make me take it.....LOL. Once I shook off all the cobwebs, I couldn't wait to get back into the shop. Unfortunately the compound engine is still on hold until I can have time to get everything back in my head and making sense again. Glad you liked the additions.

Pat
Thanks. That engine is among my most favorite and tops the list with one of my grandsons. I can put you onto a guy who "might" part with one, but his are top end pieces with prices to match....(grin) There is one in an estate right now but I have no idea what or when the final disposition will be.

Steve

 

[bearcar1]

Perhaps this will provide you with some more incentive, Pat ;D

BC1
Jim

 

[bearcar1]

Steve, that three ball gov. just seems to 'fill in' a space that was left by your original unit. Me likes it ALOT! Truly The Victorian is one of the most attractive engines I have seen. Could you post us up anther video if/when you get the chance, I know I'd love to see the new gov. in action

Pat, you are pretty close with your dimensions but perhaps it would be a good idea if we continue in a new thread. Sorry Steve.


BC1
Jim

 

[Cedge]

I'm not so innocent of going off topic either, so no problem here...LOL

 

[Troutsqueezer]

Steve,

My wife was walking by when I was looking at this post and was taken aback by the beauty of your model. Now she wants to know why I don't make one like that! stickpoke

I told her I'm not that good yet and I wouldn't know how to go about getting plans for something like this. So this brings up the question: Where does one get plans for something like that? Or did you design it from scratch?

Thanks.

-dennis

 

[Cedge]

Dennis
The secret is making one part at a time. Thinking of it as an entire project would have been overwhelming here too. The plans for the basic engine (and several others) are available in a book titled "Two Shop Masters" by Frank McLean and Philip Duclos available from Village Press, the same guys who own HSM forum and magazines.

There are two books by Duclos, the other being "The Shop Wisdom of Philip Duclos". It has plans as well as sharing techniques for doing things you'd swear you would never be able to accomplish. Duclos was a master at simplifying things down to their essence and giving it to you in an everyday practical form. I learned to easily cut gears using a single point cutter, from this book.

They run somewhere around $45.00 per book, but I can honestly say I NEVER regretted putting my money down to get both.

I modified my engine quite a bit, far beyond the drawings, but the basic underlying design is still very much pure Duclos.

Steve

 

[Troutsqueezer]

Thanks Steve. I see Two Shop Masters is available so I think I will order it up. The Shop Wisdom of Philip Dulcos is back ordered but I'll make a note to pick it up at a future date.

-dennis

 

[Captain Jerry]

Steve

You have mentioned a time or two that you are getting this engine ready for a local show. When and where? I'm in central Florida but my boat is in Brunswick GA, about an hour south of you and I need to pay her a visit soon. Maybe I could work in an engine show on the boat trip if it's not to far from Savannah.

Jerry

 

[Cedge]

Jerry
We're about 5 hours north of Savannah, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains of north western SC. We're showing over Labor Day in a small rural area known as Dacusville and its pretty much a "more the merrier" sort of gathering. We'll be in a small town called Simpsonville a week or so later, but I'll have to check the calendar to see just when.

Steve

 

[BenPeake]

Of all your engines, I think this has to be my favorite Cedge. You really nailed the aesthetic, the finishes are superb and I can only hope I will make something this nice some day. I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

Ben

 

[Cedge]

Thank you Ben. I've been tweaking the little fellow pretty hard, for a couple of weeks now, in preparation to show it. It was time to chase a few small annoying "bugs" out of the system. I just finished reworking the exhaust delay arm and it made a world of difference in how it runs. It now seems to like running in hit and miss mode.

Yesterday was spent building up a regulated air manifold so I can run several of my steam engines at once, instead of showing them just sitting there. Amazing what one can cobble together from odds and sods laying around the shop. I'm really curious as to how the crowd will react to them when they're moving.

I've got two good shows, back to back and then I'm hoping to get back on the current compound engine project.

Steve

 

[b.lindsey]

Hey Steve,
If your not "showed" out by then, would love for you to come up to Gastonia for Cotton Ginning Days on Oct. 8-10. I'll have my usual collection of small air and sterling engines there, and I talked with Doug Kelley last night and he hopes to set up in the same location with his Snow Tandem and some other recent projects. I keep pushing to get a larger contingent of "model" folks displaying at the show. Needless to say, your Victorian would make a wonderful addition!

Regards,
Bill