Hello from Hawaii-- Looking for some Mildura Experience

Hello Machinists

Hi I am Carl Miller, retired engineer deep into building model boats. I live in Hawaii and nowhere near a model boat club with experts in model boats of any kind. Up 'til now,I have built all RC sailboats-- but I got a crazy idea for a steam dream so I started making the 73" steam launch Jax-- a boat inspired by the Windermere launches from the early 1900's. I modified a set of sailboat hull forms to make a skinnier hull and strip-planked in western red cedar and I have a nice boat-- and a steam power plant to put in it. Sorry I am no machinist (but many helped my career as a manufacturing engineer) so I didn't try to make the engine, but I saw the steam engine projects on your forums, and see there is a lot of steam expertise maybe I can tap into. I am newbie tto steam power (except for the Midwest fantail launch) and learning how to operate the steam engine the hard way maybe.

I bought a beautiful Mildura 2 cyl slide-valve engine with 4" boiler from John Godfrey at Miniature Steam Models in Australia. What I hope to gain most in this forum is contact with some Mildura steam engine owners who have one installed and operating in a boat. John and his assistant Stuart Rowe have been a big help, and persistently helping me improve the performance. But I am totally lacking comparison data for the Mildura operating in a boat. More about that later in a subsequent post. I have some advisors from RC Groups-- all experts in steam-- but nobody so far has said they have or know a Mildura and what it can do.

Jax is 73" LOA and will displace about 29 lbs. It has 70mm 3-blade cast prop. In a few days it will be on a maiden voyage in a small pond nearby. Here is a view of the boat during construction-- an early float test (the engine here is a cardboard mock up). Lower picture with Mildura installed.

I hope there are steam boaters out there that can share experience with the Mildura engine. I look forward to hearing from you!

Carl

 

That is a beautiful launch!!!!

Well done, I would love to see a build log on that.

 

Glad to have your obvious experience in the forum Carl, welcome aboard. That is one beautiful model. Cheers, Peter

 

Peter

I have to laugh-- and thanks so much for the compliment and warm welcome-- but it is exactly my LACK of experience in the steam engine stuff that encouraged me to join your forum. Yes I know models and can do a lot in the shop, and maybe I can (happily) help in some respects there, but inasmuch as your group is mostly skilled or wanna-be-skilled machinist folks, I defer to you guys and hope I can meet some AU mates who know about the Mildura engine, and maybe made one.

First comment I got to my thread from IceFyre about a build log has encouraged me to start writing it today, so the forum is already working!

I look forward to working with you all.

Carl

 

Hi Carl
I have built one of these engines and very pleased with how well it runs. While waiting for a practical use I have put it on a scooter frame and running on a compressed air tank it gets along surprisingly well.
Your boat should run very well. Sorry I can't offer any actual boat experience.
I expect the people at miniature steam would be horrified to see one of their engines powering a pair of razor scooters running along the street or footpath. I love the look on peoples faces when I reverse at the same speed. I have not been brave enough to stand above a running boiler yet.

 

Hi Carl. Beautiful job.
John

 

Jeffro, we want to see the entire scooter and the compressed air tank. How they position.