Is This Safe?-Brand new Newbie

Home Model Engine Machinist Forum

Help Support Home Model Engine Machinist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

vekenti

Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
17
Reaction score
2
Hello everyone, I'm 13 year old kid, and i'm in that motor head part of my life that i'm sure all people go through. I was looking up model airplane engines and this steam engine popped up...after watching it I couldn't stop, I was hooked to steam engines. I am going to be building my first basic one this weekend

( http://www.instructables.com/id/A-Simple-Steam-Engine-Anyone-Can-Build/ )

seems simple...but the engine is not the problem. I want a boiler because its hard to lug a compressor around everywhere. I had a original idea to use a tin can... but after seeing the dangers of being hurt/killed I decided not to do that. So I've been scouring the internet for a safe and efficient boiler and I think I've found one, I want to verify the boiler is safe so :fan: does not happes.
The Boiler has a copper tube in the middle...which if I remember does not explodes, just ruptures. It is then covered by a heavy duty steel plate which should hopefully have warning signs before anything would be a harm

whoops...forgot to post the boiler...

(http://www.steamshed.com/Building a Super Simple Vertical Steam Boiler.pdf )

Thanks, N.J.M
 
In general I stay away from plans from inscrutable and similar web sites.
IMHO most of the projects are hack jobs. They are done with little knowledge and less tooling. will the ideas work yes. safe ? if you have the knowledge to make it safe. Yes.
My recommendation is get a copy of simple steam engines bY Stan Bray . Little tooling needed and much better made engines and boilers.



http://www.amazon.com/Making-Simple-Model-Steam-Engines/dp/1861267738
Maybe a family member can get it for you for Christmas if you do have the funds.
Hang out here ask questions and we can help.
Tin
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The engine is the only thing from instructables , and seems decent for my first engine, the boiler is from steamshed. Are you saying the boiler is unsafe or the engine?
 
I will look into that book though, Thanks for replying, I really want to figure out what I can do for a boiler though...I cant go out and buy a very expensive one, does that book have a plan for a boiler?
 
Hi vekenti
Take note of Tin’s advice steer clear of this type of quick fix type of thing.
As you are aware steam is very dangerous if not controlled with extreme care.
Keep looking on the net for ideas but do come back to the forum for guidance.
As for boiler making is there anyone or a club near you to get practical help.
 
Hi vekenti
Just a thought.
I know you want to build something to power a model boat.
But rather than trying to hit the ground running.
Why not try a little hot air engine, simple and little or no tools required, no steam needed to run it, and you could quickly have something working to keep your enthusiasm going.:cool:

What you found and described as a boiler is little more than a water heater which could produce steam.:eek: :hDe: Not sufficient to power your model boat.

Edit
Had another look at that boiler.
Years ago some model boats were power by flash steam, and was used by experienced modellers. The models needed an on board supply of water, the coil was heated by a pressure burner, (paraffin in the UK, kerosene in the US) now days it would be some form of gas burner. They were very fast, had a short running time. However they were always treated with respect and care.
limited use, that is were usually tethered running in a circle.
I'll look out some pic's of this type of model.
 
Last edited:
Hi vekenti

This thread may be worth a look. Boilers section, it's at the bottom of page four.

Flash Steam or Monotube boilers by doubletop.
 
Last edited:
Hi vekenti

Years ago some model boats were power by flash steam, and was used by experienced modellers. The models needed an on board supply of water, the coil was heated by a pressure burner, (paraffin in the UK, kerosene in the US) now days it would be some form of gas burner. They were very fast, had a short running time. However they were always treated with respect and care.
limited use, that is were usually tethered running in a circle.
I'll look out some pic's of this type of model.

well I'm fine about the boat...that can be later just was thinking of it..but if this boiler is not well for a boat then I will not use that boiler. I was thinking of a hot air engine, I belive a stirling and hot air engine are the same? correct? also... If the engine I was planning to build is a bad one, does anyone know where I can find free plans (or plans cheaper than 20$) that shows me how to build a decent starting engine without a lathe or complex machining?
 
Hey Tin,thanks for the help but it seems like buying a kit is out of the question until Christmas... I've been looking around and found quite a few engine plans and was wondering if any of them are good?

Warning: Tons of links (sorry :( :hDe: )

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9A9IAarOeZ6cGMtcE8xVW9xWWs/edit?usp=sharing


http://books.google.com/books?id=mt...ntcover&lr=&rview=1#v=twopage&q=steam&f=false

http://npmccabe.tripod.com/woodwheeler.htm

http://npmccabe.tripod.com/ezengine.htm

I also found some old boiler plan

Warning more links...

http://www.john-tom.com/MyPlans/Steam Engines/PopMechanicsBoiler1963.pdf

I'm sorry about asking for you to look at all these, but I want to build a safe and something that I can be proud of..
 
What about this onehttp://npmccabe.tripod.com/mccaberunner.htm


I made a couple versions of this one . I highly recommend it as a beginners engine.

this one I can blow into and it will run. So no need to haul a compressor to impress your friends .

thumb2_Claire_3a.JPG


These are my son's engines he made them when he was about your age.

Jim%20Volkening%20Collection%203c.jpg


I display the Lego engine at shows It really gets the kids attention.

Tin
 
ugh...I like that design..but the plans confuse me sadly, I will need some help from my parents on this one I'm sure

like your kids engines btw.. I would just freehand it and make something like your sons but me with no tool, machining or building skills I rather not...would end up with a good 10-20$ down the drain

How does the holes there work? is the back one the input and front one output?

Edit:
actually now that i think about it shouldn't be that hard...seems like the hardest thing to make would be the piston fitting the cylinder...


Edit Edit: do you recommend against trying to freehand a engine like your sons? or try to follow those mcCabe plans as precise as possible? The plans are quite confusing for me and I think that free handing an engine like your sons would be easier for me
 
Vekenti,

Good to see your strong interest in this field. I can't help with your boiler questions but did have one suggestion for you:
http://www.vocademy.com
This link is a massive open workshop that anyone can go and use to fabricate anything they could dream up. There is a membership/use charge but the tooling available would be well worth it to any engineering minded individual. They have welding labs, sheet metal equipment, machine tools, woodworking equipment, 3D printers and most importantly instructors to show you how to use them.

I'd recommend searching the internet for one of these near you. You can search for phrases like: "open workshop" or "urban workshop".

If you can't find anything like that nearby then perhaps your high school has some shop equipment and you could start a working relationship with the teacher before you're even in high school.

Keep pursuing these types of hobbies! You won't regret it later in life!

Finally, make sure you keep your parents in the loop about who you talk to via the internet and what you say to them. There's a lot of wierdos out there!

-J.Andrew

P.S. Take a look on Amazon.com at books with titles like "Mechanical Movements" or Basic Machines". It's good stuff.
 
I can't help with any links or plans - sorry - but I do recall seeing a Youtube video of a home built engine (running on compressed air) that used 2 different sized bullet cases as the piston and cylinder. Cases are generally fairly round and if you hunt around a bit you should be able to get one that's a nice fit inside another. If you can't machine a piston or cylinder, this might be an option. Good luck!
 
Is It steam safe it I were to ever steam power it?

I would not attempt to run my plexi engines on steam. Most shows provide an air supply and some prohibit live steam.


.
I like that design..but the plans confuse me
get a handful of 4 x 6 file cards redraw each part one by one .


yes the cross hole is the valving in one side out the other.

do you recommend against trying to freehand a engine like your sons? or try to follow those mcCabe plans as precise as possible? The plans are quite confusing for me and I think that free handing an engine like your sons would be easier for me

IN general I do recommend against first second time builders free handing an engine. There are many plans for simple engines.
That said my sons engines were not made strictly from published plans. The metal engine was actuality a combination of two plan sets and the lego engine yes they are off the shelf lego blocks with some added parts my son figured out.
I also forced my son to do the math and sketch his plans on paper berfore cutting metal.
You need to be comfortable with the design. It is not uncommon for us to change a part to our liking or fit material on hand.
Read this thread it may help you.
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/f27/selecting-first-engine-build-15183/
Tin
 
sadly I cant find any workshops near Brownsville or Brandon ( gotta switch between my dad and mom every 2 weeks) and I don't even think the high school I'm going into even has a metalworking shop...just great
 

Latest posts

Back
Top