VFT Boiler for a Stuart #1

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VANYA

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Hi.

I have bought a Stuart # 1 engine (2" x 2" ) and needs a boiler to run it in a small steamboat under a light load running condition ( propeller), as opposed to a stationary example free running.

I want to steam it with a Vertical Fire Tube boiler and have the option of having a new boiler made, in steel or copper or can purchase a complete copper and wood clad Martin Evans M30 design VFT boiler from the UK ready to go with chimney, handpump, injector and condensor. This setup was designed for a staionary layout which currently includes a St #1.

The Martin Evans plans mentions that the M30 design is specifically for a 2" x 2" engine but does anyone know of this boiler and if it has the capacity to work under load. It has a 5 litre water capacity and 53 x 1/2" firetubes + 2 x 1' firetubes plus s/s superheater.

Diameter is 8" O.D and the firetubes are 7 1/2' long. Wet leg type.

Just because the setup looks designed and includes a ST#1 would this necessarily work in a small steamboat under load?

Price to me is GBP 2200 for the boiler, pipe work, injector, pump etc less the ST #1. The boiler was made commercially by Cornish Boilers, South Federation and have seen the certificates and signitures. Built 11/1994

I know a copper shell VFT alone is GBP3000+ plus all the cladding, pipes, valves.

Not sure what to do:confused:

Hayden
 
Hi Hayden,

Some years ago I intended to build this boiler to power a self build 5A using only Stuarts Cylinder casting all else from stock, purchased the drawing and after studying it decided that the cost of an 8" dia shell x 3/16" thk was prohibitive so I built a Yarrow type from the copper tubes that I had at a fraction of the cost.

Martin Evans is a very well known and respected designer/builder and as he says on the drawing its for engines up to 2" x 2" I wouldn't doubt him and although it's designed for coal firing it will be easy to make say a ceramic burner to fire it, you don't say how you intend to fire it ?

If you have the cash to buy the boiler with all off the fittings I would suggest that you go for it as in my opinion it would push a small boat with your No 1 engine and a large prop without any trouble.

As it's a commercially built boiler and you have seen the Certification of it and if you have had a good inspection of the boiler and know what it has been doing in between 1994 and now you should be O.K.
If you are in any doubt can you get the seller to hydraulic test it before buying ? or get an independent test done by others ?

I hope this has been of help.

Geo.

Pics of the Single cylinder double acting engine using 5A cylinder casting, at 60 p.s.i. you would break your wrist trying to stop it and the boiler was only half the capacity of your intended boiler.
The engine was reversible with slip eccentric,

Big Engine 1.jpg


Big Engine 4.jpg


Burner:1.jpg
 
.Several years ago a friend and I decided to build a couple steam canoes. We decided on the ST#1 and a Roberts Type water tube boiler. I built 2 engines, my friend, a welder and sheet metal man, built two boilers and shells. We traded parts, and each now have a set of parts ready to go. Neither of us ever finished the project- I switched to a 17 ft fantail hull and a Ray Hasbrouck #5.

I still have the engine and boiler, always thinking I should do some thing with it, or sell or trade it off. I think it woul d make a nice steam canoe.
 
Ron,
My intention was to fit the engine and boiler into a 4- man Canadian canoe and had visions of steaming up and down Loch Lomond which is about 30 mins from where I live.
All went well with the engine and boiler with the engine driven feed pump and the hand pump with plenty of fresh water.
I then had a look at a second hand canoe and was very surprised at it's weight when I tried to lift it and as it was to be transported on the car roof rack it was a No No !! at my age, so the project was abandoned and the steam plant sold, it went to Austria and I assume that it's steaming a boat on the Lake just outside of Vienna.
It wasn't a failure as I learned so much in the machining of the engine from stock and making of the Yarrow boiler.

Geo.
 
Funny how reality has a way of bursting our bubbles!

But for most of my building it isnt the owning the thing that matters, it is the building that provides the satisfaction.
 
Ron,
My intention was to fit the engine and boiler into a 4- man Canadian canoe and had visions of steaming up and down Loch Lomond which is about 30 mins from where I live.
All went well with the engine and boiler with the engine driven feed pump and the hand pump with plenty of fresh water.
I then had a look at a second hand canoe and was very surprised at it's weight when I tried to lift it and as it was to be transported on the car roof rack it was a No No !! at my age, so the project was abandoned and the steam plant sold, it went to Austria and I assume that it's steaming a boat on the Lake just outside of Vienna.
It wasn't a failure as I learned so much in the machining of the engine from stock and making of the Yarrow boiler.

Geo.

Life would have been a little easier if you could have made the engine and boiler to be easily removed from the canoe as one or two separate modules. I have a ~45lb Stuart Cygnet (Stuart 5A complete with all the pumps and condenser) from my late grandfather which he used to power his canoe so he and his wife could carry on with camping/canoe trips right up to their last days. My grandfather had to singlehandedly deal with getting the canoe on/off the car, and loading/unloading the canoe each day.
 
Life would have been a little easier if you could have made the engine and boiler to be easily removed from the canoe as one or two separate modules. I have a ~45lb Stuart Cygnet (Stuart 5A complete with all the pumps and condenser) from my late grandfather which he used to power his canoe so he and his wife could carry on with camping/canoe trips right up to their last days. My grandfather had to singlehandedly deal with getting the canoe on/off the car, and loading/unloading the canoe each day.



rhankey.
If you look at the first pic of the steam plant you will see that the engine and boiler are mounted on 2- 4 x2 C.L.S batons and the whole idea was that the plant would be removed from the canoe as a unit, this weighed in at about 50 lbs and was easily handled.

Your Cygnet at 45lbs still has to have a boiler and to try and lift them as a unit is bordering on a Hernia .

The 4- man fibre glass touring canoe was a different story, your grandfather must have been a very strong man to haul a canoe like this on to the top of a car I couldn't lift the end of it never mind the whole canoe which by memory must have weighed about 120 lbs and 15ft long.

It was a good idea at the time 6 years ago when I was 68 and even then it was too heavy to lift.

Geo.
 
Funny how reality has a way of bursting our bubbles!

But for most of my building it isnt the owning the thing that matters, it is the building that provides the satisfaction.

Ron,
How true a statement that is, over the years I have built many steam engines and boilers and the greatest thrill is when after completion and as a test it's put on the compressor and it fires first time that's what makes it all worth while for me.

Geo.
 
rhankey.
If you look at the first pic of the steam plant you will see that the engine and boiler are mounted on 2- 4 x2 C.L.S batons and the whole idea was that the plant would be removed from the canoe as a unit, this weighed in at about 50 lbs and was easily handled.

Your Cygnet at 45lbs still has to have a boiler and to try and lift them as a unit is bordering on a Hernia .

The 4- man fibre glass touring canoe was a different story, your grandfather must have been a very strong man to haul a canoe like this on to the top of a car I couldn't lift the end of it never mind the whole canoe which by memory must have weighed about 120 lbs and 15ft long.

It was a good idea at the time 6 years ago when I was 68 and even then it was too heavy to lift.

Geo.

Geo,

I understand now. My grandfather was using a somewhat lighter fiberglass canoe than yours, which still was a handful for a single person, but for getting it on/off the car, he dealt with one end at a time, and slid it the rest of the way onto the roof racks. The boiler and fuel source were a separate components from the Cygnet.
 
Geo,

I understand now. My grandfather was using a somewhat lighter fiberglass canoe than yours, which still was a handful for a single person, but for getting it on/off the car, he dealt with one end at a time, and slid it the rest of the way onto the roof racks. The boiler and fuel source were a separate components from the Cygnet.

Hi Robin,
Phew, I was beginning to think that I was a 6FT x 12.5stone weekling, I didn't explain very much in my original post as I assumed all 4- men canoes were as heavy as the one that I tried and every body new that.
I was inspired in thinking of a canoe after seeing a Discovery channel program where 3- guys went up the Yukon in one of these canoes towing another with all of their camping gear in it, the bubble burst when I felt the weight of one.

George.
 

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