Paddleducks
Other Marine Models => Live steam => Topic started by: Hankwilliams on August 23, 2016, 11:17:19 PM
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Hi, friends and neighbors,
here are some impressions of a trip with my "Fulton`s Folly" on August 6 th.
The little journey takes on river Naab, a tributary of the upper Danube in Bavaria, not far from the mouth into the Danube.
On the bright sunny day it was pure joy to navigate with steam and paddlewheels on the very calm water. The trip was successful, althought two things had to improved: The rudder was too small and the friction between slide valve and the cylinder mirror level seems too strong. In the meantime I altered the rudder.
At a precision workshop I ordered two slide valves made of PTFS (teflon). I expect much less friction with this teflon slide valves.
The speed of the boat was like walking speed, perhaps a little more when the pressure was high until 8 bar/more than 100 pounds. Steam production of the boiler was sufficient, the feed pump wasn`t not quite, but I also used the injektor.
The quality of the pictures isn`t very good, but I hope, you will enjoy.
Thomas
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Well done Thomas.....paddle wheel of small size, but full scale......the water looks very tranquil......
From the images, the rudder appears to be totally removable??....
Is the boiler gas fired? or wood/coal?...
Derek
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Hi Derek,
the rudder is full removable in seconds like the door of a cupboard, for no damaging when the boat comes into the water.
Boiler is propane gas fired. I hope, that soon I get the teflon slide valves for the engine - I would like to make some further trips in the bright late summer days.
Thomas
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Looks great....lovely for a summer day on the water.
Polite suggestion....maybe get two life jackets as part of the upgrades?!
Maybe you don't have the stringent Health and Safety laws like us in the UK. Here a jobsworth from the council would have been along in minutes...lol
Seriously though a truly great piece of work.
Cheers.....Bernie
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Looks wonderful :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap
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Thanks all!
Here some details: The new rudder, the engine with slide valves removed and the steam pipe...
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:no1b
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Here the new PTFS Teflon slide valves compared with the old brass ones.
I expect less pressure friction and therefore more power of the engine. I will tell you the result. If I`m right - may be, that it is worth while to alter other slide valve (not piston valve) engines in this way, including models.
Thomas
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Hi friends and neighbors,
the running test with the teflon slide valves were full success, as the pictures shows - it was a powerful turning of the paddlewheels. I estimate the increase of power at least by 30 %.
Indeed the area of the my slide valves (ca. 7 square cm) and therefore the pressure against the cylinder mirror is relativ large, it could be considered, whether it`s advantageous to alter also slide valves of model engines with teflon.
Pressure was about 90 - 100 psi or 6 - 7 bar.
Thomas
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Thomas.....
I am sure Winfried Niggle would be happy seeing his miniature steam oil displacement lubricators :gift being used on such a large scale engine....
Derek
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Very interesting! I hope you'll do a video as well.
Have you by any chance exhibited your boat's steam plant in Karlsruhe some years ago? I remember seeing it there, or something like it.
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Yes, I exhibited the boat two times in Karlsruhe, 2015 and 2016.
Next exhibition will be in Friedrichshafen in October 2017.
Thomas
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Yesterday at steam and old time vehicle exhibition in Münsingen. "Fulton`s Folly" in action on the trailer. Last picture shows my new aquisited Horex Resident 350, builder date 1955.
Thomas
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:clap :clap :clap :clap :clap
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Thanks, Damian!
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It is going to be interesting seeing the "Folly" being towed by it.
Folly's canoe heritage is very evident, I would try to copy her with my canoe, but it is made from plastic.
Gerald.
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should be not too difficult, Gerald. There must be a good isolation between the hot parts of the engine and boiler and the hull.
Thomas
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New trip with "Fulton`s Folly" at 8. 8. 2020, the 90. birthday of our mother. This time I reached a speed of 11 km/h at a steam pressure of 8 bar. But this trip also shows, that the teflon slides were not stable - both slides got deformed, so the port cylinder falls out, while driving fast. With the still working starboard one I reached the bank of Naab River.
Again the former brass slides were assembled. For lower friktion I will make copies made of bronze.
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Looks like fun sailing the one-person-paddler.
…. and the small mishaps keep you busy ... ;)
Jurgen
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Yes, Jurgen - it`s important to be busy. When will you visit your family in Germany again?
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Not this year anymore Thomas. According to the original plans we were to be over there right now in August, but thanks to Corona plans were cancelled.
So it will be sometime next year.
Jurgen
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You will be welcome, Jurgen.
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Hello, very nice to see your paddler again. I think I saw the booklet and engine some years ago at the Karlsruhe exhibition.
Regarding the Teflon slide valves, too bad they did not work as intended. I notice you had them built entirely out of Teflon. I have read that other modellers have built Teflon valves but kept a metal frame around and above them, where the valve rod engages. That way I think they can avoid the Teflon becoming distorted. Maybe worth an experiment?
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Thanks Thomas. I'm looking forward to greeting you and your wife again.
Jurgen
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The deformed teflon slide valves now were replaced by brass and teflon made ones. Yesterday I made a steam test - engine was running very well. I hope this slide valves will keep longer time.