Smoke generators

[Dai Powell]

Hi all,
I have finally launched "Pevensey" for the first swim, and was
very happy to see she floated on her designed waterline without need
for ballast, and performed well, I have a small amount of water
coming aboard from an unseen (as yet ) source otherwise all systems
are green, Paul Jordan was present at the launch and I have asked
him to process the pix I took with my digital and post them to the
forum (he will probably have to "compress" them, I don't know how)
however to get to the root of this post!!! has anyone got a design
for a good cheap(to produce) smoke generator ? (other than going out
to get a pack of cigies), Thanks in advance lads I know I can rely
one this forum to produce................Dai Powell

[KC6OLD]

Dai,
My only problem with smoke generators is they are all white smoke! (NOT
realistic!)
Anything Ignited (burning) is illegal. In CA. no smoke powders (without a
pyrotechnicians license) so smoke is not an option here. I thought about using
Co2 for exhaust valve output, would be neat, and not too hard to do.
Dave

[Edward Matthews]

I made one that worked very well about 2 years ago.... It's not easy
to describe purely in text, so bear with me...

Take a boiling tube (that's a heat proof test tube) of a size that is
suitable to fit your funnel. You then need a glass rod and a glass
tube - The glass rod should fit into the glass tube and be a sliding
fit.

Lets imagine the glass rod and tube are about 6" long..... Wind some
nichrome wire around the top 3" of the tube (nichrome wire is used
for foam cutters that the aircraft guys use to cut foam wings, and
should be easily obtainable from most model shops, if not you can use
the wire from an old electric fire element).... The length of wire
you wrap around the tube needs to be experimented with as I'll
explain later, but start with about 12" wound onto the tube - Leave
long ends on the wire as you'll use those later to connect to a power
supply.

Now to assemble the components, put about 1"-1.5" of oil into the
bottom of the boiling tube (I used Johnson's baby oil which worked
quite well). Put the glass rod inside the glass tube with the
nichrome wire at the top, place the end of the rod and tube into the
boiling tube so that the none wired end is immersed into the oil -
The glass tube and rod will allow the oil to rise up to the heating
element by capillary action, Put a bung into the boiling tube so that
the galss tube/rod sticks through the centre, and route the two ends
of the nichrome wire through the bung ready to connect to a power
supply - BEWARE - The nichrome wire gets VERY HOT!!! So use a bung
that won't burn!

Connect the unit to a 12 volt power supply and within a few seconds
you should see the smoke start to flow - Keep experimenting with the
length of the nichrome wire to get the best results.

I hope that little lot makes sense? If you have any questions just
ask and I'll try to explain...

Regards
Eddy

[gerald gardiner]

Hi Dave,
The best way to generate Smoke is to install a good steam engine, but failing that take a look at the train section of your local hobby shop. They sell all kinds, we have quite a few model boats using them around here. Best of luck Gerald Toronto Ontario Canada.

[Derek Warner]

Evening Dai

1) congratulations - looking forward to see your Prevensey snaps on line
2) how did she steer? what would be her turning circle?
3) how is PJ?
4) go to the messages folder & search on 'smoke generator' - I posted thoughts in ?2001 on a proven
method from 20 years ago - pretty cheap to make & I am to build one for Decoy - only downside is weight

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but on Monday, June 23, 2003 7:02 AM , Dave - KC6OLD@aol.com said :

Dai,
My only problem with smoke generators is they are all white smoke! (NOT
realistic!)- Anything Ignited (burning) is illegal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dave - I am not sure what you mean here [burning is illegal] - and different types of oil pumped
onto the red hot heatbeads produce smoke ranging from whitish to near black

regards Derek

[Dai Powell]

Hi Derek,
Pevensey steers very well indeed, using rudder alone (big
barn door type) turning circle is around 8 to 10 ft could perhaps
tighten that down a bit by varying speed, but as I have differential
speed controllers, independent to each motor, I can go ahead on one
motor and astern on the other, and she will then turn on the
centreline of the motors (in her own length) just spins on the
middle, I know that is not in accordance with the real thing but
very handy for "steering courses" there is no instability when doing
so she runs like she is on rails, no rocking, although she is much
faster than scale (if the info I got from Echuca [4.5mph?]is correct)
I would say that the model is capable of around 6mph at least.
Paul Jordan is very well and active but has just recently opened a
shop selling specially selected pre-owned items and is flat out
daily Monday to Monday it's very hard to reach him, but he's fine,
auctions take up a lot of time..............Dai

[Derek Warner]

on Tuesday, November 11, 2003 10:22 AM, Tony Mattson wrote :
>Reason I'm going big on the voltage is that I was given a big MACK
Products 12V smoke generator<
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Tony - that's a superb smoke volume - most of the kits on WEB pages look like someone has thrown a cigarette in a tube & when
you take that outdoors woud dissipate to near nothing viewable - checked GOOGLE for 'big macks products' to no avail - please come
back with detail on 'current draw' 'what is the fluid' & 'where do you get it' - I know ACTion kits list one but seeing is believing with the
MACK unit

I have most of the fake boiler, brass trunking & fan for my smoke generator completed but it's a bit problematic, once the
heat beads are ignited I have no way of extinguishing them in an emergency - Derek

[Tony Mattson]

G'day Derek,

my better half found the smoker at www.mackproductsrc.com under their
accessories section and ordered it direct from them.

MACK's a US company so the cost reduces every day that the greenback
keeps sliding against our 'South Pacific Peso'! (It's been the best
time in six years for us po' kiwis to buy goods ex US).

What I've got is the 7090-ST which can be used as a single stack or
twin stack smoker. It runs on 12 volts with a 600mA draw so it's not
hugely power hungry.

Having smoked out my workshop today within ten minutes, I'm fearful
of the fluid usage rate as it's a heck of a long supply chain if I
have to order via New Jersey! It came with the unit and on the side
of the bottle it says: Crest Electronics, CRE-29601, a petroleum-
based smoke fluid, designed for use in model locomotives, railcars
and accessories. (Crest Hobby Electronics 698 S. 21st St, Irvington,
NJ).

I wonder if our local model train shops might be able to supply or
suggest alternatives. Regardless, shld look great when finally on the
water.

Kind regards for now
Tony

[P Webster]

Derek,
The web address for Mack Smoke products is www.mackproductsrc.com . The
smoke unit I am using in my PS Pevensey is a 6Volt Graupner unit and is a perfect fit
and has an adequate output for the model although on a windy day the smoke is
invisible so you save your oil and don't use it, on a calm day the smoke is visible up to
about 50 ft. away. The unit costs about AUS$50-00 and we buy them from Westbourne
Models in the U.K.
Peter Webster :-)

[gerald gardiner]

Hi guys;
If you can't run live steam The generator's do a good imitation, but they do go through a lot of fluid! We have found a solution, John Brook was running Maxs at a show and just about out of fluid and we were complaining about the price when one of the Train guys told us what they use Varsol and Baby oil. That was a few years ago and most of use use it with great results. Its worth a try.
Gerald Gardiner Metro Marine Modellers Toronto Canada

[Tony Mattson]

i Gerald,

many grateful thanks for the suggestion re Varsol and baby oil.

A couple of brief questions:

1. do you know the proportions of each for mixing?
2. Varsol is not available in New Zealand but I do see references on
the web to Varsol that refer to it as light mineral spirits and paint
thinners. In NZ we use a product called mineral turpentine or turps
for paint thinning. Is this similar?

I've got a mate who works with ExxonMobil down here and I understand
that Varsol is one of their trademarks so I'll also ask his advice as
well and will repost to the group if he is helpful.

Kind regards
Tony

[gerald gardiner]

HI Tony
Sorry about not including the proportions I had included them in my first draft which my computer ate, John mixes his 50/50 which works good.
Varsol is a trade name for a mineral spirits paint thinner and solvent it is produced up here by Inperial Oil. I is listed as an "economical alternative to turpentine" and does not smell the same as turps. Hope this helps.
Gerald Toronto Can.

[jdeeker]

Tony ... Crest Electronics is a spin off of Aristo Craft Trains (large G scale trains) and they are both owned by Polk Hobbies. Any train store that handles AristoCraft trains should have it or at least can get it. If they do not stock it, they certainly can order thru their major train distributors.

John

[Ken]

Hi Everyone,
I hope you all remember me when purchasing Smoke Generators. I offer 15% discount to all paddleducks members Sorry for the
commercial .
Cheers and good modeling
ken

[dragoncity]

Smoke generator :
==============
Now IF you wish to be really authentic !! , simply soak your superstucture in heavy machine OIL ( overnight)
and as you launch her on the next outing simply toss a match on board !! This will not only produce the desired
BLACK smoke , but as many Murray Paddlers endured fires during their checkered working lives will be
historically accurate !! :-) Make sure you take photos.

Seriously, model aircraft generate smoke by pumping ( using a small electric pump specifically made for the job)
fuel oil directly into the hot exhaust system , you will
have to create your own 'exhaust system' using a heating element ( electic toaster element wire ? ) in the chimney,
not unlike that described by Mike. The above method is somewhat easier , but difficult to reproduce !

Look forward to seeing the photos.
Cheers,


Brett S Hallett