Steam engines

[steamboatmodel]

I think that there is an underlying plot here  :twisted: by our members downunder  :wink: to inprove there economic statice   by creating a world wide demand for VEGEMITE   :!:
Regards,
Gerald :twisted:

[Eddy Matthews]

Forget the vegemite YUK!

Now Fosters is a different matter altogether! :-)


Ooops off topic!

[derekwarner_decoy]

Do we have any PD’s in France or speak French? – reason is JMC has provided three versions of the Companies banking details for electronic transfer but each one has one or two numerals in different places & the AMEX computer will not accept it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! – Derek    
 
 
 
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[Khephre]

Vegemite sangers for the next ten years is hardly a sacrifice! It's a favourite for us Kiwis as well as those kangaroo-lovers across the ditch!  But Foster's I can take or leave ... if you're talking Aussie brews then gimme an ice-cold Hahn Premium or Coopers Premium any day.

Derek, your JMC looks very impressive. Is that a Stevenson reversing linkage?

You've mentioned the modifications to Decoy but I'm wondering about the additional weight of boiler, displacement oiler, engine and condenser. Will you be able to accomodate that extra weight?

If you get no joy from Stuart Models on the horizontal boilers (they told me a month or more ago that they've been pretty much overwhelmed since taking on the Cheddar business) then you might want to investigate Lynx Model Works  www.lynxmodelworks.co.uk

The key contact is John Clarke - his business specialises in working scale steam, particularly for model railway enthusiasts and to a lesser extent marine models as well. Forgive the plug, but... John's presently doing some work for me - he's tidying up a Reeves Borderer twin cylinder engine for me and he's just built me a coal fired vertical boiler, both destined for a 54 inch clinker built steam pinnace I've been working on (when not immersed in paddlers - heresy I know!) Heckuva nice guy and very approachable.

Usual story though - mortgage the house and promise the first born son in part-payment!!!

Do keep us up with the developments.

cheers
Tony

[PJ]

Yes, Derek I speak French.  How can I help?

PJ
Victoria, BC Canada

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's - answers in order

Tony
a) - James Boag produce an elixa in that little island just south of Victoria - {called Tasmania} & the premium version could be Australias best
b) - Stevensons reversing gear? - 30 years ago we were taught that the said Mr Stevenson did not invent it - there is no smoke or mirrors, just variations on a theme with eccentrics being reversed via an arc which is centered of the crank axis - Eddys [MH&B great find] has another variation on the same theme with the fulcrum [lever] rotating a geared section to produce the same reversal effect
c) - extra weight with steam components, no problem - extra ballast will still be required
d) - coal fired model marine boiler? - do you have very, very small people to reload the boiler when the vessel is on the opposite side of the pond? - or have you been part taking in TOO much NZ draft?

PJ
e) - thanks for the kind offer - however have hopefully sorted the minor communication glitch between JMC/myself + AMEX today

regards - Derek   - PS - I have just thrown this in as a RED HERRING as I don't usually drink coffee @ this time of day

[Barrie]

Tony, Taken from the October Marine Modelling International mag - does this help?

Barrie

CHEDDAR VALLEY STEAM
Many MMI readers will be familiar with Tim Taschimowitz as Cheddar Models' senior boilermaker. Due to the closure of Cheddar Models Tim has decided to set up his own copper boiler making business, Cheddar Valley Steam.
Tim has twenty-five years of professional boiler making expertise and has made boilers for both the trade and private customers, home and abroad, over the years. He uses the highest quality materials and his boilers are renowned to be second to none. During the past 25 years he has built up a worldwide reputation of his own and it is this that has paved the way for this exciting new venture.
If you would like any more information or a no obligation quotation for your copper boiler needs please do not hesitate to telephone Cheddar Valley Steam on 07789 681977 or Email: Cheddarvalleysteam@hotmail. co. uk, or write to Cheddar Valley Steam, Unit 4, Castle Mills Industrial Estate, Biddisham, Somerset BS26 2RH.

[Khephre]

Many thanks for the contact Barrie. We have a few steam enthusiasts in the club who will be delighted to have this info.

As for Mr Warner and his comments re midget stokers ... only if they are genuine 1:6 scale and non-union labour!  

Most of the sailing will be on our local pond, Derek, not the ditch that separates NZ and Oz. I should get a good 20-30 minutes of steam from the boiler, and will need to bring the model back in at that stage, not only to stoke up the fire, but also to replenish the water supply. As long as I am disciplined about raising a full head of steam before sailing and watch my times I should be fine.

However to put your worried mind at rest - our club models are seldom more than 10-15 metres from shore and there's always a rescue tug to hand.

Using coal is not as crazy as it sounds tho'... for example, back in the 1980's William Mowll built an detailed working model of HMS Warrior of 1860, to 1:48 scale. The model was built complete with a functioning steam plant under the decks, including a coal fired Scotch boiler.

The reasoning behind my purchase is that for a few years now we've swapped notes on Paddleducks about getting realistic looking smoke from our funnels - what more appropriate way than to run a boiler on coal! Then there's the smell of coal smoke and oil on a clear wintery day...

And if it all turns to custard and run times/recoaling prove to be major hassles then the boiler can be converted to run on gas by swapping out the grate for a ceramic burner.

Tony

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD’s – searching via the WEB, clearly ACS Engineering are the most competitive in steam boiler & components in what appears near equal design & quality – the owner Sandy Campbell has come back with air parcel post costs a few suggestions [like wait until the JMC engine arrives to determine the actual tube size] & then I can place the order on ASC for the boiler & accessories  
   
The attachment here is taken from the JMC site and clearly shows a gas regulator sensing steam pressure & controlling gas flow to the burner – I am assuming that this is a luxury similar to the Cheddar automatic boiler control which in 2001 sold in Australia for $685.00 AUD just for the regulator  
   
So if Tony plans to stoke the boiler with coal then get 15 minutes running time, I hope to be able to throttle the gas flow from the rudimentary gas isolation valve & hope I get a similar run time – three day longweekend here in OZ & no that was not a spelling mistake LONGWEEKEND is one word south of the equator – Derek  
   

 
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[Engineman]

I am assuming that this is a luxury similar to the Cheddar automatic boiler control which in 2001 sold in Australia for $685.00 AUD just for the regulator

Nope Derek, you're not right yet. CHEDDAR's ABC system is a more complicated one with electric sensors, servos etc. which controls the gas flow and the water level.
This particular one is also a sort of a control system with a simple single-membrane gas attenuator. BTW ANTON has a wide range of gas attenuators (including more 'accurate' bi-membrane type) and automatic shut-off valves. John Hemmens also produces  membrane-type gas attenuator.

It is very interesting to know more about the ACS company as you contact to them   . What about their progress with the anonced slide-valve engines?

Regards,
Engineman

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's & Engineman - here is some information from Sandy Campbell of ACS
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

From: ACSengineering [mailto:acs-engineering@wargyll.fsnet.co.uk]
Sent: Monday, 3 October 2005 12:17 AM
To: Derek Warner
Subject: PS Decoy and ACS stuff

"Gud Day Mate,
 
Just been looking at the Paddleducks web site, lots of interesting stuff, so will be re-visiting it again soon.
Have you now got shares in the VEGEMITE factory?  He! He!.
 
I will get organised and set up a reciprocal link on the ACS site in the very near future, meanwhile, if you are inclined, you can tell 'ENGINEMAN' that the slide valve engines, or at least the 'MAMBA' should, hopefully, be available early in the New Year, development of all new products, unfortunately, has been slowed down quite a lot due to increased workload, following the demise of 'Cheddar'. (Not that I am complaining of course, but, never the less, still a sad happening.)"
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

As I have mentioned the JMC3H engine is ordered for PS Decoy but all other steam components will be ACS - one of the principal reasons for this decision is that [100 odd years ago] Australia adopted the British fired boiler code so the ACS boiler certificate will be valid for twelve months from manufacture, however before anyone reminds me that with my rate of build time available it may need re-validation prior to first sailing

Appears the employees at ACS get it pretty good as on special days they have their morning cup of tea & Vegimite sandwich outside & watch the real PS Waverly glide past    - Derek

[Engineman]

Hi  'derekwarner_decoy',
Thank you very much for your assistance with ASC-Engineering.
I am also have in mind to purchase something from the JMC (to be more exact - the compound engine which is looking pretty curious for me).
BTW I had in plans to visit the ACS-Engineering personally during my visit to Scotland but due to my tough schedule all these plans failed   .

[derekwarner_decoy]

Engineman - reading between the lines from your postings I sense an amount of steam experience  :?:  :?:

I am sure the few PD's currently dabbling into steam [including me] would appreciate any comment you have to offer like :-

a) are gas regulators necessary? - I am sure they are benificial but am unsure of the relationship between "necessary & benificial"

b) what are the additional lagged red & black lines on Eddies MH&B unit?

the list could go "on & on" - remember that one Tony by your cousin NZ Finn brothers? -  :music - Derek

[Engineman]

Engineman - reading between the lines from your postings I sense an amount of steam experience  :?:  :?:

Well, I can't say about myself  to be a great specialist in steam thou I am a power engineer    Yes, I have some experience not only in using or assembling  but also in making of <model> steam plants of my own design. Hope that my modest steam experience may have some use for PD's community that I am so pleased to join in.

I am sure the few PD's currently dabbling into steam [including me] would appreciate any comment you have to offer like :-

a) are gas regulators necessary? - I am sure they are benificial but am unsure of the relationship between "necessary & benificial"

I can't say that the use of gas regulators is essential but it helps to save the gas/boiler water and as a result  extends the running time. Using a gas regulator you can find a better balance between reliability and complexity of the power plant in the whole rather than using a feed pump.

b) what are the additional lagged red & black lines on Eddies MH&B unit?

It is not clear for me yet what are these lines that you mean. Please, mark them with arrows and I will try to explain what is what. It's a very interesting power plant with a feed pump what is not typical for MH&B units.

Regards,
Engineman

[derekwarner_decoy]

From: Derek Warner [mailto:dlwarner@bigpond.net.au]
 Sent: Tuesday, 4 October 2005 4:30 PM
 To: 'drivesystems@paddleducks.co.uk'
 Subject: Steam engines  
 
   
   
Engineman – in the attachment  HM&B engine .bmp I have pointed the two components in question  
   
[1) to the HP globe valve situated close to [on top] of the piston pump for make up water – I am not sure of purpose this valve  
[2] to the bypass around the steam throttle valve – regards Derek  
             
Quote:            
b) what are the additional lagged red & black lines on   Eddies MH&B unit?        
 
It is not clear for me yet what are these lines that you mean. Please, mark them with arrows and I will try to explain what is what. It's a very interesting power plant with a feed pump what is not typical for MH&B units.
 
 Regards,
 Engineman
 
 
 
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