Steam engines

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's - looks like Vegemite now for twenty years as this morning I used PALPAY to electronically TFX my hard earned AUD$ to GBD pounds to ACS Engineering for the new boiler & bits + pieces

So any PD considering steam in the future, do your self a favour & pen a note to Sandy Campbell @ ACS

As I have mentioned the product is most competatively priced but  of comperable or equal design/quality to any on the world market AND you get to talk with a real person who will & can answer real steam questions & even suggesting less expensive alternatives

Another point [even though Sandy is a Scot], his sence of humor is boundless, like 1/2 way through his semi technical response to me about feeding boilers, Sandy starts talking about Tony's 1/10 scale boiler room people who apart from keeping the coal bunkers up could also empty the condenser waste oil

I give ACS a & wish Sandy good health - Derek

[Eddy Matthews]

That's the best form of advertising Derek - Personal recommendation!

From my contact with Sandy at ACS Engineering I can only endorse everything that Derek has said - He was so pleased that we'd put a link to his site here on Paddleducks that he emailed me immediately to ask if he could return the favour, and the PD site is now on his links page. Thanks Sandy!

How many other manufacturers have taken the time to do that? I can tell you - NONE!

I'm eagerly awaiting details of his twin cylinder slide valve engine which he hopes to have in production soon. Similar engines are available, but I know where my order will be placed! Other manufacturers would do well to take a leaf out of Sandy's book and take the time to really communicate with their customers.

[Khephre]

Sandy starts talking about Tony's 1/10 scale boiler room people who apart from keeping the coal bunkers up could also empty the condenser waste oil

 :lol:  

Now there's a thought!  If only I could get their little hands to operate the blow down valve and man the water pump I could have a fully automated pinnace!

Amen to your comments about manufacturers who communicate, and boo hiss to those who don't . Regrettably I've been trying to get a bit of info from a certain proprietor of a "prop shop" in the UK about props and shafts (heresy on this website I know, mea culpa) but a month to reply to an email?!!!  :rant

Makes you wonder how some businesses manage to survive if that's how they treat their customers

Looking forward to your progress reports derek - good luck.
Tony

[Barrie]

If its the supplier I'm thinking of, you'll be lucky to get a reply at all ! I sent two mails, one over 12 months ago, one earlier this year, and I'm still waiting. I did of course buy my prop from someone else, who took the time to call me to verify my requirements.

Barrie

[Red_Hamish]

Hello all, as has been said, Props on a paddler site !!   :  I'd agree about the communication point, I am in a similar position to Barrie and likewise will only buy from people who are helpful and informative even when I ask some dumb questions. Long live good sevice, Achieved by us supporting those who give and telling of those who do not.

Cheers

Jim

[sandy_ACS]

Thought It was about time to say a big thank you, to you all for the nice things you have been saying about me,    and to say Hi to you all.
What do you mean Derek?...

 [even though Sandy is a Scot], All us Scotsmen have a great sense of humour, just ask Red_Hamish.
Only a fellow Aberdonian could take the rank of PURSER....well done.
How is the Silver City?..I have not been over for about 8 years and I didn't think much about what they have done to it in some parts....:cry:

I will try to keep up with you all...If people in OZ don't have me building to many boilers...!!! :twisted:

[Eddy Matthews]

Hi Sandy,

Nice to have you aboard.... Of course the next question has to be when are you going to produce a nice two or three cylinder diagonal paddler engine? :-) A three cylinder would be my choice.

[Khephre]

What about a steam engine for the sternwheelers - that seems to be a completely untapped market.

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's - the JMC3H turned up yesterday & I must give credit where credit is due, the design, construction & finish of the JMC product is supurb - four sealed ball bearings in the crank shaft plus one center oilable journal

ACS are progressing [well maybe thinking of starting the boiler & bits ] as long as Sandy dosn't spend too much time in meetings :gather - or  :vacat - sitting outside his office by the Clyde waiting for PS Waverly to pass by!! ------- but again it is great as Sandy has penned a simple note today confirming a few minor mods to the condensor will be OK

On the other side of the coin, I have had no response from another British manufacturer re gas bottle & regulator [after four e-mails]

I have been scrounging through an industrial scrap merchant shelves trying to find some 20 year old baby sized gear sets from mechanical type computers as used in military range finders - but to no success

Many early Australian paddlers had chain drive & @ 1:25 scale for PS Decoy the "Stock Drive Product" from USA roller chain @ 0.1475" pitch comes in at just under 4" pitch so the scale size is fine - I may have to bite the bullet & order some of that 0.1475" pitch roller chain & a 10:1 pinion set

The final drive will be exposed or viewable & the chain version would look fine but I am still not happy with chain due to the noise - the "Stock Drive Product" gear sets would be much quieter but look like 21 st century gears so  maybe more is required - Derek

[thewharfonline]

I know someone who's selling, I think it's a Marshall and Sons, fully restored 16hp steam engine...guess that would be slightly to big for your models though....oh well I was interested...wish I had ten thousand smackers!

[sandy_ACS]

What about a steam engine for the sternwheelers - that seems to be a completely untapped market.

Hey! PD's

Now that's 'weird'! nee 'SPOOKY' only a couple of days ago I came accross a line drawing of a 'Western Rivers Steamboat' sternwheel engine with poppet valves on inlet and outlet, operated by levers. This engine has a very long stroke (around 6:1 bore stroke ratio) and I had the very same thought as Tony. So I put the info in my 'possible future engines' folder for more thought later.

Perhaps there is more to this 'KING TUT' thing than we though eh?

must go...got an OZ boiler to build.... tricky, with assembly fixtures designed for the Northern Hemisphere.....now if only I can get that silver solder to flow uphill. :rant

Sandy

[sandy_ACS]

Hi Sandy,

Nice to have you aboard.... Of course the next question has to be when are you going to produce a nice two or three cylinder diagonal paddler engine? :-) A three cylinder would be my choice.

Hi Eddy....The questions I have to ask in return are: - 'HOW MANY DO YOU WANT TO PURCHASE?' and 'DO YOU WANT SINGLE OR TRIPLE EXPANSION SIR ?'

Anyway....nice to be aboard...and thanks for the welcome.

sandy

[Eddy Matthews]

Hi Eddy....The questions I have to ask in return are: - 'HOW MANY DO YOU WANT TO PURCHASE?' and 'DO YOU WANT SINGLE OR TRIPLE EXPANSION SIR ?'
sandy

Just the one for now - but if the fleet increases, who knows? :-)

Wouldn't a triple expansion be absolutely gorgeous! I'd certainly sell a kidney or two to purchase one! Even a single expansion would be almost as nice!

As a few people on here know, I have plans for the Glen Sannox at 1:48 scale (thanks to Walter Snowdon) which gives a model of about 67" length, and a 3 cylinder diagonal engine would just be delightful if I could find one!

But as it's almost certainly a none starter from a commercial point of view I'll probably just have to keep dreaming :-(

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD’s - Sandy – when you finally finish all of the balance of the export boiler orders, would it be possible to stamp & code my boiler order as PSDECOY, then followed by what ever numerical reference is required on your ACS Certificate?  
   
During earlier years I found plain old 95% BORAX silver soldering flux paste allowed & flowed & soldered both up hill & down dale by what appeared as capillary action – are you sure Tony’s export 1/10 scale staff [non Union labor] to your factory have not ordered that useless BLUE plastic FLUX coated  S/S sticks?  
   
If this is the case, I could only suggest you contact Donagle Police to have them EXPORTED back to Tony in NZ - Derek  
   
         
 
From: sandy_ACS [mailto:drivesystems@paddleducks.co.uk]
 Sent: Wednesday, 12 October 2005 6:29 PM
 To: drivesystems@paddleducks.co.uk
 Subject: RE: Steam engines  
 
             
Khephre wrote:            
What about a steam engine for the sternwheelers - that seems   to be a completely untapped market.        
 

 
 Hey! PD's
 
 Now that's 'weird'! nee 'SPOOKY' only a couple of days ago I came accross a line drawing of a 'Western Rivers Steamboat' sternwheel engine with poppet valves on inlet and outlet, operated by levers. This engine has a very long stroke (around 6:1 bore stroke ratio) and I had the very same thought as Tony. So I put the info in my 'possible future engines' folder for more thought later.
 
 Perhaps there is more to this 'KING TUT' thing than we though eh?
 
 must go...got an OZ boiler to build.... tricky, with assembly fixtures designed for the Northern Hemisphere.....now if only I can get that silver solder to flow uphill.
 
 Sandy <![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]> <![endif]>      
 

 If you want a STANDARD item I will have to charge you extra!!
 
 
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[Khephre]

... only a couple of days ago I came accross a line drawing of a 'Western Rivers Steamboat' sternwheel engine with poppet valves on inlet and outlet, operated by levers. This engine has a very long stroke (around 6:1 bore stroke ratio) and I had the very same thought as Tony. So I put the info in my 'possible future engines' folder for more thought later.

Don't throw that thought away Sandy.

Once I get a bit more headway on my existing ten year's work of projects I'd like to explore this further. Somewhere on the twenty year plan is a riverboat along the lines of the Thomas A Edison ...

I'm sure we could squeeze a sternwheel engine and boiler out of the pocketbook and into the model ...

Tony