My steam engines

[Bunkerbarge]

I thought you guys might be intetrested in a couple of models that I have added to my collection over the years.

The first one is a three cylinder oscillator, mounted on the same crank on a circular plate.  The supply and exhaust is arranged on the rear of the plate in a manifold style of arrangement and all three cylinders drive the same shaft.  Very simple and neat and very interesting to watch.  This was an Ebay purchase a couple of years ago and I have run the engine on compressed air but never flashed up the boiler.  It has obviously been reconditioned, perhaps without paying the required degree of attention to being sympathetic to it's age but I have no idea of it's origins or age.

The second one is probably my favourite engine and I can just sit there and watch it turning over on air.  It was also an Ebay find but I did get to discover that the engine was made from a set of plans published in a Model Engineering Magazine in about 1964.  I actually contacted the magazine and was able to obtain back copies of all six issues that contained the plans.  The model is made exactly according to the published plans and has been very nicely made and put together.  I connect this up to a small air brush compressor and thoroughly enjoy watching it all turning.  It might one day treat it to a bit of a clean but I wouldn't want to spoil it's original "patina" by over polishing or painting so it's not going to look a great deal differrent from as it does now.

[malcolmbeak]

Colin
The article was published in the Model Engineer on November 26th 1953. Are you going to make one?

Malcolm

[colin104]

Since my retirement my goal in life has been to design and build an oscillating steam engine (without) the obligatory spaghetti junction of copper tubes on top.

I have three designs, these pictures are of my V-Twin part built and loosely assembled.









Enjoy.

[colin104]

Melcom
          Many thanks for the information,and yes I will build the engine.
I am a retired engineer,and have managed to put together a small workshop
over the years.My interest in steam started many years ago with a U.S.E unit,
over the last few years i have collected plans and pictures of more unusual steam engine piston arrangements.
I am allways amazed at how many variations engine designers have found of extracting power from steam.
Since retiring i have designed three oscillating steam engines,the objective in designing
these engines,is to remove the usual spaghetti junction of copper pipe routing
the steam.I achieved this by moving all steam routing inside the engine including
forward stop and reverse,in two I managed to incorporate a displacement lubricator
not easy lots of hours on computer only a few Eureka moments.
These Engines are well advanced now,wont no weather i have succeeded until first run.
Engines originally intended for small batch production,unfortunately with price of metal plus
the credit crunch this has been put on hold. Would like to upload pictures when I find out how
(have uploaded with help from my grandson)
                                        Regards Colin

[malcolmbeak]

Very impressive Colin

Several years ago I built a V twin double acting oscillator with no external pipework. All the passages are drilled inside the main frame with the regulator/reversed mounted on top.
More recently a single acting triple paddle engine. There are a couple of short lengths of pipe connecting the r/r to the engine. Following on from the triple, a single using the same valving method.

Malcolm

[malcolmbeak]

Woops missed a couple of shots

[colin104]

Malcolm
           Great engines especially the triple,must be a treat to watch at low revolutions.Still trying to work out the valve in the small single acting engine.Perhaps if you have time,a video post of some of your engines running if that's aloud. Referring back to the information you posted on the simplest steam engine.I have secured a copy of model engineer November 26th 1953 from e-bay member (cromersimpson),if anybody is interested he can be found by typing in model engineer magazine on e-bay.He appears to have quite a large stock.
                                         Regards Colin