DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE

[Eddy Matthews]

Just had a small success. My daughter had decided to get married church and hotel booked!!! Why cry that is supposed to be the mothers job. Sept 3th, no good for me, as that is the day I will be on my way to PADDLE DAY 2011. Well the shot gun worked, so the big day will be 14 May.

Now that's what I call dedication! 

Well done Geoff, I'll look forward to seeing you on the big day - Paddler Day that is, not the wedding day!

Regards
Eddy

[R.G.Y.]

I had lost interest in the Duke just a little, knowing I would miss the big day. But now I should be able to make it enthusiasm has returned. This lull usually occurs some where in the middle of a build, but posting here has kept me going. Having removed the works to run in on the bench engine construction can be seen.
P1 engine ready to run.
P2 the main frame 1"+3/8" brass. P3 plan view.
P4&P5 crank 1/4"SS with 1/8" SS pins. 1" throw. Inlet & outlet ports.
P6 cylinders 5/8" hex brass 10BA bolts. Pistons 1/2" bronze. Note the reversing plate I had no milling machine at the time, it was suggested the passages should be cut straight. My method cut slots in a 1/16" plate and silver solder another 1/16" plate to it incorporating the control leaver. 
P7 The clamps which hold it all together. GEOFF

[Mercury]

Geoff,

Great to see the build of the engine as well as the model. Real engineering. Look forward to seeing it a paddler day.

Richard

[R.G.Y.]

Firing up the boiler failed. Not enough air in the casing for the poker to remain alight. The flames burn lovely out the small gaps in the case. Good job I have taken it out of the boat. After the gas is turned off the thermalite block remains alight having trapped gas in the air holes. Flames every where except where wanted.
Courses of action to be considered. Cut holes in the case. Easy but will let the heat out not good in a wooden hull. Could line but have a weight penalty.
Option two, fit a blower. I saw one on a site somewhere. A small electric motor with a fan. Small weight gain only.
Favorite revert to a blow torch this works OK. This will have to wait as I have blown up my lathe.

[R.G.Y.]

Making a smoke machine, as seen on a site somewhere. R.G.Y.

[R.G.Y.]

Continuing with experiments with the smoke machine. The motor came from an electric tooth brush and will run on one AA battery. How ever it is to efficient blowing the smoke out to thinly. So a small rheostat controls the speed. Difficult to photograph smoke it looks better in reality. Failing to get black smoke at the present. Sorry Eddy Plastic tape around the four jose sticks would burn black but the sticks aren't hot enough. The plastic melts and puts the sticks out. R.G.Y.

[mjt60a]

....Plastic tape around the four jose sticks would burn black but the sticks aren't hot enough. The plastic melts and puts the sticks out....

just a thought, I haven't tried it, but I wonder if safety firework lighters could be coated with gum-type adhesive then fine coal dust and allowed to dry...

[R.G.Y.]

Worth a try Mick. I am still sorting the bugs out of the power plant in the Duke. As the whole thing is a prototype. Sorted the burner by packing the holding plate off a 1/4" letting sufficient air in for a beautiful blue flame.  Geoff

[R.G.Y.]

Sorry Mick the coal smoke is still gray. Geoff

[mjt60a]

Oh you tried it then! I couldn't get the safety lighters at this time of year (incense sticks probably work well enough to test the theory I guess - but smell unrealistic!
The grey smoke would probably be good enough for me though for a first model with smoke and not really enough room for an electric smoke generator) but other substances could be tried out..... how about a sanding disc in a drill to make 'rubber dust' from an old tyre.... or would it burn too hot and catch fire.... just another idea (and it would probably smell terrible) 

[R.G.Y.]

Mick, I must confess I didn't try with safety lighters, just set light to some coal dust. Plastic or rubber is the way to get black smoke, the problem is a high enough temperature. Next experiment will be four incense sticks wired together, with match heads spaced along the length next to a piece of plastic or rubber. I am hoping this will give a puff of black smoke periodically.The beauty of the smoke machine above is it takes very little room and can be positioned anywhere in the model with flexible pipe to the funnel. Using a tooth brush motor it runs off one AA battery. All very light. I have had to alter the design as to much draft blows the smoke to thinly. No draft and the sticks will go out in the small tube. The face plate removed and only a two bladed fan works in this case.
 I am still experimenting with the boiler, the trouble now is the feed clack valve will suddenly vibrate and release the pressure. Also I noted an interesting thing when I was sorting the burner. After the burner went out  the Thermalite block released a lovely blue flame, as the unburnt gas was set alight. So I am thinking could it be used as a ceramic burner?? I am sure Derek will know if he is watching.

[Eddy Matthews]

I'm not sure that burning rubber or plastic would be a good idea, they both give off carcinogenic fumes when burning! Not to mention the smell!

Regards
Eddy

[R.G.Y.]

Right Eddy, you wanted black smoke.  I wasn't thinking about the fumes. But by the time the plastic or rubber burns the boat should be out of harms way. I am only thinking of a puff now and then. The incense sticks have to burn down an inch as the match heads will ignite when the ends are lit. then another half inch to stop the rest going off. Insulation tape gives the best result, but to much and the sticks go out. As below to much tape and to near the end.  Geoff

[Eddy Matthews]

Lets be honest Geoff, it just has to be black smoke for a paddler!

The hull for my next project has just arrived this morning, which will need black smoke to look right! I'll post details about it later today....

Regards
Eddy

[R.G.Y.]

Have you any ideas Eddy . Geoff