Help with Steam Engine Comparisons

[sunworksco]

I am interested in buying a steam engine and was wondering about these two engines.
, Stuart triple Expansion and Saito 3DTR Triple.
Can anyone tell me about the build comparisons, HP at the flywheel and pros/cons?
Thanks,
Giovanni

[kno3]

They are very different beasts. The Saito is much smaller and all 3 cylinders receive steam directly. The Stuart is much bigger and a compound (steam gets into the smallest cylinder, from there into the middle one and then in the largest).
You can buy the Saito ready-to-run from the manufacturer, but I don't think you can get the Stuart ready-to-run, only as castings.

[sunworksco]

You are right, only offered as an unmachined castings kit.
I do not understand how the price for the kit is so expensive.
I could understand if it was an unassembled machined kit, machined from 316L stainless-steel and silicon/bronze but not cast iron and steel.
Someone convince me why it is worth : Price: £584.00 (exc VAT)
Thanks,
Giovanni

[kno3]

Perhaps I should also add that I do not consider the Stuart triple expansion compound engine to be suitable for normal sized model boats (up to one meter). It is a very large engine.
The price for the castings is indeed very high. I guess it is a very individual decision if it is worth or not. Stuart engines have a sort of cult status which explains their high prices. If I were to build such an engine (and I'm not saying I actually can), I would probably do it from scratch and save the money for the castings 

[steamboatmodel]

I just looked and you can buy the Drawings,
95145 Stuart Tripe Drawings (3 drawings) £28.50
Then you can make them out of whatever you want.
Personally I wouldn't use anything larger that a D10 in a model boat unless I was going to be riding in it.
Regards,
Gerald.

[sunworksco]

I am building an amphibious vehicle with helical screw drives, with a Stuart Triple on each screw.
It will have a Jules Verne design style.
It can be used as a snow-mobile, too. It will be 60' OAL and will pull a sled behind it.
Thanks,
Giovanni






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBjlSJf4274
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afJ18eJeNgU&feature=related

[mjt60a]

how about something like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irp004zw8pQ&feature=related - but with the 'pontoons' with screws like in those pictures....

[sunworksco]

I would like to use a MaccSteam horizontal boiler with two Part No: 34-50-71382 Stuart Twin Launch Unmachined Sets.
The vehicle will pull a sled/wagon for a person to ride on.
Here is the Stuart Compound Steam Engine build : http://compound.modelengines.info/index.html
Thanks,
Giovanni