Saito Delta Queen Build

[ir3]

Hi PD'rs,

I hope this is not panic time.  The product I am using is Stay-Brite Silver Solder. It has a melting point of 430 degrees F (221 degrees C). It finishes with a silver color. With operating temps of 150 degrees C, I assume that the connections will be safe. This product required a butane torch to get the right melting temperature. My hottest soldering iron did not come close to melting the silver solder. A Google search for silver soldering shows some products that have melting points of 1100 degrees F but this is mostly for gun smithing. What do the experienced steam fitters suggest. What I have done so far can certainly be undone.

Thanks,

Iran

[derekwarner_decoy]

  ir3.......we don't have this Stay-Brite Silver Solder in OZ hence never seen a SILVER coloured silver solder 

@ 221 degrees C melting point it should retain it's operational strength to >> 80% of MP or be OK @ 176 degrees C ......Derek

[steamboatmodel]

I have used Stay Brite Silver Bearing Solder for model construction and some repairs on brass boilers. It is stronger than normal soft solder but is not a true silver solder as generally understood, its main composition is tin with only 3 to 6% silver. I would use it on steam lines, but not for the main construction of a boiler.
http://watchmaking.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/7/9/1179986/staybright_solder_spec_sheet.pdf
Regards,
Gerald.

[ir3]

Hi PD'rs,

It has been a while. Too many annoyances getting in the way of the build. I've done some painting and construction on the main cabin and  will post some pics when I make a little more progress.

Is there a source for Saito Boiler pressure gauges? Sources for Saito parts seems to be the worlds' best kept secret.

Updates coming soon,

Iran

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's......ir3.....you don't need to use a Saito manufactured or branded gauge..... ....any model steam gauge will suffice  ...but I think they are all made in the same factory somwhere in Europe & branded in house names

I am sure that Winfried could manufacture a 4 mm OD tube silver solder through tee with the bottom leg pre fitted with the required siphon U leg & pre fitted with a pressure gauge

The cheaper alternative would be to purchase a packet of four DUBRO nickle plated "Dura" collars....to suit 5/32" shaft Pt No 140....drill out the grubscrew hole to suit you required siphon U leg & install a locally  stocked model pressure gauge.....Derek

[kurlander]

I am also building the Delta Queen but with the Hartman plans. Saw the two questions 1) wood deck 2) cabin on bow. The deck is Ironwood from Siam and the outside is painted tar black  with red over it so the grain can not be seen.  It has a small curvature so that after each trip in the Bay they could wash it down fast for the next trip. The King and Queen were overnight ferry boats that carried cars and did leak oil.
The cabin at the bow held 42 bunk beds for males and the cabins held 200 passengers.

[kurlander]

As I build the Delta Queen I have many questions about how to build it. The smoke stack retracts down for high water and low bridges. I went to Keokuk, Iowa several years ago for the Riverboat festival but when I arrived I found that the Delta Queen was in Hannibal Missouri because of the high water and could not get to Keokuk. I drove down to Hannibal just in time for the bell rang and horn sounded to tell that it was going to sail. I took as many photographs as I could and as it approached the bridge the smoke stack retracted into it self and barely went under the bridge. Thanks to GPS.
I am using a 7 channel transmitter and want to know if anyone knows or has an idea of how to build a retractable stack. 

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's......kurlander ...a few questions.....

1. what scale DQ are you building?
2. what are the model size/s of the funnels?.........diameters & total height
3. do the funnels fold down as a pair? or are they telescopic as a pair?

Either way...either style........they can be build using Bowden type cables ....taking s leaf from the aero guys......let us know the method of retraction & I will provide a simple sketch.......Derek

[kurlander]

Thanks in advance. The scale is 1/50
I have put a photograph to show the stack. The narrow part drops down into the fat part and the antenna folds down. I was thinking of making the small tube longer and below inside the deck put some form of gear to raise the tube.

 

[derekwarner_decoy]

kurlander ...we can certainly see vertical slides on the STDB side of the chimney stack........

Following mud map is one way of lowering & raising your inner chimney stack

1. we have a fixed outer & fixed inner tube stacks
2. we have an inner telescopic tube stack
3. it has a fixed spider which connects to the control cable
4. the cable is a Du-BRO product No 165 [from any model shop]
5. it connects to a standard servo...which pushes & pulls the semi rigid cable to elevate or lower the inner stack
6. if you are using a programable Tx ...you could pre program the vertical travel  ....Derek

PS the reason for turning the image 90 degrees was to get a larger view & text

[Eddy Matthews]

Sorry Derek, but that would never work....

A flexible cable is fine if your pulling it, but if you push it it will simply buckle - It would need a rigid link from the servo to be able to push the funnel up. Alternatively you could use some rack and pinion track if there was enough space to install it below the funnel?

Regards
Eddy

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's....  ...I acknowledge that I have no aero experience with cables...but do have 40 ++ years of marine experience in both commercial and naval roles in various forms of power transmision applications

A widely used method of simple low energy linear power movement is via "bowden cables" as previously offered in my posting on June 01, 2011, 04:35:06 PM

If one were to research  "bowden cables" it would be clear that they must be constrained at ends or extremities to prevent buckling

From this I do believe such a Du-BRO product No 165 bowden style cable is worth considering for the application question by kurlander ....Derek

[Eddy Matthews]

With some modification, it would be possible to use bowden cables - But it would have to be designed as a closed loop "Push-pull" system so that one of the cables was always pulling, much like aero modellers often use on an aircraft rudder.

Eddy

[Harold H. Duncan]

Hi Eddy and Derek,
Sorry Eddy, have to go with Derek on this one.
I haven't used the steel cable varient, but have used the cheeper nylon inner (about 1.5mm dia) running inside a nylon sleeve, as a single push-pull control on a couple of 1m span flying models for rudder and elevator control. Single cable for each.
In this funnel raising use, the funnel would have to be free running as any binding would lock it up and bend the inner outside the end fittings, which would best be kept as short as possible. ie the end of the outer clamped very near to the funnel fixing and at the servo end.
The only downside is that the further the end if the inner travels from the end of the outer, the more likely the inner is to bend if the funnel meets any obstruction.
cheers
kiwi

[Eddy Matthews]

I agree that the nylon "snakes" would work Harry - But as you rightly say it would have to be very free running!

Eddy