Saito Delta Queen Build

[kurlander]

After our trip to Chattanooga TN I put my new photographs of the Delta Queen with my others and made a slide show. This was to compare the blue prints with reality. I found out that the blue prints on the 80 doors did not include door frames so I have to redo the doors. I also saw that the other doors did not include frames. Better now than later.

[kurlander]

For those who have been holding their breath waiting for more posts by me can now exhale. I have been in hiatis due to 2 grandchildren, mother in law having at least 8 strokes, wife falling and breaking her back, and football, rugby and basketball season.
I am now free again until 2 weeks from now when the grandchildren visit again.
One of my last posts dealt with a folding down smoke stack and my solution is a 1.5 inch plumbing pipe and Du-Bro Micro E/Z hinge 937 glued to it at the folding part. The attachment shows a white pipe but will be painted black and the hinge is covered by a cowle.

[kurlander]

My next problem was the 6 rudders and a bow thruster. I finally settled for 3 servos for the rudder and the bow thruster a separet channel. The back two rudders had to have their rods fastened to the sides for if they moved sideways they could wipe out the paddle wheel in the middle of the lake.

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's........ ...& welcome back kurlander

I see the servos & read your text but am a little confused 

The port servo is dual connected to the outboard [two or three?] rudders
The centre servo is tri connected to the inboard three monkey rudders
The stdb servo appears to be also connected to the link arm of the outboard rudders 

I am sure there must be a logical explanation .....just that I cannot see it  ....oh...& are the control rods stainless?.......Derek

[kurlander]

Fast answer. All the rudders are connected together with Y cables so that they all move in the same direction. The two outside servos regulate the back two rudders and the center has the four front rudders.
Every thing runs off a twelve volt garden tractor battery with BEC to the receiver to eliminate extra batteries.

[derekwarner_decoy]

OK...I understand now....the outboard two servos provide a push/pull function & eliminate any tendency for rod buckling.......... .........Derek

[ir3]

Hi PD'rs,

I appreciate the problems you are having with the rudders. I struggled with that problem way back when.

I am revisiting to see if anyone finally answered the question of the thread size for the steam input port for Saito Steam Engines. It seems that this is one of the best kept secrets. I remember Derek had a response but I can not find it at the moment.

I don't quite understand why it is so difficult to get this information. Someone must supply fittings for these engines since Saito does not supply anything with the engine itself.

I still have a T2DR and plan on using it in a Model Slipways Envoy, but pipe fitting hardware for these engines does not appear to exist anywhere.

Thanks guys and please keep the Delta Queen build up to date.

Iran

BTW, it appears that Saito has now introduced a new paddle wheeler loosely based on the Delta Queen.

[derekwarner_decoy]

Iran....I am still plodding on with my Saito Y2DR horizontal engine adding bits & pieces as I go...what was your question again on ...."question of the thread size for the steam input port for Saito Steam Engines"? ....Derek

[ir3]

Hi Derek,

It is totally exasperating. No one in the world know what the fitting size is for the high pressure steam input port on the Saito engines. Everyone I contact who has used one of these engines has no idea of the thread measurement. I have no idea what size tubing and/or tubing nut to be used. If I am correct, you changed the Y2DR with machined parts that you made for the steam input manifold.

Why is it so difficult to find the proper fitting for these engines?

Iran

[derekwarner_decoy]

Iran....it is no secret that the steam tubing thread form on Saito engines is unique  .....my Y2DR steam tubes are as follows

HP inlet = 4.0 mm diameter tube with a 6.81 mm OD captive nut x 0.6 mm pitch thread form ...the two HP fittings have machine manufactured nuts captive by silver soldered bosses on the tube 
LP discharge = 4.0 mm diameter tube with a 6.81 mm OD captive nut x 0.6 mm pitch thread form ...the two LP fittings have rolled machined threads and the tube bosses are from the actual crimped tube

I have checked all conceivable thread form tables...& these are literally bast**d sized .....

From this it is clear that I can match the 4.0 mm OD tubing with 5/32" imperial stock...........Derek
 

[kiwimodeller]

Iran, I remember having the same problem when installing my Saito V4 several years ago. The problem now is that I dont remember exactly what the answer was! I think that what I discovered was :-
1) That 90% of the brass fittings available in those days throughout the world were imperial threads, either Model Engineers Thread or Brass Thread or BSP.
2) There were metric threads used in some countries but they were not all the same, some were ISO - metric and some were not.
3) If my memory is correct the Japanese metric threads were not the same as European (ISO) Metric therefore you are only likely to get the correct threaded part from Japan or by making something.
4) Again relying on distant memory I think the V4 had a 4mm metric fine thread and that the pitch was perhaps 0.7mm. I have just had a look at my cheap Taps and Dies set which was probably made in Asia and it has taps of 4mm x 0.7, 4mm x 0.75 and also 4.5mm x 0.75.
You really need to find some thread gauges that will measure the pitch and then at least you will know what you are looking for. Hope this helps and doesnt just confuse you more. Cheers, Ian.

[kiwimodeller]

Iran, I see Derek has added to the fund of knowledge while I was slowly tapping the keyboard. I can confirm that you can use 5/32 tube (as used on Graham engines) in place of 4mm tube but I have no idea where you will find 4mm x 0.6 taps and dies. regards, Ian.

[kurlander]

My Delta Queen so far.

[kurlander]

Second photograph

[kurlander]

Another view. The walls are 1/8 inch thick wood with plastic sheet that looks like wood siding glued to it.