Just a quick reminder to let everyone know that there are full plans for dozens of steam engines and boilers etc in the "Downloads" section of this website...

Please feel free to make use of them, and if you build one, tell us about it!

Could you pick one or two  Horizontals that may have been on, or fit  the Charlotta Dundas? No hurry, thank you

Hi
I am new to model boats and the the dark world of live steam engines.
Could you help me please, and tell me the best first engine to build? I do have a lathe and milling machine
but have very little experience in machining,
I would rather build from stock bar metal than buy casting.
look forward to your reply thanks MIKE.

Sorry I missed that one, Will look for it coming back on ebay.
Thanks MIKE.

Personally I would steer clear of the sort of adverts like that.

Usually they are either illegal copyright plans or absolute rubbish gathered together by someone who knows nothing about real steam engines and model boats.

The engine he is showing in the ad is a rather complex one, and would most probably require castings or a lot of experience to make, plus only being a single cylinder, is only good for forwards only, unless a rather complicated reversing gear was fitted. Most probably from plans dated around the 50's or 60's.

You say nothing of the type of engine you want to build, whether an easy, get you into the right frame of mind one or something that is a bit more difficult and can be put to good use afterwards.

John

Hi to all modellers, I am a new entry! First of all excuse me for my bad english..
Just few days ago I ended to build a double cylinder engine for boats. I download the plane (very detailed) here:
http://membres.lycos.fr/vapeurlanguedoc/plans.htm.
It is a very intresting site where you can find a lot of informations planes and so on. As soon as the engine will be tested I'll post more details.

I had plans from model boats magazine I think(back in the 80's) and now lost in time. for a 3 cylinder radial engine.

This has a shaft valve arrangement  and about 4" in dia and length.

Does anyone remember this?

Hi Mike
  All model engineers have to start with the basics,drilling tapping marking out.Progressing to straight forward turning and
milling.Lots of books on the internet covering all areas,I would recommend  the Workshop practice series.Engines for
first time builders,would advise simple oscillator.Tryhttp://npmccabe.tripod.com/steam.htmthere are free plans
available.There is nothing better than watching an engine you have built running.Please keep us posted on your progress.

Another site to find free plans on is http://www.john-tom.com/index.html
Look under Steam Engine Plans and then Elmer's Engines Plans. A couple of good ones to start are the Wobbler or the Live Steam Engine and Boiler.
Regards,
Gerald.

Hi all

I found this page today which carries detailed plan(s) of steam engines etc. from the 1830's. Of French origin so all notes in French.

http://www.all-model.com/Steam%20engines.html

Cheers....Bernie

Hi PD's.....& thanks Bernie...........I had viewed this site listing some years ago...& then lost it 

One of the aspects of the designs portrayed is the elementry flow of the engine components & interconnecting pipe work  ...as drawn to be pieces of ART & not simply pieces of mechanical  blocks ....

It is also very interesting to see the Drawing standards applied in earlier years where we have hard dimensional references intertwined with artistic representation & all of this before AutoCAD...........I think the work is  brillant 


Derek

Yes...they are works of art in themselves as are the boat plans in other sections of the site.

Also this site has a blow-by-blow guide on how to rig etc. period model boats...invaluable...and it's free!!!

Large archive of drawings on Steam topic http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1740816

Thanks for sharing BlackAlex.

Hi Eddy,
I joined this site to research stuff for my next model, PS Pevensey, however I seem not able to access the information and plans I need at this stage. Would you be able to direct me to a suitable resource that I can access to obtain some formula for calculating the required boiler sizes and efficiencies for supplying a three cylinder single acting steam engine of 12 x 36mm
Regards
Bob