Topic: XRAD'S 40 inch open steam launch (Read 25900 times)

rhavrane · « **Reply #50 on:** March 13, 2016, 09:32:24 am »

Bonjour,
In France, we have several possibilities to buy propellers but the best come from Propshop. I have personnaly experienced the impact of the choice of an appropriate propeller coupled to a steam machine and saved about 30% of autonomy by using large propellers example HERE
And my launch Liva 1 (7,5 cm3, 1,20 m, 8 kilos) has a 3,5" four blades propeller :

Just one concern, Propshop stops the steam picth to the 2,75" propellers, so my 4,5" propellers for my D10 have a standard pitch as I have no room for 5" propellers. Perhaps should I have tested a five blades but the price becomes

[size=78%] [/size]

xrad · « **Reply #51 on:** March 13, 2016, 04:03:48 pm »

you can adjust propeller pitch, to some degree, by yourself (by eye or with jig). I have done this on several props. Also, when I am unsure of diameter, I buy larger propeller and trim down to what I need. Takes practice and time.

xrad · « **Reply #52 on:** March 26, 2016, 07:51:07 pm »

some fitting out. Epoxied deck to hull. Epoxied prop stuffing tube. Forward and rear ply decks fitted. Once everything dries, I can do a ballast float in the tub....

KNO3 · « **Reply #53 on:** March 27, 2016, 09:41:09 pm »

I like the result of your caulking method. Very nice.

xrad · « **Reply #54 on:** March 28, 2016, 01:52:21 am »

Thanks KNO3. Should be no leak!

bent some 18 gauge steel for boiler base. Brazed on a round steel ring for boiler base. x2 drilled/tapped steel retaining ring for 4-40 stainless screws, which pass into small holes in copper boiler base, holding boiler in place. Copper boiler holes are not tapped, and a few thou oversized, as is the steel retaining ring, allowing for expansion.

Made some diamond plate(tread plate, checker plate) steps to hide some of the underlying metalwork. Apparently, some form of tread plate was used around turn of century on ships....will take the shine off with acid later...

xrad · « **Reply #55 on:** June 05, 2017, 12:54:38 am »

I like this warning, makes me want to clean the dust off my half finished models(was on my other steam launch build)!

Warning - There has been no post in this topic for at least 730 days. Please consider starting a new topic unless you are sure you want to reply.

Ok, deck almost done. Honey stain to give that old timey old wood depth. Will varnish or polyurethane...have not decided yet... Lots of steaming in my homemade wood steamer...just use a wall paper steam remover and hook it into a few plastic pipes. Steam time depends on wood type. Just have to cut out the cap rail for the cockpit and make a few brass parts and the basic topside is done......

xrad · « **Reply #56 on:** June 05, 2017, 11:06:04 pm »

I needed four 1 inch cleats for my launch. I looked through many model supply sites, but could not find the size, quality, or design I wanted. So made these four cleats milled from stock brass in about 2 hours. First, mill stock to height(in my case .3 inch), then run 1/4 ball end down both long sides, then trim off four 1 inch long pieces and mill assembly line style. Using same setup for same cut four times on four cleats. First, ball mill the outside of each cleat horn. Change to a 1/8 end mill and bisect the cleat horns, then flip piece 90 degrees and mill out the inside of each horn with same 1/8th mill. Next, flip cleat into 'horns down' position and using a fly cutter, thin the base or spar . Reverse position and center drill for two mounting holes, one at each end. Using a 'soft' abrasive wheel on my bench grinder, the rough mill cuts were smoothed and a small round finishing file used to open up the horns a bit. Lastly, the bolt holes were drilled through. Just a bit of final filing and polishing to do.

derekwarner · « **Reply #57 on:** June 05, 2017, 11:25:24 pm »

About time!.............these cleats look about 100 years old to the naked eye

......are the mounting drillings countersunk or counterbored?

Will these be fixed with slotted head brass screws

...or blind head rivets & bolted up from below?

Now I also understand this is a work in progress

.....but that boiler top cap [between the red arrows] could use a few coats of stove top black gloss

Derek

xrad · « **Reply #58 on:** June 06, 2017, 06:43:42 pm »

At least someone is paying attention to this build! Yes, slotted brass screws 0-80 size, countersunk....not bolted through. Probably a 'no' on the gloss black...would make my workboat look too good! or....maybe yes...don't really know...

Did decide on dark green gloss hull color...probably with a black or dark red band at rub rails...so maybe the boiler will get gloss black...don;t know yet....

KNO3 · « **Reply #59 on:** June 17, 2017, 10:12:51 am »

You could try semi-gloss paint. Gives a nice and forgiving finish.
By the way, good to see this build moving on.

xrad · « **Reply #60 on:** June 18, 2017, 12:33:30 am »

Thx guys! Mental error: I was calling brass 'chocks' as 'cleats' above...obviously , they are chocks...

Here are two 'bits' (sometimes called 'bitts')....not a cleat, and not a bollard...

Wood for the bits is wild cherry cut from an old dead tree in my yard. I always like to incorporate something from my yard into my wood model builds...don't know why... The deck will be cut, and these passed into deck once location is determined. The post was trimmed/squared to size. The brass cross rod was machined with the rod ends the same diameter as the middle section so that the rod passes through the post without issue.

Landlocked · « **Reply #61 on:** June 18, 2017, 03:33:35 am »

Looking good.

Same basic approach could make some good cleats. Much nicer than my hand filed wooden ones.

Landlocked.

Jerry C · « **Reply #62 on:** June 18, 2017, 08:01:47 am »

In America, chocks, over here, fairleads. Simples.
Jerry.

xrad · « **Reply #63 on:** June 26, 2017, 10:21:18 pm »

Thx guys! Some more building. Sheet mahogany over plywood with basswood edge for seats. Floor will receive wood grating. Waiting on some copper for water reservoir and condenser. Rudder servo under steering gear box, and engine servo to go under one of the seats....

Mounted the cleats and bits....

xrad · « **Reply #64 on:** June 27, 2017, 03:27:15 pm »

did it again.... mounted the 'chocks!' and bits....must be a mental block for me

xrad · « **Reply #65 on:** July 02, 2017, 12:01:49 am »

Deck grating installed.....

Assembly line fashion: Pre-stain the grid pieces(3mm spaces), then four corners glued, then lay one side grid, then the other side, then glue one side and apply to ply decking... ~5-6 hours install time..

derekwarner · « **Reply #66 on:** July 02, 2017, 12:49:57 am »

That +++++ box style wooden grating is very prototypical xrad

......I remember 60+ years ago thinking my feet would fall in between the planks ......

[the open launch had a one Lunger petrol + belt strap over the flywheel to start]

1. What color will you stain the lower hull?.....bilge water green? or a similar tone to the grating itself?

2. What Brand & reference scale are the grating kits....I have a need for a similar quantity in the future

Derek

xrad · « **Reply #67 on:** July 02, 2017, 02:24:08 pm »

Hey DD! Bottom to be dark green....British racing green (or close to it).

Gratings:
http://modelexpo-online.com/Wooden-Ship-Modeling

MS2876 Gratings, 60mm square, 3mm holes

Fast shipping in USA, excellent products.....

xrad · « **Reply #68 on:** July 02, 2017, 07:50:09 pm »

Condenser: 2.5" copper pipe with brass and bronze fittings. Had to make this condenser twice as while brazing the 2nd end cap the first time through, it slid down into pipe and silver-soldered itself in the wrong place. Second time through, I remade the wood end-cap mold a bit tighter, and really annealed/hammered the end cap copper so that the fit was very snug/smooth into the pipe with almost no air gaps.....

steamboatmodel · « **Reply #69 on:** July 02, 2017, 08:22:09 pm »

it looks great.
With the PM engine do the cylinders have cover or is that the outside of the cylinder.
Gerald.

xrad · « **Reply #70 on:** July 02, 2017, 09:32:56 pm »

Thanks! corrugated cover held in place by end caps...

steamboatmodel · « **Reply #71 on:** July 02, 2017, 11:03:56 pm »

Is there room to add thin wood cladding to the outside of the cylinder covers?
I think that would look good and also improve the efficiency slightly.
Gerald.

xrad · « **Reply #72 on:** July 03, 2017, 01:03:58 am »

Hi Gerald. I guess you could add wood. would take a bit of effort as you can't strap the cladding to the cylinders or metal cladding as straps can only go 3/4 way round the cylinders (valve design). Or, you would have to machine a new set of cylinder end covers with wood grooves. Cylinder heat loss is probably the last on the list for improving efficiency. First would be leaky throttle/reverse valve. Second, piston seal friction losses. You could stuff a bit of heat proof exhaust wrap, packing the fibers into the space between the cylinders and the provided metal cladding...

but it definitely would look cool to have wood cladding on this engine....

Baldrick · « **Reply #73 on:** July 04, 2017, 12:48:30 pm »

I have been looking at my PM8 engine and thinking it would look good with some different parts highlighted in colour. I have not yet decided which parts and what colour .

aeronut · « **Reply #74 on:** July 05, 2017, 06:04:37 pm »

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Author Topic: XRAD'S 40 inch open steam launch (Read 25900 times)