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[Mad_Mike]

Its been a while since i updated this thread. After the last failure i hadnt had a lot to say, I did actually have another go at building an IC engine but still had issues with getting a good compression. So ill leave IC engines for now and go back to what i was originally doing. Steam power. To get back into the saddle ive started with something basic, a single oscilator with a 5/8 bore and 3/4 stroke. Ive not done a video but youl have to take my word for it that it runs. With Christmas looming i have to save my money so nothing adventurous.

[Mad_Mike]

Right now where were we? oh ye, building an engine for a boat. Since I last posted here ive built 2 more, one failure and another oscilator, but no matter what direction i take i simply cannot get my engines to perform. Yes they run but they do not produce any usable power, at least not for marine use anyway. I therefore have resorted back to the engine i received from frazer and slightly modified it to suit my needs. I have been experimenting with propellers and flywheels for the engine. Ive designed an adapter to go onto my steam engine output shafts (machined by frazer) so i can use large m10 penny washers as flywheels. The penny washers allow me to add and subtract weight accordingly. The best results came from 5 washers threw to a 42mm 2 blade prop with a 42 28 propeller, dunno what 28 is, it looks about 1.4 or 1.5 to me.

[Mad_Mike]

The boiler has also been worked on, with the initial intention of fitting it in a tug boat, i built a box to go over to funnel the heat away. Its made from an aluminium DVD player which i found in the ten foot round the corner, saved me a couple quid that find did. Ive used rivets to hold it togeather. At first it did have issues with getting the burnt gases out and the flames were being poisoned, Ive managed to over come those issues by funneling the fummes out better using a foil serving plate.

[Mad_Mike]

I had seriously underestimated how much power would be needed to run a fully operational steam tug boat and have had to unwillingly accept the fact that it cannot be done or a budget. At least i cant anyway. Not completely defeated to run steam on a budget ive turned towards launches, with a bit of inspiration from the wide awake build and the river queen boat ive desgined and started the build proces of a small river launch to suit my engine.  A very simple, hard chined, flat bottomed hull, admittedly its crude and basic but seening as im not planing anywhere i dont see the point in going complex. 

[pettyofficernick]

Good evening Mike, that is a neat little boat you have made there, It should go ok, just keep  it as light as possible. Nice looking engine too.
Keep up the good work,
Regards,
Nick.

[Mad_Mike]

the engine was frazers, i just changed it a bit. i wanted a vic smeed river queen at first but its a bit on the large side and not in the mood for a full blown plank on frame build. I considered a rose by basil harely but my heart is set on the style of the river queen. Thanks for the compliments and the interest 

[Mad_Mike]

I done a bit more progress, mainly the bottom and the propshaft. An area that needed rethinking was the engine, As it was the prop angle would have been too steep, therefor i had to moidify the floor so the engine could be recessed at angle.
Its coming along

[Mad_Mike]

 Quite often i dont allways think things threw properly and this case was no different. I made the rudder out of brass and screwed it to the back. I was pretty adament i wanted the rudder hung on the transom rather than going threw the deck at the stern and it soon dawned on me that my usual linkage methods wouldnt work in this case, not without either the servo coming too far forward, a rubber boot poking out the back or a crank jutting out the side of the rudder post. A pulley and chain was a considered option but i still would have had issues. I tried something different and went with a fork, the fork is the hinged on the inside of the hull on the transom, it pivots side to side and moves the tiller on the rudder. The fork then is connected to a servo mounted sideways in the boat. This probably seems a little excessive but i want the to back seat to be against the transom and the servo to not come out from under the seat. The fork needed to be a little wide to allow for the tiller to angle in it at hard port and starboard. 

[Mad_Mike]

Once that was out of the way i contiued with the wood work. I started with a panel in the hull to cover up the mess at the back but still allow for service access to the rudder linkage. I then designed and fitted a removable seat to allow access to the servo and radio compartment. With the seat on all modern electric gizmos are completely out of the way.

[pettyofficernick]

Very neat rudder arrangement, I am thinking along those lines for the African Queen.....

[Mad_Mike]

I finished off the bulwarks and added a step/seat at the front for a bit of feature. I reckon im nearly done with the woodwork side.

[Mad_Mike]

Very neat rudder arrangement, I am thinking along those lines for the African Queen.....

Thanks although i forgot to note that the allowance in the fork for the tiller means that when the rudder is straight its a little slack and wiggles 4 or 5 degs. Im not worried though because the boat will be slow and wont be noticable.

[pettyofficernick]

Are you ok for weight? will you have enough power to make it go? Try it out in the bath....

[Mad_Mike]

Im fairly hopeful. The hull as you see it now is 600 grams (1 1/4 lbs  in old money). I tested the boiler in a cat litter tray with a slab flat front it weighed in at fairly lofty 3 kg (6 1/2 lb) full laiden. I managed to get roughly 5 inches per second or 0.3 mph. This hull though fully laiden should be around 1.8 kg ( 4lb), it also pointy and narrower than the tray. I reckon ill get nearly double the speed. well see.

[pettyofficernick]

Fit R/C to the cat litter tray, a purrfect way to demonstrate the power of your engine

[Mad_Mike]

I used the cat food as ballast 

[pettyofficernick]

I used the cat food as ballast 

Better than the cat litter. Was the cat on board at the time?

[Mad_Mike]

No the cat keeps a distance ever since i tried to fit rc to her.

[Circlip]

Thanks although i forgot to note that the allowance in the fork for the tiller means that when the rudder is straight its a little slack and wiggles 4 or 5 degs. Im not worried though because the boat will be slow and wont be noticable.

  Another method to get  rid of the "Slop", - use a ball joint clevis, through hole type with hole on ball slid onto tiller arm. Would have meant a larger slot in deck, but slop free.
 Another meaning for slop. Oscillators are sloppy little b*****s when running, you're gonna need a few coats of He-poxy to oil proof the insides of the hull. 
 
  Regards  Ian

[Mad_Mike]

  Another method to get  rid of the "Slop", - use a ball joint clevis, through hole type with hole on ball slid onto tiller arm. Would have meant a larger slot in deck, but slop free.
 Another meaning for slop. Oscillators are sloppy little b*****s when running, you're gonna need a few coats of He-poxy to oil proof the insides of the hull. 
 
  Regards  Ian

I have no doubt that a ball a joint would work as would a few other alternatives but the arc of the fork would also mean that the ball would need some up and down alowance aswell as side ways. Its only a bit of slop, I was just using what i had to hand or easily source and this was just the solution that came to mind. Besides i dont want to start cutting things up again and being skint now dont help either. 
On the other hand though im familiar with the sloppy ness of oscilators and is something to think about although this isnt too bad. Im painting the entire boat in rustins yacht varnish. The engine with be sat in an aluminium tray to catch any mess, If it does slop then it only be a few spatters. 

[Circlip]

Up and down movement is catered for by allowing ball joint housing to slide up and down on a plain peg, not a screwed one.
 
  Regards  Ian

[Mad_Mike]

Been painting. I cant tell you how much i detest painting, everytime i paint my boats i 9 times out of 10 ruin em . I just havent got the patience for it, I like to be getting on with the job and I quite often litterally find myself waiting, watching the paint dry!! Ive painted my boat in yacht varnish, little did I know it takes twice as long to go off than normal paint! But anyway here it is:
 
 

[Mad_Mike]

There are some marks on the underside of the hull where the paint wasnt quite dry and i tried to rub it down too early. I made a mess off the paint and it got dirty so i cleaned it with some thinners, that then started peeling the paint off. Marvelous Ill just leave it for now then come back to it in a day or 2.
Im half tempted to add some deck fittings to it but im not sure. I still want the boat to be light but it looks a bit bland   I suppose birch ply just doesnt look as nice varnished as a nice bit of oak or mahogany. Overall its nearly done.

[frazer heslop]

Looking rather nice Mike
I also hate painting nothing but problems Iv painted Victorias hull but dare not paint the water line as the whole lot always reacts

Good luck with the rest of the build
 

[Mad_Mike]

oh crumbs ive painted the entire hull in yacht varnish. Ill see what happens . Ive made some cleats and fitted them to the the bow and stern, ive also re painted the bottom and the areas that went funny. Should be allright now. I dont want to fit too many details as i tend to break them off during transport so im keeping it basic but functional. Almost toy like. At the end of the day i still want  a live steam tug boat, until i get the means to do it this has been a very productive learning project.