Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Steam => Topic started by: pettyofficernick on September 18, 2015, 06:33:58 pm

Title: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: pettyofficernick on September 18, 2015, 06:33:58 pm
I have not done much boat building of late, the last being the African queen. I have been dabbling in the black art of model engineering. So, after refurbishing Victoria with a new engine and a coat of paint to get her  ready to sell I have made a start on the Mountfleet Sealight  1/32 Puffer kit I got at Haydoch 2013. I have seen a few puffers running on steam, but the boiler is invariably in the cargo hold, and being one for a challenge, decided I was going to put the boiler in the boiler room and the engine in the engine room, well, near as damn it anyway. I have a little 3 inch x 6 inch vertical boiler, which is a slightly modified Tubal Cain Henry design, and for the engine, the old Victoria engine, now rebuilt with new pistons, con rods and big ends. It was clapped out after 4 years of constant use but now is as good as new. It was all going to be a tight squeeze but so far, so good, just need to find room for a seperator tank. I will use a stove type gas canister and a can valve for fuel, this can sit in the hold. I have made the quarter deck removable so if in the future anything major needs doing, I can lift the whole assembly off. For the purposes of this excercise, I put the deck on first and worked through the hole, if I can get it all in that way, I should be ok. a couple of 22mm offset end feed plumbing fittings was all that was needed to re route the funnel, and the only compromise I have made is to move the funnel 1/4" forward, and lift the superstructure by 1/4", none of which should be noticeable unless some smart Alec takes a ruler to it. I will stop waffling now and put in some photos of progress so far, I only really started yesterday so not done too bad so far....
(http://s19.postimg.org/j2tbouqdv/20150918_140910.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/h8gh743df/20150918_140835.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/88gh0nwnn/20150918_140921.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/wg1257klv/20150918_141058.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/ixu5sx8gj/20150918_141015.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/u6cxugbo3/20150918_140958.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/vnye60ger/20150918_141621.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/vg65vrg2b/20150918_141725.jpg)
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: Jerry C on September 18, 2015, 06:57:09 pm
Looking forward to this build PO.
Jerry.
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: pettyofficernick on October 06, 2015, 09:11:46 am
Got the position of engine and boiler finalised now so today I can start making it permanent. The next, and probably trickiest part, is shoehorning all the other bits in, seperator tank, lubricator, servos etc....
 (http://s19.postimg.org/88pns5bf7/Sealight_engine1.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/br1nojcb7/Sealight_engine2.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/lzu4ud0cz/Sealight_engine3.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/bgu556xoz/Sealight_engine4.jpg)
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: pettyofficernick on October 09, 2015, 06:02:27 pm
Next job knock up a lubricator. It was quite obvious that if it was attached directly to the engine I would not be able to reach it for emptying/filling, so it is positioned next to the stop valve, when the superstructure is off, it is easily accessible.

(http://s19.postimg.org/6r8subw2b/Installation_3.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/6okbtr30z/Installation_2.jpg)
The copper tube is for an oil seperator tank, this I intend to fix to the inside of the hull under the deck, with a screwed lid coming up through the deck, disguised as a bucket or similar. It will be about where it is now, but inside. I have also made a little hood to sit on top of the safety valve, it will, in due course, be piped to the safety valve pipe on the front of the funnel.....

(http://s19.postimg.org/y0fkv37rn/Installation4.jpg)
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: pettyofficernick on October 12, 2015, 06:29:38 pm
Servos now fitted, just got to do the seperator and hopefully, weather permitting, trials Wednesday.I think I may need to have a slight rethink re the safety valve pipe, it seems to be stopping the casing from sitting snugly...

(http://s19.postimg.org/kstz7dedv/servos.jpg)

(http://s19.postimg.org/h6o5uq80j/servos2.jpg)

 (http://s19.postimg.org/46ceyalg3/lid_on.jpg)

 for my next project......

(http://s19.postimg.org/9ryu2cm4z/Kingdon.jpg)
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: pettyofficernick on October 14, 2015, 05:21:51 pm
First trials today....
https://youtu.be/6ctx97drOXk
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: dave301bounty on October 14, 2015, 06:38:24 pm
Nick ,I like your effort ,you have got a good determination ,well done . :-))
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: Netleyned on October 14, 2015, 06:47:43 pm
Looks really good Nick.
Wish our pond had been as smooth as that today.
We had a North Easterly 20 Knots and darn chilly >>:-(

Ned
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: pettyofficernick on October 14, 2015, 07:34:38 pm
Thanks Ned, you sheltered our side of the country from the nasty ol wind...
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: SailorGreg on October 15, 2015, 08:57:26 am
Nicely done Nick.  That really is a quart in a pint pot, and very neat too.  I'm looking forward to seeing the finished puffer puffing merrily.  :-))

Greg
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: muleears on February 02, 2016, 02:44:34 am
Beautiful work Nick!  I look forward to the finished version.
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: pettyofficernick on February 02, 2016, 10:24:36 am
Thanks Cal, progress slowed down due to arthritic hands, hopefully will get going again once weather warms up a bit and hands feel better.....
Title: Re: Steam powered Sealight, or how to fit a quart into a pint pot....
Post by: KNO3 on April 09, 2016, 01:25:55 pm
Nice to see a the steam plant installed in a puffer where it belongs and not in the cargo hold. I'll follow your thread with interest.