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Author Topic: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts  (Read 2335 times)

KNO3

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Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« on: November 13, 2020, 01:25:09 pm »

I came across the orphaned engine standard of a Cheddar Pintail or Pelican engine (the standard is identical for both engines, only the cylinders are of different diameter, 9 and 11mm). Somebody disassembled it for painting and later the cylinders got lost.

Pintail and Pelican, like all oscillating engines from Cheddar, were sturdy and reliable. And since the standard was basically as new, I decided to rebuild it into an engine.

After some consideration, I decided to rebuild it as a Pintail, because of the smaller working volume of 2 cc, as opposed to 4 cc in case of the Pintail. Half the working volume equates to half the quantity of steam consumed at a given rpm, meaning a smaller boiler can be used or, with the same boiler, enjoy a longer running time. In my opinion, a 2 cc engine can easily drive a boat up to 70-80 cm length and, if the hull is of slender shape, even up to 100 cm. So a Pintail seems the more useful engine to have unless one has quite a large model steam boat.

This is what I have to work with. The dark red paint is quite nice, but it is unfortunately chipped in several places.
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DBS88

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2020, 02:12:35 pm »

Interesting project, are you going to strip the paint? If so I just experimented with some cheap paint stripper from Wilko's it cost £3 for 500ml and did a fine job of removing three layers of paint from a gas tank that I wanted to smarten up. It saved me a small fortune compared to a leading brand.
I do have some spare springs from a cheddar puffin engine, I guess they will fit the steam valve but may not be suitable for the cylinders, if you would like 1 or 3, let me have your address and I will put them in the post for you. My spares bucket does not appear to contain anything else that may be of use to you at the moment.
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KNO3

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2020, 02:31:40 pm »

Thank you for the kind offer! I have sourced the missing parts already.

I have used a paint stripper and removed all paint. Whoever assembled it first, used Loctite on the extension pipe for the lubricator. I was very difficult to remove, I had to use heat and quite a lot of brute force.

Now I am repainting it, just sprayed the etch primer.
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KNO3

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2020, 07:11:50 pm »

The project goes on. After stripping off the old paint and scrubbing the more stubborn bits, I put the part in an acid bath for an hour to get it as clean as possible. Then, using gloves to avoid leaving finger grease on the brass, I masked off the areas that need no paint and cut the masking tape to size. I also plugged all holes to keep the paint off. In one of the holes I have threaded a long wooden stick, which I use to rotate the part around while spraying it with paint.
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KNO3

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2020, 07:35:56 pm »

Now the painting process. First coat was the etch primer, which has a strange colour, but not a bad match for the topcoat.
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KNO3

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2020, 07:39:48 pm »

And this is the final colour, my "trademark" green. After spraying I also baked the part in the oven for 45 min at 100°C, to cure the paint.
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KNO3

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2020, 07:43:49 pm »

Meanwhile I have also sourced the cylinders (9x11 mm) for the Pintail from Jerry at Clevedon Steam, as well as the other necessary parts.
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rhavrane

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2020, 07:49:14 pm »

Bonjour Calin,
Great idea to have your own color, will you use it for your motorcycle too  ok2  ?
Besides this, it is very convenient to be able to find parts if needed, that allow interested and skilled people like you to build by themselves :-))


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Raphaël
Raphaëlopoulos Steam Lines UnLimited
Membre du Modele Yacht Club de Paris http://mycparis.fr/
Membre de l'Offshore Club de Paris : http://site-ocparis.wifeo.com/
My YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/rhavrane

KNO3

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2020, 07:53:51 pm »


Thank you Raphael! I might use it if I repaint my bicycle in the future :-)

Assembly is not complicated. One needs to apply some Loctite to the connecting rod big ends and the threads of the pivoting shafts of the cylinders, so they don't come apart due to vibrations. I haven't used loctite on the steam connectors as had been done previously, so they can be removed easily. I have installed two fibre gaskets, although Teflon tape is also a very good sealant in this application.


That's what the finished engine looks like now:
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KNO3

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2020, 07:55:40 pm »

And also a video of the engine running on air:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSCNKYQKjCs
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DBS88

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #10 on: November 13, 2020, 08:40:12 pm »

Very tidy job well done

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KNO3

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2020, 11:47:11 am »

Thanks!


Here a few daylight pictures of the new Pintail engine. I think the real colour comes across better than in the previous pictures, which were taken with electric light.

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Mark T

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2020, 02:23:07 pm »

What a lovely transformation  - nice job

derekwarner

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #13 on: November 14, 2020, 08:21:19 pm »

Beautiful photography on the engine Calin :-)) .........we even see %)  genuine 3 ply planks on the wooden pallet .... Derek
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Derek Warner

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KBIO

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #14 on: November 15, 2020, 10:18:47 am »

Hello!
Good job! Very clean!
 ok2

KNO3

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #15 on: November 15, 2020, 10:23:05 am »

Thank you all!
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rhavrane

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #16 on: November 15, 2020, 10:33:49 am »

Bonjour Calin
Perhaps could you share with us a little test on steam as you have boilers othewise  ok2  ?
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Raphaël
Raphaëlopoulos Steam Lines UnLimited
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KNO3

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Re: Building a Cheddar Pintail v-twin steam engine from parts
« Reply #17 on: November 15, 2020, 02:50:29 pm »

Hello,  can't do a steam test because I have packed all my boilers and engines. This is the last project done in the current workshop, I just wanted to finish it before moving.

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