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[Artfull dodger]

Picked up this nice looking teal colored live steam tug.  Never been on the water as I had to ballast and balance it or it would just roll over on its side in the water.   Mamod pot boiler with an alcohol burner under it and a Midwest Products single acting wobbler engine.  Some upgrades are planned. Starting with a twin cylinder engine with oiler and throttle/reverse.  Going to try to keep using the boiler thats in it for now.  I added working nav lights on the wheelhouse roof, will get lights on the mast and else were once I make a new mast and such.  Still have to set up the servo linkage to the ruddar.   While not super realstic in these colors, it is very beautiful in person with the staining and teal paint.   

[SteamboatPhil]

That is very nice, looking forward to seeing your upgrades

[Artfull dodger]

Will be putting a second hand Cheddar Puffin twin with throttle/direction valve and oiler in to replace the single cylinder engine with no throttle and no oiler.  Might put a Bix ceramic butane burner under the boiler if the alcohol cannot keep up with steam demand.  But I know the single goes in to hyper drive out of the water.  I have rudder linkage made up, just need a servo and make a mount inside once the engine is replaced.  Then I can make a drying rack/rudder arm cover on the stern deck.  Also adding working lights and replacing the broken off aft mast here soon.  Gonna keep her teal but probably mask off at the water line for anti fouling paint below the water line.   If that boiler gives up, a Saito OB1 boiler with a nice uptake will replace it.  Not enough room for much that is internally fired in a 24" long tug!     Mike

[Cadser]

Oh. Thats nice.  I fancy having a go at bread and butter construction. They look solid when made.  Someone made a nice job of that. 


B

[Artfull dodger]

They did and I suspect its very old.  Reminds me of some of the tugs that Bassett Lowke produced back before the war.   The stack is alum.  Just want directional and speed control, which the new engine will give me.  Time will tell if that boiler is up to the task.  If not, I have ideas what to swap it out for.  Kind of want a better uptake to the chimney for the burner heat.  I have the inside of the superstructure lined with metal duct tape to help guide fumes up the funnel and protect the wood from heat.   The Saito OB boiler is an enclosed pot boiler with the fumes/heat mostly coming out of the chimney opening, so I can align that with the funnel.  I hope to buy or built a Saito tug kit eventually unless I find one of the metal Aster Preserverance harbor tugs.