More International Engines......

[Stilldrillin]

Well..... Here's another, small engine saga. Transatlantic, this time......

It all started, in the UK, in 1923....... A very lucky lad, (probably!), received a steam powered model speedboat.

It was a Hobbies, Miss America. Like this one, which lives in Scotland.......




Time went by, and some 87 years later, it arrived in Portland, Oregon USA. Looking a little careworn......




Lots of different coloured paint......




Missing several vital parts. Like the engine.......




Some time later. The existing engine parts arrived at my UK workshop. They didn't amount to much.....




I measured the parts from the Scottish example, and found it a very strange mix of no particular sizes. Not completely imperial or metric!

Made a few notes, and checked to see what tooling was nearest.....




Then started to make parts......














Temporary assembly......





We have a runner!




Time to finish all parts, and find a spring.......




All done! Ready for posting.......




More to follow......

David D

[sbwhart]

I love to see an old wreck given a new lease of life, looking forward to seeing the finished job.

Top notch Dave.

Stew

[madjackghengis]

Hi Dave,  I love to see old equipment and machines give a new lease on life!  That is great, I'm looking forward to seeing it in the boat, and steaming.  From a couple of odd parts and finding the drawings to building the engine for it proper, you've done a fine job of bringing this old boat back to life, and I expect we'll see it in appropriate glory soon, and steaming.  I thought that was an extremely odd rod and piston assembly until I saw the base, and realized it was a wobbler.  I hope your boiler and piping all test out proper, and you can put that boat in the water with power soon. mad jack

[Dean W]

Nice work on the valve plate and cylinder, David.  Especially the beveled corners on the valve plate!
This will be a beautiful boat when you have it fixed up in Stilldrillin fashion.

[Stilldrillin]

Stew, Jack, Dean.
Thank you for your positive comments!      BUT, it isn't my boat!

It belongs to a guy across the pond, who is much cleverer than me regarding boats. But, is a little behind me with engine building confidence!

Incidentally, here's another one, on Ebay.....     http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VINTAGE-BOWMAN-HOBBIES-STEAM-BOAT-RESTORATION-/230542298390


Project finished...... I posted two almost identical packets, the engine, and a little bonus, to Oregon, at the same time.
The engine arrived within a week. The second packet went via AUSTRALIA! And arrived another week later! 

Here is the engine. Now back home. Fitted into the partly completed hull.....











The owner hopes to have it all completed for springtime sailing.

Full story here.......    http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about31503.html

David D

[dsquire]

David

Job well done. I read the entire 8 pages of the posted forum link and it is great what an international team effort can achieve. Congratulations. Keep up the good work. 

Cheers 

Don

[Stilldrillin]

Thank you Don!
 I really enjoy helping out, if I can! 

I don't do money for this sort of job, if I can help it. Preferring TOYS, if possible.   

This arrived, a little later......




It's a Solar-1 hot air engine. Made by PM Research, USA.

Not new. But only needing a little clean, and re oil.

I already had the 1950's version, made by Davies Charlton, in the UK.

Transatlantic cousins......




And, after doing the necessary.....

Two down. One to go.....

David D

[sbwhart]

Lovely Job Dave

Your friend in the US looks to me making a great job of restoration, only saw the first page the rest wouldn't open I'll have another go later.

Stew

[Brass_Machine]

Nice job with the fix David! You really have to build your own... 

Eric

[Stilldrillin]

Next up was the Davies Charlton engine. Probably over 50yrs old. Very tired.....




Poor little thing had been run until it could run no more. The displacer was dragging on the bottom of the hot cap! 

I slid the chamber onto a handy plug......




Drilled out to 5mm, and tapped part way in, M6......




Plugged with 6mm brass bar, turned/ threaded to fit......




Then drilled out 4mm dia and re-assembled..... A runner, but, still not happy enough!


Soo.... It had to be a new piston......




Made this one 1/8" longer in the skirt. To provide an oiling area prior to running. Also 3 small oil grooves.....




That will do.....

Looks as though I've got the start of a fleet.....





David D

[winklmj]

Nice repair work.  I'm might have to take a stab at making one of those.

[Stilldrillin]

Nice repair work.  I'm might have to take a stab at making one of those.

Wink.
Eric's comment's got me thinking. 

But, it's got to be, big, relatively..... 

David D

[johnbaz]

Oooooh!!- lovely job!!!

Well i've seen a load of different types of engine since yesterday and here are more that i've never seen before


Cheers, John

[shoey51]

lovely work as usual from the workshop of David  

[Stilldrillin]

John, Graham.
Thanks Chaps! 

I don't do a lot, but I do me best..... 

David D

[vtsteam]

David, followed various of your links to get here, and an old thread, but very interested in the above two hot air engines.

Great fun to see them both running so well!

And some questions:

Were the main castings zinc alloy, or aluminum?
Was the power cylinder sleeved, or did the piston run directly in the casting?
And was the displacer cylinder sleeved all the way through the finned casting or did it stop inside the finned area?

Thanks!

[Stilldrillin]

Hi Steve.

Thanks for your interest! 

The body is made from dinky toy alloy. But, decent quality.......

The power piston runs direct in the casting. Which is still, surprisingly, in useable condition......

The displacer cylinder finned area, is not sleeved.
The displacer shaft, bearing area, was unsleeved. And badly worn.

Hope this is clear! 

David D