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Liked Final Assembly 22 days ago
Liked Edge plank fitting 22 days ago
Liked Change 29 days ago
Liked Dressed up no where to go 1 month ago
Liked Re: Boiler #3 with servos 1 month ago
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Recent Posts
💬 Re: Boiler #3 with servos
29 days ago by GaryLC (
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
A more up to date photo although the quality of it leaves a bit to be desired, the gas blow torch nozzle burner, which works well and solved a long-standing problem of low steam pressure, the only problem being a bit on the noisy side. Plus a better gas cut-off valve from Cleveden Steam, the old one being homemade by myself. I built this in the 1970s so it has taken a while to get it running properly, also cleaned it up a bit, and updated the radio gear.
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📝 Clyde Puffer Build.
29 days ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Hi Colin, another useful item from motionco a nice simple gear box with numerous ratio choices.
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💬 Re: Change
29 days ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Great looking boat with nice clean lines, excellent workmanship, and very nice paint job. Forgive me for this but the first thought that came to mind on seeing your new fender arrangement was toilet roll holders, I think this has something to do with the present Pandemic. Regards, GLC.
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💬 Re: Marian Belle' Tug Mobile Marine Kit.
29 days ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Hi Ron, two boats the other one looks a bit like this, it's another Mountfleet kit Danny Boy a North sea Drifter, with steam plant which was difficult to fit as small narrow superstructure.
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📝 Clyde Puffer Build.
30 days ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
The shafts' bearing's sprockets and chains would be ideal for a paddle steamer, do you have access to a lathe to make bearing housings, small neat ones? As the Motionco bearing mounts are a bit over the top size-wise.
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📝 Marian Belle' Tug Mobile Marine Kit.
30 days ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
A Mobile Marine tug kit, modified to take a steam plant, TVR1A-BB steam engine, 3 1/2" diameter x 6" length boiler. 4 channel for forward / reverse. speed control, steering and gas cutoff valve. Around 2 years to complete.
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📝 Clyde Puffer Build.
30 days ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Colin, you asked me a question and I replied, and then Doug stuck his neb in as he can't help himself.
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📝 Clyde Puffer Build.
30 days ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Here's one I built earlier, note the ball-raced main bearings.
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📝 Clyde Puffer Build.
30 days ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Good to hear you are contemplating a STEAM project in the near future, get yourself a TVR1A BB engine in kit form and build it yourself, a 1/2" bore twin-cylinder slide valve, a very efficient engine which only requires 20 - 30 PSI to run flat out. When you have built it and sorted your valve timing, you'll know everything there is to know about slide valves. A suitable boiler would be a 3 1/2" diameter x 6" length, you can buy a kit of parts and save an absolute fortune, I have seen your silver-soldering. Regards, Gary.
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📝 Clyde Puffer Build.
30 days ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Hi Colin, and yes of course you can have the name of the supplier of the chains, sprockets, shafts and bearings. It is motionco and they have a lot of interesting gear worth a good coat of looking at, a chain tensioner is not required as just take a link out or add a link when required. The chain is plastic as per the sprockets, but is very very strong, incredibly strong actually. Regards, Gary.
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📝 Clyde Puffer Build.
30 days ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
with regard to oil and oiling a steam engine, the steam enters the engine via the lubricator which carries steam oil in the vapour to lubricate the engine internals and moving parts, this is required as model steam engines use an O ring on the pistons, so oil in the cylinder bore is essential to prevent the O rings being shredded. a fine car engine oil is required for crankshaft main and big-end bearings, and all moving joints as per Hackworth linkages and eccentrics etc. The shaft bearings are ball raced sealed for life and the sprockets and chains are of a very hard PLASTIC, although I do admit they look very real so no oil required there.
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📝 Clyde Puffer Build.
30 days ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Thanks Rick, I appreciate that comment and that's what I had in mind to get the prop shaft to go around the boiler. Then I managed to find a company that made the shafts of either 3 or 4mm diameter plus the bearings and bearing housings, sprockets and chain, basically, everything I needed all from one source at a very reasonable price into the bargain. I have kept the gear ratios at 1 to 1, which could be either geared up or down depending on how it performs on the water. Regards,GLC. (Actually, having solved that problem I seem to have come to a grinding halt on the progress front.) must try harder.
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📝 Clyde Puffer Build.
1 month ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Hello there, I don't know quite how but some of my photos are on your page, unless you are also building a Puffer with a Cheddar engine???????????????????
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📝 Clyde Puffer Build.
1 month ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
As that prop shaft solution is a little confusing hopefully these photos will help.
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📝 Clyde Puffer Build.
1 month ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
My latest building venture is a Clyde Puffer from Mountfleet, which I have made a start on and have managed to sort the somewhat complex problem of running the prop shaft drive around the boiler which is at the back end, with the engine positioned in the middle. As hopefully explained in the attached photographs.
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💬 Re: Dressed up no where to go
1 month ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Hi Rick, and congratulations are definitely in order as quite a feat of engineering, you designed your look-alike Borkum and fitted your own steam plant, and sorted the many problems as they arose along the way. Needless to say, I am really proud of all you have managed to accomplish over these last few years. Well done and what does the future have in store, I wonder????????
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💬 Re: Boiler #3 with servos
1 month ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
I don't think you will have a problem, as you will be carrying far more water than gas, and that small gas tank will run out long before the water does, (in theory anyway.) I have rebuilt this launch recently and am now using a gas blowlamp torch for the burner, maybe not pretty but definitely functional. Gas canister in the front and all servo's nicely hidden with wiring and pipe work under the decking. Are we complete and up and running yet?
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💬 Re: Boiler #3 with servos
1 month ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Hi Rick, hope you never need that 4th servo for the gas shut-off? I have just found even more photos of the Hackworth forward reverse servo shown in three positions, the middle position being neutral. Regards, GLC.
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💬 Re: Boiler
1 month ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Hi Rick, I found the photo enclosed which hopefully explains my solution to sorting the Forward / Reverse problem, and thought I would share this with you quite a simple solution really and works well, the positioning of the servo is a very important factor in successful operation. Regards.
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💬 Re: Boiler
1 month ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
You are ever so nearly there now, and I have every confidence in your ability, steam is all about solving the problems which arise usually one after the other. I think you have just about got it all sorted. Congratulations and well done an incredible achievement. Regards, GLC. ( Waiting for the COMPLETED photograph?????)
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💬 Re: Change
1 month ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
I should have mentioned on the TVR 1A the square rod with the grooves cut into it for the forward-reverse operation, need to be filed out leaving only the top and bottom groove for maximum speed forward and reverse, so that the piano wire can slide up and down and will stop at its top and bottom position at maximum engine revs.
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💬 Re: Change
1 month ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Hi Rick, you need a lever controlled throttle valve from Jerry, either the plain or lubricating variety. I am sending you a photo of my forward/reverse servo drive, 5mm diameter brass rod should do it with a screwed stud in one end, don't tighten this as it must be able to rotate, and the piano wire substitute needs to be a slide fit, this works really well if it is correctly positioned. I have used some rectangular alloy tube to hold the servo, hoping this helps to sort out this somewhat annoying problem. Regards, Gary
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💬 Re: Silver soldered
1 month ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Hi Rick, guess who? that is looking really good now, the boiler is spot on and should give you around 25 minutes on the water, mind gas tank looks a bit on the small side, been there and have done that and went back to gas canisters. Considering the speed that you can build these days, I reckon on that being just about complete any time soon. Regards, GLC.
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📝 Machine shop
11 months ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
I would be very interested, even bordering on extremely interested in buying your lathe, it is worth a lot more than £100, would it be possible to see a few photos in a private message? Regards, Gary.
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💬 Re: Jet powered ski boat
11 months ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
I love the video and it does prove the earth isn't flat. Regards, Gary.
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📝 new year
11 months ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
A Happy New Year to you also, it was the photo of The Flying Finn that caught my eye as I was also a huge fan of this guy. He really was in a class of his own from day one when he rode and prepared his own bikes. A tragedy his life was cut short before he could enjoy the success he richly deserved. RIP Jarno Saarinen, a legend in his short lifetime. Regards, Gary.
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📝 My hobby car group’s Toy Drive
12 months ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)cars
Thunderbird
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📝 Age of steam
12 months ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Hi Ron, and thanks for the reply, believe me when I say I was not criticising your actions as it is no business of mine. I am very pleased that you are into steam as the more the merrier, we are as rare as hen's teeth on this website, more is the pity. You certainly sound extremely capable in the fitting and turning department, which can save you an awful lot of money these days. Your boiler is pleasantly complex with its nine cross tubes and superheater. I have just taken a leaf out of your book and am now using an adapted gas torch head as a burner with very good results, I can now run the engine flat out and still maintain a boiler pressure of 40PSI. Kindly check out my collection of boats all of which use steam as a power source in my harbour. I rather like your motor cycle and have included a photo of mine a 61 year old Ariel Huntmaster 650 cc twin. Regards, Gary.
motor cycle
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📝 Re: Hints and Tips.
1 year ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Love your Cervia Tug, looking very realistic on the water, and if you ever get a cold day in Oz make sure you get out there and get some photos taken, so as I can see the steam which is not a problem here in the U/K as every other day is cold. Regards, Gary.
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📝 Age of steam
1 year ago by GaryLC ( Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class)
I am also quite intrigued by your video, as the pressure gauge shows zero pressure and the boat is steaming along at a fair speed. I would hazard a guess there is at least 20 PSI steam pressure in your boiler considering the engine's speed. I suggest you get the pressure gauge sorted in order the calibrate the pressure release valve, more so for your own safety than anything else. Besides that minor problem, I loved your video and let's have more steam-powered boats on this website. Regards, Gary.
boat
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