I am wanting to build my own boat. I have built my own steam engine from scratch. They are pretty easy but it isnt fancy or anything and it is not fast but it is pretty powerful. I am going to put it on a paddle wheel or something with a massive prop(home built). these things are awsome to play around with. I will try to get a picture of it soon. What are you guys using for fuel. I use little gas pellets that are used for gas stoves, It gets pretty hot and lasts pretty long. I cant wait to get everything started (one thing I dont have is reverse) well later

Did you build it from a un machined kit or from real plans? My engines were from machined kits. Wed all love to se some pixs. I haven’t had time to mess with anything lately.

Found on another forum...
http://www.pmresearchinc.com/

Machined kits, prices are much closer to 'reasonable' for me! At least one satisfied user (who posted the URL).
- 'Doc

I built my steam engine without a kit, just looked at a diagramof how these worked and then went to home depot, got a square tube for the part that changes where the steam goes(that was hard cause I had to get a peice that went inside of it that fits weird) and then I had to drill a ton of holes from the steam engine arm to the thing that changes the way that steam goes (top of cylinder bottom) sorry about the vocab, really didnt study it or anything, it just was a fun project) but the hardest part was finding a good cylinder for the steam, I cant get a picture now cause I am in maine and the engine is down in florida. It is at my grandparents house. they have all of the tools. I will email them to get a picture. This project is really fun to do. I am thinking of making a larger one to put in a big boat(13 feet or so) an put it in a pond and go drive around in it. maybe in a couple of months. later

have you seen some of the steam boats on youtube. i allso have been thinking of bilding like a small steam boat to ride around in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DAGdl6z_xU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp6Xj...elated&search=

It would kinda be funny sitting in a little scratch built thing. I would certaintly laugh

As I posted on that other forum, the new twin cylinder double acting marine steam engine from PM is great. I just built one of the first. It is a pre-machined kit, and is only $159. Very sturdy, not delicate like my Graham TVR1A. It is so new that if you want one you have to call and ask about one, it's not on their website yet. Shown here on a chunck of wood so I could run it. Ran first on air, then on steam. Single control gives variable forward, reverse and stop. Quiet and smooth. 1/8" shaft already has a flat machined for a coupler. Now to find the right boat...

nice

I bought the Midwest Steam Launch and the small steam engine that goes in it a year back.

These:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXAP83&P=SM
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXAR01&P=M

Never got around to building either.

Should this be a good first kit? I read the directions for the engine and it seems to need a lot of work and machining to get up and running.

I have about 20 years experience in R/C.

hpiguy: This engine does not require any machining at all. I built this engine probably 20 years ago and I had no machines at the time. I don't really recall, but at worst you need a hand drill, some files, and sand paper.

hpiguy I put this one to gether in a night. only some filing an sanding.

Midwest Steam Launch is a good boat go get you into steam.

I'll have to reread the directions because it seemed to me that I needed a whole lot of stuff that I've never needed in any other R/C project.

This will be my first venture into steam AND plank building a boat.

I'm sure it will make a great addition to my other projects on display.

A friend of myn got an old steam boat off ebay. Looks good but when we got it wet the planking started to bow. He will have to sand and fiberglass the hull.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln2dT3QP288

Here is my tow boat with electric motors. She is 55 pounds and very enjoyable to run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4yJq5JBtRM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shl7J0drIXQ

I also built a Krick Borkum and used the Cheddar Puffin veticle steam plant in it. I keep it in a case on display now. I have run it on the pond in the past.

yes, i tried to get in touch with you some time ago about looking at your boat but you didn’t return my email. i got some help from Daln L, and Joe S from the club. You should post a video of the party barge for everyone. The gy peeing is the best. ive been to busy getting my chopper reedy for summer to work on the boats.

I think the club had my old e-mail address. Chopper??

That is a nice looking sailing site. Plenty of places to sit right by the water and not far from sidewalk to the water.

Why can't they all be that way.......

you know "chopper"

Benny2.0 - Flat sides to a boiler are not a good idea unless they have "stays". Stays are metal rods the extend from one flat side to the opposite side. The rods are nutted or soldered (or both) and provide support against the outward pushing steam pressure. Most boilers are cylindrical because you then only need stay(s) to support the flat end pieces, saving a lot of building work. Since you can get to all sides of your boiler, you could still add stays. Without them, your bowing will probably get worse (until the metal work-hardens, and becomes stiffer but more brittle). Brittle metal increases the likelihood of boiler failure. Look to a model steam boiler book to get dimensions for stay spacing, rod diameter, etc.

Insulation - Boiler insulation makes a big difference in steam generation. Small boilers, which typically have inefficient firing simply due to the size (flame does not scale down well), benefit from adding insulation. I have used felt, wood strips, and ceramic fiber. All work, and all help. My Krick Patricia operation went from so-so to very fine once I added insulation to it's boiler. McMaster Carr has ceramic fiber, as do model RR live steam suppliers. I used 1/8" thickness "extreme temperature sheeting" Part # 93285k18 on my Patricia. I also wrapped the insulation with green felt, then covered that felt with wood stays, similar to photos of the other beautiful boats in this thread.

search under "ceramic insulation"
http://www.mcmaster.com/

=============
The Graham TVR1A engine is very nice. I, too, assembled one in day (lunch to midnight). I plan to use mine in a Dumas Myrtle Corey sternwheeler. For boiler, I am planning on using one from an Accucraft Ruby loco kit. It's a little small, but I am familiar with its characteristics from my model RR operations.

Yes, I know. Thanks for the info though. I will be insolating the boiler with exhaust tape then wood. I will be building some type of sleeve that the boiler will go in so when its at full steam it cant bow out.
Do you have any pix of your steam stuff?

I started messing with the steam powered tow boat owes more. I have the deck glued on to the hull. Now I see that where I had planed to have the super structure open to expose the steam enjoins there is a problem. The drive shafts are going to come out to high from what I thought. Ill do some thinking.

Looks good so far. How thick is the fiberglass for the hull?

3 layers of 4 oz cloth. I still need to lay some more on the inside to stiffen it up more.

you redy for the parade of boats?