Bonjour all,
I picked up another Jean Comby steam engine from Leboncoin recently, and it's a big one. The boiler measures about 3" (75mm) in diameter and is 7.25" (185mm) long. It held a bit more than 650ml of water when I filled it up for it's first run.
Well, that run didn't go so well. The flywheel would oscillate forward and backward and would not spin in any one direction. I wasn't sure what was going on, but finally figured it must be a timing issue with the slide valve and piston. After repositioning the eccentric crank on the flywheel shaft, the engine started running very smoothly. I tweaked it a bit more, and now it runs like a banshee. I'm glad I was able to figure it out on my own. I love this hobby!
Anyway, I've posted a video of the first run below. Enjoy!
Big Jean Comby first runSteam on!
Tim
Congratulations on solving the problem on your engine.
It almost looked cute the way it went back-n-forth.
The dynamo is good looking, the coiled wires are original
and look cool, and you have the original boulevard style
lamp! Now, you need to find a chimney and you will be set.
This must be the top-of-the-line for Comby engines and I
like yours....and mine
I rec'd one from France, via EBAY, earlier this year.
I was hi-bidder for one a year earlier but the French seller
botched the address, it rambled around the northest US for
a while, and then wound up back in France. A real bummer
So, it needed a new sightglass, the burner needed work and
the boulevard lamp is missing. I took care of the sightglass,
used a burner from my Comby Twin, steamed it up, gave it a
spin, and off it went. The dynamo worked, and while running
I realized the engine exhausts into the base of the chimney
with no way to drain away. I rigged some tubing to route
the exhaust away. I've since added a 'MARX' 'shorty' spotlight
for demonstration and used a flat magnet (5-second solution) to
stick it to the base. Looked and around for a video as it is
now but realized I never made one of the finished work. Well,
soon for that.
Happy steaming,
Wayne
Wayne
Glad you got it all sorted Tim; it's a fine runner now & looks great.
I’ve been thinking about cornering the market on Jean Comby steam engines. There are six on Leboncoin right now that range in price from 40 euros to 150 euros.
I’m kidding of course, but they are cool little runners.
I plan to do a modest restoration on this particular one.
I just wish I could find some literature or online info regarding these machines.
Steam on!
Tim