Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

The Regular Stuff: Chat, Buy, Sell, Off Topic, etc. => General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals => Topic started by: ShadetreeMotorcycle on April 27, 2021, 06:15:35 pm

Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: ShadetreeMotorcycle on April 30, 2021, 02:41:59 pm
Well, I have been in contact with Susann at Ministeam...she confirmed D4 is sold out...I am in line for the last D5 "kit" showing 1 in stock but if it's not really "there" she is going to hook me up with a D100e!
Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: ShadetreeMotorcycle on April 28, 2021, 07:06:57 pm
Save the money for your Jensen 20  :D

Now this is good advice....and yet....a Jensen 20 is so "dear" that once acquired one can not heavily modify it and risk loss of value. I can not speak for Bruce but often I find for (me) "cutting in" is 3/4 the FUN lol!
Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: Nick on April 28, 2021, 06:46:33 pm
Save the money for your Jensen 20  :D
Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: St Paul Steam on April 28, 2021, 06:44:18 pm
You are right on all accounts Ben .
I have put considerably more time & money in an otherwise throw away engine than I could ever hope to reclaim financially wise.  But as you said " sometimes we do things because "no one else has". I have been looking for a used (new style) D4 for over a year now...they don't come up for sale , I don't for a second believe people are "holding onto them" , I think they're NOT buying them. You can get a nice used (much better, bigger) Wilesco for less $
Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: ShadetreeMotorcycle on April 28, 2021, 06:15:27 pm
D3/D4(New)    6mm x 12mm

D4(Old)/D5/D6 7mm x 16mm

I knew Jan would know! ;D

I would like to modify a new D4 but most are sold out here and there rare ones you find are over priced :'(
I knew Jan would know also 😊👍, I had in my mind to modify one of the new D4's as well Ben , but got sidetracked with a time consuming D32.
I believe Mini steam still has some left , but honestly, unless you just "must" modify a D4 , anything else would be time better spent on modifying imho.

I believe you are correct Bruce about mods to a D4.....and yet....much of what we do in the hobby is because we "can" not because we should... Lol!
   I do not wish to mod a D4 thinking to get a bunch more power out of it, more to re configure to get a very different look.
   I checked ministeam and they say D4 are on sale but out of stock.
   The price point is my issue, A "kit" D5 is certainly a much better value.
I can afford a D4 but IMHO a "D4" should cost less or at least not more than a "D3"
   One is horizontal boiler, one is vertical boiler...if anything the D3 has 2 glass site windows should cost more...I think the issue is the wood base....a pressed tin base cost more up front for form die tooling but the die is long life and once built the tin base can be pressed for a few cents vs the wood must be sawn then router cut than finish applied...more labor.
  The "candle power" is Marketing IMHO...many a would be budding Steamer newbie probably thinks...."I can get a 50 pack of tea light candles at Wal-Mart for a couple bucks" and that is true but tea lite candles make even less heat than bees wax and All candles take a LONG time to build steam and make a soot Mess...we can whip up a meth burner to solve this issue but a newbie may be disappointed.
  In summary a "bunch" more engine can be had off ebay for the D4 asking price of $140.... Yet the D4 would have some appeal if they where to show up low dollar on the used market. They must not sell a lot of them or folks that have them are holding on tight, I have never seen a used D4 come up!
Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: St Paul Steam on April 28, 2021, 04:00:16 pm
D3/D4(New)    6mm x 12mm

D4(Old)/D5/D6 7mm x 16mm

I knew Jan would know! ;D

I would like to modify a new D4 but most are sold out here and there rare ones you find are over priced :'(
I knew Jan would know also 😊👍, I had in my mind to modify one of the new D4's as well Ben , but got sidetracked with a time consuming D32.
I believe Mini steam still has some left , but honestly, unless you just "must" modify a D4 , anything else would be time better spent on modifying imho.
Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: ShadetreeMotorcycle on April 28, 2021, 01:15:54 pm
D3/D4(New)    6mm x 12mm

D4(Old)/D5/D6 7mm x 16mm

I knew Jan would know! ;D

I would like to modify a new D4 but most are sold out here and the rare ones you find are over priced :'(
Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: classixs on April 28, 2021, 12:25:25 pm
D3/D4(New)     6mm x 12mm

D4(Old)/D5/D6 7mm x 16mm
Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: ShadetreeMotorcycle on April 27, 2021, 08:09:34 pm
I just read D5 bore is 7mm or roughly 0.27559

I have not seen a bore size on the D3 yet...
Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: St Paul Steam on April 27, 2021, 08:06:52 pm
I gotta think the D5 is considerably more powerful than the D3, I believe the cylinder bore has to be bigger.
Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: ShadetreeMotorcycle on April 27, 2021, 07:21:10 pm
I kinda figured it's all about gearing....or if that doesn't work than maybe fix that pesky leaky safety valve. Lol
Title: Re: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: Nick on April 27, 2021, 06:23:25 pm
Never owned a D3, but “no accessories” from a D5 is wrong. I imagine they are just trying to keep someone from being disappointed, but I love my D5/6’s
Title: Wilesco D5 vs D3 power output?
Post by: ShadetreeMotorcycle on April 27, 2021, 06:15:35 pm
Mini steam website claims "you can Not run Any accessories" with a D5....yet Bruce has a video running no less than 6 accessories with his D3! I know the SPS effect is Strong and his D3 is not stock...but does a stock D3 have any advantage over a stock D5?

I missed a deal on used Jensen 60 today...had poopy signal and my phone locked up just as I was trying to snipe it ::)