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 October 02, 2021, 10:33:48 am
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The funnel and small vial of recommended steam oil was not expected but a very welcome happy surprise. The engine and all accessories fit easily in the "tea tin" shown in photo with room to spare. The engine was packed with as much care as it took to machine such a delightful assembly! I am well pleased.
I know the boiler is tiny, but the recommended max fill is only 3/4 of a "teaspoon"....lol....is this correct?
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News!!!
The "Last Lilliput" only took 5 weeks to get here. I have not fired it yet but soon will.
To be continued....
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Update: I got a short clip of my Lilliput running on steam from Phil.
I am not sure if I can share the download here but I will try to attach it. It looks to run quiet and smooth! :D
Second update: it was a video.mov file and it seems to not be an allowed attachment on the forum?
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By the way, Rog mounted his to a piece of marble. Looks great and keeps it from “walking” away
(Attachment Link)
Wow...that Does look great and very upscale! I will have to keep that in mind, thanks for sharing!
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By the way, Rog mounted his to a piece of marble. Looks great and keeps it from “walking” away
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GREAT NEWS!!
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Update: the Rumored to be "Last Lilliput" has been completed and ran on compressed air. A run on steam video is promised in the next week or 2 then shipped to me. ;D
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But definitely doesn’t come with a small price tag! :D
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Marklin lilliput is smaller too[attachimg=1]
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Shame he has “retired” with the talent he has, but great news that you may get one!
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Update: I was surprised to get an email from Phil(maker of Lilliput)! Sounded like my email may have gotten into his spam folder.
Possibly a forum member let him know I was looking for him, but he informed me he has (one) Lilliput boiler left! and it could indeed be finished into a steam engine.
He is "retired" and I don't know how long it will take, but I would be Honored to be the keeper of "the last Lilliput" :D
Whenever it comes, I will be happy to make a thread about it.
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I only have one
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Monsanto promotional, Never been fired (by me), Maybe fired up once before me.
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Haha!.... Your loaded with vintage Mamod MM1 engines, I would not sell as well.... Just like dirt,(land acres) there not making them any more. 8)
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One can never have too many.
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Great photos Nick!...I may not have my numbers correct, but thought I read somewhere the Lilliput piston is only 3mm Diameter which is less than 1/8 inch!
The paper match really tells the story well.
PS: your Mamod MM1 looks to be a Very early flat base...these are bringing some $$$ on ebay, specially in that condition. :D
Only problem is… I’m a terrible seller and more of a collector :D
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Great photos Nick!...I may not have my numbers correct, but thought I read somewhere the Lilliput piston is only 3mm Diameter which is less than 1/8 inch!
The paper match really tells the story well.
PS: your Mamod MM1 looks to be a Very early flat base...these are bringing some $$$ on ebay, specially in that condition. :D
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Lilliput and MM1 piston comparison :D
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Here ya go, Lilliput next to an MM1
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And an MFTwin
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That is a sweet engine.
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That "kitten" looks to be a real Treat, thank you for sharing Jim!
Is the kitten a production engine? Or something built by a talented machinist?...I did a quick Google search and did not get any hits for any engines that look like this! -Ben
Ben the plans for the 'Kitten' is in Tubal Cain's steam engine plans book.
The 'Kitten' and the 'Polly' I think are the most popular made off his plans.
Thanks Jim. I was able to find steam books by Tubal Cain, they are highly reviewed and Also I was surprised to learn there was a Model Engineering class where students build a Polly engine....also found "Material kits" for Polly on ebay uk in about 6 versions! The different versions are things like with/without Cain book and if you want to build Meths burner or use Solid fuel tray or gel fuel.
I have not heard back from Phil yet, I believe I will source a couple of Cain's books. None of the machine work scares me, I am hopeful the books will have advice on how to make a neat job of Soldering.
Video: I found this video of a Polly that is quite attractive to my eyes, the builder comments he changed the Polly plan quite a bit and it will require quite a bit of polish to keep his all Copper boiler looking this good!
https://youtu.be/EzgnuaZD7aA
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That "kitten" looks to be a real Treat, thank you for sharing Jim!
Is the kitten a production engine? Or something built by a talented machinist?...I did a quick Google search and did not get any hits for any engines that look like this! -Ben
Ben the plans for the 'Kitten' is in Tubal Cain's steam engine plans book.
The 'Kitten' and the 'Polly' I think are the most popular made off his plans.
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Last contact I had with Phil Gravett was back in 2017 when he made my coin mounted engine. He had recently lost his mother at the time and I don’t know if he ever got back into building engines. You can try emailing him philgravett at hotmail.com
All of my engines from him (Lilliput, Jenny Wren, Beam, Marine and Coin) were fully built and ready to run.
Thank you Nick, I have politely reached out to Phil. I do not have high hopes but it would be cool if he still has parts for a Lilliput (the Wren is cool to)
I felt it was definitely worth asking. -Ben
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Last contact I had with Phil Gravett was back in 2017 when he made my coin mounted engine. He had recently lost his mother at the time and I don’t know if he ever got back into building engines. You can try emailing him philgravett at hotmail.com
All of my engines from him (Lilliput, Jenny Wren, Beam, Marine and Coin) were fully built and ready to run.
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I found a Video of the Lilliput under Steam, What a Sweet little engine!
If anyone knows if these are still made? or contact info? I would greatly appreciate it. The gentleman in this video claims his Lilliput came in kit form.
https://youtu.be/wvb7DQfzqmM
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The spirit used in these burners can be ‘toned’ down by adding a small percentage of water to make the flame less fierce; say 5% H2O added.
Thank you for this tip!...I believe this will work as my very first Stirling type engines I ran on "rubbing Alcohol" commonly found here in drug stores in the First Aid isle.
During Covid the 91% grade was often sold out and I had to settle for 70% grade. I then learned to source 100% Alcohol used in sailboat cookstoves and was amazed at how Hot a 100% Alcohol fire could be!
The Mamod Meths tray (rectangular burner) has a lot of surface area and the Alcohol with water content should tone down the fire nicely. Mamod MM1 engines on YouTube can often be seen walking around on smooth tables because of the huge fire!
Video: this gentleman has overfilled his Mamod Meths burner, he has to hold the base down to keep the engine from walking away, but is complaining of his fingers are uncomfortable holding the hot base! At times you can see the fire coming out of the door and also other parts of the firehouse!
I know that Mamod Meths burners used properly work better than this. Enjoy the Video!
https://youtu.be/Asl-_Cyy7_Q
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Neat engines feller's, I have a soft spot for overtype steam engines and these are some fun ones.
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That is an MM1 behind the Lilliput, yes, they are that small. I just realized I don’t have a video of mine on youtube, only the Jenny Wren…
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How about Philcraft (Phil Gravett) Lilliput?
I was able to find the Lilliput!
I don't know Mamod very well yet, but I "think" that may be an MM2 behind the Lilliput for size comparison?
Anyway, this one is certainly small!
Thanks for sharing Nick.
Edit:
based on the width of "firehouse" I now believe the Mamod in photo IS a MM1 ....also it has the burner type that I like. That Lilliput is tiny!
[attachimg=1]
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How about Philcraft (Phil Gravett) Lilliput?
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I don't know if it is smaller but an SEL Minor is really small and it is an undertype not overtype and shares a design for compactness.
This one is Charlie's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvswCGI9cAs
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The 'Kitten' is pretty small.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1AG5q7-I2U
That "kitten" looks to be a real Treat, thank you for sharing Jim!
Is the kitten a production engine? Or something built by a talented machinist?...I did a quick Google search and did not get any hits for any engines that look like this! -Ben
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Hello, I have been really enjoying tinker/refine the smaller "hobby" grade engines as of late. I am wondering if anyone is aware of an engine that is even Smaller than a Mamod MM1?
This video (not mine) shows the smaller Mamods in a row and the MM1 clearly is the "smallest" in this group.
I am working on purchase of NIB MM1 but I wanted one with the sort of "Banjo" shaped green Meths burner, this one has the long rectangular Meths burner which I feel burns pretty hot! I am consider purchase any way because of the NIB condition....I may try to make a "restrictor plate" of sorts to tone down the stock Meths burner, or I could also source or make a Banjo style.
I also hope to find an SP1 but this post is really to ask the forum if there is a smaller vintage type engine of any "brand" out there? -thank you!
The MM1 is the engine in the center:
https://youtu.be/jxPiGhEEOUs
The spirit used in these burners can be ‘toned’ down by adding a small percentage of water to make the flame less fierce; say 5% H2O added.
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The 'Kitten' is pretty small.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1AG5q7-I2U
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Hello, I have been really enjoying tinkering/refine the smaller "hobby" grade engines as of late. I am wondering if anyone is aware of an engine that is even Smaller than a Mamod MM1?
This video (not mine) shows the smaller Mamods in a row and the MM1 clearly is the "smallest" in this group.
I am working on purchase of NIB MM1 but I wanted one with the sort of "Banjo" shaped green Meths burner, this one has the long rectangular Meths burner which I feel burns pretty hot! I am consider purchase any way because of the NIB condition....I may try to make a "restrictor plate" of sorts to tone down the stock Meths burner, or I could also source or make a Banjo style.
I also hope to find an SP1 but this post is really to ask the forum if there is a smaller vintage type engine of any "brand" out there? -thank you!
The MM1 is the engine in the center:
https://youtu.be/jxPiGhEEOUs