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 July 05, 2022, 07:18:50 pm
-
Actually, the faux piston setup on the Whizzer is just as valid as are the solenoid "steam" engines, in that they are both making an approximate representation of something that they are not. The turbine wheel/flywheel of the Whizzer adequately represents a simple flywheel while at speed, so that the fake reciprocating rod gives the illusion of a piston steam engine just fine for the casual and uninformed observer. I'm sure these were not marketed for true steam afficionados.
Whereas the Turbo Jet is a valid representation of a steam turbine, which justifies it having a significantly better build, as it was built for people who should care for the difference.
-
That's a really neat little turbine you have there Dennis, certainly a few cuts above the Whizzer, and wisely without the faux piston strangeness. I especially like the safety valve setup on your Turbo Jet. Never seen anything quite like that before!
Only bonus is the Turbo jet has a brass boiler under the tin cover so rusting out is not an issue
-
Found my video which I had forgotten about.
https://youtu.be/SfJb0iA-JA0
I do like how simple the Whizzer is, this one seems to have a nicely trued turbine and gets some speed.
I agree that the moving piston rod does not make sense on a turbine....I suppose it ads some visual interest, if I had one I would disconnect the piston rod for running and perhaps put it on for display.
Thanks for sharing the video!
-
That's a really neat little turbine you have there Dennis, certainly a few cuts above the Whizzer, and wisely without the faux piston strangeness. I especially like the safety valve setup on your Turbo Jet. Never seen anything quite like that before!
-
New Zealand Turbo Jet
https://youtu.be/nya-vq1-Xmg
-
Found my video which I had forgotten about.
https://youtu.be/SfJb0iA-JA0
-
Never seen that ad before, that is so cool...
Thanks for sharing!
-
Here is an old wrapper from a "Zero" candy bar. If you sent in ten wrappers, and fifteen cents, you would receive "a real steam engine that runs". :D
[attachimg=1]
-
I have never seen a Turbo-jet, thanks for posting the photo.
It occurs to me that it would be very easy to make a homemade whizzer, Amazon has 16 oz tins, but I suspect the whizzer used an 8 or 12 oz. Also from the Amazon reviews the tin plate was very thin, so if you find an old brake fluid tin in good condition, it may be a better starting point.
Vestil BTL-MT-16 Tin-Plated Steel Round Metal Bottle with Screw On Cap, 16 oz Capacity, Silver https://a.co/d/8DbGTiT[attachimg=1]
-
An example of both the Whizzer and the Turbo-Jet here; the Wizzer is without the electrical element which in this cheap machine could be more of a hazard than a help.
[attach=1]
-
No whizzer here but i have elcheapo New Zealand copy ( cough cough )
It is called “Turbo Jet “ but the name is about as honest as a Politician.
Cheers
Dennis
-
I can imagine that a lot of them must have rusted out and ended up being tossed.
-
I have only seen the one, stumbled across it on eBay. Someone else may know if they where produced in significant numbers?
Interesting there is NO safety valve, it is just a small tube Soldered into cap, this is vented to atmosphere and becomes a "steam jet" to run the turbine.
[attachimg=1]
-
Are these very common? I wonder how many survived?
-
I have one also, but it is actually a sort of steam turbine with a faux piston and is about as minimalistic as they come. It does exhibit nice lithography however.
-
Yes, I have one. I bought it because I liked the lithography. I have not fired mine yet. Mine is missing the burner. It seems to have been available in the 1920s to 1940s. There are several videos of the engine on YouTube. Here's one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OlYiGbM8Ic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OlYiGbM8Ic)
-
I seen one in person about a week ago at Charlie’s, they are quite small!
-
I saw this one also on e-bay recently, I have seen others but don't have one myself. But surely it is a classic in toy steam history, I did not know that the boiler was made from an otherwise ordinary product, very clever and resourceful! Reminds me of some toy cannons made after WW2 from re-purposed surplus grenade parts (well, sort of!).
-
I saw one sell on eBay recently, it is really a steam turbine, Interesting they made the boiler out of tin brake fluid can! It was considered the lowest priced American made steam engine....I wonder if you can still get brake fluid in a tin bottle?
The chimney is not fully seated square in this photo, but it is in good condition.
[attachimg=1]