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: Steamburns on March 12, 2025, 10:23:30 pm

Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 27, 2025, 09:32:31 pm
The title fit well when you got started with this thread, but of late, perhaps not so much.

Still, a lot of good thought and nice work have gone into this latest creation!


Thanks, Stoker! Always pleased to see a comment from you!

Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dyMN0_GwqI
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Stoker on March 26, 2025, 10:29:35 pm
The title fit well when you got started with this thread, but of late, perhaps not so much.

Still, a lot of good thought and nice work have gone into this latest creation!
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 26, 2025, 08:34:11 pm
Hey now Travis ..... It is once again impressive the way you have been gilding this fine "Lily", but just maybe it might be time to rethink the Thread Title that you have been operating under?!?!  LOL  ;c)

Lol.   It’s reversed psychology. Makes everyone go “wait a minute… this isn’t simple!!!”
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Stoker on March 26, 2025, 01:16:08 pm
Hey now Travis ..... It is once again impressive the way you have been gilding this fine "Lily", but just maybe it might be time to rethink the Thread Title that you have been operating under?!?!   LOL  ;c)
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 25, 2025, 09:38:56 pm
Update:

Added fence posts with rails

[attachimg=1][attachimg=2][attachimg=3][attachimg=4][attachimg=5]
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 22, 2025, 11:06:02 am
Update:

Mounted the entire plant to a piece of walnut I ordered, then stained.  It has a nice tree bark edge finish which really looks great in my eyes.

I also added a brass water cup for the hand pump, and used a boiler bushing to connect the pump to it.   

Lastly, worked on the sight glass more. It had leaks at the glass. This was quite an endeavor and spent 3.5 hours on it this morning. Finally leak free through trial and error.


[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaExsIrlfIg
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: txlabman on March 17, 2025, 05:48:39 pm
Awesome work Travis.

It has been great to see your skills progress.

As we have been discussing, I have an idea for your next steam plant.

Coming soon....
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 17, 2025, 07:09:28 am
Travis, I wish I could order more stuff from PMR, my stocks are getting really low, the postage to Oz is outrageous.

I’m sure post to Aussie Land is expensive, and cast iron parts can get heavy. Pipework not so much.

Not to mention it gets expensive when you want to do intricate plumbing!!!
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 17, 2025, 07:08:36 am
That's not easy to do Travis, nice work.😄

Thanks, Bruce!!!
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Jim on March 16, 2025, 10:18:19 pm
Travis, I wish I could order more stuff from PMR, my stocks are getting really low, the postage to Oz is outrageous.
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: St Paul Steam on March 16, 2025, 08:31:00 pm
That's not easy to do Travis, nice work.😄
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 16, 2025, 12:40:54 pm
Sunday update:


Added in a water pump behind the boiler.  This gets rid of the “eye sore” of the pump, but allows me to pump in water through the main steam line.  I installed a Globe valve at the beginning of the steam pipe so I can bypass it aka “cut out” while
Pumping in water.  Once done, re-open the cut out valve to
The steam pipe, and back to using the engine in normal operations.

;D [attachimg=1][attachimg=2][attachimg=3]


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avd2ZgbJ7t8
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Jim on March 15, 2025, 09:10:20 pm
I do like this idea Travis and going to plagiarize it :)

(Attachment Link)

Seen it from someone else and I copied it. Ha!


Enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6cqblHvVu4

I should have zeroed in on the pic better....I meant I'm going to paint these red as well -

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 15, 2025, 08:18:15 pm
I do like this idea Travis and going to plagiarize it :)

(Attachment Link)

Seen it from someone else and I copied it. Ha!


Enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6cqblHvVu4
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Jim on March 15, 2025, 06:50:12 pm
I do like this idea Travis and going to plagiarize it :)

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 15, 2025, 06:39:22 pm
Nice setup.  It's fun to see it develop.
The video's and pix are excellent.

Now, as to your mod on the lower sightglass
fitting.  Did you just drill a hole, tap it
to your needs, and fit the parts?  I'm curious
as to how deeply into the sightglass fitting
the tube goes.  Doing it is a great idea and
I thank you for the close-ups.

Good work,
Wayne


Thank you, Wayne!   I appreciate your comments & enjoy your videos on YouTube.

To answer:

I used drill bits in steps.  Put the bottom sight glass holder in a vice, used Drill bits designed for drilling into metal, in steps. Started out with a 1/8, then moved my way up to 1/4” bit.  In steps creates a smoother drilling. Using oil of course helps.

After that, I used a 1/4” boiler bushing into the hole and soldered it using regular electronics solder.  That piece isn’t getting insanely hot so it won’t melt.

Had to do a few things to make sure everything was leakproof, but the end result worked out well.
 The fitting goes flush with the interior so it doesn’t obscure the banjo nut.


Hope this helps!
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: komet163b on March 15, 2025, 06:20:12 pm
Nice setup.  It's fun to see it develop.
The video's and pix are excellent.

Now, as to your mod on the lower sightglass
fitting.  Did you just drill a hole, tap it
to your needs, and fit the parts?  I'm curious
as to how deeply into the sightglass fitting
the tube goes.  Doing it is a great idea and
I thank you for the close-ups.

Good work,
Wayne
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 15, 2025, 03:35:37 pm
[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 15, 2025, 10:51:52 am
I wondered how long it would be before the "add Ons" started to appear. looks good.

Here is another add-on, SPS.

Spent about an hour and a half this morning putting a custom blowdown on the sight glass.

Now I’ll be able to accurately get readings.

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: St Paul Steam on March 14, 2025, 07:49:34 am
I wondered how long it would be before the "add Ons" started to appear. looks good.
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 13, 2025, 10:50:01 pm
Turned it electric…. Not so simple anymore!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0FRNGjq5XY
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 13, 2025, 07:56:21 pm
Very nice set up you have!!!

Thanks, man!   
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 13, 2025, 07:56:05 pm
Excellent. Very smooth!

Thank you!
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 13, 2025, 07:55:44 pm
That's a super smooth #3 Travis and I do like the base board mate.

Thanks, Jim.  It is a bamboo slab with Laquer sealant.
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 13, 2025, 07:55:13 pm
The PMR #3 is such a happy & willing runner, they nearly always run well right out of the package. that's a nice plant you have their Travis.

Thanks, Bruce!    ;D


Excited for that B-30 to arrive!
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Jim on March 13, 2025, 05:57:53 pm
That's a super smooth #3 Travis and I do like the base board mate.
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Timvrip on March 13, 2025, 03:53:04 pm
Excellent. Very smooth!
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Fullraceflathead on March 13, 2025, 11:25:57 am
Very nice set up you have!!!
Title: Re: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: St Paul Steam on March 13, 2025, 03:20:25 am
The PMR #3 is such a happy & willing runner, they nearly always run well right out of the package. that's a nice plant you have their Travis.
Title: Keepin’ it simple!
Post by: Steamburns on March 12, 2025, 10:23:30 pm
Put this beautiful yet simple miniature steam plant together.   Used bamboo and stained it and sealed it. Creates a nice quaint almost “zen” look against the black firebox.   Firebox has high temperature paint which cured in an oven at home.

Piped the pipework to match and kept square.  Put a small condenser cup at the exhaust port which works very well.

Maintains no leaks and out performs most my engines!




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnVGjeUhZrU