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: Jim on November 20, 2025, 11:03:22 pm

Title: Re: What's peoples thoughts on this 'steam engine'?
Post by: Raphael on November 25, 2025, 12:04:09 pm
Bonjour,

For this kind of boats the pressure can go up to 80 bar / 1160 PSI ! But keep in mind that there is no boiler as flash steam is just giving the pressure at the end of the steam pipe.

120 mph / 198 km/f for this example (not one of my videos  ;) ):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g259PIB4nFc

Title: Re: What's peoples thoughts on this 'steam engine'?
Post by: Fullraceflathead on November 25, 2025, 07:32:49 am
Wow 1,000 PSI now that's a dangerous thought!!!
Title: Re: What's peoples thoughts on this 'steam engine'?
Post by: RedRyder on November 24, 2025, 07:27:52 am
This is a typical design for high speed single acting steam engines.
Most of these were used in model boats and some from Stuart Turner
were used in small field generators by the military.

Stuart made a lot of different models with the same basic design.
Jim I suspect that as stout as that is that it was purpose built for a good sized model tether boat.
Tether boat engines are mostly single or twin cylinder however H.E. Boucher made 4 cylinder engines as did a few other makers. 

High speed tether boats operate at up to 1,000 psi.
Title: Re: What's peoples thoughts on this 'steam engine'?
Post by: pwalchak on November 23, 2025, 10:55:21 pm
Jim,

Your engine looks very similar to this one I found: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/stuart-turner-motor-torpedo-boat-mtb-250440021

It's used for models of 1920's era motor torpedo boats.  I need to get to bed and get to work, so I don't have time to dig deeper. 

What do you think?

Paul
Title: Re: What's peoples thoughts on this 'steam engine'?
Post by: Jim on November 23, 2025, 09:18:23 pm
It's a weird one....but folks wanted it, I was surprised how many bids it received.
Title: Re: What's peoples thoughts on this 'steam engine'?
Post by: pwalchak on November 23, 2025, 06:34:04 pm
It's built awfully heavy for a model, like it's expected to get abuse or heavy vibration.  I wonder if it's an appliance off of a full size locomotive or ship engine?
Title: Re: What's peoples thoughts on this 'steam engine'?
Post by: parallelmotion on November 22, 2025, 05:28:57 pm
Similar to small steam engines patented by George Westinghouse.
Title: Re: What's peoples thoughts on this 'steam engine'?
Post by: Stoker on November 21, 2025, 09:10:13 am
My first thought is that it may have originally been intended as a compressor!
Title: What's peoples thoughts on this 'steam engine'?
Post by: Jim on November 20, 2025, 11:03:22 pm
What's peoples thoughts on this 'steam engine'?

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/286925122253?