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81
General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals / New Model Wilesco D12
« Last post by D E Jones on January 12, 2026, 04:46:07 pm »
Check out my new steam engine that arrived today . It is a new model D12 twin . I really admired these engines from the start, and I really like that brass and red look . Here are a few pictures of it powering my Quad stamp mill . Man that thing is noisy !
82
General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals / Retrol EngineDIYshop SE-03 Vertical Steam Engine Plant Gas Fired Modification
« Last post by Jim on January 12, 2026, 04:27:16 pm »
I've had a lot of people reach out to me in different media forms to ask me what I think the SE-03 would run like on gas. So I made a gas ceramic burner and removed the spirit burner from the base of the SE-03 and slipped in the gas burner and connected it up to a small BIX gas container.
It's been able to pour in a lot of heat into the vertical boiler and I have had a number of impressive and long runs from a boiler topped right to the top with water. Hopefully all those who asked gain something from this video, just be mindful of what I mention in the video about running the boiler dry if you choose to do this mod also.

https://youtu.be/Nxj8XNIX8go
83
General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals / Re: Stuart D10 Steam Plant
« Last post by jkbixby on January 12, 2026, 04:24:10 pm »
Quote from: Stoker on January 12, 2026, 03:58:13 pm
While desirable in general, Silver brazing is not really required for most plumbing fittings, unless they will be directly exposed to flame.

I mostly just use a somewhat higher temperature, low Silver content, slightly harder than regular soft solder, for most of my steam line plumbing needs.

I didn't realize that I could go with basically regular solder on piping. I thought over the years that almost everything needed to be silver soldered to be safe even though my Oatey 22002 solder has a melting point of 430 degrees which is hotter than you would normally find except, like you said, in contact with a flame or close to it. Thanks for the info - it'll help in the future.
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General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals / Re: Stuart D10 Steam Plant
« Last post by jkbixby on January 12, 2026, 04:19:13 pm »
Quote from: Raphael on January 12, 2026, 03:30:34 pm
Bonjour Larry,

The Stuart D10 is my favorite steam machine, I have five of them and "only" three in 1,20m - 1,40 m boats (see my videos on "Cτte d'Emeraude", "JAN" and "Ulysse Max").

My concern about your one is that it has no reverse, difficult to maneuver a boat without, except if you also have a variable pitch propeller.

As example Here is my smallest D10 equipped boat (Jan, 1,20 m, +/- 20 kg) :
https://youtu.be/utYZJDJPBVg

As I silver braze my pipes, here is my method :
https://youtu.be/Z501GA_odC4

I hope this will help you.

I agree that the D10 is a great engine and was one of the first that I bought.  As for reversing the boat I do have a second variable pitch propeller that I hope to use with this steam plant eventually.
85
General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals / Re: Stuart D10 Steam Plant
« Last post by Stoker on January 12, 2026, 03:58:13 pm »
While desirable in general, Silver brazing is not really required for most plumbing fittings, unless they will be directly exposed to flame.

I mostly just use a somewhat higher temperature, low Silver content, slightly harder than regular soft solder, for most of my steam line plumbing needs.
86
General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals / Re: Stuart D10 Steam Plant
« Last post by Raphael on January 12, 2026, 03:30:34 pm »
Bonjour Larry,

The Stuart D10 is my favorite steam machine, I have five of them and "only" three in 1,20m - 1,40 m boats (see my videos on "Cτte d'Emeraude", "JAN" and "Ulysse Max").

My concern about your one is that it has no reverse, difficult to maneuver a boat without, except if you also have a variable pitch propeller.

As example Here is my smallest D10 equipped boat (Jan, 1,20 m, +/- 20 kg) :
https://youtu.be/utYZJDJPBVg

As I silver braze my pipes, here is my method :
https://youtu.be/Z501GA_odC4

I hope this will help you.
87
General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals / Stuart D10 Steam Plant
« Last post by jkbixby on January 12, 2026, 01:34:28 pm »
Thought I'd share my Stuart D10 steam plant with its' HB4 boiler that I just mounted on a walnut base. It has been slated to go into a four foot Diana steam launch for the last five or six years but still hasn't made it for one reason or another. I finally gave up and got it set up to go on display but still have high hopes of using in the boat minus makeup water tank and hand pump. I do see what my next learning experience should be though. The piping is what was already made up and really doesn't work that well so I definitely need to learn silver soldering so I can make up a custom layout which would work better.  Maybe someone on the forum would give an in depth lesson on that especially in relation to piping. I did contact Stuart to see if their made up copper piping was annealed and they said "...no it isn't.....we just carefully bend it." Interesting, but it didn't work for me. Maybe this summer I'll get the urge and bring down that great big hull and get started - hope so. [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]
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General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals / Re: what is the threads on wilesco d22 boiler
« Last post by onevw on January 11, 2026, 09:41:18 pm »
Thank You Sir
Rickyb
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General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals / Re: what is the threads on wilesco d22 boiler
« Last post by pwalchak on January 11, 2026, 07:12:22 pm »
Hello,

Attached is my model thread cheatsheet.  It's far from complete but I'm constantly updating it as I learn something new.  Also some miscellaneous notes I've picked up here and there.

Might be helpful to someone.

Paul
90
General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals / Re: Wilesco Boiler Advise needed Please.
« Last post by pwalchak on January 11, 2026, 07:06:14 pm »
Hi Rob,

Tough break there. Ouch!

I'd appreciate it if you could update us on this repair project.  It's better than the "drama" on TV these days, and I might learn something.

Best of luck!

Paul
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