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Author Topic: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit  (Read 1830 times)

ShadetreeMotorcycle

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Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« on: June 15, 2021, 05:24:48 pm »
This is not my model but from a paper model forum I am on.

  The history of this old paper kit was quite interesting to me, it seems these kits where popular with children during wartime, as sales of our metal steam engine models where sometimes restricted to conserve precious metal for the war effort. There are a couple models like this that can be run on compressed air, but the This model actually has a paper (cardstock) turbine hidden inside the brick firehouse and the child was to use the paper funnel to pour clean dry sand down the chimney! (Somewhat like an hourglass timer) The sand would spin the turbine which is fixed to the same axle as main flywheel and the engine will spin.
  The sand can be collected in a tray under the base and reused.
  The kit could also be modified to mount a tube low in the firebox blowing at the turbine and powered with an aquarium pump...or at least that is my plan. I will post photos of my build if I get it working! I thought the artwork on this old kit was pretty cool.
  You can download the file for free and then you have to print on thick cardstock.


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Dampfopa

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2021, 01:02:20 am »
Can you please post the link where you can download the template. I am also interested in this. Thank you very much.
Cheers
Jürgen
Dealing with steam is one way of having fun in life.

ShadetreeMotorcycle

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2021, 02:55:22 am »
Can you please post the link where you can download the template. I am also interested in this. Thank you very much.

I am delighted to post the link!

The instructions are in Spanish, but it is not a vert difficult build (if you have built a couple paper cardstock models before)
Most questions can be answered by study the photos of the built model closely.
  There are 2 downloads, the A3 is a scan of the original and prints on 8.5"x11" paper.
  A4 is an enlarged version that most builders prefure and prints on 11"x17" paper. The A4 is slightly lower quality graphics, for brightest color I might recommend the A3 download, then just enlarge to 11"x17" or any size you enjoy on modern color printing equipment.
   The photos of the model I posted was built by a very talented paper cardstock modeler, I am positive my first one will not look this nice, however the beauty of cardstock modeling is if a part does not turn out how you like, you need only print off a new sheet and have another go at it, it is a Very low cost hobby and the opportunity to make upgrades is only limited by imagination of builder.


https://modellcom.blogspot.com/2016/10/modell-dampfmaschine-als-kartonmodell.html?m=1

ShadetreeMotorcycle

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2021, 03:35:04 am »
As the instructions are very sparse, and many details are left up to the model builder, I thought I might post a few more photos of the completed model for clarity.

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The blue color on underside of base was an upgrade, the model builder laminated extra layer of a product called Mat board to make the base a more stout and flat structure.

Dampfopa

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2021, 04:19:08 am »
Thanks for the info and the link. I will print the template right away. That the instructions are in Spanish should not be a problem. Most of the templates are self-explanatory. And then there are fortunately translation programs.😉

The model looks great in the pictures. Maybe I build the model together with my grandson.
Cheers
Jürgen
Dealing with steam is one way of having fun in life.

txlabman

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2021, 08:35:52 am »
Wow!  What a cool kit.

Last thing I need is another hobby. :)

I hope someone will try to build this and show it on the Forum.

ShadetreeMotorcycle

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2021, 12:49:55 pm »
Wow!  What a cool kit.

Last thing I need is another hobby. :)

I hope someone will try to build this and show it on the Forum.

Hello txlabman, I may be able to help with your request, I just got a packet of laser printed sheets from my local small town print shop! The laser printer does a beautiful job capturing the old artwork of the model, my print shop informed me that I can just email them the file for the next time, this will yield even better print quality as every time you make a copy of a "copy" there will be some loss of quality, however printing right from the free file to say photo quality paper could yield brighter prints than the original.

I have also ordered an air pump,(to run the model) this one is highly reviewed and I also saw it run a small steam engine on youtube, what I like about this pump is it has a dial on the top that controls volume, in this way you have a Very effective throttle control. I wanted a air pump for my other engines so this was not purchased just for the cardstock kit.
  I do want to try "Sand" powered at least one time! Just to get the old time full kit experience and also it makes me chuckle to think of an engine that runs on sand ;D
I hope to start building soon, I am also hopeful Dampfopa may also share his build on the forum as well!


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Edit: I realize to spin a turbine requires a Volume of air while powering a tiny piston requires perhaps less than 3 PSI pressure. If the pump will not power the paper model, I still want it for my small engines. It is available from 1 port all the way up to 8 ports with a price range of approx $12 to $55 depending on port count.

Here is a video of the 2 port running a model engine, I ordered a 4 port.


ShadetreeMotorcycle

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2021, 10:27:37 pm »
Update: I have not started the paper steam engine but discovered that the Spanish manufacturer of this kit also did a Motor Diesel with the same paper "water wheel" hidden inside the bricks to spin the Motor with sand stored in the fuel tower.
  The builder of this model goes by Thumb Dog and he is the same talented builder of the steam engine in this thread. He cautions that this model is more difficult to build than the steam engine. He left the sand power feature out of the build and flywheel spins by finger flick method. Thought I would share.

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Dampfopa

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2021, 11:59:38 am »
...not bad either!
Cheers
Jürgen
Dealing with steam is one way of having fun in life.

ShadetreeMotorcycle

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2021, 09:02:36 pm »
I have just begin the the construction of the Vintage steam engine!
  This paper is apox 100# grade, it is quite different to work with than the tiny lighted church kit I built, I decided to start with the sand/turbine as it is totally hidden from view and only needs to be structural sound, not pretty so a good place to get familiar with the heavy paper.
  The very old art is hand drawn and not nearly as precision as a modern kit, but still fun to work with, between the model errors and the difficulty getting the second side centered with the first, (my errors) my turbine is strong but spun with side to side run out aprox .050 although functional, this will never do for a Toolmaker so I simply opened up the axle holes with a needle file and added glue reinforcement square, but spent a little effort on better centering.
  The artwork on this part of the model is only to help locate the vanes as you build.



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I was concerned my 2.32 PSI aquarium pump is very low air volume output but much to my satisfaction my trued up paper turbine spools up nicely on the low volume output, this will be considerably cleaner to run than sand!
  The Turbine test stand is just a scrap of 100# paper folded in a U shape and a bit of pencil lead in the notches for lube. The test axle is sewing needle.

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ShadetreeMotorcycle

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2021, 11:40:30 pm »
Roll forming the chimney:
  I am using a pool stick, but there are several ways to get the same results. What makes this work is the towel is soft so the pool cue can form the heavy paper.



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txlabman

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2021, 08:27:34 am »
You are off to a great start.

The pool cue was an excellent idea! 🤠

Dampfopa

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2021, 11:17:41 am »
I will follow the construction report with great interest. In the meantime I have downloaded the template from the net. Maybe tomorrow I will be able to print everything on A3. As soon as I have time (and my grandson has the desire) I will also begin with the construction.

Your beginning is already very promising.
Cheers
Jürgen
Dealing with steam is one way of having fun in life.

ShadetreeMotorcycle

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #13 on: July 08, 2021, 04:44:45 pm »
Update:

Not a lot to show yet as I do most of my building in the cool of the evening during summer months. I did want to point out while most paper modelers build this kit printed on 11"x17" paper, my new print shop talked me into a size larger as they said it was there "best" cardstock, it is 13"x19"!!
  The lines on the enlargement are getting pretty wide at this size, but the larger parts are nice to handle. I will post a photo of the chimney next to a D20 chimney for size comparison, this is going to be a pretty large model. I have big plans to build the kit a second time with some upgrades harvested from paper model forum, but thought to build a prototype first to see what areas may be problem spots so that my fancy build may turn out the best I can make it. I will make a black paper tube to fit the top of chimney liner about 3" deep so the white interior does not show.

 

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ShadetreeMotorcycle

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Re: Olde Spanish paper toy steam engine kit
« Reply #14 on: July 08, 2021, 04:55:41 pm »


Some of the tools I use the most for paper model build. The assortment of sewing needles are used to score the paper to get crisp folds, you lay the needle over perhaps 30 degrees up from horizontal so the point does not scratch the ink.
  The fillet knife sharpener greatly extends the life of hobby blades.
  The little trowel looking tool is artist pallet knife, I use it to reach inside small sub assemblys to press down glue flaps well.

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The big 19 inch paper enlargement, I think 11x17 would be fine but by all means build in a size you like. I believe getting the flywheel to turn out nice will be the only difficulty, and the larger size may help with that part of build.

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