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Hi All,
As some of you might remember, back in October, forum member "txlabman" (Charlie Miller) decided to gift me an engine for restoration. Here is the relevant post:
https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/restorations/restoring-a-doll-vertical-steam-engine/msg58463/#msg58463
The engine arrived on December 2nd, and I'm now getting around to giving it the attention it deserves. It appears to be in remarkable shape for its age. It must have been taken care of over the decades, as it now has a beautiful patina, and shouldn't require any cosmetic work at all. Here's an overall picture of what was received:
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The boiler has become separated from the firebox, and needs to be re-attached. I unsoldered the steam pipe from the boiler fitting, as it required some straightening, and also removing it will simplify re-attachment of the boiler. The crankshaft bearings have significant wear, but not such that it would prevent it running. So, fixing the worn bearings appears to be optional at this point. The smokestack does not appear to be original to this engine, in any sense. It's much too tall, and the diameter is too large to fit the spigot atop the boiler. I am hoping that someone more familiar with these engines can shed some light on what model engine this is, and can perhaps provide a picture of what the smokestack should look like, so that it may be reproduced.
As far as identification, here is an image from the "Great Toys" book, showing what appears to be the vertical version of this engine:
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The 690/12 seems almost identical except for the vertical cylinder configuration. The base and boiler dimensions shown in the listing match my engine almost exactly. By subtracting the measured boiler height of 8.50" from the listed overall height of 14.25", you get a smokestack height of 5.75".
The above catalog image dates to 1911, although I'm guessing that this engine is somewhat older. This is based on the fact that the boiler has the earlier logo:
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The U-shaped sight glass appears to have been recently replaced. There is evidence of some kind of clear sealant at the upper and lower sight glass connections. I have not yet done a pressure test of the boiler, nor have I attempted to test the engine. My first step, beyond trying to identify the model, is to disassemble and clean the parts without disturbing the patina.
Might as well start with the bottom of the boiler, which has a generous coating of carbon soot:
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Before signing off from this introductory post, I'd like to extend a BIG THANKS to Charlie for donating this lovely little engine, and for trusting me to give it the attention it deserves. Also, I am grateful for any information that some of you experts on this brand of engine can provide.
(to be continued)
Postscript: After reading through my post, it occurred to me: "Why haven't I test-run the engine yet?"... something I should probably do before taking it apart. With a rubber-tipped blow gun, set to 10 PSI, I verified that the engine runs very nicely indeed!
This is a unidirectional engine -- no reversing.
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Thank you for taking on this project Paula.
I am looking forward to seeing the fruits of your labor.
Charlie -
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I love these style of engines, more so than my Empires to be honest. So very well made and like real steam engines - though not really in my price range to collect.
Looking forward to seeing this engine run!! -
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Can't imagine what fuel was being used to produce that prodigious layer of soot on the bottom of the boiler, but certainly alcohol burns much cleaner than that!
Perhaps what they called Paraffin back then, which was a more refined Kerosene, or maybe Kerosene itself which might better account for all the soot? -
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Very nice antique engine - it seems there is not much to do
please do not remove patina nor add new paint - but I think
you already know that - haha
Arnold
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...do not remove patina nor add new paint - but I think you already know that -- haha
Check! Other than painting the base green, and nickel plating the boiler, I'm leaving it just as is. [ Guests cannot view attachments ] -
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Very nice early engine. I believe it is Carette model 670/2 from 1905. Not sure you have the same dimensions which are 36cm (14 3/16") high, 20cm long--I believe this is a misprint and should be longer, and 11cm (4 5/16") wide.
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Thanks for the information, Brent. Do you happen to have a picture of the 670/2 which shows the smokestack? I'm guessing it's the same as the 690/2, but it would be nice know for sure.
Paula -
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I found this Paula, but it doesn't show the smokestack in its entirety.
https://youtu.be/5diFB88kjjE?si=MRVmMboVjOoIcFmk -
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Here you go for what it's worth. Looks like a simple top to the chimney.
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I found this Paula, but it doesn't show the smokestack in its entirety.
https://youtu.be/5diFB88kjjE?si=MRVmMboVjOoIcFmk
Thanks, Bruce. That's a slightly different model, but it's one I wouldn't mind owning!
Paula -
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Here you go for what it's worth. Looks like a simple top to the chimney.
Thanks, Brent -- that's the one alright. The stack looks almost identical to the 690/2, and shouldn't be too difficult to reproduce. The challenge will be getting the finish to match the patina of the original engine.
Paula -
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Can't imagine what fuel was being used to produce that prodigious layer of soot on the bottom of the boiler, but certainly alcohol burns much cleaner than that!
Perhaps what they called Paraffin back then, which was a more refined Kerosene, or maybe Kerosene itself which might better account for all the soot?
I know, right? Could they possibly have been using coal oil? Whatever it was, it was a real mess cleaning it from the bottom of the boiler, and especially from the stack tube running up the boiler. Here's how it looks now:
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With that mess defused, I went ahead and did a leak test on the boiler. My main concern was the sight glass seals, as I had a negative experience with the Doll engine in this regard. Interestingly, the filler cap threads are 1/4"-28, while the whistle and steam line holes are M5. [ Guests cannot view attachments ] I used a couple of bolts with Teflon washers to seal off two of the holes, while the steam line fitting served nicely as a hose attachment point:
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With barely 15 PSI on the boiler, I could hear the sight glass "seals" hissing away, even over the sound of the compressor! No soap suds needed. Here's a close-up of the sight glass:
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As mentioned earlier, it looks the sight glass was replaced (relatively) recently, and there is evidence of some kind of clear sealant or adhesive at the connection points. I wonder if it was replaced merely for aesthetic purposes, just to improve its appearance as a shelf queen. Possibly? So, I guess the next step is to disassemble it and see if a better sealing method can be effected.
(to be continued) -
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The gauge glass cover looks original to me. You may only need new "compression plates" and teflon washers underneath the cover to seal it up, assuming the glass tube is the right diameter and isn't cracked, etc. I suspect someone used kerosene in the alcohol burner which sooted things up.
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I had a similar repair - made 2 pressure plates and added small pieces of
silicone tubing underneath to the glass. The screws then are sealed with
silicone sealant.
Arnold
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