Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Here we go, the Weeden "Big Giant" running its optional Hoisting Drum from Youth's Companion's magazine.  Still need the weight for the pressure value, been bouncing around Atlanta for the last 3 days... ugh the USPS in Georgia sucks.

I have to say, the Big Giant can move! 

I am hoping the original piston will work as well as the "spare" I have on now but I need a gasket.  The original one still has some gold paint on it and it doesn't have a fitting at the end for the shaft pivot (the piston rod is just drilled with a hole).  Frank's shipment just left Indianapolis, so either it is going to NC first or straight to Georgia - doesn't matter I'd be lucky if I get it by the end of the week.  I am getting 5 inches of glass tube (for my #17 & other #14) and some 1/2" ID Teflon Gaskets.

I am going to be sooo upset if that reproduction weight doesn't show, it was the last the seller had of that style.  Though I'd really love to have one of those circle ones.

Well done Rich.

An excellent video.

Charlie

Thanks guys!

I can't believe I got so much paperwork on these engines!  I also believe Alcohol burns a lot cleaner than Kerosene?  I am really hoping the original works as well as the one I had on for the video.  It was really seized up with calcium and took a bit to free it up.

The Big Giant definitely has speed, though I wouldn't say it has a lot of torque.  You can see that when I release the gear from that lever and then again when I remove the band.  Though assuming the gear didn't slip, I'd image it would do 4 pounds if I also had the 3 pulley block and tackle setup.  Which is the point of that setup for its mechanical advantage.  I just can't seem to find a miniature 3 pulley block and tackle.  I'm actually surprised that I found the miniature 2 pulley block and tackle.

Here is a snap of the directions!

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I just got a YouTube comment that if you go from straight to twist or vice versa on the drive belt between engine and accessory, that changes the direction of the pulley on the accessory.

I am surprised you guys didn't call me out on that, ya'll must have been thinking "what a idiot, untwist your drive belt".  If not, I am certainly calling myself a idiot by not knowing that or realizing it when I gone from straight to twist drive belt all these years!

Twisting the belt is a standard practice for gaining a bit more "Bite" with the belting, so it is less likely to slip on the pulleys. But yes, it does also change the direction of rotation of the driven accessory.

Thanks for the picture of the "Caution" sheet!

With your permission I'll add a copy (screenshot) to my download files.

What a lovely pair 😍 sorry about the leak 

Can we talk you into buying a Jensen??

While I have a Big Giant and a #20 (both brass) working their way to me, I have started a experiment with this steel Big Giant.  I am using KBS cycle tank sealer, since there is a nice box hole for the bayonet pressure valve.  I hardly give myself 50% chance it will work & hold.  Even if it does work, I'll never really trust it and the parts I can take off will likely go to the #20 that my brother found.  That engine is missing anything that could easily be taken off!  It is a interesting engine as it has a Bayonet Pressure valve with a steam line connection, sadly the pressure valve arm was busted off.

Anyways, I ran the engine through the KBS process yesterday, so I have 96 hours for it to cure properly.  During stage one, the tank ended up having more leaks than I realized - including four pinholes on the side of the tank.  I reinforced the outside of these pinholes with JB Weld patches.

Once I get to the sealer, it really became apparent how it was compromised, as now you see the "silver" sealer oozing out everywhere.  From the top around the smoke stack, the bottom of the tank, around the seam there the tank attaches to the base.  No wonder why I could figure out where the steam/water was coming from - it was from everywhere!  Though now that it as started to dry, it doesn't look that bad around the seams.  Well, unless you look underneath and up into the wick slot and you see it all around the tank's base.

I also wouldn't be surprised if I have lost a bit of water capacity too - its not like a Big Giant / #20 holds a lot of water in the first place!  I also wonder how the sealer will effect the heating up of the water to steam.  The sealer is rated to 500°F, so I am not to worried about that but more it acting as a insulator.  If it actually runs as good as my first steam up I'll be pleased (and surprised).

Pretty expensive experiment but I am bored here in Atlanta, Ga!  I am also debating if I want to try and paint it (if it doesn't exploded on me).  The Stage 1 of the KBS ate off just about anything left of the nickel on the tank and paint that was left on the engine.  Then it could be just a interesting "display" item.

That's a nice demonstration of a pulley working