Freelance marine boiler
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- Steamer Al
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
- Location: Comox, BC
Freelance marine boiler
Heres a few pictures of my freelance marine boiler project, to go in a 45" wood Diana launch hull I made last summer. Its not a scale model of anything, just doing what pleases my eye. Its my first own design, scratch built live steam project. Budget is tight and I love machining, so I made all the fittings myself. All of the materials were stuff I had lying around the house.
Currently working on the boiler jacket and safety valves. Hopefully steam testing in a few weeks!
Burner is a vaporizing kerosene burner. Took a bit of fiddling but it works great!
Currently working on the boiler jacket and safety valves. Hopefully steam testing in a few weeks!
Burner is a vaporizing kerosene burner. Took a bit of fiddling but it works great!
Last edited by Steamer Al on Sat Feb 27, 2021 2:58 pm, edited 5 times in total.
- Steamer Al
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
- Location: Comox, BC
Re: Freelance marine boiler
Whistle is a Bill Harris design from his steam donkey plans. A fairly simple lathe job, and it sounds nice too.
Re: Freelance marine boiler
Beautiful work!
- Steamer Al
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
- Location: Comox, BC
Re: Freelance marine boiler
Indeed!
That boiler should steam like crazy! Very nice.
H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
- Steamer Al
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
- Location: Comox, BC
Re: Freelance marine boiler
Thanks!
I'm a little concerned with the water capacity, its not as much as I would of liked. There will probably lots of trips back to the dock for the hand pump, until I can install an engine driven one (which the current engine isnt really designed for).
Alex
Re: Freelance marine boiler
Very nice indeed!
Having recently completed the restoration of my 17 foot long steam launch, I really enjoy seeing your project.
Your boiler does look like it will steam well.
Pic attached of my Blackstaffe boiler with its new innards exposed, which is entirely adequate for my boat.
Burner is steam atomized diesel oil burner. Surprisingly quiet.
The steeple compound engine drives a rather large 3-bladed 16" D. x 20" pitch prop.
Fun stuff!
RussN
OK. Something changed with this Chaski software. This same picture used to post upright! Frustrating.
Think southern hemisphere...
Having recently completed the restoration of my 17 foot long steam launch, I really enjoy seeing your project.
Your boiler does look like it will steam well.
Pic attached of my Blackstaffe boiler with its new innards exposed, which is entirely adequate for my boat.
Burner is steam atomized diesel oil burner. Surprisingly quiet.
The steeple compound engine drives a rather large 3-bladed 16" D. x 20" pitch prop.
Fun stuff!
RussN
OK. Something changed with this Chaski software. This same picture used to post upright! Frustrating.
Think southern hemisphere...
Re: Freelance marine boiler
When I click on the picture it turns right side up!
- Steamer Al
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
- Location: Comox, BC
Re: Freelance marine boiler
I sure like your steam plant Russ! Coiling those tubes up accurately so they interlock like that must be quite the job.
Glad you enjoy the progress pictures, I'll keep them coming.
Alex
Glad you enjoy the progress pictures, I'll keep them coming.
Alex
Re: Freelance marine boiler
The book "Steamboats and Modern Steam Launches", 1997, is a republication of the 1961 - 1963 magazines by the same name.
They are fantastic collections of American steam launch practice, especially Pacific Northwest activities.
There, and elsewhere, I have found information on making the wooden spindles to turn those right and left coils on a lathe for those Ofeld/Blackstaffe boilers.
Nicely old world, and still applicable.
RussN
They are fantastic collections of American steam launch practice, especially Pacific Northwest activities.
There, and elsewhere, I have found information on making the wooden spindles to turn those right and left coils on a lathe for those Ofeld/Blackstaffe boilers.
Nicely old world, and still applicable.
RussN
- Steamer Al
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
- Location: Comox, BC
Re: Freelance marine boiler
Cool! I'll have a look for it. I picked up a copy at a used book store a little while ago, but havent had a lot of time to go through it in detail.NP317 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 28, 2021 1:07 am The book "Steamboats and Modern Steam Launches", 1997, is a republication of the 1961 - 1963 magazines by the same name.
They are fantastic collections of American steam launch practice, especially Pacific Northwest activities.
There, and elsewhere, I have found information on making the wooden spindles to turn those right and left coils on a lathe for those Ofeld/Blackstaffe boilers.
Nicely old world, and still applicable.
RussN