Stoker's Attempt --- Now Completed

Stoker · Stoker's Attempt --- Now Completed

With apologies for the belated beginning, I must admit to being caught wanting in my preparations for this event. I have so long looked forward to participating here, and had such vast (well, perhaps only half-vast

) plans for a major showing, full of exciting tests and experiments. But alas, life over the last couple of weeks has brought those plans to naught.

Having started only yesterday, well after the opening of the event, it is now a game of catch-up that I must play, but play I will! My fall-back plan, while much reduced in scale, is still quite satisfying to me, and it is my sincere hope that it will be pleasurable to all of you.

As an aside, it might be some fun to try and guess the Theme of my exhibit, as we go along and the evidence builds towards the revelation at the finale. However, might as well admit right up front, that if you are looking for shiny brass and perfect paint, this will not be your favorite place, as I am a proud member of the oily rag brigade, and actually like to see the evidence of proper usage on my engines.

So thanks to all who choose to stop by my table here and have a look. Comments and questions are very welcome and hopefully reasonable responses will be forthcoming.

So let's make a start here, shall we:

Here is my very first steam engine which initiated my second child hood, or at least rekindled the ongoing extension of my first.

A classic Mamod SE1a from the raised based, meths fired era, in very good condition, even if well used. I obtained this engine from eBay in 2007 quite by accident. I was collecting lab technology items at the time and was bidding on a microscope. But as is often my way, I mistakenly checked to see what other listings the seller had, this engine was among them, and my life has been forever altered!

SE1a running free

... and running under load

Les

Very enjoyable indeed, thanks for joining in.

Sandman

A good hard worker and a load of fun.

Great to see it in action.

Celsius 100

A faithful old runner.

Dave S

A great runner. That generator looks very hi-tech, excellent!

magpie38

worth the wait excellent mate

Swift Fox

Great to see the engine that got you started, i quite like the dynamo with the digital readout too.

angus

Nice to see it in action

redryder

Definitely worth waiting for and don't worry about being late as I haven't put up anything yet and I am having too much fun viewing and commenting on all the great displays.

Gil

Stoker

For the next exhibit on my table, I offer for your viewing pleasure, the smallest end of the Mamod stable.

Here now, a meths fired MM1:

These little guys are always a joy, and offer a surprising amount of power, for an engine that you can literally hold in the palm of your hand.

Taking up little shelf space is also a charming attribute of these little beauties.

Well proportioned, well designed, and simply wonderful to behold, and even better to fire up and enjoy. What's more they dance way better than I do!!!

All things considered, they are in fact amazingly powerful for a truly pocket sized engine.

Stoker

Now, for serious counterpoint, I'd like to follow the Minor up with Malin's Monster ... the premier powerhouse of the Mamod Pantheon. The Stallion of the Birmingham Stables.

The Mamod twin cylinder SE3:

You've just gotta love it!!!

This being the second engine that I obtained, in what is now a fairly long line of engines, it remains one of my very favorites. With it's exemplary power and well controlled throttle, it is a powerful runner, a diligent workhorse, and yet can also be quite refined when it is throttled back to slowly ticking over, which it does very well indeed!

When received this engine had a couple of loose bushings, as the SV and the overflow plug wouldn't screw out, but rather just turned their bushings in the boiler shell. With some very careful placement of some rings of solder inside the boiler through the larger SV hole, I was able to re-attach the bushings, without soldering the threads on the fittings. While at it, I decided that having a threaded throttle valve that was solidly soldered to the steam line made little sense, thus I added a threaded fitting to make that connection as well, so that now it will not be necessary to de-solder, then re-solder the steam line anytime a washer needs replacing on the throttle bushing. Not original I know ... but I do count it as an improvement.

SE3 running free at a full gallop, and throttled back to a delightful canter!

When harnessed to a generator, the SE3 hardly even knows it is there at full throttle, running up over 9 volts at one point, as long as I kept the pulleys in line and the proper belt tension on the system anyway. This beast is one powerful oscillator ... well two powerful oscillators actually!

Wallace

Great vids Stoker. Always enjoy the mamods steaming

flywheel61

Hey, that SE3 came up nicely, my favourite engine - i also like your way of stabilizing them, when running.

Cheers

Chris

Albert.rivero

Excellent, mate

Celsius 100

Good to see the Minor performing in a typical manic fashion.No collection is complete without one.

kevininasia

I really like your display Daniel. Being a flag-waving member of the oily rag club too, I like seeing well-used but well-loved engines doing what they do best.

That SE3 is a real champ. I've been on the look-out for a good one for a while - one day I'll snag one.

Dauntless

I'm loving your engines mate, Mamods are just awsome!

Stoker

Well now, to get a start on this the final day of STWWW, I'll offer up for your consideration a very early SE2 raised base with the three wick meths burner.

Despite the obvious affection that it received from a prior owner, there is evidence of the dreaded de-zinc on both end caps, and though there is no problem being caused as yet, the day may well come when pinhole leaks will force a major overhaul. When that day comes ... it will be well worth the doing!

Mamod SE2:

This engine was so loved by a former owner, that they custom built a slide top box for it, cut the original label off the disintegrating cardboard box top to glue it onto the wooden box slide top, and even bound the instruction sheet into its own folio covers for protection.

This engine doesn't quite live up to its full potential here in the videos, as it does have a heavy and tenacious coating of a thick brownish scale throughout the boiler and especially in the steam line. Though I have cleared much of it with vinegar treatments, more still remains, and pieces come out after each steaming. They occasionally show up at the port face as well, partially blocking the inlet, effectively throttling the engine. It is improving with usage though, so I expect trouble free running in the future.

While the troubles described above may well have contributed to the problems the engine experienced while trying to run the generator, the real problem turned out to be that the flywheel grub screw had come slightly loose, allowing the flywheel to slip and shift laterally a bit depriving the engine of its full momentum and causing drag rubbing against the opening in the base. Sadly, I have not the time to remake the video, now that the issue has been discovered and fixed. Suffice it to say, that it really can do better than that!

Dampfmaschine

Nice table and vids - Like the story of getting your first mamod by accident - Not all accidents are bad

ozsteamdemon

I think Mamod is the engine that started it for many of us , so i quite enjoyed my visit to your table .
Well done there Stokes !

Stoker

Now for the last item to be showcased on my table, here is the TE1a, a truly classic Mamod mobile!

Well, really ... what more can I say ... TE1a's are GREAT!!!

And what wonderful fun that was!

Bugsy

Thanks for showing us your Mamods, Stoker.
That TE1a really motors along, I don't think I could keep up with it.

Phil

The Denying Dutchman

That's a serious looking generator you've got. I like it, did you make it yourself?

Stoker

In case you haven't figured it out yet, my table has been dedicated to Malin's marvelous machines, in Honor of Mamod's 75th Anniversary!!!

I really want to thank all of my forum friends who stopped by my table to have a look, whether you posted a comment or not, I appreciate your taking the time to take a look see!

I also want to thank our wonderful forum and it's super special MODs who work to make it all so nice.

Now have a look at my whole table:

I've definitely got Mamod on my mind!!!

Les

A beautiful table indeed.

Stoker

Sandman

What a great finale.

Loved the vids.

Well done.