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tmuir
Steam Supreme Being
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 14554
Location: Western Australia
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 Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:00 am Post subject: |
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| sparky wrote: | from never having one, are the locos quite powerful  |
Mines not bad with uprated safety valve and cylinder with O rings.
One or twice when I've accedently set it too fast . I've only just managed to 'catch' it before it ran off the end of my track.
Really fun trying to catch a 'runaway' Loco as you want to put your hand out to catch the front but thats where all the work is happening so very hot, have to grab it by the cabin.
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A nice example of an Australian made Scorpion Donkey Engine |
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Mamodman123
Steam God!
Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 31784
Location: Midlands, UK
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:39 am Post subject: |
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| sparky wrote: | | from never having one, are the locos quite powerful |
Sort of Sparks, you would be quite suprised with the amount of rolling stock they can pull 
dynamo on a loco? hmm.. not sure about that guys, can't see it going fast enough!
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Titan
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Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 738
Location: Derby
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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Well let me assure you it does work!
This is not a new idea for me, it has been tried and tested and Titan has been running around with a steam powered headlamp for a couple of years. The dynamo has enough guts to just about light the lamp on about 10psi, it runs very nicely on 15, and by 20 its going like a bat out of hell! 
As part of my rebuild of Titan I am just looking to improve the headlamp, the dynamo side is basically being left as is on the principle if it aint broke don't fix it!
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Mamodman123
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Joined: 19 Jul 2006
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Location: Midlands, UK
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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So its got one on it? Have you or can you get a picture? Sounds very interesting! 
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SPOKESMAN
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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| When its going a vid would be top notch! |
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Titan
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Posts: 738
Location: Derby
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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I will put one up tonight, no access to photobucket at work!
As for seeing it run, I should have it all together for the MSTIA in Feb!
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Last edited by Titan on Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:18 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Mamodman123
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Titan wrote: | | I will put one up tonight, no access to photobucket at work! |
I can't figure out how you've got this set up  worth the wait!
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Titan
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Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 738
Location: Derby
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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Righto, here are a couple of pictures of the setup:
The engine gets its steam supply from a banjo fitting between the water filler valve and boiler bush (situated between dome and whistle). The pipe then runs along top of the gap between firebox and boiler which superheats the steam - on an engine this small the superheat is essential.
Initial trials with the banjo fitting coming off the saftey valve resulted in the engine running slugishly and spitting water. Using the water filler valve bush which is closer to the cab enabled a longer run of pipe along the firebox/boiler gap, which resulted in more superheat and the engine being able to power the lamp on half the pressure previously required.
The engine and flywheel are directly mounted on the end of the dynamo, which means fewer bearings and less friction, and also making it compact enough to fit on the footplate next to the smokebox. These little engines tend to run at high r.p.m., so direct drive is possible, meaning no gearing or drive bands to add friction and slow things down.
Of all the mods done to my Mamod, this is the one I am most proud of, and the one that gets the most attention - even when people have seen it running some are still not convinced that it is genuine!
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SPOKESMAN
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Very interesting indeed love to see that running - where did you get that little unit? |
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Mamodman123
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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Amazing Titan! So in other words you have a little mini steam engine powering the dynamo? 
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Titan
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Location: Derby
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Mamodman123 wrote: | | Amazing Titan! So in other words you have a little mini steam engine powering the dynamo? |
Thats right! It even is a kind of pressure indicator, at a glance you have an idea how much pressure is in the boiler according to how bright the light is!
The engine itself was obtained from a Guy called Phil Gravit IIRC, who ran a small machine shop under the name "Philcraft", specialising in making replacement brass keys for antique clocks. He decided to use his machinary to make a range of very small stationary engines, one horizontal, the other vertical. The boilers were no more than 1 inch dia by 2 inches long, and had this tiny little oscilating engine on them. they would run for about ten minutes on about a teaspoon of meths and just a few cc of water.
He also did a slightly larger beam engine too.
They really were lovely little things.
I think he sold them for about £50 complete, but I did a deal and just bought cylinder/piston/crank/valveblock. He was experimenting with them and had a prototype marine version which went in to a boat about six inches long, and a V twin which he had rigged up to a little dynamo powering a couple of LED's which is what gave me the idea!
Unfortunately I have lost contact details for him, and googling "Philcraft" did not come up with anything either.
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Mamodman123
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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I see! Its very clever Titan! Can't wait to see it working in February! I think it must be a world first? A little piston on a mamod loco  most important thing is that it works well! Wish you could still get them 
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Titan
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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Actually I just googled philcraft again and something has come up!!
This is the beam engine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIwkCt3o5Kk
goes off to see what else he can find...
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Titan
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Mamodman123
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| Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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Wow they are so small
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