Michael Jones

On 8/8/2021 at 4:57 AM, schooner said:

Amazing craftsmanship.

I didn't realize she did not have a condenser, makes sense for such a shallow draft I guess but she must have carried a fair amount of feed water. 

Two 4,ooo gallon feed water tanks.

Scratch built live steam model made from my sketches, measurements and photos of the W.T. Preston on display in Anacortes, WA. 

1/14 Scale  62-inch Vosper Motor Torpedo Boat. Made by scaling up a 1/72nd Revell plastic model. Scratch-built out of balsa and plywood. Powered by three 900, 18V drill motors controlled by three Proboat ESCs. Operational electric torpedoes launched from tubes by springs and water activated motors. operational black powder exploding depth charges are fired in pairs and set to detonate at a depth of 5 feet. RC control of triple rudders, individual throttles, torpedo firing, depth charge release and lights. Except for ventilation stacks, lights, flag and fairleads, all parts hand-made. 

The model took 4 1/2 years  and approximately 4,000 hours to complete. 

A second custom RC unit containing 12 relays operates the 51 lights, including interior and exterior work lights, and search lights. All nav lights can be set according to USCG Rules of the Road. Fore and aft spuds are fully functional. The bilges are dewatered by an automatic bilge pump. 

Gillette & Eaton non-condensing steam engines during machining. Engines made from hand made drawings, photographs and measurements taken from the actual W.T. Preston. 2 1/2 year design and build time for engines.  

Hand made steam engines with 5/8" bore and 2 1/4" stroke. Automatic steam oil injector pumps lubricate cylinders. Engines are scratch built cast in bronze. All grease cups hand made. 10-inch aluminum pitman arms drive the paddlewheel. 

Scratch built working model of the W.T. Preston. Automated systems: Boiler pressure regulator, CO2 fire suppression system, Boiler feed water system. All deck hardware hand made including roller blocks, bits and bollards, brass smokestack.  Brass paddlewheel made up of 815 individual parts. 10 channel DX 10t Spectrum tray radio operates all vessel functions: Rudder, Steam throttle, Cylinder drains, Stephenson reversing gear, and Emergency fuel shutoff valve. Crane functions: 3-drum working donkey engine- pendant lift, topping lift and 80-ton main block and Bull wheel that rotates crane left and right

1/32 scale live steam US Army Corps of Engineers Snagboat.  63-inches long. Superstructure removed showing steam engines, boiler, spuds, electronics section and operational crane.