Miranda by Team ricky - 42" mahogany live steam launch

[Team ricky]

Hi guys 

 

New around here, 

 

are there any members who like building steam boats ?

 

my background is mainly plan-scratch built rc aircraft 

 

Irl job marine engineer 20 years !

 

just building a nice 42” mahogany steam ship with scratch built boiler and engine 

[Baker]

[CPDDET]

Very nice build! Welcome aboard

[Bob Cleek]

Most impressive! Please keep posting. Marine live steam is a sideline interest of mine. 

[Jim Lad]

hello, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'.

 

That's a very nice looking steam launch you're building there!

 

John

[GrandpaPhil]

Welcome!

[TBlack]

Mighty nice. Wish you had shown us how you had built that hull.
Tom

[SiriusVoyager]

Welcome to MSW!

[mtaylor]

Welcome to MSW.  I'm assuming this is a working steamer for say pond use?  We've had very few of those but we have had pond ships (non steamers) and static steramers.    I suggest you open a log in the scratch area as it's the appropriate place to let lus follow along.

[Keith Black]

 Rick, welcome to MSW. Great steam model. Glad to have you aboard. 

[Team ricky]

Thanks for the warm welcomes!

 

If I try to create a thread in Scratch section it’s greyed out …..

 

can a moderator move this topic over ?

 

got a lot more pictures and parts to share !

 

cheers all

[Team ricky]

A bit more done

 

well a lot more !!

 

I have fitted the steam plant completely and fitted a water pump system off the crank, Cunningly clever made from a mustard tin with bypass valve…

 

I can now run the boat on bypass pumping no water into the boiler - then when needed dock and close the cave to inject a tank into the boiler and even too up and repeat!

 

The hull is close to 30 coats of oil and the last process will be gloss yacht varnish…

 

I’ve got the radio to fit east job and the cabin roof tops again easy , Then on to the details/rails flag staffs and other deck finishes oh and a name !

[Team ricky]

Here’s a short vid of the steam plant running

 

It’s super controllable and not too hungry on steam !

 

When I get the servos in I’ll probably maiden the boat to see if there are any issues before final finishes 

[Team ricky]

Here’s a vid after I adjusted the fitting of the coupling to reduce the ticking sound ! It will be even quieter underload

[Keith Black]

 Wonderful! Rick, do you live on a narrowboat? If so I'm envious. 

[ccoyle]

Moved to the build logs section. Took a best guess at the correct time period.

[Team ricky]

I live on a Dutch cruiser

 

If you set them up well it’s a great life!

[Keith Black]

Rick, I'd appreciate seeing photos of your home on the water unless that's invading your privacy. 

 

 Truly wonderful work on the steam engine, thank you for posting. 

[KeithAug]

Ah! it is a wobbler engine. If you ever want to try something a little more efficient - double acting, self starting and reversible you can always try this on your next model. https://www.machinistblog.com/downloads/paddleduck/04_building_a_model_steam_engine_from_scratch_chapter_4_567_418.pdf

I built one and it works a treat.

 

Nice work on Miranda. You should do a build log on the boiler and engine build.

 

You seem to be living on a boat?

 

 

Edited June 19 by KeithAug

[Team ricky]

Hi Chaps ,

 

here’s a picture of home

 

 

[Team ricky]

That’s a brilliant build Keith thanks for sharing that !

 

I’m building 2 Marcher steam engines right now… one piston valve and one slide valve ! Oh an a whim buy was also the larger Borderer which I’m tickling at !

[Keith Black]

27 minutes ago, Team ricky said:

here’s a picture of home

 And a lovely home she is, thank you for sharing.

 

 If you don't mind me asking, where's home port?

Edited June 19 by Keith Black

[tmj]

It doesn't get much better than this! "Fantastic work and a wonderful project this is!" Viewing this build log, and the videos, could easily send me down a very interesting 'rabbit-hole', or two... and possibly get me into a lot of trouble with my wallet and the Mrs.!    

[Team ricky]

It’s very rewarding! 
 

some bits are expensive if you’re not already set up with at least a mini lathe and mill attachment 

 

here’s mine it’s very capable and extremely accurate probably more so than larger machines for small parts!

 

you can make all your own hardware, thread cut with change gears, use a rotary table for Pcd work just the full package!

 

Ive found if it’s a case of buying the engine and boiler that Clevedon steam is the best value, you can finish the wood cladding and put the fittings in which gives a bit of ownership

[KeithAug]

13 hours ago, Team ricky said:

here’s a picture of home

Boat life looks good - particularly as you seem to have a stove for heating. I assume she is still mobile?

 

Nice work on those engines.

[Team ricky]

Yes the boats fully functional

 

I don’t go out to be honest as it a bit of a busman’s holiday!!

 

it’s certainly nice to be able to change locations if you want 

[KeithAug]

6 hours ago, Team ricky said:

it’s certainly nice to be able to change locations if you want 

Sounds wonderful. 

What is the bi-plane if you don't mind me asking?

Edited June 20 by KeithAug

[tmj]

 For whatever it is worth, I designed and built a Stainless Steel 10 gallon 'Fire-Tube' steam boiler for my employer this past spring. He wants us to be able to steam bend 1.5" diameter and 2" diameter solid round hardwoods as a new product line for our Architectural construction related business.  Nobody else seems to do that, so we'll likely be the first. I've also designed and built a curious steam bending fixture that has adjustable 'false bulkheads' to be used as forms to bend the wood around, after steaming. No need to cut out plywood forms, etc. Just adjust the bulkheads to the proper locations for the radius required and you're ready to bend wood. It's powered by a 9,000-pound winch that folks typically put on their Jeeps and trucks for off-road stuff. 9,000 pounds will allow for much thicker timbers should the boss ever want to steam bend such. Yes, all these woods will be compression bent to prevent splintering and failures. My steam chamber is made from 6" x 6" square stainless-steel tubing that is 14' feet long, with a 1/4" thick wall. Operating pressure is adjustable but expected to be set somewhere around 2psi within the chamber. The heat softens the wood, the steam is only a 'carrier' of that heat. I'm hoping that 2psi of steam will enhance and accelerate the penetration of heat into the timbers requiring less time in the chamber and increasing efficiency and daily production. We'll see if I'm right when all is finally said and done. The chamber hasn't been built yet. Anyway, the attached video is of my initial testing of the boiler system. I needed to ensure that there were no leaks, and also make sure that my math was correct and that I was not accidentally building a potential BOMB! The tests went well, but not without a few nervous moments. The attached video shows the boiler making steam on its first firing. The exhaust hole in the center of the top has some temporary shielding insulating the hot gasses escaping from the boiler stack from coming into direct contact with two redundant emergency pressure relief valves. One relief valve is there to blow if the boiler pressure exceeds 6psi. The second relief valve is there in case the first valve fails, or the pressure builds too rapidly and needs a little extra relief! The boiler has been completed and now has a proper 'chimney'. This video is mostly just an operational test and a leak check. When I actually tested the relief valves, I moved some metal shields in place to protect anyone from shrapnel should the boiler blow up. All went well, but I must admit that I almost pooped my pants when those safety valves finally let go. I was expecting a gentle 'HISSSSSS' that would gradually get louder and louder until it started to get quieter and quieter. That didn't happen at all. Both valves let go, at the same time, with a sudden, unexpected, thunderous ROAR that was deafening! "Scared me half to death, as well as half of the factory employees!" Too bad that I didn't video 'that' one, huh!

 Anyway... now you know one of the reasons why I find your build log and your steam engine build so very interesting! 🙂