Subject: Poppet-valve Steam Engine plans?

From: [email-masked] ()
Date: 7 Feb 1995 17:32:23 GMT

Howdy, all. I've built several Stuart steam engine kits. They're 
fun but they're not real "modern". I've been fascinated by the flash 
steam hydros being built in the UK, but there don't seem to be many 
articles on the construction of these engines (read:"none"). In any case, 
there don't seem to be any plans at all on how to build one of, say, 
1-1/2" or 2" bore. I *do* have Wally Mounster's plans, but they're not 
trivial... Does anyone out there in video-text land have a clue of any 
other designs floating about??  

--
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From: [email-masked] (Tim Kirby)
Date: 9 Feb 95 16:59:07 CST

[email-masked] wrote:
: 	Howdy, all. I've built several Stuart steam engine kits. They're 
: fun but they're not real "modern". I've been fascinated by the flash 
: steam hydros being built in the UK, but there don't seem to be many 
: articles on the construction of these engines (read:"none"). In any case, 
: there don't seem to be any plans at all on how to build one of, say, 
: 1-1/2" or 2" bore. I *do* have Wally Mounster's plans, but they're not 
: trivial... Does anyone out there in video-text land have a clue of any 
: other designs floating about??  

Ed... you're not suggesting flash steam is modern, are you ? :)

You might do well to look for someone with access to old "Model Engineer"
magazines... maybe 1930 vintage, perhaps a bit later. I don't know if any of
the ME index offerings go back far enough, but flash steam was quite popular
once upon a time...

Tim
--
Tim Kirby                    - [email-masked] -                +1-(612)-683-5390
Software Division System Support ________________ Cray Research, Eagan MN, USA
----------------- Ask not for whom I speak - I speak for me ------------------
If you are sure you understand everything that is going on,
you are hopelessly confused...                                - Walter Mondale

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 1995 20:02:01 GMT

Charles Lamont ([email-masked]) wrote:
: For somthing a bit bigger, I remember an article in Model Engineer, oh
: 25, or maybe more, years ago by a man who converted a side-valve
: car engine to steam.  This involved a new head, and cutting the 
: crank-shaft in half and welding the two bits back together at angle of
: 90 deg!  No, silly, I mean phase angle.   

   I have an old article in a chevy book/mag that details a Six cylinder
camaro converted to steam.  For some reason they used a Mercury 6
cylinder boat engine for the conversion.  I have not read the article
since I began fooling with metal working, but I
do remember two things that struck a Horsepower hungry teenager.
The builders claimed the transmission was an unnecessary component and
that the torque from the motor was more or less instantaneous.  They 
claimed it was capable of setting the rear tire on fire very quicly.  
Since I was driving a 6 cylinder Falcon that displaced the same 144 cubic 
inches, I remember fanasizing about this mod and creating a real sleeper.

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 11 Feb 1995 02:54:08 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] writes:
[...]

>inches, I remember fanasizing about this mod and creating a real sleeper.

Pardon my ignorance of steam engines, but how do the crankshaft/con rod
bearings put up with the forces required when they're spinning very
slowly (as at startup or low speed without a transmission)? Seems like
this would be an extreme case of lugging the engine.
                      ...when I sit down to write
Don Holly             my intentions are always blameless however deplorable
                      the ultimate effect of the act may turn out to be.
                                           --Joseph Conrad

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From: [email-masked] (Charles Lamont)
Date: Thu, 9 Feb 1995 15:19:37 +0000

> other designs floating about??  
 
You need to get hold of a copy of "Experimental Flash Steam", J.H.Benson
& A.A.Rayman, Model & Allied Publications Ltd (now Argus Press) 1973
ISBN 0 85242 352 7.  I see enough of your posts to know that you know the
sources.  I do not know if this volume is still in print, I am afraid;
and no, hands off, you can't have my copy.  :-)

This deals mostly with various racing hydroplane power plants and there
are plenty of GA sections and part dimensioned sub-assy drawings but no
detail plans.  However, if you read it will get your own ideas and will
want to try them.   

For somthing a bit bigger, I remember an article in Model Engineer, oh
25, or maybe more, years ago by a man who converted a side-valve
car engine to steam.  This involved a new head, and cutting the 
crank-shaft in half and welding the two bits back together at angle of
90 deg!  No, silly, I mean phase angle.   

-- 
Charles Lamont

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From: [email-masked] (Mike Rehmus)
Date: 9 Feb 1995 16:50:45 GMT

In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Charles 

>> other designs floating about??  

Ed, you might contact the Steam Automobile Club of America.  In their 
Journal, they have been covering the progress of Peter Barrett who is 
converting a Volkswagen engine to steam.  On the back page is a picture 
of a running small poppet valve engine.  Volume 8, Number 4

In the classified ads:

For Sale - Drawings - Second generation VW steam poppet valve engine 
$50.

Contact David Tharp  HCR 3, Box 402, Rocky Mountain, MO  65072  (314) 
365-0914

For SACA info, contact the editorial office at 1680 Dartmouth Lane, 
Deerfield, IL  60015, Tom Elliot, Editor (708) 945-1975  They also 
maintain for sale, a large collection of jounals, drawings, etc in the 
"SACA Storeroom."

Dues are $10 per year and includes the Journal.

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From: [email-masked] (David William Jenkins)
Date: Sat, 11 Feb 1995 23:04:00 GMT

>> articles on the construction of these engines (read:"none"). In any case, 
<snip>
>and no, hands off, you can't have my copy.  :-)

You could also try 

        Tee Publishing,
        The Fosse
        Fosse Way
        Radford Semele
        Leamington Spa
        Warwickshire
        CV31 1XN
        England

Tel +1926 614101        Fax +1926 614293

They keep large stocks of out-of-print and re-printed books,
including one by Edgar T. Westbury called "Flash Steam".  This is a
reprint of an older work, and covers models and full-size (e.g.
steam cars). It's a small book, but interesting.  My fairly recent
catalogue asks 4.95 UK Pounds, plus 20% for overseas postage.  A
bonus is the fascinating catalogue they'll probably send with the
book! 

David Jenkins              -- aka --             Lathyrus Computers Ltd
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